Contrary to the rapid pace of review in 2009, the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) currently has no meetings scheduled for the redevelopment of the Harbor Garage site. The agency is waiting for the developer, Chiofaro Company, to submit new information. News of the delay was discussed at this week’s North End/Waterfront Residents’ Association (NEWRA) Zoning, Licensing & Construction (ZLC) Committee meeting.
ZLC Committee co-chair David Kubiak reported that the new BRA project manager overseeing Article 80 review of the project is waiting for either a change notice or a Draft Project Impact Report/Draft Environmental Impact Report. With the Article 80 review in flux, NEWRA may hold off on its initiative to seek an Advisory Opinion from the Secretary of Environmental Affairs regarding the BRA’s statement that it will not conduct a renewal of the Municipal Harbor Plan (MHP) governing development along the waterfront.
“Instead of conducting a comprehensive planning process to renew the MHP, the BRA appears to be willing to amend the MHP requirements on the Harbor Garage parcel only,” according to Kubiak. “At the same time, there is apparently no support for the developer’s proposed project from the community or from City Hall, and both the Federal Aviation Administration and MassPort (Logan Airport) have raised objections due to potential conflicts with flight paths.”
A possible scenario for the Harbor Garage site presented in January 2010.
