[responsive_youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JZPU6b2Jl4]
District 1 City Councilor Salvatore LaMattina provided a multitude of neighborhood updates at this week’s meeting of the North End / Waterfront Residents’ Association (NEWRA). The Councilor represents the North End as well as East Boston and Charlestown. In addition to making it clear that he is NOT running for Mayor, the Councilor addressed the following issues.
- 28 Fleet Street is the first address charged with violating the Nuisance Control Ordinance, a law sponsored by Councilor LaMattina.
- Cross Street Plaza / Woonerf – The Councilor is meeting with owner MassDOT to activate the space with plantings and other pedestrian friendly ideas.
- New acorn lights will be installed on Salem Street with the upcoming re-paving project. The Councilor is proposing that all streets in the North End receive acorn lights as work is done to pave and restore street infrastructure.
- Visitor parking (2 hour) will be re-labeled by BTD to allow for resident parking.
- 585 Commercial Street was voted by the City Council in support of making the property a K-8 public school and swing space for the Eliot during its own renovation and expansion.
- A North Square Redesign Project has been funded by Public Works including fixing the deteriorating grading on the historic square. Future public meetings will be held.
- Trash – The Councilor will be riding with the City’s trash contractor at different times to experience the neighborhood impacts.
In the Q&A, past NEWRA President Stephanie Hogue suggested that noise violators receive community service trash pickup duty and also asked about funding public restrooms in the North End. Resident Bart Higgins presented photos of the trash problem at the Eliot School on Charter Street. Resident Ralph Verni asked the Councilor about the potential redesign of Hanover Street. NEWRA Secretary David Kubiak raised concerns about crossing Causeway and N. Washington streets with the new school opening at 585 Commercial Street.
Lastly, Councilor LaMattina announced his “main man in the North End,” Stephen Passacantilli will be leaving the Councilor’s staff at the end of April 2013. Passacantilli will be joining the Mayoral campaign for Martin Walsh.
Watch the video above to hear Councilor LaMattina’s comments on the these issues.
The Noise in the North End seems endless, thanks to the Absentee Landlords who will rent to just about anyone for
the love of money. The Trash, also endless. Every time you walk down the street there is dog crap, broken
bottles, empty coffee cups, pizza boxes, empty cases of beer and bottles everywhere, people driving the wrong way and
parking anywhere, alley ways, etc. What are our City & State
officials doing about it? Beats me. Switzerland is the Cleanest Country in the World, has anyone made an attempt
to see what they are doing there that We are not doing here. Everyone can kid themselves, the College Kids are
still the biggest problem down here. Are they all disrespectful? No, but most of them are rude, drunk and trash our
neighborhood like never before. The only place to really live in the area is the Waterfront, if you can afford it.
The bottom line is, People only get away with what you allow them to get away with. All these matters can be
dealt with, but what the hell are they waiting for?
A nice start would be forcing Cafe Pompeii to close at 2am, or forcing them to hire a police detail for the hours past 2am they stay open.
Every weekend…every single weekend…patrons from Cafe Pompeii get take out pizza and go across the street and sit on the steps of Sovereign Bank and leave mounds of empty pizza boxes and pizza crusts…let me repeat…this happens EVERY weekend…after 1AM. Why is Cafe Pompeii allowed to keep such a late license when they are the biggest contributor to late night noise and trash?