Speaker 4: programs. Submit a report recommending the order to pass and darken embers 0653 The Committee on Environmental Justice, Resiliency and Parks, to which was referred on May 25th, 2020 to docket number 0653. Message In order for your approval, in order authorizing the Parks and Recreation Commission on behalf of the City of Boston to acquire by eminent domain, taking two parcels on the western shore of Sprague Pond at 0-4 Lakeside Avenue in High Park as a permanently protected parkland to be known as the Sprague Pond Shoreline Reserve and to use Community Preservation Fund moneys appropriated to the Parks and Recreation Department to award damages as determined by the Commission submits a report recommending the order to pass
Speaker 1: . Thank you. The Chair recognizes Council LRA Chair of the Committee on Environmental Justice, Resiliency and Parks Council. You have the floor.
Speaker 5: Thank you, President Flynn for docking number 0433 and docket number 0539. These matters were sponsored by Mayor Michelle Wu and referred to the committee on March 30th. A public hearing was held on Thursday, June 9th, 2022. We heard from Burns Stanislaus, the director of transportation for the Boston Public Schools, who gave the committee an overview of how the grant will fund 12 busses in an electric school bus pilot program expected to deploy during the school year 2022 2023. 20 diesel busses are going to be removed from the city's fleet and replaced with fully electric school busses. Dr. Allison Brosius, commissioner of the Environment Department, gave the committee an overview of the Mask Saves Community First Partnership Grant. The city of Boston has been selected for the Mass AIDS Community First Partnership and will work with Eversource and National Grid to bring energy cost savings to residents, small businesses, houses of worship and local nonprofits in East Boston, Roxbury, Dorchester and Mattapan. All four neighborhoods are considered to be environmental justice communities who already pay into the Massey's program like everyone else, but historically experienced disproportionately low participation rates with intentional and targeted outreach to these communities, they're basically going to focus on the renters residents with primary languages, not English. Moderate income residents defined a 60 to 80% of state median income and small businesses. So the community first partnership is going to share energy efficiency opportunity with the residents, provide emission reduction, cost savings and increased comfort. Specifically, anybody who participates in this program is going to receive no cost energy assessment to identify energy saving opportunities such as insulation, heating and cooling upgrades. Through this partnership, domestic sponsors can offer 100% of the cost for all of the approved upgrades. So for docket numbers, zero four, three three and docket 0539. As the chair of the Committee on Environmental Justice, Resiliency and Parks, I recommend moving the dockets from the committee to a full Council discussion about this order to pass. President Flynn, would you like to take a vote on those two dockets before I share that?
Speaker 1: We could do that. Sure. Thank you, counsel. We're going to now we're going to take a vote on those two dockets, which is docket 0433. Council are the chair of the Committee on Environmental Justice and Resiliency and Parks seeks acceptance of the Committee report and passage of dockets. 0433. All those in favor say I am opposed. Nay, the ayes have it. The docket has passed. Counsel to the chair of the Committee on Environmental Justice, Resiliency and Toxics Acceptance of the Committee Report and Passage of Docket 0539. All those in favor say I am opposed. Nay, the ayes have it. The docket has passed. Counsel Lara, the chair recognize that you one docket 0653.
Speaker 5: Thank you, President Flynn. So for docket number 0563, this matter is also sponsored by Mayor Michelle Wu and was referred to the committee on May 5th. We held a public hearing also on June 9th, where we heard from Chief Reverend Mariama White Hammond, although hearing senior planner for the Boston Parks and Recreation Department and Joseph Bagley was the city archeologist, we they basically gave the committee an update, an overview on the process. Due to the legal constraint, the administration could not go into great detail concerning the status. But we heard from Representative Rob Consalvo, who testified in support of adding that excuse me testified in support of adding the number to the Hyde Park neighborhood community groups who are also in support of the city's plan, including City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo, who represents this district for Spring Pond. Docket 0653 is basically an order where the Parks and Recreation Commission on behalf of the City of Boston would for the community preservation purposes of providing a park passive recreation, natural, historical, cultural and archeological, archeological resource conservation and public access to the great pond known as Craig Pond would be authorized to take by eminent domain in accordance with the law. As it stands here, I'm going to read that after the 0 to 4 Lakeside Avenue in Hyde Park. So the city of Boston would be taking 0 to 4 through eminent domain. So we heard from these folks. I am recommending that this order ought to pass. One of the concerns that I had during the hearing, we heard from the owner of the parcel who came to testify and shared concern about the process, including a lot of public testimony. And I shared my concern with the administration about ensuring that the owner of the plot would be properly compensated. I come from a neighborhood that was decimated to basically put a highway through it, and a lot of it was done through eminent domain. So I had a lot of reservations about hearing the process for the city. The administration could not share publicly what they were offering the owner of the parcel because they're still in negotiations. But after having a private conversation with Chief Mariama White Hammond, I am convinced that the administration is going to properly compensate Mr. Brown, and I am recommending that this order ought to pass.
Speaker 1: Thank you, Counsel. Larry, the chair recognizes counsel, royal counsel, Royal Rumble.
Speaker 3: Thank you, Mr. Chair. And thank you, Counselor Lara. I just want to add the district in which this falls. I want to give some background on this. The Sprague Pond shoreline was privately owned for a long time and maintained as a park for the locals in that area. It was sold to two gentlemen who, due to the rising cost of housing in the city of Boston, actually believed that it would be cheaper for them to just build their own homes on this land. And then there went, say, a back and forth with local activists and organizers and community folks about the importance of this specific location as a site that was once the site of the 54th Regiment that has actual documented by the city archeologists, former tribes, native tribes who stayed in those areas to preserve this permanently. My understanding as I support this project and have supported it in terms of the eminent domain aspect of this, is I've supported this since my election, is that they will be fairly compensated for the land which they purchased. They have not built anything on it or anything of that nature while this has been ongoing. So I think it's important to ensure that we're on the record with saying that that that's something that I believe needs to happen. But I also want to just stress that this is a very historical space. This this spot not only was home to the 54th Regiment, which I think everybody here is aware of, the black regiment that fought in the Civil War, but also goes all the way back to when we had Native Americans in these in these lands . And their tribes were placed placed had places to live within the spaces that we now call Boston and in this specific place, Hyde Park. And then an area that was a place that they were sited that was a home for them. And so from an archeological standpoint, from from a local standpoint, from conservation for environment standpoint, all of those things are aligned for doing what is happening here. And the one thing I would just like on the record, I did not have that private conversation with the chief, but I do know that there are that I have been told that those conversations are ongoing and are progressing in the way that they should be. But I would just like to state that it is my hope that the administration, as they hear that, as they see my support for it, make sure that they do right by those gentlemen who purchase that way. So thank you, Mr. Chair.
Speaker 1: Thank you, counselor. Would anyone else like to speak on this matter? The chair recognizes Constitution. Constitution. You have the full.
Speaker 6: Faith and credit. I just want to say that as a hyprep resident, as customary has mentioned, heard a lot from constituents about the preservation spread pond. So I just want to voice my support for for preservation and also for compensation. So we've heard my opposite a lot about this and just want to make sure that folks know that we are in deep support of this. Thank you.
Speaker 1: Thank you, Counselor John. The Council are the chair of the Committee on Environmental Justice, Resiliency and Parks seeks acceptance of the Committee report and passage of Docket 0653. We're going to do a roll call vote since this is an eminent domain docket. It does require a two thirds vote of the city council. Mr. Clarke, please take the roll call.
Speaker 4: Roll call on docket number 0653 Council of Royal Council. The Royal Yes Council. The Baker Council. The Baker Council. A Bach Council. The Book Council. A Brady Council of Great Council. Coletta Council. Coletta yes. Council for an end to Sanderson Council for an end to Sanderson yes. Council. Flaherty Council Flaherty Yes. Council Flynn Yes. Council A Flynn yes. Council Borough Council The latter against council. The reason council allusion yes councilor me here counts for me here. Yes. Council on Murphy? Yes. Council a murphy? Yes. Talked it all 653 has received a unanimous vote.
Speaker 1: The docket has passed. Matters recently heard for a possible action. Mr. Kirk, can you please read?
Speaker 4: Dawson 0185.0185 Petition for a special law regarding an act granting the City of Boston the authority to provide legal voting rights in municipal elections for city of Boston residents age 16 and 17 years old.
On the message and order, referred on May 25, 2022, Docket #0653, for your approval an Order authorizing the Parks and Recreation Commission, on behalf of the City of Boston, to acquire by an eminent domain taking two parcels on the western shore of Sprague Pond at 0-4 Lakeside Avenue in Hyde Park as a permanently protected parkland to be known as the Sprague Pond Shoreline Reserve and to use Community Preservation Fund monies appropriated to the Parks and Recreation Department to award damages as determined by the Commission, the committee submitted a report recommending the order ought to pass.  
The report was accepted; the order was passed; yeas 12.