The Boston Guardian

THE BOSTON GUARDIAN May 25, 2018 Vol. 3 Issue 5 Esplanade Association Planning for Better Trees Image: Courtesy of the Alliance of Downtown Civic Organizations AirBNBs in downtown Boston City Council Rift Over AirBNBs by Ben Berke in fall under this category. Mayor Martin Walsh’s revised Three city councillors represent- short-term rental (STR) ordinance ing downtown neighborhoods, has created a rift in the City Josh Zakim, Ed Flynn and Lydia Council, which could vote the Edwards, have spoken in support proposed ordinance into law as of the revised ordinance. soon as Wednesday, June 6. Flynn said investor units have The revised ordinance incorpo- already displaced constituents in rates feedback Walsh received his district, which includes South Photo: Bob Henry after filing an earlier draft of Boston and parts of downtown and by Mark Fuechec and tree planting. enormous increase in the need for legislation in January that would the South End. The Esplanade Association (EA) More than 1,700 trees populate maintenance, yet not an increase in regulate by-the-night rentals in “[Investor units] took housing will publicly present the results of a the Esplanade, but, according the available resources to keep up all of Boston’s neighborhoods. stock away from people who really tree care management and succession to the study, the majority are with the demand. Refiled on May 9, it now prohibits needed it,” said Flynn. “It displaced planning study next Wednesday that mature and there has been little A 2015 inventory found that fewer “investor units.” People renting immigrants in Chinatown and recommends greater management, succession planning. As these trees than half the trees were considered properties they own but do not live Continued on Page 2 maintenance, soil improvements have matured, there has been an Continued on Page 2 Coffee with the Mayor Will Tunnel Be For Tourists? Photo: Mark Fuechec Mark Photo: Photo: Mark Fuechec Residents lined up Thursday morning to speak with Mayor Martin Walsh at his Neighborhood by Mark Fuechec tourist attraction. Coffee Hour, held on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall near the Public Garden. The mayor will The long-abandoned remnants The city made the 200-foot continue to drop into neighborhoods around Boston for early morning visits until the series of America’s first subway line tunnel under City Hall publicly concludes mid July. may become Boston’s next Continued on Page 2 THE BOSTON GUARDIAN 2 | May 25, 2018 AirBNBs Opposition comes largely a ban on investor units, but “What I think is important Councilor Michael Flaherty, who from councilors who represent take issue with the ordinance’s is that we protect the small chairs the committee that has Continued from Page 1 outlying districts, where the cap on “owner-adjacent units.” owner-occupant who may want been working on STR regulations concentration of STR units is People renting spare units in the to use short-term rental as a way for two years. In the meantime, hurt families.” lower. building they live in fall under to earn additional income,” said the number of STR units in the Flynn said he is ready to vote in Councilor Frank Baker, who this category. Janey, whose district includes city has skyrocketed. support of the revised ordinance. represents eastern Dorchester Under the ordinance, there is no Roxbury and the western areas of Flaherty could not be reached and parts of the South End and cap on how many days an owner the South End. for comment. So is Zakim, whose district Roxbury, has spoken in strong can rent out a room within their She said she would support the Multiple councilors said he is includes the Back Bay, Beacon Hill opposition to any form of STR own unit, but only one additional ordinance “as is” if it came to a looking to tweak the ordinance to and Fenway. Councilor at-large regulation. unit per building can be leased on vote, despite her reservations. ensure its approval by a majority Michelle Wu also supports the Other councilors from outlying a short-term basis, for a maximum The ordinance can only be of councilors before bringing it revised ordinance. districts, like Kim Janey, support of 120 days per year. brought to a vote by At-Large to a vote. said Joe Bagley, Boston’s City was constructed in the late 19th Bagley has yet to determine if mid-20th century, when it was Tunnel Archaeologist. century to run trains between the large pipes running along the decommissioned. Continued from Page 1 “I can’t imagine why this can’t two now-nonexistent stations. walls are original or built after the Everything you can see in the be made a little bit more accessi- The sole entrance is in the back subway’s decommission. Some of tunnel now is pretty much as ble to the public, but there’s a of City Hall Garage and, besides the debris scattered on the floor it was when it was found, said accessible for the first time lot of things that would have to the installation of new working was rusted beyond identification. Bagley. He spoke with delight Monday. The 100 tour slots happen to get it to that point,” he lights next to the original lamps There was water outside of about the sheer volume of space were snatched up less than 30 said. “It wouldn’t be the easiest that run overhead, little work the pipes as well. The wood and left untouched in downtown minutes after sign-up became thing to do. It’s not exactly the has been done inside and much metal of the subway’s tracks are Boston for decades, and about avail-able online. This level of most convenient entrance point.” remains unknown. now long gone, but their imprints the pioneering city that built interest means it makes sense to Making the space workable Monday’s visitors ducked were still visible on the tunnel’s America’s first subway line. think about giving the public would take some time and through two makeshift doorways, dirt floor. Monday’s tourists “When this was built, there more opportunities to visit, effort, said Bagley. The passage stepping over pipes and wires. brought fresh mud footprints. were still horses and buggies on Bagley asked a group of reporters The site has a lot to offer the streets of Boston,” he said. to avoid stepping on the mounds tourists. In addition to the cool “It was the high Victorian era. of dirt that ran along one side of underground air, visitors can At the end of the 1800s, this was the tunnel, which he said were get a unique view into both cutting edge technology. Putting probably covering water pipes, the late 19th century, when the a tunnel underground was a possibly still in use. subway line was built, and the controversial topic.” Esplanade to maintain a healthy branching sufficient space and sunlight will be structure, the report noted. provided, the soil type, drainage, the Continued from Page 1 The report’s anticipated tree specifications for planting that tree, replacement allowance affords 18 tree and aftercare.” to be in good condition, a drop replacements a year. Careful planning Other top priorities identified from more than 60 percent in 2004. of EA’s mature tree replacement include soil improvements, event Groves often suffer from the density strategy is necessary in order to avoid impact mitigation, hazard mitiga- of trees or their proximity to the any large voids in the landscape. tion and the creation and manage- park’s more highly trafficked areas. New plantings will not just be ment of a GIS data system for the “As expected, most of the fair or replacements of aging trees. The park’s tree inventory. report identified areas with broken poor condition trees can be found The plan is still in draft form and along paths that are heavily used,” canopies, groves of similarly mature the public will have the opportunity read the report. “These trees likely trees and areas requiring infill to learn more and share feedback experience higher levels of urban plantings to maintain consistent on Wednesday, May 30 from 5:30 stresses including soil compaction planting. The report also included pm to 6:30 pm at Fisher College’s and de-icing salt.” recommendations of what to consider Current maintenance is primarily when plant-ing new trees in the park. Alumni Hall. limited to pruning. The majority of “When planting new trees, partic- The specifics of implementing the trees are on a five-year pruning cycle, ipants should not only consider plan are still to be determined, said with those in heavily used areas on a location, but also whether the species Emily O’Connor, EA’s di-rector of two-year cycle. The report calls for is suited for a site, if it is appropriate park operations. these cycles to be shortened as much for this historic landscape, and if “It all depends on funding and that as possible. Many of the mature trees it contributes to greater species fluctuates from year to year,” she said. have dead wood, while younger diversity across the parks,” read “In terms of implemen-tation, we trees need to be pruned frequently the report. “Also consider whether haven’t worked out the next steps.” INSIDE THE BOSTON GUARDIAN THE BOSTON GUARDIAN IS PUBLISHED ON FRIDAYS. THE BOSTON GUARDIAN Crime & Punishment ................... 4 ©2018 GUARD DOG MEDIA, INC. 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