CELEBRATE SIX - PAT’S PARADE PHOTOS see pages 14 & 15 Vol. 20, No. 6 -FREE- www.advocatenews.net Published Every Friday 617-387-2200 Friday, February 8, 2019 rida ebruary 8, 2019 City Council approves a seven-story cap on downtown multifamily buildings By Barbara Taormina hat a diff erence a year, a couple hearings with the Planning Board, a few Ordinance Committee meetings and one extra story makes. Ward 5 Councillor Barbara Murphy refused to give up on her proposal to limit the height of multifamily buildings in the central building district despite having it rejected by the Planning Board and criticized by smart growth proponents back in December 2017. She revised her original proposal for a six-story limit by increasing it to seven stories to accommodate buildings on Exchange Street, which has W a diff erent grade than Pleasant Street. Then she started working it through the vetting process a second time. This week, councillors were all on board with praise for Murphy and the votes needed to approve her proposal. “What this does is it puts back on the table what our residents wanted,” said Murphy, who added that both the city’s master plan and the Moratorium Land Use Survey made it clear residents have had enough of towering apartment buildings in downtown Malden. “This keeps the existing process in place,” explained Murphy. “The Planning Board will be the permitting authority for building propostions for projects that are six to seven stories. Zoning use categories that previously allowed building from six to 12 stories, and multifamily developments of more than 12 stories, will be eliminated. “It’s been a long road in getting here, and I truly believe it’s what our residents want to see,” said Murphy. Councillor-at-Large Steve Barbara Murphy Ward 5 Councillor als that are three to six stories.” The City Council will review special permit applicaWinslow, who previously bucked the height restrictions because he believes seniors prefer taller towers, threw his support behind Murphy’s height restrictions. “It makes sense for downtown,” said Winslow, adding that he is keeping an open mind about taller multifamily developments for seniors. Ward 4 Councillor Ryan O’Malley said he initially voted against the six-story cap because it would make buildings under construction, including Malden’s own city hall, preexisting and nonconforming structures. But extending the cap to seven stories changed his mind. “This is a great compromise,” he said. “Allowing seven stories really helps with the grade on Exchange Street. What’s six stories on Pleasant Street is seven stories on Exchange Street.” Ward 6 Councillor David Camell said he went back and forth on the height restrictions. “There are good BUILDINGS | SEE PAGE 17 Parking Dept. is just the ticket for Malden Y By Barbara Taormina ou might not like the meters, the complicated regulations and the showers of tickets, but there’s no doubt Our 80th Year EDUCATION Next Classes DRIVER parking in Malden has become easier. Parking Department Director Ron Hogan was at the City Council meeting this week with an update on the city’s efforts to making parking available to residents, businesses and visitors in a fair and balanced way. Hogan described how the department works, how regulations have evolved and how much money the city is taking in thanks to all the changes. Malden launched the Parking Department in 2017 with a $734,648 investment. Today, 11 parking enforcement offi cers patrol the city Monday through Saturday, nearly 24 hours a day, writing tickets for missteps, such as violations of the winter parking regulations, interference with street sweeping schedules, expired time on meters and failing to follow the rules in neighborhoods that have residential parking programs. Enforcement offi cers make 1 Week Day Classes Feb. 18 School Vacation CALL - ENROLL or Register Online 617-387-9121 HENRYSAUTOSCHOOL.COM EVERETT Gift Certificates Available $2.53 GALLON AUTO SCHOOL E A “Successful Key To Driving” Since 1938 their rounds in two electric cars the city bought with funding through a Green Communities grant from the state. “Some folks drive 100 miles a night,” said Hogan. With its Park Malden tagline and logo, the Parking Department has set up shop in new offi ces at 7 Jackson St., which Hogan said was done at minimal expense thanks to the use of an existing public space. “It’s a really welcoming place for residents to come,” said Hogan, adding that residents appreciate having a place to take their parking problems and questions. Hogan highlighted some of the “resident-friendly” changes to the city’s parking reg• HELP WANTED • HELP WANTED • HELP WANTED Earn $15/HR paycheck 7D Licensed School Bus Driver Malden Trans is looking for reliable 7D Drivers. Applicant preferable lives local (Malden, Everett, Revere). Part time positions available and based on AM & PM school hours...15-20 hours per week with potential for more. Good driver history from registry a MUST! If interested, please call 781-322-9400 ulations, such as the start of the winter parking season. In the past, parking on one side of the street began on Nov. 1, even during years when the weather was warm and there wasn’t a snowflake in sight. Now, winter parking rules kick in with the fi rst snowfall that requires the plows and sanders to hit the roads. Thanks to that change, parking enforcement offi cers wrote 5,000 fewer tickets for violations that made no sense. “It was the right thing to do for our residents,” Hogan said, adding that the city is trying to be a lot less heavy-handed with its rules. The ban on overnight winter parking on dozens of streets has also been eliminated when there’s no snow. Residents who drive small commercial vehicles can now pay $25 for a permit that allows them to park on city streets. And the added $50 fee for residents who renew parking permits in person rather than by mail or online is also gone. Hogan said the department is also on the way to solving the problem of residents being hit with $50 tickets for parking PARKING | SEE PAGE 16
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