January 15, 2014, 400 Alewife Acorn Park Drive- Discovery Park

This past month, Department of Environmental Protection accepted a 10 citizen Appeal of Cambridge Conservation Commission's permit of 85 thousand sq.ft. for a 4 story hotel directly on the Alewife floodplain (see attached) at a time when Cambridge has begun its region-wide Vulnerability Study€ that will include Alewife and the Charles River watershed. The Study is now on hold for another 6 months in anticipation of the ongoing Central Artery flooding study with Woods Hole research which pertains to climate control of this region.

The plaintiffs in the appeal, Quinton Zondervan, Ellen Mass, Kathy Johnson Elena Saporta, Sam Seidel and four others have appealed the permit for a delay until the city-wide Study is published and interpreted, by the extensive Committee which includes the Bulfinch Company or proponent. The Study will cover the Alewife floodplain and Alewife sub-watershed and Upper Basin of the Mystic River watershed of over 500 acres, which will heavily impacted with a possible occurrence of an 8 point storm surge of Hurricane devastating proportions, recently felt by our area with “Sandy” on the Eastern Seaboard. A delay request letter from 3 knows environmental groups was read by Green Cambridge at the permitting meeting and sent to the Conservation Commissioner, Jennifer LeTourneau by Friends of Alewife Reservation, Green Cambridge and Mystic River Watershed Association stating their deep regret that a permit was given, noting over 2000 units planned for at the edge of the Alewife floodplain.

At the site visit on Wednesday, January 15, the entire parcel was saturated with storm water so that walking on grass by proponents and appellants was extremely difficult and large pools lay throughout. Geese and birds covered the parcel. The wetland designation, (Bordering Land Subject to Flooding- BLSF) is present throughout the open space and stated in the official Order of Conditions. The three parcels as part of the Bulfinch Master Plan, said proponents, should be part of the wetlands protection regulations. Former head Commissioner Sarah McLennan completed a certified Cambridge wetlands report, but while FAR saw the report, it was never published for the public to see.

Appellates at the Site were Ellen Mass, Lucia Levison, Kathy Johnson, Quinton Zondervan, Legislative Aides, Maxwell Chalkin and Michael Allen, and newly elected City Councilor, Dennis Carlone attended for the environmental community position. Anne Marie Lambert, Belmont Town meeting member pointed out drainage concerns. Environmentalists felt critical wetland-related issues should be re-examined by DEP before a building permit were given , thus delaying the project until the completion of the regional official Cambridge climate study. More Issues included: 2010 changed FEMA map benefitting the proponents, which a professional GIS specialist at the Visit said needs a full state examination process and approval; design of detention pond functioning which holds Discovery Park storm water, but needs further drainage scrutiny into Little River; flood storage design functioning in the 100 year floodplain needs proof of successful precedent; storage tank operations with extremely high ground water and expansive clay layers at the surface needs greater scrutiny, as witnessed on the visit; the participation of the town of Arlington and its Conservation Commission involved in the permitting as some of the land and wetlands are an integral part of the proposed development parcel.

The hotel plan is within 50 feet of the town of Arlington wetlands which is a vital retention area containing birch trees and ferns, and contains a deer yard covered regularly with at least one foot or more of flood water present at the visit this week.. The Arlington area would be impacted because the entire building plan is on a "Floodway", the more restricted flood category as a FEMA designation than the 100 year floodplain.

The Alewife Upper Basin urban wild area has been surveyed by professionals and contains much biodiversity, recently assessed by regionally renowned botanist, Walter Kittredge to contain 131 identified plants. Also, assessed by metropolitan-wide wildlife assessor David Brown. Weekly wildlife and history walks are given at the Acorn Park site by Brown from FAR, and Belmont Citizens Forum as well as DCR Interpretive Rangers. FAR initiates invasive species projects, pathway maintenance projects, seasonal ceremonies and clean ups on a regular basis to highlight the areas rich natural resources. Kathy Johnson, local Cambridge resident visits Yates Pond and the Reservation daily and reports her findings to FAR. Most recently, a Heron was reported to the Animal Commission with plastic wrapped around its beak, which was eventually removed (by the Heron, not the Commission).

Specified Site visit Appellates and the Proponents (Bulfinch or BHXLLC) and BSC Inc. must submit their comments to DEP by Friday, January 24th.