THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, FEbRuARy 14, 2025 Page 9 PROJECT | FROM PAGE 1 in reference to previous Council approvals for work and changes in zoning. “My understanding is it’s not something we did.” Matewsky called the open house and subsequent outreach “a con job.” “Do we have the ability to ask for mitigation?” Ward 5 Councillor Robert Van Campen asked. He also noted that Belsito’s piece expressed an opinion and was not a news story. “If we get saddled with this there are still conversations about local mitigation,” Deveney answered. She acknowledged “a fi re is something that couldn’t be readily extinguished and could burn for an inordinate amount of time. That could have a chilling eff ect on other types of developments the area could attract because of the risks.” Some of the mitigation could take the form of Jupiter funding or partly funding public safety facilities. “Companies that come into Everett should be responsible for public safety buildings,” Matewsky feels. Councillor-at-Large Katy Rogers noted that Everett’s three fi re stations date back to pre-World War II and the City needs a fourth. “That neighborhood needs attention,” she said. “It’s not something we can put on the back burner.” Hickey confirmed that the stations date back that far, although there have been renovations and the city needs another station. “Regardless of whatever project comes to Everett, what’s coming down the road necessitates it,” he said. Deveney added, “Proponents know they’ll have to support the Fire Department because this is new technology we haven’t experienced.” Councillors questioned Deveney on the lack of information from the Mayor. She said previous action on electrical work and zoning changes were fi led as Council proposals not by the Mayor. “We were not asked to participate,” she said. “It still bothers me he wasn’t here,” Ward 6 Councillor Peter Pietrantonio interjected, but Deveney continued, “The Mayor has concerns with the size and scope of the project. We’ve been in conversations with representatives of Jupiter IJO N US TO CELEBRATE THE YEAR OF THE SNAKE FEBRUARY 15TH 2:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. FEBRUARY 2:00P EV DWARDG TT, M SATURDA R 90CHELSEAS G.CONNO Y15TH 15TH15TH EDWARDG. CONNOLLYCENTE 90 CHELSE TT, .M.-5:00P.M. S OLLYCENTE ET R about community input. The Mayor has also been raising concern at the state level because that’s where the decision would be,” but she conceded, “The concerns of the city have not been recognized and the project is pending.” She also said there have been conversations with authorities in Somerville who are also worried about the eff ects of a fi re. The matter was referred back to the Administration with Smith asking that the city’s state and federal legislative delegations be contacted about local concerns. In other matters, the Council gave its fi nal approval or ordainment of a zoning change to give developers of projects of over 10 housing units an option as to how many aff ordable units there should be and at what rate the rent should be calculated. In addition to the option of having 15% of the units available for 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI), there could also be 10% of the units available for 60% of the AMI. How reasonable aff ordable housing units are is still an open question. Everett is in an AMI cohort that includes similar communities like Malden and Medford, but dissimilar ones like Lexington, Newton, North Reading and Winchester. The income levels in those communities skew the AMI above the means of many Everett residents. Councillor-at-Large Guerline Alcy Jabouin voted alone against the measure, but it still received the necessary two-thirds majority required for passage of zoning changes. “This would be great if we didn’t approve everything,” she said. Rogers wondered if reducing the rent in some units will raise them in others. LUNA NE YE CELEBRATIO
10 Publizr Home