News & Updates

BPDA announces PLAN: East Boston Advisory Group

Jan 07, 2019

Mayor Martin J. Walsh and the Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) today announced 20 appointments to the PLAN: East Boston Advisory Group (AG).

The Advisory Group is comprised of residents who represent East Boston's diverse community, and includes representatives from each of the six civic associations: Orient Heights Civic Association, Harbor View Neighborhood Association, Eagle Hill Civic Association, Gove Street Citizens Association, Maverick Central Neighborhood Association and Jeffries Point Neighborhood Association. The 20-member group will help to create a long-term vision for East Boston, and includes renters and owners, life-long residents and new residents, small business representatives, housing activists, environmental and open space advocates, a real estate agent, an architect, and community experts. One-third of the membership is either Spanish-speaking or of the Latino Community.

“We congratulate the members selected, and thank the many qualified nominees who stepped forward,” said Brian Golden, Director of the BPDA, “We greatly appreciate the interest in this planning initiative and the commitment to the neighborhood. We are looking forward to working with the East Boston community.”

Mayor Walsh announced PLAN: East Boston in June 2018 to assess existing neighborhood conditions and propose viable recommendations that will address community concerns and issues, exploring themes outlined in Imagine Boston 2030. Members of the AG will assist the BPDA’s planning team in several tasks related to the initiative including:

  • Community outreach efforts
  • Reviewing consultant’s tasks and their findings
  • Assessing existing conditions
  • Proposing viable recommendations that will ultimately inform new zoning regulations

Community discussions will focus on creating a framework to predictably shape the future of the neighborhood by identifying opportunities to preserve, enhance and grow. This includes both contextually-sensitive development and the preservation of the existing residential fabric, enhancement of the vitality of existing residential communities and businesses, anti-displacement strategies for residents and businesses, connectivity along the waterfront, mobility, and flood protection and climate resiliency.

Last year, the BPDA approved an Interim Planning Overlay District (IPOD) for East Boston's existing residential neighborhoods, an interim zoning tool that is used to maintain increased public review and community voice in the evaluation of proposed new development during a planning process.

The BPDA has asked the nominees to be available for and commit to attending both public workshops and intermediary AG meetings. AG meetings will be open to the public for the community to attend and will include Spanish translation services. Additional information regarding AG roles and responsibilities can be found on the BPDA project website, linked here: bit.ly/PlanEastBoston.

Advisory Group Members

# Name Affiliation(s)
1 Debra Cave Eagle Hill Civic Association, President
2 Mary Cole Jeffries Point Civic Association, Board Member
Friends of East Boston Greenway, Member
3 Ernani DeAraujo Eagle Hill Civic Association, Member
East Boston Neighborhood Health Center, VP Regulatory Affairs
East Boston YMCA Board Member
4 Frank Delmuto Harborview Neighborhood Association, Member
Frank Delmuto Architecture, Principal Architect
5 Margaret Farmer Jeffries Point Neighborhood Association, Past-President
East Boston Chamber of Commerce, Board Member
6 Ana Gonzalez Consulate of El Salvador
7 Tanya Hahnel Jeffries Point, Resident
Traggorth Development, Project Manager
8 Lisa Jacobson Jeffries Point, Resident
Barr Foundation, Program Manager
9 Jim Kearney Orient Heights, Resident
East Boston Chamber of Commerce, Vice President
10 Charlie LoGrasso Eagle Hill Resident, Young Activist and Lifelong Resident
11 Theresa Malionek Gove Street Citizens Association, President
Suffolk University, Sawyer Business School, Director of Marketing & Communications
12 Kathy Orlando Orient Heights, Resident
East Boston Girls Softball, President
Sulprizio Real Estate, Realtor
13 Sarah Plowman Orient Heights Civic Association, Secretary
City of Boston, Office of Emergency Management, Regional Planner
14 Angel Rodriguez Maverick Central Neighborhood, Resident
Commonwealth Of Massachusetts, House of Representatives, Chief of Staff to House Committee on Public Service, Jerald Parisella
15 Casey Silvia Jeffries Point, Resident
Commonwealth Of Massachusetts, Assistant District Attorney
16 Tiana Tassinari Harborview Neighborhood, Resident
Boston Public School, Educator
17 Kannan Thiruvengadam Jeffries Point, Resident
Eastie Farm, Founder
Friends of East Boston Greenway, Member
18 Thomson Vou Maverick Central Neighborhood Association, Treasurer
Boston Water and Sewer Commission, IT Project Manager
19 John Walkey Greenroots, Waterfront Initiative Coordinator
Eagle Hill, Resident
20 Luz Zambrano Jeffries Point, Resident
Center to Support Immigrant Organizing, Co-Director

Ex-offico Advisory Group Members

# Name
1 State Senator Joe Boncore
2 State Representative Adrian Madaro
3 District City Councilor Lydia Edwards
4 At-Large City Councilor Michael Flaherty
5 At-Large City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George
6 At-Large City Councilor Michelle Wu
7 At-Large City Councilor (Vacant)

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