| November 29, 2007
| The Board of Appeal and BRA continue to require complete compliance with the Groundwater Conservation Overlay District rules. Only one variance has been granted in the nearly two years since the GCOD was adopted, and it was clearly justified (and well documented) by specific conditions that would not allow recharge. We are in discussions with BWSC on the best way to develop a clear set of ground rules for the information that applicants must provide them to allow BWSC to confirm that the recharge system is properly sized and designed. We hope to have something that can be posted on both our and their websites. |
| December 20, 2007
| Compliance with GCOD continues to be well enforced by the BRA, ISD, and the Board of Appeals. We have developed a guide to the process and expect to post it to our website shortly. |
| January 31, 2008
| Compliance with GCOD requirements continues to be excellent. Only two variances have been requested, both clearly justified by site conditions and reviewed by BWSC, the BRA, ISD, and the Trust before approval by the Board of Appeals. We have prepared a guide to the process that is now up on our website. |
| February 27, 2008
| There continue to be a substantial number of projects coming before the Board of Appeals for GCOD permits. We are now starting to have a significant number of recharge systems installed throughout the district. The majority of these systems have been for projects in the South End and Back Bay. |
| March 27, 2008
| The Board of Appeals continues to insist on complete compliance with GCOD standards. We have now had our first case that falls under the different standard that applies in the North End and Fort Point neighborhoods and have worked our way through a procedure that will apply in those areas. |
| April 29, 2008
| Compliance with GCOD standards continues to lead to more recharge systems being installed. It has also caused groundwater issues to be addressed on all projects in the area covered, with proponents offering foundation designs aimed at preventing any reductions in groundwater levels. The Board of Appeals, along with both the BRA and the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services, continues to be completely supportive of what we are trying to accomplish. |
| May 29, 2008
| Compliance with GCOD standards continues to lead to more recharge systems being installed. It has also caused groundwater issues to be addressed on all projects in the area covered, with proponents offering foundation designs aimed at preventing any reductions in groundwater levels. The Board of Appeals, along with both the BRA and the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services, continues to be completely supportive of what we are trying to accomplish. We have had a couple of cases where projects undergoing Small Project Review under Article 80 did not realize that they needed to file with BWSC prior to going to the Board of Appeals; I hope to work with the BRA to make sure that project managers advise proponents of the need to do so. |
| June 27, 2008
| There have now been almost 90 recharge systems approved by BWSC and the Board of Appeals. Groundwater levels in areas with recharge rose more than other areas when we had high levels of rainfall, and those areas appear to retain higher levels longer than other areas. I will be meeting with the BRA’s project managers next month to review the procedures involved with GCOD to make sure that we can eliminate some of the confusion that has arisen for some projects that have been undergoing Article 80 Small Project review. |
| July 31, 2008
| We continue to have excellent compliance with the GCOD requirements. At almost every session of the Board of Appeals, several new recharge systems are mandated. There have been over 30 systems approved for the South End, over 20 for Back Bay, about 15 in the Fenway, and several in other areas of the City. |
| August 29, 2008
| We continue to have excellent compliance with the GCOD requirements. At almost every session of the Board of Appeals, several new recharge systems are mandated. There have now been 97 recharge systems approved by BWSC. The most systems are in the South End, with the largest overall amount of recharge, taking into account the size of the systems, located in the Fenway. |
| September 25, 2008
| We continue to have excellent compliance with the GCOD requirements. At almost every session of the Board of Appeals, several new recharge systems are mandated. There have now been 107 recharge systems approved by BWSC. The most systems are in the South End, with the largest overall amount of recharge, taking into account the size of the systems, located in the Fenway. |
| October 27, 2008
| Compliance with GCOD continues to be excellent. I recently met with a professor at Tufts about a potential research project to determine how much effect the systems installed so far have had on groundwater levels; hopefully this work will take place in the first half of next year. |
| November 20, 2008
| Compliance with GCOD continues to be excellent. I recently met with a professor at Tufts about a potential research project to determine how much effect the systems installed so far have had on groundwater levels. We have received a proposal for conducting the project. |
| December 18, 2008
| Compliance with GCOD remains excellent, with very good cooperation from ISD, BWSC, and the Board of Appeals. There was a variance granted this month for a project on Lansdowne Street where contamination from an underground tank could not be remediated under the adjacent railroad tracks without shutting down rail service; the project will do a more reduced amount of recharge that will not lead to spreading of the contamination. |
| January 29, 2009
| Compliance with GCOD remains excellent. Although applications to the Board of Appeals seem to have dropped because of the slowing economy, there continue to be several recharge systems approved under GCOD almost every hearing session. |
| March 2, 2009
| Compliance with GCOD remains excellent. Although applications to the Board of Appeals seem to have dropped because of the slowing economy, there continue to be several recharge systems approved under GCOD almost every hearing session. |
| March 26, 2009
| Compliance with GCOD remains excellent. Although applications to the Board of Appeals seem to have dropped because of the slowing economy, there continue to be several recharge systems approved under GCOD almost every hearing session. |
| April 29, 2009
| Compliance with GCOD remains excellent. At the request of City Council President Ross, I’m working with Jim Hunt to see whether there might be ways to streamline the GCOD process without reducing its effectiveness. |
| May 28, 2009
| Compliance with GCOD remains excellent. Although the recession has slowed the number of applications, there still are very few Board of Appeals sessions without at least one GCOD case. |
| June 29, 2009
| Compliance with GCOD remains excellent. Although the recession has slowed the number of applications, there still are very few Board of Appeals sessions without at least one GCOD case. |
| July 30, 2009
| Compliance with GCOD remains excellent. Although the recession has slowed the number of applications, there still are very few Board of Appeals sessions without at least one GCOD case. |
| August 26, 2009
| The number of GCOD cases before the Board of Appeals seems to be increasing. Compliance with the zoning continues to be excellent. |
| September 24, 2009
| The number of GCOD cases before the Board of Appeals seems to be increasing. Compliance with the zoning continues to be excellent. |
| October 27, 2009
| The number of GCOD cases before the Board of Appeals seems to be increasing. Compliance with the zoning continues to be excellent. The Board has granted only three variances (one of which still included a partial recharge system) in over 160 cases that it has heard. There are now at least 69 functioning recharge systems approved under GCOD and inspected by BWSC. |
| November 19, 2009
| The number of GCOD cases before the Board of Appeals seems to be increasing. Compliance with the zoning continues to be excellent. |
| December 21, 2009
| GCOD compliance continues to be excellent. The Board of Appeals has ruled on over 160 applications, with only two not being able to completely comply with recharge requirements. Over 80 recharge systems are installed and operating. |
| January 21, 2010
| GCOD compliance continues to be excellent. The Board of Appeals has ruled on over 160 applications, with only two not being able to completely comply with recharge requirements. Over 80 recharge systems are installed and operating. |
| February 12, 2010
| GCOD compliance continues to be excellent. The Board of Appeals has ruled on over 160 applications, with only two not being able to completely comply with recharge requirements. Over 80 recharge systems are installed and operating. |
| March 18, 2010
| GCOD compliance continues to be excellent. The Board of Appeals has ruled on over 160 applications, with only two not being able to completely comply with recharge requirements. Over 80 recharge systems are installed and operating. |
| April 16, 2010
| GCOD compliance continues to be excellent. The Board of Appeals has ruled on over 160 applications, with only two not being able to completely comply with recharge requirements. We anticipate another variance on a project in Chinatown that cannot physically comply shortly. Over 80 recharge systems are installed and operating. We received no reports of problems with recharge systems during the recent heavy rains. |
| May 20, 2010
| Projects in the GCOD area continue to come before the Board of Appeals at a fairly steady pace. Cooperation among the Board, ISD, BWSC, the BRA, and the Trust has assured that virtually all projects have completely met the recharge and no negative impact standards of Article 32. |
| June 18, 2010
| Projects in the GCOD area continue to come before the Board of Appeals at a fairly steady pace. Cooperation among the Board, ISD, BWSC, the BRA, and the Trust has assured that virtually all projects have completely met the recharge and no negative impact standards of Article 32. The BRA continues to make sure that even projects, such as those in Planned Development Areas or under Institutional Master Plans, that don’t go before the Board of Appeals still meet all requirements of the GCOD. |
| July 29, 2010
| In what is hopefully a sign of an improving economy, we are beginning to see an increase in cases coming before the Board of Appeals under GCOD. Compliance remains virtually 100%, thanks to the efforts of the Board, BWSC, and ISD. |
| September 16, 2010
| In what is hopefully a sign of an improving economy, we are beginning to see an increase in cases coming before the Board of Appeals under GCOD. Compliance remains virtually 100%, thanks to the efforts of the Board, BWSC, and ISD. |
| October 19, 2010
| Compliance with GCOD remains excellent. We are continuing to see an increase in projects coming before the Board of Appeals and are now seeing some larger projects moving forward to ward GCOD approvals, hopefully signifying an improving economy. |
| November 18, 2010
| Compliance with GCOD remains excellent. We have now seen over 200 cases go through the Board of Appeals, with only three very justified variances granted. The BRA has made sure that projects in the GCOD area that were approved prior to its adoption but require modified zoning because of project changes in light of the changed economy meet GCOD requirements. |
| December 17, 2010
| Compliance with GCOD remains excellent. We have now seen over 200 cases go through the Board of Appeals, with only three very justified variances granted. The BRA has made sure that projects in the GCOD area that were approved prior to its adoption but require modified zoning because of project changes in light of the changed economy meet GCOD requirements. The BRA has also made sure that those projects that are part of Institutional Master Plans or Planned Development Areas and don’t go before the Board of Appeals still meet all of the requirements of the GCOD. |
| January 27, 2011
| Compliance with GCOD remains excellent. We have now seen over 200 cases go through the Board of Appeals, with only three very justified variances granted. The BRA has made sure that projects in the GCOD area that were approved prior to its adoption but require modified zoning because of project changes in light of the changed economy meet GCOD requirements. The BRA has also made sure that those projects that are part of Institutional Master Plans or Planned Development Areas and don’t go before the Board of Appeals still meet all of the requirements of the GCOD. |
| March 24, 2011
| Compliance with GCOD remains excellent. We have now seen over 200 cases go through the Board of Appeals, with only three very justified variances granted. The BRA has made sure that projects in the GCOD area that were approved prior to its adoption but require modified zoning because of project changes in light of the changed economy meet GCOD requirements. The BRA has also made sure that those projects that are part of Institutional Master Plans or Planned Development Areas and don’t go before the Board of Appeals still meet all of the requirements of the GCOD. Project proponents now understand the importance of compliance and have been generally very cooperative. |
| April 29, 2011
| Compliance with GCOD remains excellent. We have now seen over 200 cases go through the Board of Appeals, with only three very justified variances granted. The BRA has made sure that projects in the GCOD area that were approved prior to its adoption but require modified zoning because of project changes in light of the changed economy meet GCOD requirements. The BRA has also made sure that those projects that are part of Institutional Master Plans or Planned Development Areas and don’t go before the Board of Appeals still meet all of the requirements of the GCOD. Project proponents now understand the importance of compliance and have been generally very cooperative. There are now 134 recharge systems in service that were installed under GCOD. |
| May 26, 2011
| Compliance with GCOD remains excellent. We have now seen over 200 cases go through the Board of Appeals, with only three very justified variances granted. The BRA has made sure that projects in the GCOD area that were approved prior to its adoption but require modified zoning because of project changes in light of the changed economy meet GCOD requirements. The BRA has also made sure that those projects that are part of Institutional Master Plans or Planned Development Areas and don’t go before the Board of Appeals still meet all of the requirements of the GCOD. Project proponents now understand the importance of compliance and have been generally very cooperative. There are now 134 recharge systems in service that were installed under GCOD. |
| June 23, 2011
| Compliance with GCOD remains excellent. We continue to work with project proponents to help them meet the requirements in the most economical way. The support of the Board of Appeals, ISD, the Mayor’s Office, and the BRA has been critical in making this an important part of the approval process for projects. There has been a very small number of projects that have been granted variances, all for very good technical reasons. |
| July 21, 2011
| Compliance with GCOD remains excellent. We continue to work with project proponents to help them meet the requirements in the most economical way. The support of the Board of Appeals, ISD, the Mayor’s Office, and the BRA has been critical in making this an important part of the approval process for projects. There has been a very small number of projects that have been granted variances, all for very good technical reasons. |
| August 29, 2011
| Compliance with GCOD remains excellent. There have been over 130 recharge systems installed to meet GCOD requirements, with over 120 more approved but not yet installed because projects have yet to be completed. The work of ISD, the Board of Appeals, and the BRA has assured that all projects address the GCOD requirements; the very few variances granted have been for very valid technical reasons. |
| September 22, 2011
| Compliance with GCOD remains excellent. There have been over 130 recharge systems installed to meet GCOD requirements, with over 120 more approved but not yet installed because projects have yet to be completed. The work of ISD, the Board of Appeals, and the BRA has assured that all projects address the GCOD requirements; the very few variances granted have been for very valid technical reasons. |
| October 28, 2011
| The Board of Appeals granted one of the very rare variances to GCOD recharge requirements in a case in the Fenway where we agreed that the variance was justified. They required very clear and compelling reasons from the applicant. This effort by the Board, along with those of ISD and the BRA, has been key to the near 100% compliance with these requirements. |
| November 17, 2011
| In what is, hopefully, a sign of gradual economic recovery, we have been seeing increasing numbers of applications for GCOD approvals at the Board of Appeals. There continues to be excellent compliance, with the very small number of variances all for good technical reasons. The Board, ISD, BWSC, and the BRA have all been critical players in assuring compliance with GCOD requirements. |
| December 19, 2011
| Compliance with GCOD continues to be excellent, thanks to the efforts of ISD, BWSC, the BRA, and the Board of Appeals. At least 148 recharge systems are in, have been inspected by BWSC, and are operating. |
| January 19, 2012
| Compliance with GCOD continues to be excellent, thanks to the efforts of ISD, BWSC, the BRA, and the Board of Appeals. At least 148 recharge systems are in, have been inspected by BWSC, and are operating. |
