To read SAND's recent website comments regarding Fan Pier plans click here.
To read SouthBostonOnline's recent website comments regarding Fan Pier, click here.
Update 12/8/99To the credit of the Fan Pier planning team at Spaulding & Slye, in response to written and oral requests the public comment period for responding to the proposal (and its official ENF and PNF documents) has been extended until January 7, 2000.
Update 11/29/99SAND has been informed by the BRA and EOEA that the proponent of the Fan Pier project (Spaulding & Slye) must request an extension -- it can not be mandated by the City or State. SAND today sent an extension request directly to Spaulding & Slye. (to read SAND's request letter to Spaulding & Slye click here)
11/23/99SAND has asked the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) and the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA) to extend the public comment period deadline for consideration of the Fan Pier Project Notification Form (PNF) and Environmental Notification Form (ENF) filed on November 15 (request letter is posted below). The public comment period is normally 30 days and would, without extension, expire on December 17 and December 13 respectively. We have requested an extension of the ENF and PNF until January 31, 1999.
To receive a copy of the Fan Pier project filings (ENF and PNF), contact Epsilon Associates at 978-897-7100 or e-mail your request to lserafin@epsilonassociates.com. Make sure to request timely delivery of the documents by Epsilon to your door if you intend to submit a written public comment to the BRA and the EOEA by the approaching deadline.
November 22, 1999- Mr. Paul McCann, Acting Director
- The Boston Redevelopment Authority
- City Hall 9th Floor
- Boston, MA 02201
- Dear Mr. McCann:
The Seaport Alliance for a Neighborhood Design would appreciate your consideration of 30 to 60 day extension for public comment on the Fan Pier PNF recently submitted to your office by Spaulding & Slye Colliers. We believe that this request is justifiable and necessary if the public is to be engaged in the South Boston waterfront dialog.
Firstly, this important PNF should not be considered in a brief period of time occuring between Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year. Many area residents take holiday vacations and/or are fairly inactive with regard to planning issues during the holiday season. Community discussions are quite difficult to schedule during this time. We would suggest that the comment period be extended at least through January 31 rather than through December 15.
Secondly, Spaulding & Slye representatives were - perhaps unintentionally, not especially forthcoming with the date of submission of the PNF until the day before was filed. At a South Boston Residents Group meeting on November 10, Spaulding & Slye Company President Dan O'Connell and Representative Kyle Warwick were asked repeatedly when the PNF would be filed. My recollection of this dialog is restated here:
First Question by Resident A: "Will it be filed within 3 to 6 months?"
Spaulding & Slye: "Yes."
Second Question by Resident B: "Will it be filed by the end of the year?"
Spaulding & Slye: "We hope so."
Third Question by Resident B: "Will it be filed by the end of November?"
Spaulding & Slye: "We would like to file it in November."
SouthBostonOnline, a local print and online newspaper serving the South Boston Community reported the interaction between the planners and the community. Reporter Kevin Dwyer wrote, "Kyle Warwick, who received most of the 'long night for a new guy' treatment from the crowd, dug his hole a little deeper when he took the indirect route in answering a question about when to expect the state environmental and municipal zoning filings for the project. "It will be in November" he said. [To read the entire text of this article, see www.southbostononline.com]
This Fan Pier presentation occured 5 days before the PNF was filed on November 15, yet neither Mr. O'Connell, President of Spaulding & Slye nor Mr. Warwick were able to interject on the trio of questions with a better insight into when the PNF would be submitted. We trust that you understand that most residents of the impacted community are not aware that the PNF is available for review and comment.
- Thank you for your consideration,
- Steve Hollinger
- on behalf of:
- The Seaport Alliance for a Neighborhood Design
- www.seaportalliance.org
- email: xxxx
- 300 Summer St., South Boston, 02210
- 617 423-4299
- cc: Senator Stephen F. Lynch
- City Council President James Kelly
- State Representative Jack Hart
- Mr. Anthony Gilardi, Mayor's Office
- Ms. Becky Dwyer, FPAC
Your comments as a visitor to the SAND website would be appreciated and forwarded for discussion.