Revere City Council Roundup

By Barbara Taormina

 

The City Council met on Thursday night this week instead of their usual Monday night meeting due to last week’s snowstorm. Councillor-at-Large Joanne McKenna and Ward 5 Councillor Angela Guarino-Sawaya opened the meeting with praise and thanks to the Department of Public Works for the job they did clearing the snow from city streets. Guarino-Sawaya urged residents to be patient with the plows, as more snow is predicted to move in. She said some drivers are putting in 48-hour shifts and residents need to understand how much work is involved.

 

McKinley School renovation bond

Chief of Planning & Community Development Tom Skwierawski and Mayor Patrick Keefe met with the council this week with a presentation on the McKinley School renovation prior to a public hearing on a $37 million bond authorization for the project. Skwierawski showed slides of renderings of the building and explained how the regional emergency call center, the early elementary education program and city offices will fit into the building. Both Skwierawski and Keefe focused on how the renovation will benefit the neighborhood.

“I’m excited to revitalize that neighborhood and that building,” said Keefe.

Although the bond is for $37 million, City of Revere CFO Richard Viscay said the actual cost to the city is around $17 million. By hosting a regional call center with Winthrop and Chelsea, Revere was eligible for millions in grant funding from the state’s 911program. Total project cost is estimated at $43.5 million. Funding assumptions include roughly $6.5 million in school-related grants and about $19 million in state 911 grant reimbursements, leaving an estimated net City cost of $17.5 million.

“We’re building to add at least one more community,” said Keefe. “We’ve had inquiries from other communities. The state picks up the cost for communities that regionalize.”

Viscay also said the money will not be borrowed immediately. “By approving the authorization, you allow me to sign a contract so construction can start,” Viscay told councillors, who all supported the authorization.

The council referred the request for the bond authorization to the Ways and Means Subcommittee for review at their meeting on Feb. 9.

 

Transit-orientated housing

The council held a public hearing on an application for a special permit from Capri LLC, 1559 North Shore Road, to extend the existing single-story structure by building up and adding a two-story addition consisting of eight one-bedroom units. The project maintains the building’s original footprint and would be 29 feet high. Attorney Nancy O’Neil, who represented Capri at the meeting, described the project as a support for the economic activity along Shirley Avenue. O’Neil also stressed Capri is a three-minute walk to the Beachmont T station which, she said, makes the project transit-orientated housing.

The council referred the special permit application to the Zoning Subcommittee, which will review it at their meeting on Feb. 9.

 

Great plan, small lot

The council held a public hearing on an application for a special permit to replace a nonconforming garage with a two-and-a-half story two-family dwelling on Lot A Elmwood Street. Attorney Nancy O’Neil explained that the proposal replacing the long deteriorated commercial garage with a two-family home would remove a neighborhood eyesore, eliminate nonresidential use in a predominantly one- and two-family area and improve property values and streetscapes.

Ward 5 Councillor Guarino-Sawaya said there was unanimous backing at a community meeting, a letter of support from a nearby resident and the provision of four required off-street parking spaces on a nearby lot under the same ownership, with planned easements to ensure permanent access. Supporters also said the lot size reflects the historic development pattern of the neighborhood, where other homes exist on similarly small sized parcels.

However, several city councillors noted the approximately 2,250-square-foot lot is far below typical zoning standards. They worried that approving a two-family structure could set a precedent for development on undersized lots, potentially creating legal issues in future cases.

The application for a special permit was referred to the Zoning Subcommittee.

 

Martinez for Parks and Rec

The council referred Mayor Patrick Keefe’s appointment of Lily Martinez to the Parks and Recreation Commission to the Appointments & Personnel Administration Subcommittee for review.

 

Fixing the streetlights

Councillors supported a motion from Councillor-at-Large Joanne McKenna that the council request a meeting with Tammy Saporito, a community manager at National Grid, to discuss chronic problems of double poles and streetlight outages. Mckenna said she is particularly concerned about the streetlights, adding that there are many outages throughout the city. She asked fellow councillors to compile lists of issues and needed repairs to give to Saporito at the proposed meeting.

 

Planting more street trees

Councillors Joanne McKenna, Paul Argenzio and James Mercurio presented a motion to request a $10,000 to $20,000 line item be included in the upcoming public works budget for planting trees and installing tree pits along city streets. Argenzio said the city has fallen behind on planting trees. Councillors agreed that street trees are essential urban infrastructure providing shade canopies that reduce heat and improve air quality, stormwater management, public health and neighborhood pride. Ward 2 Councillor Ira Novoselsky said there are many empty tree pits in his ward, and he urged filling them. Ward 1 Councillor James Mercurio said a local landscape company was willing to demonstrate two tree pit covers: one poured in place rubber, the other a plastic grid.

Councillors raised concerns about resident input on trees in front of their homes. Ward 5 Councillor Guarino-Sawaya said people buy homes in Revere for ocean and water views and now the city wants to put a tree in front of their house. Other councillors noted that the city makes residents responsible for clearing snow from sidewalks in front of their homes and residents pay taxes. Although they felt the city should control city sidewalks, they understood the value of resident input on tree planting. The term concrete city came up several times with councillors agreeing they don’t want Revere to have that type of landscape. The council supported the motion with a plan to find some compromise with residents who do not want trees near their homes.

 

Proposed zoning changes for special permits

Council President Anthony Zambuto presented a motion for a public hearing on the following changes of the zoning ordinance relative to special permits:

Section 1. Section 17.16.040 Generally – Table of Uses, NB District of the Revised Ordinances of the City of Revere is hereby amended by changing the following uses from “yes” to “sp”: dwelling, two-family; dwelling, apartment; dwelling, townhouse; and dwelling, duplex.

Section 2. Section 17.16.040 Generally – Table of Uses, GB District of the Revised Ordinances of the City of Revere is hereby amended by changing the following uses from “yes” to “sp”: dwelling, two-family; dwelling, apartment; dwelling, townhouse; and dwelling, duplex.

Section 3. Section 17.16.040 Generally – Table of Uses of the Revised Ordinances of the City of Revere is hereby amended by changing dwelling, apartment from “yes” to “sp” in the RC, RC1, RC2, and RC3 zoning districts.

Section 4. Section 17.16.060 Townhouses in RB, RB1, CB, and LI Districts is hereby amended by deleting “RC, RC1, RC2, RC3, NB and GB” and inserting in place thereof, “RC, RC1, RC2, and RC3”.

Section 5. Section 17.16.060 Townhouses in RB, RB1, CB, and LI Districts is hereby amended by deleting “RB, RB1, CB and LI” and inserting in place thereof, “RB, RB1, CB, LI, NB and GB”.

Section 6. Section 17.40.030(A) Modification of nonconforming structures of the Revere Revised Ordinances is hereby amended by deleting, “(excluding single and two-family residential structures)”

Section 7. Section 17.40.040 Modification of nonconforming single and two-family residential structures of the Revere Revised Ordinances is hereby deleted in its entirety.

 

Neighborhood protection plans

The council supported Ward 5 Councillor Guarino-Sawaya’s motion that the mayor, Inspectional Services, Public Works and the Police develop and implement a standardized Construction Accountability and Neighborhood Protection Plan for all active construction or infrastructure upgrade projects throughout the city. Guarino-Sawaya proposed that plans include 1. A publicly accessible compliance checklist outlining requirements related to noise, hours of operation, debris control, safety fencing, sidewalk access, and on-street parking impacts; 2. A requirement that each construction site designate a clearly identified on-site compliance contact, available to the City Council, residents and city departments; 3. Routine and documented inspections throughout the duration of construction, not solely at project commencement; 4. A graduated enforcement process with meaningful penalties for repeat or ongoing violations, including fines and potential work stoppages where applicable; and 5. A mechanism for residents to report violations in real time, with clear response protocols and follow-up.

Guarino-Sawaya said construction in Ward 5 has been disruptive and created significant inconveniences for residents. Several councillors expressed strong support for the motion. However, there were questions about how it would be implemented and enforced.

 

Air Quality test results

The council supported Ward 5 Councillor Guarino-Sawaya’s motion calling for an update on the usage results of QuantAQ monitors to study air quality in Ward 5.

 

Second request for a traffic camera

Ward 3 Councillor Anthony Cogliandro filed a motion requesting the installation of a traffic camera at the intersection of Cushman Avenue and Adams Street. Cogliandro previously submitted this request in July 2024. It was unanimously approved but the camera was never installed due to lack of funding. This week’s motion from Cogliandro was placed on file.

 

Do Not Block the Box

The council supported a motion from ward 5 Councillor Angela Guarino-Sawaya requesting the Traffic Commission and Public Works to evaluate and, if deemed appropriate, install and/or paint “Do Not Block the Box” pavement markings and appropriate signs at the intersection of Revere Street and North Shore Road, in response to a resident’s continued complaints regarding vehicles frequently blocking the intersection, creating safety concerns for pedestrians, emergency vehicles, and motorists.