Council Supports Three Requests

Three voting requests were on the North End/Waterfront Neighborhood Council monthly meeting held in the Nazzaro Community Center on Monday July 11 at 7pm.

Proposals included a legal occupancy change, a request for take-out and an emergency egress issue.

In addition, Boston Bikes Program presented plans for a bike lane along Atlantic Avenue and Commercial Street.

NEWNC Committee reports, updates from local elected officials and the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services were presented.

Representatives from the Boston Bikes Program gave an in-depth  presentation regarding creating a bike lane on Atlantic Avenue to Commercial Street with the loss of one traffic lane and 15-20 parking spaces.

Surprisingly, as at other community public meeting no neighborhood bicyclist turned out for the meeting despite the City telling residents that there is a lot of local support for this $30 to $40 thousand dollar project.

Some NEWNC Council members expressed some concerns and two of the ten members verbally supported the program.

Anne Devlin Tagliaforo didn’t like the idea of losing up to 20 residential parking spaces.

Bill Lane supported the bike lane concept, however he expressed his concerns about the loss of parking spaces.

Stephen Passacantilli said, “He supports the bike lane and didn’t care how many parking spaces were taken.”

NEWNC did not vote on the issue. There was no reason to vote for or against as the City advised they would try to adjust the plans based on the community input received but would not conduct another community meeting for residential approval.

However, final plans will be made available to the Council (see commentary page 4).

A request by the owner of El Triunfo Restaurant, Daniel Surlan, 69 Prince Street, for a take-out license was approved by a 9-0 vote by the Council. Surlan agreed to remove a neon sign and replace it with some other kind of sign at the request of Anne Devlin Tagliaforo. The restaurant seats 18 and is open 7 days a week from 11am to 11pm.

Also by a 9-0 vote, the Council supported a request by Glen Taylor to expand the property at 162 Endicott Street into basement living space.

A motion to table a request by Michelle Holdings, LLC for zoning relief to change the legal occupancy at 55-57 North Washington Street was defeated 3-5 by the Council.

Plans calling to change the building from a restaurant (Tecce’s Ballroom and Kitchen) on the second floor from a restaurant and 12 residential units to a restaurant and 16 residential units. Apparently Tecce’s Restaurant has declared bankruptcy but the new owners have granted him, as part of a sales deal, unlimited use of the restaurant.

Jorge Mendoza suggested the new owners clean-up the trash and dumpster mess created by the restaurant.

Attorney Toscano said because the bankruptcy claim their hands were tied but they are attempting to work with the restaurant owner to address the issue.

Once again Anne Devlin Tagliaforo raised the question about on street parking for the four new units. No response was given other than most people who move into the North End don’t have cars and use public transportation or walk to work.

Attorney Toscano told the Council that the neighborhood abutters were notified and flyers were distributed. The Council voted 5-4 in favor of the proposal.

The NEWNC will not meet in August. The next monthly meeting will be held on Monday September 12 at 7pm in the Nazzaro Community Center, 30 North Bennet Street.