{"id":1934,"date":"2018-11-21T18:05:18","date_gmt":"2018-11-21T23:05:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.walkuproslindale.org\/weblog\/?p=1934"},"modified":"2018-11-21T18:05:18","modified_gmt":"2018-11-21T23:05:18","slug":"comment-letter-on-3-7-poplar-street-732-south-street-apartment-proposal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/walkuproslindale.org\/weblog\/2018\/11\/21\/comment-letter-on-3-7-poplar-street-732-south-street-apartment-proposal\/","title":{"rendered":"Comment Letter on 3-7 Poplar Street (732 South Street) Apartment Proposal"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"1774\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/walkuproslindale.org\/weblog\/2018\/05\/22\/walkup-roslindale-support-letter-for-fy2019-transportation-department-budget-hearing-tonight\/small-envelope\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkuproslindale.org\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/small-envelope.png?fit=120%2C60&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"120,60\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"small-envelope\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;small envelope&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;small envelope&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkuproslindale.org\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/small-envelope.png?fit=120%2C60&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkuproslindale.org\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/small-envelope.png?fit=120%2C60&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1774\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.walkuproslindale.org\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/small-envelope.png?resize=120%2C60\" alt=\"\" width=\"120\" height=\"60\" \/>Today, we sent a <a href=\"http:\/\/walkuproslindale.org\/pdf\/2018-11-21 WalkUP Support Letter for 3-7 Poplar Street (aka, 732 South Street).pdf\">letter<\/a> to the Boston Board of Appeal (colloquially knowing as the Zoning Board) concerning a proposed new apartment project at <a href=\"https:\/\/goo.gl\/maps\/o2Yu8wmtEyu\">3-7 Poplar Street (also known as 732 South Street)<\/a>, right above Wallpaper City. This project is scheduled for a hearing on Tuesday, November 27, 2018.<\/p>\n<p>The full letter is reproduced below; you can also download the <a href=\"http:\/\/walkuproslindale.org\/pdf\/2018-11-21 WalkUP Support Letter for 3-7 Poplar Street (aka, 732 South Street).pdf\">original as a PDF file<\/a>.<br \/>\n<!--more--><br \/>\nNovember 21, 2018<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">BY ELECTRONIC MAIL ONLY<\/span> (<a href=\"mailto:zba@boston.gov\">zba@boston.gov<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p>Boston Board of Appeal<br \/>\n1010 Massachusetts Avenue, 4th Floor<br \/>\nBoston, MA 02118<\/p>\n<p><strong>RE: Comment Letter<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Proposed Project at 3-7 Poplar Street (aka, 732 South Street), Roslindale<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>BOA Number 871140<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Dear Honorable Members of the Board of Appeal:<\/p>\n<p>I write on behalf of WalkUP Roslindale to comment on the referenced Proposed Project, which is being proposed by the property\u2019s owner, Russell C. Flynne (Proponent). The Proposed Project is a 2-story 8-unit residential addition to be built above the existing 1-story commercial building at 3-7 Poplar Street (aka, 732 South Street) in Roslindale that currently houses Wallpaper City, a long-standing neighborhood business. We understand that the Proposed Project is not proposing any off-street parking and will require a variance from the minimum parking and other dimensional standards applicable to the CC-2 (Community Commercial Subdistrict) zoning under the Roslindale Neighborhood District of the Boston Zoning Code.<\/p>\n<p>In general, WalkUP Roslindale supports the Proposed Project\u2019s program and supports the referenced appeal for zoning relief from the Board because the Proposed Project fits well within WalkUP Roslindale\u2019s goal of fostering a more walkable, cyclable, and transit-accessible neighborhood:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The Proposed Project is directly located in the heart of Roslindale Square, and therefore easily accessible to its services, restaurants, and shops, providing both a benefit to the new residents who will occupy these units and an expanded base of customers for businesses in the neighborhood, which benefits all Roslindale residents. While the absence of off-street parking within the Proposed Project might be viewed by some as its most significant drawback, we view this is exactly the right choice in effectively and wisely using land in our neighborhood\u2019s main business district. There is a wide range of sustainable travel choices available in Roslindale Square, including walking (recently improved with a variety of Vision Zero-based improvements to slow drivers and improve safety), cycling, and both bus (recently improved by the inbound Washington Street bus\/bike lane) and rail transit (on the Needham Line).<\/li>\n<li>Providing off-street parking necessarily drives up the cost of badly-needed new housing in our neighborhood and simultaneously biases motor vehicle use. Emissions from automobile use contributes to the global threat of climate change, the effects of which Boston is already starting to experience in storm-related flooding. By not providing off-street parking, the Proposed Project will accordingly discourage motor vehicle use and allow for more space on the site to be allocated to the units\u2019 living area.<\/li>\n<li>Because the Proposed Project is being built above an existing, single-story commercial establishment and the existing business will continue operating, neither businesses nor residents will be displaced during construction or on an ongoing basis.<\/li>\n<li>The smaller units proposed for the Proposed Project are designed to accommodate younger people and smaller households, thereby diverting what would otherwise be competition for existing, larger units in our neighborhood resulting from the Boston region\u2019s growing economy and expanding population.<\/li>\n<li>We understand that the proponent of the Proposed Project recently contributed $1,000 to a crowd-funding campaign led by Roslindale Village Main Street for improvements to Poplar Street. We applaud this contribution.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These are all positive aspects of the Proposed Project and are collectively the reason we write to support it.<\/p>\n<p>However, we want to state on the record that transit-oriented development projects like the Proposed Project, especially those without off-street parking, necessitate the safest possible conditions for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. These projects are most successful with Vision Zero improvements such as those that the city has recently implemented in Roslindale Square, for which we and many of our neighbors advocated over several years. These improvements are the essential background context for the location of the Proposed Project. Unfortunately, the Proponent has called for a reversal of those improvements, claiming that parking is being unnecessarily restricted and that vehicles are being unnecessarily slowed. We fundamentally disagree with the Proponent and are deeply disappointed by their counter-advocacy on these efforts. Essentially, if given their way, the public&#8217;s quality of life, including their safety, would be subsidizing the Proposed Project.<\/p>\n<p>The Proponent&#8217;s viewpoint gives us great concern about how the critical Poplar\/South corner will be treated during construction of the Proposed Project. We therefore respectfully request that, in addition to BPDA Design Review, the Board condition its zoning relief approval on a construction management plan that maintains bike and pedestrian access at all times during construction and that a copy of this plan be provided to WalkUP Roslindale before the commencement of construction of the Proposed Project.<\/p>\n<p>Thank you for the work you do for our city.<\/p>\n<p>Sincerely,<\/p>\n<p>Matthew Lawlor, 15 Basto Terrace<br \/>\nOn behalf of the WalkUP Roslindale Steering Committee, including:<\/p>\n<p>Ricardo R. Austrich, 843 South Street<br \/>\nLisa Beatman, 180 Mount Hope Street<br \/>\nBen Bruno, 27 Colgate Road<br \/>\nLucy Bullock-Sieger, 33 Brookdale Street<br \/>\nSteve Gag, 631 South Street<br \/>\nLiz Graham-Meredith, 6 Crandall Street<br \/>\nMargaux Leonard, 35 Harding Road<br \/>\nSarah Lee, 65 Cornell Street<br \/>\nMandana Moshtaghi, 12 Arborough Road<br \/>\nRobert Orthman, 31 Mendelssohn Street, #2<br \/>\nRebecca Phillips, 10 Tappan Street<br \/>\nAdam Rogoff, 28 Ashfield Street<br \/>\nAdam Rosi-Kessel, 36 Taft Hill Terrace<br \/>\nRachele Rosi-Kessel, 36 Taft Hill Terrace<br \/>\nMark Tedrow, 169 Sycamore Street, #1<br \/>\nMark Theiss, 55 Prospect Avenue<br \/>\nGreg Tobin, 1 Sheldon Street<br \/>\nNick Ward, 35 Harding Road<br \/>\nAlan Wright, 98 Birch Street<br \/>\nRick Yoder, 180 Mount Hope Street<\/p>\n<p>Copy to: Timothy McCarthy, City Councilor \u2013 District 5<br \/>\nMichelle Wu, City Councilor \u2013 At-Large<br \/>\nAnnissa Essaibi-George, City Councilor \u2013 At-Large<br \/>\nMichael Flaherty, City Councilor \u2013 At-Large<br \/>\nAyanna Pressley, City Councilor \u2013 At-Large<br \/>\nJoseph Coppinger, Mayor\u2019s Office of Neighborhood Services &#8211; Roslindale<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">About WalkUP Roslindale<\/span>:<br \/>\n<em>WalkUP Roslindale, which takes its name from the international movement to foster \u201cWalkable Urban Places,\u201d is a collaborative group of residents dedicated to making Roslindale the most walkable neighborhood in Boston. We advocate for a dynamic, livable streetscape and we support positive changes to our public and private built environment that strengthen walkability and other forms of active mobility as means toward better personal and public health, safety, social capital, economic development, and environmental sustainability. We are led by a steering group of about 25 residents and have over 500 additional supporters. More information about WalkUP Roslindale and our initiatives can be found at <a href=\"http:\/\/walkuproslindale.org\">walkuproslindale.org<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Today, we sent a letter to the Boston Board of Appeal (colloquially knowing as the Zoning Board) concerning a proposed new apartment project at 3-7 Poplar Street (also known as 732 South Street), right above Wallpaper City. This project is scheduled for a hearing on Tuesday, November 27, 2018. The full letter is reproduced below; [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[32,17],"tags":[449,166,149,92,186,448],"class_list":["post-1934","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-government","category-housing","tag-3-7-poplar-street","tag-comment-letters","tag-public-comment","tag-roslindale-village-main-street","tag-rvms","tag-wallpaper-city"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6X5no-vc","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkuproslindale.org\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1934","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkuproslindale.org\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkuproslindale.org\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkuproslindale.org\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkuproslindale.org\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1934"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/walkuproslindale.org\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1934\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1938,"href":"https:\/\/walkuproslindale.org\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1934\/revisions\/1938"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkuproslindale.org\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1934"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkuproslindale.org\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1934"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkuproslindale.org\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1934"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}