Public Improvement Commission - Regular Meeting

Morning. My name's, Nick Gov, interim chief of streets, chair of the, Public Improvement Commission. I'd like to call for order the Public Improvement Commission hearing, May 7. Mister Leining, could you please take a roll?

Certainly. Would the representative from the public works department please state their name for the record? Gov. Transportation department, please do the same.

Forwarding.

Inspectional services department.

Brian Brogan.

Water and Sewer Commission.

Denny Stablon.

And commission for persons with disabilities.

We

do have a quorum. Nobody from property management, but that is all right with us.

Great. Thanks, Todd. We'll start with hearing minutes. At the request of the public improvement commission staff, acceptance of the minutes from the PAC hearing on 04/23/2026. Do we have a motion to approve the minutes?

I'll make a motion to approve the minutes of 04/23/2026. Second. Second.

All in favor?

Aye. Aye.

Any opposed, abstain. Hearing none, so moved. Okay. Onto the public hearing. Public hearing agenda item number one, on a joint petition by Dana Farah Cancer Institute and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Incorporated for the granting of an earth retention license for the installation of a temporary earth support system within the following public ways in Roxbury.

Josten Place on its northeasterly side at addresses Number 1 between Brookline Ave and Pilgrim Road. Brookline Ave on its northwesterly side at addresses number 415 To 435 Northeast of Josten Place and Pilgrim Road on its Southeast Northeast Northeast of Josten Place. As shown on a set of plans entitled City of Boston Public Works Department Engineering Division, temporary earth retention plan, Brookline Ave, Jawson Place, Pilgrim Road, 1 Jawson Place, Boston, two sheets dated 04/29/2026. We will hand it over to the proponent.

Good morning, Chief, members of the commission and public. My name is Howard Mosier. I work at VHB at 99 High Street in Boston, and I'll be leading the presentation for the proponent this morning. Two weeks ago, at New Business we presented a number of actions including the one we're here for the public hearing on for a future cancer hospital in Boston's Longwood Medical And Academic Area. On your screen I got to share.

Share screen. On your screen, should be seeing an image aerial rendering of the proposed project, again located in Boston's Longmont Medical And Academic Area. Just to refresh the commission in public, the project location is on the site of the existing Joslin Diabetes Center adjacent to both Dana Farber's Longwood campus as well as Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center's West Campus. And a refresher of the rendered view showing the proposed project. The first item for which we're requesting approval is on a temporary earth retention plan.

It contains temporary earth support which will be cut down in the public way to the stipulated depths and includes tiebacks on Pilgrim Road and some support for temporary cranes. Two weeks ago, we received no comments. I open it up for questions.

Thank you. I'll hand over to PIC staff. Any questions or comments on this one? I will

take this opportunity to remind the public if you wish to ask questions or add testimony to any action item, we ask that you please use the raised hand function, which can be found at the reactions tab at the bottom of your screen. I do not believe that we have any comments or questions on this action, so I think we're all set.

Thanks, Todd. How about members of the commission? Hearing none, do we have a motion?

I'll make a motion to approve a daily petition by Dana Farber Cancer Institute Inc. And Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for the granting of an earth retention license in Johnson Place, Brookline Avenue, Pilgrim Road is read to the record by the check. Second.

All in favor?

Aye. Aye. Aye.

Opposed or abstain? Hearing none, so moved. Alright. Next item on the agenda, On a joint petition by Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for the granting of a private utility license for the installation of new storm drain infrastructure within Pilgrim Road, Public Way, Roxbury, located generally Northeast of Place. As shown, our plan entitled City of Boston Public Works Department of Engineering Division Utility License Plan, 1 Jossam Place, Pilgrim Road, Boston, Longwood Medical Area, one sheet dated 01/13/2026.

We'll hand it back to the proponent. Good morning, members of commission. My name is Howard Mosier from VHB. Under this proposed action, we are proposing the installation of a drain overflow pipe which will cross Pilgrim Road in order to access property on Crossover Street where groundwater recharge wells will be installed as a part of the stormwater management system. We presented this two weeks ago at new business and no questions were asked. And I believe we've addressed all planned comments requested by PIC staff.

Thanks, Howard. Todd, back to you and any public comments.

No. I'll just mention that Crossover Street was discontinued at some point in the past. So it's, currently simply private property owned by the proponents. So the only actual impacts to the public way are within Pilgrim Road here.

Thank you, Todd. Not seeing any public comments. Any questions or comments from the commission? Hearing none, how about a motion?

I make a motion to approve a joint petition by Danny Farber Cancer Institute Inc. And Beth Israel Dick and Miss Medical Center Inc. For granting of a private utility license in Pilbara Road is registered by the chair. Second. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Aye.

Opposed to abstain? Hearing none, so moved. Public agenda item number three. On a joint petition by Dana Farber Cancer Institute Incorporated, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Inc. For the granting of a private utility license for the installation of new electric infrastructure within the following public ways in Roxbury.

Josten Place at Address Number 1, generally between Brookline Ave and Pilgrim Road, Deaconess Road generally between Brookline Ave and Pilgrim Road. They've shown our plans out of City of Boston Public Works Department Engineering Division, utility license plan, one Jawson Place, Jawson Place, Boston, Longwood Medical Center area, one sheet dated 01/13/2026. Howard, I believe this is back to you.

Thank you, chief. Again, my for the record, my name is Howard Mosier of VHB. Before the commission on this action is a temporary license for a temporary electric duct bank. As one Jaslin will be demolished and the construction project will need power in coordination with many departments, the proponent is proposing the installation of a temporary duct bank that will cross Jaslin Place. This will be used to support construction operations.

Once the building has received permanent power, the temporary power will be removed and the entirety of the duct bank will be removed from the public way. So this is truly a temporary installation. Two weeks ago, no questions were received. I believe we've addressed the minor comments on the plans for PIC staff and look forward to any comments you have today.

Thank you, Howard. Todd, back to you. Public comment? Nope.

No issues on this

one. How about commissioners? Alright. Do we have a motion?

I'll make a motion to approve a joint petition by Dana Farber Cancer Institute Inc. And Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Inc. For the branding of a private utility license in Johnson Place and Deaconess Road as read into the record by the chair? Second.

All in favor?

Aye. Aye.

Any opposed or abstain? Hearing none, so moved. Thank you, everyone. Appreciate it. That concludes our public hearing today. We're gonna move on to new business. We have one agenda item, 3458 Washington Street, Kent Road, West Roxbury pedestrian easement specific repairs. On a set of petitions by Washington three thousand four hundred fifty eight LLC, we will hand it over to the proponent for presentation.

Mister chair and commission members, my name is Maddie Blanchard with Harrison Hudson. We're providing the PIC permitting services for the project. I'm joined today by the project proponent, Washington's Route thirty four fifty eight LLC. The project site is about a 10,000 square eight square foot site in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood. It's bounded by Washington Street to the Northwest, Kenton Road to the Northeast, and privately owned parcels to the Southeast and Southwest.

The existing site today is occupied by a one story commercial building surrounded by paved parking areas. The project proposes to demolish the existing building and paved parking areas on-site to allow for the construction of a five story mixed use building. The building is going to provide 36 residential units, ground floor retail space, and there'll be a surface parking area in the back of the site access from Kenton Road that will provide seven parking spaces. The project is proposing specific repairs and pedestrian easements with in both public rights of way. Within Washington Street, specific repairs include sidewalk reconstruction and widening, the installation of a four and a half foot wide furnishing zone that includes permeable pavers, three street trees, and four bike racks, as well as a bench, the closure of two driveway curb cuts, and the reconstruction of a pedestrian ramp at the intersection of Washington Street and Kenton Road.

We're also requesting a pedestrian easement along Washington Street. This easement will allow for a eight foot wide clear path of travel for pedestrians beginning at back of sidewalk furnishing zone within the project site. It does approximate width of 3.1 feet. There's also elements of the building above that extend within the easement area. A minimum of 10 foot clear is provided between the finished sidewalk grade and the bottom of building above.

Moving to Kenton Road, the specific repairs include sidewalk reconstruction and widening, installation of a three and a half foot wide furnishing zone comprised of permeable pavers, two new street trees and tree pits, and three bicycle racks. Two curb cuts will be closed on Kenton Road, and one twelve foot driveway curb cut will be installed. The pedestrian easement proposed on Kenton Road will provide a six foot minimum clear sidewalk width for pedestrians beginning at back of sidewalk furnishing zone. This pedeasement has an approximate width of 5.1 feet into the project site. Again, elements of building above extend within this pedeasement area.

However, there is a 10 foot minimum clearance between the sidewalk elevation and the bottom of building above. In total, the pedestrian easement area within the project site is eight seventy eight square feet. We do have a pedestrian easement plan. However, it is outdated. It needs to be updated a bit. So I didn't plan on sharing that today, but I'm happy to if anyone wants to take a look at it. Otherwise, open to any questions from commission members.

Thank you. Todd, any questions or comments from PAC staff?

Yes. Maddie, understanding that the easement plan is, a little outdated, if you can, throw it up on the screen just for the record and maybe highlight what is proposed to be changed.

Yeah. So the orientation of this will be changed to match what's shown on the specific repair plans. Additionally, the limit of pedestrian easement is changing. So this area that I'm kind of circling here is gonna be now included in the Petty's men area. So that will be included. And then we'll also be providing a section along both the Washington Street and Kenton Road right subway that show we're providing the 10 foot minimum vertical clear dimension from sidewalk to building above.

Perfect. Thank you, Maddie. That's all I had, chief.

Thanks, Todd. Questions, comments from the commission?

Thank you, Maddie, for the presentation. I'm

wondering if we

can go back to the specific repair plan and just get confirmation from the team regarding the reciprocal ramp and the intention to reconstruct that and whether or not the team is if the team is willing to provide a sketch of what might be possible at that corner.

Yeah. And we're committed to working with the city on that. My understanding is Dolores and her team were going out on-site to do a site visit and check the compliance of that ramp and the existing condition. So I'm gonna follow-up with her this afternoon then whether or not that's

believe apologies. We hadn't gotten a chance to get back to you before today's hearing. But they did do that site visit, and it was determined that the slopes were noncompliant. So we will be asking the team to reconstruct that ramp and ask for a sketch on what design the team is proposing for that reciprocal ramp. Understood. We'll work with

you on that then. Thank you, Sarah. That's good. Thank you.

Thanks, Sarah. Any other questions or comments from commission members? Hearing none, is the 20 enough time?

That should be sufficient. Yes.

Okay. We'll see you

then. Great. Thank you.

That concludes our meeting today. With a

motion to adjourn. Make a motion to adjourn.

All in favor?

Aye. Aye. Aye.

Meeting's adjourned. Thank you, everyone.

Thank you.