Friday, December 3, 2010

Temple Beth El's plan to start construction

From: Allan Heff <aheff@theworld.com>
Date: Fri, Dec 3, 2010 at 10:07 AM
Subject: New Construction at Temple Beth El on Ward S

Temple Beth El is starting a major overhaul of their building.  This is believed to be mostly interior construction, but some changes will be made to the exterior of the building.  The Morseland Area Neighborhood Association liaison committee is looking for comments and questions about the construction from the neighbors to present to the temple and to the city.  If you have questions or comments about the construction, please either email me or phone Naomi Myrvaagnes at 617 332-2954.  Also, if anyone is interested in getting more involved, please let us know.

A letter from the temple to the city about the construction is attached.

Sincerely,

Allan Heff

Snow Removal issues

Naomi Myrvaagnes to Alderman Stephen Linsky
December 3, 2010

Dear Stephen,

A need that the Morseland Avenue neighborhood has brought up before is now more pressing in light of the proposed snow removal ordinance.

After heavy or icy snowfall, our crowded streets and intersections become dangerous and even impassible.  There is simply no room to put snow removed from driveways and sidewalks, the plows leave heavy loads in front of driveways and huge piles at intersections.  Even a small pile in this crowded area makes foot traffic impossible.  My husband is unable physically to remove what  the street plows dump in front of our driveway.

Because there is so much foot traffic in the immediate vicinity, I strongly urge that the City do sidewalk plowing the length of Morseland on both sides, plus at least one block in all directions on Ward, Elmore, Channing, Mill.

What is removed from the sidewalks and streets then needs to be collected, for the sake of walking and parking!!!  Beyond pedestrian concerns, there is always a winter parking crisis in the area.   Cars parked many feet from the sidewalk because of snow spillover  make the streets impassible.

 I repeat the request that snow piles be removed as they are in the commercial districts.  Even though we are labeled Residential, our immediate neighborhood functions like a commercial district and needs to be cleaned accordingly.  We need the city to accomplish this.

I am copying this request to other members of the neighborhood association and to the Mel Hoffman of the Shaarei Tefillah Liaison Committee.

Please let us know how we can best bring this matter to the decision-makers and have the problem solved.  Thank you.

Naomi

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Good Neighbor Hazard Control


Proposed Good Neighbor Guidelines for hazard control during Demolition/Construction in residential areas.  March 13, 2007 

To: Alderman Marcia Johnson mjohnson@ci.newton.ma.us

Fr: Ellie Goldberg, 79 Elmore Street, Newton, MA 02459  ellie.goldberg@gmail.com   617 965-9637

Dear Marcia

This note is a response to your request for suggestions for the Aldermen to consider regarding the prevention of demolition hazards (the creation of large quantities of dust and wide distribution of pollutants) that the Morseland area neighborhood experienced last summer during Congregation Shaarei Tefilah's demolition of the historic 1770's house on Morseland Avenue.   

As I reported to you at the time, the demolition of 29-31 Morseland Ave. was done, with no notice to the neighborhood, and with no containment or wetting to control the clouds of dust that spread all over the neighborhood onto passersby, into open windows of homes throughout the neighborhood, contaminating yards and gardens, children's play equipment, etc.  It is not unusual for old building materials and soil to be contaminated with a variety of pollutants including lead, arsenic, chlordane and other pesticides, Fiberglas, asbestos, and other contaminants.

This is a copy of the proposed Good Neighbor Guidelines I shared with Michael Kaufman at a meeting at Beth El last night where we discussed the upcoming Beth El demolition/construction plans.  I would be interested to know if city departments already have responsibility for health and safety, traffic, noise and pollution control of other hazards and nuisances and what updates of training, clarification of expectations, coordination, or additional resources could prevent and protect neighbors of future demolition and construction projects in our neighborhood as well as in other residential areas facing similar projects.


Please contact me if you have questions. Please forward to anyone you think would have an interest.

Ellie Goldberg, 617 965-9637