NEWRA Opposes Hazmat Traffic in Community

Votes to express the opinions of the North End/Waterfront Residents’ Association in regards to hazmat vehicles traveling through the neighborhood and plans for the Greenway District will be taken at the group’s June 10, 2010 monthly meeting to be held at the Nazzaro Community Center at 7pm.

NEWRA is expected to overwhelmingly vote to send a letter to the US Secretary of Transportation, the City of Boston and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts supporting the city’s request for a 15-month extension to enable the city to follow the mandated federal process to determine the appropriate route for the transportation of hazardous material on community streets.

The letter will also oppose the use of Commercial Street during the extension time frame and requesting a complete ban on hazardous material trucks using neighborhood streets.

NEWRA is also expected to authorized its Executive Committee to prepare and send a comment letter on the Boston Redevelopment Authority’s draft development guidelines for the Rose Kennedy Greenway Corridor.

These draft guidelines address height and density ranges, building uses and environmental impacts, and apply to Cross Street parcels along the North End parks, the Harbor Garage and Government Center redevelopment parcels and other potential development sites along the Greenway.

The production company that was recently in town for several days filming the movie "What’s Your Number" will request to return to the North End on 14 Cooper Street on Saturday, June 19 . There is a small chance the production will need to return again on Wednesday, July 7 from 3pm to 9pm to re-stage the "Italian Wedding" scene on Prince Street.

Ten spaces on Cooper Street will be taken for equipment on June 19 and several spaces on Prince, Thacher and Salem Streets will be taken on July 7. Parking for residents will be available at Parcel 7 garage. On July 7, Prince Street will be closed and Boston Police will detour vehicles down Thacher Street.

The production company will take feedback from the neighborhood from the last filming to obtain lessons learned to make improvements for any future productions.

Nick Cerundolo plans to open a new restaurant at 76 Salem Street, formerly Paesano Restaurant, which has been vacated for a long time.

Cerundolo has applied to the Licensing Board for the City of Boston for a new beer and wine license with a closing hour of 11pm Sunday through Thursday and 12 midnight of Friday and Saturday. Plans do not include a bar at this time.

The previous beer, wine and cordials license included a 2am closure but was transferred out of the neighborhood several months ago.

The monthly meeting will also include committee reports and updates by elected officials on their representatives.