Rendering of ground floor for 3353 Washington St.

JP Neighborhood Council’s Letter Opposing Variances for 211 Green St.

City Hall went against the recommendation of the JP Neighborhood Council, an elected advisory group, to approve variances for a controversial development at the corner of Washington and Green. Here is the text of the May 4 letter from the JPNC to the ZBA:
Christine Araujo, Chair

Board of Appeal 1010 Massachusetts Ave.,

4th Floor Boston, Massachusetts 02118

Re: 211 Green Street, Ward 11, BOA675434

Dear Ms. Araujo:

At the April 2017 meeting of the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council, held Tuesday, April 25, the Council members voted 9-3-0 to request the Board of Appeal to DENY ALL EIGHT VARIANCES SOUGHT FOR THIS PROJECT because:

1. The appeal for this project does not satisfy the requirements of Article 7, §7.3 of the Boston Zoning Code for the granting of variances;

2. This project was approved by the BPDA before the final draft of Plan JP/Rox was prepared by the agency and approved by the BPDA board.. The developer seeks variances for a site where under current zoning, residential housing is forbidden and the height is excessive; while at the same time requesting the increased height granted in the final draft of Plan JP /Rox without achieving the affordability required by it.

2,965 Views
File photo: Mayor walsh congratulates Dr Christine Ragbir for her community service award. She is joined by her sons.

From the Mayor: National Night Out

Last Monday and Tuesday night, I visited neighborhoods across Boston, from Hyde Park to Brighton, from Mattapan to East Boston, for “National Night Out” with members of the Boston Police Department and Commissioner William Evans. We spent time with residents of all ages in nearly every neighborhood, playing games, eating food and ice cream, and talking to as many people as possible. It was a great turnout, and I’d like to thank everyone for coming together and participating in this annual summer celebration. Of course, National Night Out is about much more than the fun activities. It is about raising national, and critical, awareness of community policing.

1,630 Views
Photo of Bobby Wengronowitz (front), Shea Riester (middle), Martin Hamilton (back) in trench

Fracked Gas Protesters Lock Themselves in West Roxbury Pipeline Trench

Six people locked themselves together at 9:50 a.m. Saturday to block two construction sites of Spectra Energy's West Roxbury Lateral Pipeline (WRL), which would bring fracked gas into Boston. Bound at the waist and ankles using chains and superglue, they aim to stop the project from endangering the community and disrupting the climate. While the pipeline goes through West Roxbury, not JP, the fight against has attracted many JP residents. They are demanding that Spectra Energy keep fracked gas in the ground and stop forcing the project through a community that overwhelmingly opposes the pipeline. Trevor Culhane said, “This pipeline would irresponsibly lock us into decades of climate pollution and community disruption.

1,893 Views
Proposal for five-story mixed-used building, "The Gate" on site of former James's Gate Pub

‘The Gate’ — 5-Story Building Would Take James’s Gate Spot

The neighborhood will get a closer look Wednesday at the five-story mixed-use development that would rise where a much-loved pub once stood. James's Gate Pub, fireplace and dual bars included, closed abruptly in September 2015. The developer is scheduled to give a presentation on the plan on Wednesday at the Zoning Committee of the JP Neighborhood Council. If you'd like to go, the meeting is 7 p.m. at Farnsworth House, 90 South St. The parcel is at the corner of South and McBride.

2,677 Views
Jose Godoy, left, and Sana Hashnani enjoy the U-shaped bench at Jamaica Pond on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2015.

A Music Fest for Two

While thousands enjoyed Saturday's fifth annual Jamaica Plain Music Festival nearby, Jose Godoy and Sana Hashnani held their own little music fest on that U-shaped bench by the Pond. Each weekday we post a “Photo of the Day” from around the neighborhood. If you have a photo that screams (or even whispers) "Jamaica Plain," here are four ways to nominate it:

Email me at chris@jamaicaplainnews
Tag a picture on Twitter with @02130News
Put your photo in the Jamaica Plain News photo pool on Flickr
Tag a picture on Instagram with #02130News

2,033 Views

An Artist’s Eye on Casey Demolition

#Casey #overpass #jp A photo posted by MIchael Lewy (@mlewy) on Jun 17, 2015 at 5:39am PDT

Michael Lewy, a visual artist who lives in JP, agreed to share this view of the Casey Overpass demolition project. It was taken several weeks ago. Follow Michael on Instagram for more, which often includes JP subjects. Each weekday we post a “Photo of the Day” from around the neighborhood. If you have a photo that screams (or even whispers) "Jamaica Plain," here are four ways to nominate it:

Email me at chris@jamaicaplainnews

Tag a picture on Twitter with @02130News

Put your photo in the Jamaica Plain News photo pool on Flickr

Tag a picture on Instagram with #02130News

1,385 Views

Arborway Parking, Circa 1939

Automobiles line the Arborway in front of the Arnold Arboretum. Circa 1939. Courtesy of Boston Public Library, Jamaica Plain branch. At first glance it might seem these historical autos are caught in some demonic traffic time warp. But this 1939 photo isn't of a backup along the Arborway.

1,470 Views
Screen grab from video of vet explaining pet first aid

MSPCA-Angell Teaches Pet Parents Life-Saving Techniques

Have you ever wondered how to give your pet lifesaving CPR? Did you know that in large enough quantities, garlic can be toxic for your cat or dog? Attendees of the JP-based MSPCA-Angell's Centennial Anniversary seminar on pet first aid learned this and more as veterinarian Kiko Bracker outlined basic lifesaving techniques pet parents can use as a first response to toxicity or injury to their furry family members. If you missed Saturday's event, check out the American Veterinary Medical Association's page for more important information on how to respond to your pet's medical needs. More information can be found at the American Red Cross.

1,550 Views

Get Onto Their Lawn

A pedestrian crosses the grounds at the Loring-Greenough House on June 16, 2015. A pedestrian enjoys the lawn at the Loring-Greenough House earlier this summer. The "Thursdays on the Lawn" programs there won a "Best of Boston" award, one of 10 snagged by the neighborhood this year. For more on Thursdays on the Lawn, head to the historic home's website. Each weekday we post a “Photo of the Day” from around the neighborhood.

1,804 Views

When the Perkins School For the Blind Was in JP

Students in Miss Roeske's music appreciation class at the Perkins Institution for the Blind. Located at the corner of Perkins and Day Streets in Hyde Square, the school was founded in 1887 and served children through age nine. For general instruction, students were segregated by sex. As you can see in the photograph, African-American children were welcomed. The school was an outgrowth of the Perkins Institution for the Blind in South Boston, founded by Samuel Gridley Howe.

2,138 Views