
Project Manager Chris Tracy of the Boston Redevelopment Authority emailed a status update now that the public comment period has ended on the Lewis Wharf hotel project proposal. The BRA is looking to issue a Scoping Determination and is requesting more information from the developer through a Draft Project Impact Report. The BRA statement on the project status is shown below.
First off, thank you for your participation in the BRA’s process on this proposal thus far. Whether you attended one of our meetings and spoke up or wrote a thoughtful letter, it has gone on the record and it helps the BRA in understanding potential impacts of the proposal.
Now that the 30 day comment period associated with Large Project review has ended, the BRA has made a decision to issue a Scoping Determination for this proposal and is asking the proponent to respond with a DPIR (Draft Project Impact Report). I’ve attached two excerpts from the BRA website below to help explain what this means. We are currently gathering additional feedback from City agencies and other stakeholders to help us craft the Scoping Determination. The Scoping Determination will be issued by October 30th. I will be in touch on next steps for the process and future meeting dates when they are determined. Please don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions at all. Thank you.
Scoping Determination:
A BRA directive which may be issued during the Article 80 process after the filing of a Project Notification Form (“PNF”). If, after review of a project’s PNF by the BRA, city agencies, and the public, it is determined that additional information is required, the BRA will issue a Scoping Determination which details which areas of the proposal require further study, to be included in a Draft Project Impact Report.Draft Project Impact Report (DPIR):
A possible requirement during the Article 80 process. If, following the review of a project’s PNF, the BRA finds that further study of certain impact areas is required, the BRA may request a DPIR. The DPIR includes detail technical analysis of project impacts and may be commented on by the BRA, city agencies, and the public.