New City Planning Department and Featured Joint Community Meeting

By Phil Orlandella

As expected, the joint community meeting, featuring the Boston’s Planning Department Chief of Planning Kairos Shen, turned out to be a highly successful informational event for the many residents that filled the hall at the Nazzaro Community Center.

Well organized by the North End/Waterfront Residents’ Association (NEWRA) and the North End/Waterfront Neighborhood Council (NEWNC) residents learned about the newly formed BPD and its goals and policies.

Chief Shen presented facts on how the new department will function, it’s duties, responsibilities and how the department will work closely with communities on projects that affect or indirectly affect the neighborhood.

He also addressed questions and concerns posed by residents at the joint meeting.

Residents appeared to like the idea of a joint community meeting containing one subject at a time and seemed to favor additional joint meetings in the community.

They were apparently pleased to have the opportunity to meet Chief Shen and express opinions while obtaining good information on how BPD functions.

“We appreciate Chief Shen coming to a joint meeting to discuss the City’s new Planning Department,” NEWRA President Cheryle Delgreco said.

She added, “Residents were able to ask questions regarding the separation of the City’s planning and development functions, efforts to modernize the zoning code, Squares and Streets, Article 80 and projects such as 251 Causeway Street (470-foot structure) and the status of the Government Center Garage.