Right. Pledge allegiance. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Welcome everybody to the school community meeting. Start the meeting by the flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, Julie. My name is Linda Walsh. I am the mass DOT project manager
for the provo proposed rever safe routes to school project at the Beachmont Veterans Memorial School that will be presented this evening. I work in the project management section at the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Highway Division's headquarters in Boston. Tonight's
meetings is mass.safe rootstochool design public hearing for improvements at the beach veterans memorial school in Rivia known as project file number 612100. During this presentation we will explain the purpose of the hearing, provide an
overview of the right of way procedures and present the project design and open up for questions and comments to the public. Finally, we will explain how you can submit your comments and questions about the project. Comments received within 10 business days of tonight's
hearing will be included in the official hearing transcript. Once the hearing is completed this evening, the attendance sheet will become part of the public record. So, if you would like your attendance at this hearing to be part of the public record, please sign in on the signage sign-in sheet on the table in
the back of this room. Handouts containing details regarding this project are next to the sign-in sheet. There are also plans that can be reviewed by the public after the hearing concludes. Great. While the public hearing is being
recorded this evening by Rebe TV, we will not be using that recording as part of our verbatim transcript or taking questions from the televised audience. We do have a stenographer who is taking a verbatim transcript of this hearing and the Massachusetts Department of
Transportation may choose to retain and distribute images, audio, andor the Q&A transcript. All parts of this hearing are considered public record and questions will be taken from the audience. The hearing will be open to questions and answers at the end of the formal
presentation. All questions and comments are welcome and appreciated. However, we do refra request that you refrain from any disrespectful comments. All masked activities, including public meetings, are free of discrimination.
Masdot complies with all federal and state civil rights requirements preventing discrimination based on sex, race, color, ancestry, national or origin, limited English proficiency, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or
expression or veteran status. We welcome the diversity across our entire service area. If you have any questions or concerns, please visit mass.gov gov non-discrimination and transportation program to reach the office of diversity and civil rights. Thank you for
attending our meeting. We appreciate your participation. The purpose of holding this hearing is to provide and ensure assured method whereby the Commonwealth of Massachusetts can furnish information concerning the state's roadway construction projects and to afford
every interested resident of the area an opportunity to be heard on any proposed project. At the same time, the hearing affords the Commonwealth an additional opportunity to receive information from local sources, which would be of value to the state in making its final
decisions about what design should be advanced for development. We have provided an agenda for tonight's public hearing. Our presentation will provide a brief overview of the project timeline, state the goals and objectives we look to accomplish, identify project scope,
discuss the rightway process, and outline construction procedures. Finally, we will discuss next steps and how to contact project team. The hearing will conclude with a question and answer session. Tonight's agenda is as follows. Project
timeline, design goals and objectives, alternatives, reviews, preferred alternatives, rightaway discussion, pedestrian and bicycle impacts, construction and roadway operations. Now, we would like to introduce the
members of our hearing panel. Again, I am Linda Walsh, the Mass DOT project manager. Also representing Mass DOT, we have Brian Failen from our District 4 headquarters in Arlington and Rosemary Scrivens from our right-of-way bureau.
We also have Melissa Dupo from Advanced Court Reporters who will take a verbatim transcript of this hearing for public record purposes as required by law. Representing the design consultant team from Tyenbond, we have Greg Lucas and
Maline McDermott. Representing the city of Reier, we have Julie Demaro, the city's transportation coordinator. Now, I will ask Julie to make some brief introductions on behalf of the city. Thank you, Linda, and thank you everybody for being here tonight. I want
to acknowledge uh state representative Jeff Turo for being here tonight as well as uh the ward counselor James Mccurio. Thank you both for being here and I want to acknowledge the public that came for this part of the meeting. Um this
project was a project that we put in for a safe route to school grant back in 2018. Um and we are finally at the 25% design phase. Um, this will be the second Safe Roots to School project here in the city. The first one was the
Garfield School. Um, so we're very excited to launch this project in the spring or summer of 2020. >> Thank you, Julie, and thank you for attending this evening's hearing. Um, a pro a project flyer has been prepared
and posted to the mass dot website along with the meeting notice. You will find that this documentation may be useful to you in understanding the project in submitting formal comments in response to this presentation. We have also provided a handout at tonight's hearing
which will also be helpful. Masdot's public notice of the design public hearing included in your handout appeared in the Rever journal on April 22nd and April 29th and in the Rever advocate on April 24th and May 1st. A copy of this notice will be attached in
the final hearing transcript. Additionally, notices and flyers were posted on the Mass website and social media and shared through additional channels including the city of River's website and monthly newsletter. At this time, I will turn the presentation over to Greg Lucas from
Thai and Bond team who will describe the project in the proposed design. Please keep in mind that the project we are presenting is still at the 25% design stage. Once Greg is done explaining the proposed design, I'll explain the hearing procedures and then open the
hearing to the public for questions and comments which will take into which we will take into consideration when completing the project's design. Please hold your questions until after the presentation. Greg. Thank you, Linda.
Good evening, everybody. My name is Greg Lucas, project manager at Tai Bond. I'll be walking you through the project background and the proposed improvements for the Beachmont Veterans Memorial School Safe Roots to School project. Let's review the milestones that brought us to tonight's design public hearing.
After the initial state safe roots to school state aid approval was granted, a 10% concept was prepared by another design consultant. Following the initial concept design, MASDOT held a scoping session and sitewalk in May of 2024 with
Thai bond where the initial 10% concept was discussed and project goals and site constraints were verified. In April of 2025, with sight specific variables accounted for, an updated design and 25% design package was submitted to Mass DOT
for review. Following Mass DOT's review, a sitewalk was held with the consultant, Mass DOT, and the respective utility companies to discuss the proposed design. As a result of observations in the field and potential underground utility
conflicts, the proposed design on Everard Street was modified. We'll discuss this in more detail later in the presentation. The updated design was presented to the city's traffic commission on February 19th, 2026, who voted to pass the design.
The project is located at the Beachmont Veterans Memorial School and the surrounding neighborhood along Everard Street, Bell Ale Avenue, and Crescent Avenue in River. The work is focused on sections of sidewalk, curb ramp, and
crosswalk improvements in the streets surrounding the school. Due to safe routs to school project funding requirements, the project does not touch or impact the state highway layout of Bennington Street. Improvements to the intersection of Bennington Street and Everard Street are
being accomplished through a separate Mass DOT project. As we move through the presentation, we'll reference this location map and the key crossing serving the school and the surrounding neighborhood.
Why was this project initiated? Before we get into the details of the proposed design, we'll first review why the project is being advanced and the existing condition of the project roadways. Let's set the table with a look at the current site configuration.
Everard Street is a one-way local roadway in front of Beachmont Veterans Memorial School. Everard Street currently has concrete sidewalks on both sides of the roadway and provides one travel lane with parking allowed on both sides of the road. The conditions of com
pedestrian crossings are in varying conditions with some locations missing crosswalk markings or detectable warning panels which are the raised domes you can see in yellow at the picture at top right. The portion of Bell Isle Avenue from Everard Street to Crescent Avenue is
included within the project area. The roadway currently has asphalt sidewalks on both sides of the roadway, but the presence of curbing is inconsistent and sections of the sidewalk have steep cross slopes that make it difficult to traverse. Bell Ale Avenue permits
two-way traffic and also allows for on street parking on both sides of the roadway. So, the roadway can function with two travel lanes or with a birectional travel lane and parking on both sides of the street. Existing operations on Bell Isle Avenue will be
retained as part of the proposed design. Along Crescent Avenue, concrete sidewalks are present on both sides of the roadway. Several of the existing curb ramps are missing detectable warning panels, and there are several potential crossing locations that may
serve desired pedestrian routes, but lack ramps or crosswalk markings. In addition, the inter the crosswalk at the intersection with Winthre Avenue is excessively long, approximately 120 ft. What do we want to accomplish?
With the existing conditions covered, we can now move on to what the project intends to accomplish and the design objectives guiding the work. So, what are our primary project goals? Our focus was simple and aligned with the safe routes to school program.
Improve safety and accessibility for students, families, and neighbors walking and biking. The Beachmont Veterans Memorial School. Pedestrian facilities should match applicable accessibility requirements and provide the minimum accessible clear paths of travel and
ramps and crosswalks should be present where there is a desire for pedestrians to cross. Our proposed project is intended to rebuild and improve the project area so that walking, biking, and school access conditions are safer, clearer, and more consistent.
To meet our project goals, the project targets accessibility and safety focused on students and overall access instead of a complete reconstruction. Currently, the site includes inconsistent curb ramps that do not meet accessibility requirements as well as sidewalks that do not consistently
provide minimum accessible clear paths of travel. Crosswalk markings and signage are also inconsistent in the project area. To improve pedestrian and bicycle access, the project proposes the reconstruction of sidewalks and
pedestrian curb ramps in the neighborhood. It also includes the construction, excuse me, of new ADA compliant curb ramps at key crossing locations and other crosswalk treatments to improve pedestrian safety. New MUTCD compliant
pavement markings and signage will be installed. Overall, an effort has been made to retain existing roadway operations and limit impacts to on street parking in the project area. Later in the presentation, we'll look at the improvements in greater detail. what alternatives were considered. Next,
we'll cover the alternatives that were considered and how the preferred design was selected. Early in project development, the 10% concept and the initial 25% design explored elements that are not included in the preferred alternative that we're
presenting here today. These elements included a 10- foot or 8 foot wide shared use path along the entirety of Everard Street and along Bell Ale Avenue in the project area. Ultimately, this alternative was
disregarded because the reduced roadway width would negatively impact emergency response access and reduce resident parking. Instead, a shared use path was included on Everard Street only in front of the school where higher volume of pedestrians and bicyclists are expected
to congregate. A raised crosswalk across Everard Street at the Eastern School driveway was also explored during the 25% design. However, concerns were raised during the utility sitewalk about conflicts between proposed drainage necessary for the
raised crosswalk and existing gas lines underground. To continue to provide improved pedestrian safety at this location, but eliminate utility conflicts, a curb extension was proposed instead at the same location. The curb extension narrows the roadway width at the
location, shortens the pedestrian crossing distance across Erard Street, and restricts parking in the vicinity of the crosswalk, which improves visibility. What is the preferred alternative? Based on the alternative alternatives review, the project advanced a preferred
alternative which the next several slides will cover. After considering all project components, the preferred alternative on Everard Street includes a proposed 10- foot wide shared use path with a two-foot buffer along Everard Street in
front of the school. The shared use path will transition back to the sidewalk width at Cottage Street. The eastern school driveway opening will be narrowed and a curb bumpout will be provided across Ever Street. The existing vehicle operations on Everart
Street will be maintained. The only on street parking loss as part of the proposed design will be two spaces at Frederick's Park near the intersection with Cottage Street. To help illustrate the scope of our proposed work, several colorized figures have been prepared and will be shown
over the next couple slides. Uh when you look at the image that's on screen, cement concrete sidewalks are shown in light gray. The limit of uh HMA or asphalt roadway paving is shown in dark gray. And the proposed buffer and the limit of
necessary grading is shown in green. So here we could see the proposed shared use path in front of Beachmont Veterans Memorial School in that light gray color and the proposed curb extension on the right hand side of the image. New ADA compliant curb ramps are
included across the school driveway entrances at the midblock crossing and at the intersection of Everart Street and Cottage Street. On street parking will be retained in seven foot parking lanes and the existing one-way condition
will be retained with an 11 foot travel lane along Bell Ale Avenue. The existing crosssection will remain as it is currently on street parking will be continued to be permitted on both sides of the road. The sidewalks will be reconstructed at the existing widths
with new granite curbs and new pedestrian curb ramps being provided. New signage and new pavement markings will also be provided on Bell Ale Avenue. And here we can see the existing cross-section remains with reconstructed
sidewalks, driveways, and ramps shown in gray. A new crossing has been added across Everard Street at the intersection with Bell Ale Avenue. Additionally, a center line has been added on the Bell Ale Avenue approach to
Crescent Street to help align vehicles properly at that intersection. The proposed work on Crescent Avenue is limited to curb ramp and pedestrian crossing improvements. Two additional crossing locations have been added across Crescent Avenue to
help pedestrians who may be traveling to and from the school. Additionally, the crosswalk on the right of the image has been set perpendicular to the sidewalk to provide a safer crossing so pedestrians never have to put their back to approaching vehicles.
And here looking at the intersection of Crescent A with Winthre Avenue, the existing conditions has a long crosswalk spanning the entire width of the intersection. And our proposed design, the medium median island will be expanded to provide a pedestrian refuge island and
allow pedestrians to cross Crescent Avenue in two stages. Um, pedestrian curb ramps are also to be reconstructed at the other crossing locations at this intersection. And now I'll turn it back to Linda.
>> Thank you, Greg. >> Thank you, Greg. How will your property be impacted? The city of River is responsible for the right away for this project. Affected property owners will be contacted by city personnel and they will work with
work in conjunction with Mass DO's rightway bureau. Procedures must comply with both federal and state regulations. I'll now turn it over to Mass DO's rep rightway representative Rosemary Scrivens to explain more about
the procedures moving forward. >> Thank you, Linda. Can you hear me? Okay. Excuse me. >> When the Commonwealth, acting through its Massachusetts Department of Transportation Highway Division, indicated it would accept this project for funding, the city of Rever accepted
certain responsibilities. One of these responsibilities is acquiring the necessary rights in private and public lands for the design, construction, and implementation of this project. My function is to review and recommend
procedures that the city of Rivier will use in acquiring these rights. The procedures used must comply with both federal and state regulations. Affected property owners rights are protected under our Massachusetts general laws,
primarily chapter 79. And because this project is receiving federal funds, the property owner's rights are further defined under title three of the Real Property Act of 1970 as amended. Currently, the design plans indicate
there are no fee takings, 10 permanent easements, and 12 temporary easements across 15 properties. The property owners impacted by this project will be contacted by City of Ree officials. They will present the proposed impacts to
each owner and discuss the methods with which they may acquire the needed rights for the project. Frequently, municipalities will appeal for donations to minimize the acquisition costs for your community. However, donations are not required and property owners are
entitled to an appraisal, a review appraisal, and just compensation. Right-of-way documents will be provided to each owner to help them understand the acquisition process and how the project affects their property. Copies of the right-of-way plans will be made
available to interested parties at the city of Rivier's engineering office and I will be available after the presentation to help any answer any questions. Thank you and back to you. >> Thanks, Rosemary. Um, we're gonna give Greg one second to have a little water.
>> Thank you. Thank you so much. >> Take your time. How will bicyclists and pedestrians be impacted? With the rightway overview complete, we'll return to the design itself and summarize what those improvements mean
for people walking and biking, both during everyday school travel and once construction is complete. Overall, the project is intended to make the corridor safer and more predictable for everyone using it. The addition of the shared use path in front of
Beachmont Veterans Memorial School will provide greater space for pedestrians and bicyclists where higher volumes are expected, especially during school drop off and pickup. Reconstructed sidewalks and updated curb ramps provide a more consistent and
accessible path of travel to and from the school. New signage and high visibility crosswalk markings will improve the visibility of crosswalks. What is the construction approach? Next, we'll shift to construction. What the
work generally looks like, how access will be maintained, and what kinds of short-term impacts you might expect while the improvements are built. Construction for this project is fully funded and will be administered by Mass DOT during construction.
As shown on this slide, federal funds cover 80% of construction cost and a commonwealth will fund the remaining 20%. The rightaway acquisition costs will be the city's responsibility to pay for as part of the project cost. From a
construction standpoint, phasing will be coordinated closely with Mass DOT, the city, and school department. We'll focus on maintaining safe access and minimizing disruption during school arrival and dismissal periods. Access to abuing homes, Beachmont Veterans
Memorial School and City Lab High School will be maintained throughout construction with short duration shifts or localized restrictions as needed for specific operations. Based on the scope of work, construction is ant anticipated to be substantially
complete within one construction season subject to final scheduling and field conditions. How will the road user be affected during constructions? There'll be during construction, there will be periods of changing conditions, temporary traffic
control, potential shifts in where people walk and park, and occasional short duration closures for paving related operations. The next slide summarizes the types of measures typically used to manage those impacts. Temporary traffic control will be used
to maintain safe travel for pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicles. You may see signage, cones or barrels, and police details where needed. In some locations, sidewalks may need to be closed temporarily while concrete work or curb
ramp reconstruction is underway. When that happens, the contract will provide sign pedestrian detours or other accommodations to maintain access. There may also be short duration roadway closures for specific activities such as paving and applying pavement markings.
When disruptions are anticipated, the project team at Mass DOT will coordinate with the city and school officials and provide advanced notice to residents and other stakeholders. Following tonight's hearing, the project team will review the comments received and document responses as the design
advances. Where appropriate, the plans will be refined and then progress through the remaining design submissions to final plans, specifications, and estimate. PSN. After design is complete and all required approvals are in place, Mass
DOT will advertise the construction project and proceed with implementation consistent with the schedule and funding program. >> Thank you, Greg. How will we keep you informed? Following this evening's hearing, you
can submit comments to me this evening by filling out the form at the end of the hearing handout or mail them to the department within 10 business days of tonight's hearing. All comments received will be part of the hearing transcript. Please
submit email comments to mass dot project management at doot.state.mma. us for project information. Visit the mass.upcoming events for highway divisions website.
If you would like to submit written comments, please submit them to Carrie Lavali, PE Chief Engineer, Mass DOT 10 Park Plaza, Boston, Massachusetts 02116. Attention project management project
file number 61210 0. Before I open the hearing to questions and comments, I would like to explain the hearing procedures. First, as stated previously, the purpose of this hearing is to solicit your input regarding this
project. As the plans are not yet complete, we may not be able to answer all your questions or respond to all your comments at this time. Next, we ask that anyone who wishes to have his or her comments entered into the official hearing transcript please stand up,
identify yourself by name and affiliation, whether you are in a butter, local official, or concerned citizen, and spell your last name. This is necessary for us to obtain a full verbatim transcript as required by law. Also, the last sheet of the handout is a
mail-in sheet. If you have any questions or comments which you would like to submit in writing, please use the sheet for that purpose. You may leave the sheet with me tonight or you may mail it to the department within 10 business days, 10 business days of this date and it will become part of the official
record. Finally, it is normal procedures to ask that elected officials offer their comments first. Are there any federal, state, or local officials who would local officials who would like to speak at this time? >> Turn it this way, I guess. Should we
turn the desk? >> Turn the desk. Thank you. >> Okay. Uh James Mccurio, Mr. R Cur IIO, uh Beach uh 193 Crescent A, Beachmont resident and also Ward One
city councelor. Just have three quick questions for you. Um the crosswalk that uh the long crosswalk on Crescent A and you're going to be extending the island. Is it is that going to be a walkthrough island or will people have to step up
onto the island and continue? That's currently anticipated to be a walkthrough island. >> I'm sorry. >> To be a walkthrough island. >> Okay. Okay, great. Thank you. >> Um questions here that I wrote down.
>> Uh the street from um Everod from Bennington to Cottage, will that still be maintained as a two-way street? From Bennington to cottage is a one-way street today.
>> Is it a oneway still? >> I thought it was a two-way street. >> No, it's one way from Bennington. >> Okay. >> Uh so from Cottage on down is that that's also a oneway too. Yes. Okay. >> All right. >> From about that
>> from the section of Everard from Cottage to Bell Isle actually is two-way. It's time restricted one way certain times of day, >> but it it does allow >> and it's still going to be time restricted that area. >> That'll still be the same. Yeah. Yeah. The restrictions access will all be the same. >> Okay, great. Thank you. And you
mentioned some of the property owners uh about 15 15 of them will be impacted. Uh how will they be impacted? Their driveways being taken away a few feet of their driveways or um can you explain that? So there aren't any
negative impacts. What what happens is a lot of times um where the actual property line is requires us to reconstruct sidewalk that might be on the owner's property but is related to the roadway project. And so it's all
those sorts of situations. It's just a legal process to make sure that we have the rights to the space to be able to rec reconstruct ramps, reconstruct sidewalk, that sort of thing. >> Okay. And any damage done to uh driveways or walkways and the uh in the
impacted area uh will be repaired by the contractor. >> Yeah. If there was any damage to existing conditions, that's all standard um contract language that the contractor would own that damage. Let >> the residents know that. >> No, I understand. I understand. I think for the last safe roots of school
project, we actually videotaped everything that was an issue with an easement. So any property that was going to be affected, whether it was permanent or temporary, there was videotaping done to kind of declare what was there before
and what was there afterwards. But it also focused on the um you know where the property hits the city's right away and how far the limits just make sure there was no damage to any work being done to the property owner's property at
that time. >> Okay, great. Um that's it. Thank you very much for uh all of you being here tonight and if there's anything I can do and help with the I would be uh more than willing to uh and accessible for all of you. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Thank you counselor.
>> Thank you very much for the presentation. My name is Jeff. Thank you for the presentation. Just obviously when you're talking >> can't hear me. Thanks. Uh Jeff Turo, I'm the state representative from this area 19 Suffach District Winth in this Potteria. Uh, I want to thank Council
Mccurio who talked about right away. Those are typically things that cause the public to panic. Um, our properties can be taken by the Commonwealth, by the city. And so I just urge that we make sure we get ahead of that. If we know it's 15 properties, we ought to get sooner rather than later. Let them know we're not talking about fee interest.
Again, the public doesn't know what fee interest means versus temporary and permanent easements. So, I think we just we ought to get ahead of that because otherwise when this gets to a later stage, you won't be hearing it. Julie will, I will, and the mayor will. So, I just urge that we make sure we let people know this happened. They did a
project in Winthrop and there were a whole bunch of easements along the Rivier Street, corridor, and it caused all kinds of panic about right away uh takings and most of it was exactly what you said, sidewalks that were already built, already on people's property, and it was just sort of making it people were getting money for a sidewalk that
already existed anyway that was actually improved upon. But I just I urge you to do that. One other thing is on Crescent A um you showed a slide. I had to take pictures so I could actually see them. But Crescent and Winthre you talked about this refu pedestrian refuge island. You know I don't know if this is
meant to show if the slide is meant to show what it would look I mean >> what is it? Is it just basically concrete and grass like to sort of break up the visual of the crosswalk the lengthy crosswalk or just kind of cur you can't really tell from the picture.
So, and I realize, you know, that the screen's way up there, so it's difficult to see. Um, but it's it's just concrete. There's not enough room to do kind of an expansive island because it would jut out. It would restrict vehicle movements or it would jut out into Winthrop AB.
So, it's really just an expansion of the triangular um concrete island that exists today so that the crosswalk intersects it so that there's a place there so that a pedestrian can cross halfway, get to that middle section, pause, you know,
even if they just want to look only in one direction, make the crossing, and then look in the other direction and make the other crossing. It just makes it easier for the pedestrian, safer for the pedestrian. That's the intent. >> Thank you very much. Look forward to uh the next uh step in the project. Thank you. >> Great. I just want to comment on uh
Representative uh Turko's comment about the rightway. So, currently the city um is working with their outside solicitors office to complete the rightway um registry, the title search
to make sure that these properties are free and clear for the title at this time and that all of the surveys are correct. um what's recorded there and I think that we are still waiting on the final list for the rightway or any type
of temporary or permanent easements. Um and I think that's going to be determined once the 25% design plans are finalized. Is that correct? >> Well, so let me um yes, the plans are at the 25% point. And so this is the point
that we recommend that you run the title exams because you have a very good sense of the properties that are impacted. Um however the plans will evolve and um you know the prop the actual property that's impacted could change a little bit.
There could be smaller easements. There could be larger there could be other um properties that are impacted that didn't appear they would be initially. So, we um advise the community and I'll advise you to not actually reach out to all of
the impacted property owners until you get to the point past this point where the plans are actually approved. And that is at 75% or 100%. And there can be a number of submissions that come in at 75 100%. So that way you're not um you
you have fair certainty that you know all of the impacts at that point >> and that and that's similar to what we did with the Garfield safe route to school project and the letters were mailed in English and in Spanish. Um what we do know right now that two of
the easements are for city of Rivier properties only. So that is always helpful um when it is your own property that you're having the ement on. >> Great. >> Thank you Julie. Um thank you
representative and thank you Rosemary. Um yes the rightway process will be very well documented and very well covered. Um rightway bureau has a whole packet of information they'll share with the city. There'll be um there'll be uh notices in
there, examples in there. um they'll work with the city solicitor um to go through the process um to acquire the right of way when the time comes. So, like Rosemary said, we're at 25%. Once we get to a point where the plans have been um you know, really vetted and
they've been approved for acquisition, that's when the city will be reaching out to the property owner. Um they'll work closely with Mass DOT. The city is the to tie and bond as well to kind of try to work through that. One thing we will ask though is that once we do get into
the right ofway process, we really can't be making design changes at that time. So if there's something on the plans, even prior to, you know, the plans being approved for acquisition, we really should, you know, we we need to know if there's like going to be any specific
requests. Like for example, sometimes we'll have, you know, a property owner who will say, you know, well, that bush was, you know, my grandmother's and it's been planted there for, you know, 150 years. Like we don't want you to impact that. Well, we don't know that when we do our plan. So those are that's important information that only the
property owner can provide. So we want to work with the property owners. We want to work with the city. Um, again, some of these permanent easements that you'll hear are really just easements that we're fixing in a an existing encroachment that's out there. So the sidewalk's not changing. It's just the
the city has to just fix that. In order for us to advance our pro project, we're using public funds. We have to make sure that the public has a right to that property to be able to step on it. So, temporary easements, as we know, they go away. Um they, you know, they'll be
taken for a 5-year period, I believe, but they go away. Um you the project won't even probably come close to that term, but that's what the appraisal will base his um his appraisal on. And all of that will be explained to the property owner in great detail. So there'll be
no, you know, there'll be nothing hidden. And we really want to be able to work with the city and um the property owners to just make sure we do to do everything we can to help accommodate them before, during, and after construction. And just one last point, we also have a
just a meeting after the letters go out where the residents can come up and look at the plans, talk to us. Um, usually it is me, somebody from the design team, and then also Nick Rystrom, the city engineer. He's usually at the meeting. Um, and we do, that's really when we
have people that are impacted, whether it's temporary or permanent, permanent easements, that people will come up and start asking us questions. that we do encourage property owners that may be affected, whether it's temporary or permanent, to to attend that meeting um and talk to us
and and that we can work with them to make sure that things are done properly and that they're not impacted too much. Thank you, Julie. Um finally, it is normal procedure um to ask elected officials to speak
first. I don't see any any other. No. Okay. Okay. Then I'd like to open this hearing to the public and we welcome questions and comments at this time. Hello. Um my name is Joe Graalisi. Uh G R A V L
E. Uh 50 Salt Street uh number 705 in River. Uh so I am a planner with the Department of Planning and Community Development for the city. So, thank you to my colleague Julie for all the work that went into this long before I ever joined the department. Uh, so offering my support, you know, with that hat, but
also my resident hat. Um, here as a neighbor and someone who lives, you know, around the corner from the school and, uh, grew up in the neighborhood. Um, fully supportive of this. I think I speak for a lot of people that I know in the neighborhood, you know, that were happy that to see that it's happening.
Um, and also I know a passion that I share with councelor Mccurio uh is making sure that um Donnie Square down at the end near Beachmont Station is, you know, something that's improved upon and we improve pedestrian access to to help support the businesses there and I think this will help with that in
addition to helping with the school. So um no questions, just a comment and support and grateful that it's moving forward. Thank you. >> Thank you. Do we have anybody else? Okay. Anybody else? Any final comments, questions?
Okay. Um, seeing none, if there are no further questions or comments, I'd like to remind you that the last sheet of the handout is a mail-in sheet. If you have any further questions or comments which you would like to submit, please email them to mass doot atmass dot project
management doot.state.mma. us or use the handout sheet for that purpose. You may leave this sheet with me tonight or you may mail it to the department within 10 business days of this date and it will become part of the
official record. Before I close this hearing, I would like to say that we will be here if you are interested in looking at the plans and we will respond to questions that affect you personally. Thank you very much for attending and providing us with this facility. I
declare the hearing closed at 7:50 p.m.