HRA hears new vision for site, including bayside boardwalk, college classrooms, apartments

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By Carol Britton Meyer

To kick-start the Hull Redevelopment Authority’s long-delayed consideration of “Option 3” for its draft Urban Renewal Plan, the board last week heard Chair Dennis Zaia’s new vision for the property that includes a bayside boardwalk, college classrooms, and a small apartment complex with some affordable units.

Board members also agreed to invite a Cohasset family with their own proposal for a children’s wellness and community center, featuring spaces that could be used for community gatherings, outdoor exercise areas, and park space, to present their ideas at an upcoming meeting.

Zaia’s concept includes a boardwalk around the bay from Bay Street to the light plant property at Edgewater Road with three cantilevered piers out into the water, with opportunities for individuals, families, or groups to memorialize on the planks those who once lived on the HRA property, a family’s long history in Hull, or another important milestone to help raise funds to pay for the project.

He also envisions a Hull “water fire” feature modeled after the one in Providence – “a place that would allow people to enjoy the sunset, have picnics, and listen to acoustical music,” Zaia said.

One feature of HRA CHAIR DENNIS ZAIA’s VISION FOR THE PROPERTY IS AN ILLUMINATION SIMILAR TO WATERFIRE in PROVIDENCE. [Photo by ERIN SMITHERS/WATERFIRE.ORG]

His vision also includes a residential neighborhood of small apartments, including some that are affordable, on land owned by the HRA at the corner of Nantasket Avenue and Edgewater Road combined with the current site of the light plant, were the utility to relocate. The buildings would be designed to look like the red Victorian-style house owned by the family of Dr. William Bergan diagonally across the street from the site of the proposed new apartments.

Classroom space proposed

The proposal also includes creating classroom space for “Harvard, Tufts, and MIT students enrolled in geology, oceanography, and marine science programs” close to the ocean – and a function space with a separate kitchen facility to hold catered events for as many as 300 people at a time and a community center with activities for all ages “to create a sense of energy and excitement.”

Zaia also envisions granting an easement to the Department of Conservation and Recreation along the Hull Shore Drive Extension side of the property to facilitate the department’s planned Nantasket Beach Reservation improvements.

The proposal also includes engaging with the Trustees of Reservations, the Wildlands Trust, and other conservation organizations about stewardship opportunities on part of the remaining HRA property.

Other HRA members and citizens participating in the Zoom meeting offered their feedback following Zaia’s presentation.

Board member Adrienne Paquin thinks “there are a lot of interesting ideas” in the proposal, particularly the stewardship concept, and also had thoughts about different locations for some of the ideas presented by Zaia.

‘Let’s see if we can reach a consensus’

Member Joan Senatore also said there was some merit in Zaia’s proposal.

“I’d like the board to have a discussion on each of these areas and see if we can reach a compromise, a consensus,” she said. “It will take some time to digest and see how it fits in with everything we have heard from citizens and what’s doable.”

Senatore said she also supports talking with organizations such as the Wildlands Trust to see what they can offer.

“This is a good start. We can use [this information] as a building block,” she said.

HRA member Bartley Kelly said he was pleased with the housing aspect of Zaia’s proposal.

“I think housing, including some affordable, is the highest and best use for the property,” he said. “There’s a demand for housing, and it would add to the town’s tax base.”

Kelly added, “I think we need to take a holistic look at all the parcels and decide what we want to see on the overall HRA property itself – including housing, the community center proposal, and park space while still providing beach parking and outdoor event space. This is a good jumping off point. I think we’re headed in the right direction.”

‘A lot of details to absorb’

Member Dan Kernan noted that there are “a lot of details to absorb,” suggesting considering various ideas and concepts rather than specific locations at this time.

“We can use your ideas as a straw man, focusing on what we want to put on the land, working from that list, and moving forward from that,” he said.

Resident Susan Mann said she thinks it’s “important to engage the public in some sort of survey at the beginning of the process so they feel they are truly [involved]. It’s also important for the board to come up with a vision for the property, something cohesive that will pull all the parcels together so it won’t look like a jigsaw puzzle when it’s finished.”

Gisela Voss suggested the HRA rank the different options “in a systematic way. Otherwise [the board] will keep going around.”

Resident Kevin Locke said the HRA property is precious to not only the people of Hull but also beyond. “The star of the show is the ocean, and we are entrusted to care for this land, not ruin it,” he said.

As the final comment before the three-hour meeting wrapped up, resident Anne Murray said she loves the idea of a campus building for university study, but isn’t sure that use would work well with the proposed function space for large events.

“Some sort of community space is really needed,” she said. “Clearly, there aren’t enough meeting rooms around town.”

“We have some good information here to get us all percolating,” Zaia said as he closed the meeting.

The next scheduled HRA meetings are February 24, March 10 and 31, and April 7, 14, and 28.

A replay of last week’s meeting will be available on Hull Community Television’s broadcast channels and on demand at www.hulltv.net.

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Committee focused on forming trust fund, educating public burdened by high housing costs

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By Carol Britton Meyer

The Affordable Housing Committee has spent the last two years seeking ways to develop low-cost housing in Hull while getting the word out to the community about the importance of these efforts.

The committee’s latest project is the formation of an affordable housing trust fund, and the group is planning information sessions during the next two months to outline the town’s affordability issues and discuss the mechanics of how a trust fund works.

Many residents are struggling to make ends meet, while others who grew up in town cannot afford to live here now with increasing housing and rental costs.

AHC members point out that when costs are high and supply is limited – which is the current scenario – seniors wanting to downsize and stay in town have nowhere else to go that they can afford; young couples looking to start a family can’t find affordable homes; college graduates can’t afford to return to their hometown to live; and local businesses struggle to find employees.

Ideally, no more than 30% of an individual’s or family’s income should be spent on housing costs, leaving the remaining 70% to take care of other necessities and for savings.

According to a recent study, AHC Chair Cynthia Koebert noted, roughly 20% of renters and 22% of homeowners in Hull are cost-burdened, meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on rent or mortgage payments.

About 27.7% of Hull renters and 11% of homeowners are severely cost-burdened, spending more than 50% of their household income on housing, according to the Massachusetts Housing Partnership’s DataTown, an online collection of housing, demographic, and census statistics.

Hull residents who are “severely cost-burdened” have to choose between “lifesaving medications, food, clothing, and other necessary expenses and paying their rent,” select board liaison to the AHC Irwin Nesoff told The Hull Times recently. Nesoff noted that if affordable housing isn’t available in Hull for young families, enrollments in the Hull Public Schools will continue to decline.

Community outreach

The mission of the AHC is “to create and maintain a vibrant, economically diverse community through community engagement, advocacy, and education about the need for and the benefits of preserving and developing affordable housing.”

Hull was one of two municipalities chosen to participate in the Citizens Housing and Planning Association’s Municipal Engagement Initiative to support outreach and education about the importance of preserving and creating affordable housing.

Through another technical assistance grant, the AHC is working with the Massachusetts Housing Partnership to create a municipal affordable housing trust.

Select board supports creation of trust

At the AHC’s request in December, the select board supported forming an affordable housing trust fund. The trust would help create and preserve below-market-rate housing for low- and moderate-income households and fund community housing, whereas the AHC doesn’t have the authority to develop housing, but rather can educate citizens and advocate for it.

“The creation of such a trust fund would not change the protocol of having to bring the proposed disposal of public property before town meeting,” Koebert told the Hull Times.

Contingent on town meeting approval, a trust would bring additional expertise and timely decision-making to the utilization of Community Preservation Act funds for affordable housing. The Community Preservation Committee has approximately $500,000 available from the annual required 10% allocation of funds, plus reserves, to support community housing.

AHC revitalized

The AHC was created years ago. Following a period of inactivity, the committee was revitalized in 2023. Koebert, who had a career in the non-profit affordable housing field before retiring, was named chair. Other committee members were also appointed based on their backgrounds, and besides Koebert and Nesoff, include Ed Parsons, Katie Barclay, Bob Pahl, Bob Pezzini, Nancy Boyce, Kathie Bogdan, and Vinny Harte.

“We were able to recruit skilled members who brought areas of expertise that the committee needed in order to get to this point,” Nesoff said.

AHC successes so far include working with the planning department to secure state funding for consultants to survey town-owned parcels of a half-acre or more to determine which may be appropriate for affordable housing development. This report is available on the committee’s page on the town’s website.

The AHC also has examined the town’s inventory of smaller, infill parcels for potential disposition for affordable homeownership. Town counsel is currently researching the title history of some of these properties.

Upcoming community meetings

The AHC is hosting two meetings, in partnership with CHAPA, at the Memorial School, 81 Central Ave.:

⦁ Thursday, March 6, 6:30-8:30 p. m., “Affordable Housing 101” will consider the questions, “What is affordable housing?” “Why is it important?” and “What can be done to create and preserve affordable housing in Hull?”

⦁ Thursday, April 10, 6:30-8:30 p.m., “What is a municipal housing trust fund?” will discuss how a community housing trust fund would help create, preserve, and support affordable housing in town.

Both meetings will be recorded by Hull Community Television. An RSVP is requested for planning purposes at HullAHC@outlook.com, but is not required to attend.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to share information about affordable housing and to have productive community conversations,” Koebert said.

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Redevelopment Authority sets schedule to review responses to RFPs for parking, concessions

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By Carol Britton Meyer

The Hull Redevelopment Authority addressed numerous agenda items during last week’s three-hour meeting, including finalizing the requests for proposals for the parking lot lease and vendor concession space license for the summer season.

The parking lot RFP includes language that requires managing the parking lots in such a way as to avoid traffic backing up onto Hull Shore Drive Extension and Water Street. Member Bartley Kelly recused himself in the event a family member submits a bid for the parking lot lease, as has been the case in the past.

Chair Dennis Zaia has requested a meeting with the select board “to be sure they’re in sync with the parking lot lease RFP,” including the HRA’s request for a maximum 900 permitted parking spaces, which is contingent on the board’s review and approval. The winning vendors also are required to go before the select board for the required permits.

On March 31, the HRA will review responses to the vendor RFP, and on April 7, responses to the parking lot lease RFP during in-person meetings, tentatively scheduled to be held at the Memorial School. May 1 marks the beginning of paid parking in the HRA lots.

“These are very well-crafted RFPs now, and I think we will get a good response once advertised,” HRA Technical Operations Manager Mark Hamin said.

In his new role, Hamin assisted the HRA in crafting this year’s RFPs following the state Inspector General’s guidance last year about the need to improve the way they are written.

In other business…

• Following a suggestion she made during a recent HRA meeting, member Adrienne Paquin reported that she contacted the UMass Boston Center for Survey Research, among other polling organizations, regarding the HRA conducting its own survey on top of an earlier independent poll to gauge citizens’ opinions on uses of the HRA property. UMass was the only respondent. After reviewing their response, Paquin will provide details to the board, which will then decide whether to move forward with such a survey.

• Zaia mentioned that in response to an inquiry about the scheduled family-friendly South Shore Revival event June 2-8 celebrating sobriety and recovery from addiction and featuring participation by a number of South Shore churches, the HRA’s legal counsel “said we’re not breaking any rules as long as the event doesn’t discriminate based on any one religion,” he said.

• As promised, Kelly scanned HRA minutes going back to 2010 so they can be posted on the HRA’s website.

• The next scheduled HRA meetings are February 24; March 10 and 31; and April 7, 14, and 28. At the February 24 meeting, the HRA’s legal counsel will provide guidance on how to handle public records requests.

“We didn’t get a request, but we did receive an inquiry related to the HRA’s public records process,” Zaia said.

A replay of last week’s meeting will be available on Hull Community Television’s broadcast channels and on demand at www.hulltv.net.

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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Survey solicits residents’ opinions on usage of Nantasket Beach as town updates management plan

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By Chris Krahforst, Director

Climate Adaptation and Conservation Department 

The town is revising its Beach Management Plan, last updated in 2018, to better protect the beach and enhance public access. Balancing recreation, storm/flooding mitigation, and environmental preservation is at the heart of updating the Beach Management Plan – ensuring North Nantasket Beach remains a enjoyable and sustainable resource for years to come.

Managing North Nantasket Beach involves addressing various challenges, including dog-walking policies, beach debris cleanup, addressing illegal and dangerous use of fireworks, dune preservation, and ensuring better public access. We aim to complete a draft of the North Nantasket Beach Management Plan and submit it to the conservation commission by May for consideration in obtaining a Wetlands Protection Act permit. The wetlands permitting process is another step that offers the opportunity for public input and will require a review by the state’s Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program that oversees the protection of state’s endangered species.

Source: Hull Climate Adaptation and Conservation Department

Recently, the town held a virtual kickoff meeting to introduce the Beach Management Plan update, explain the planning process, and highlight ways for the community to get involved. For more information on these updates and ways to share your feedback, visit the conservation commission website, www.town.hull.ma.us/conservation-commission.

This page also includes links to the survey and a recorded version of the February 4 meeting for those who couldn’t attend. Please take a moment to complete the survey and contribute to the planning process. So far, we’ve received more than 100 responses. The accompanying graphs show some examples of the questions the survey contains with some of the preliminary results.

This survey explores several important aspects, and we encourage you to share additional thoughts in the comment section. Every comment will be documented and considered in the planning process. Your input is essential in shaping a plan that balances the needs of residents, visitors, and the environment. It will also help guide the responsible management of this vital resource – not only for its flood mitigation and storm resilience, but also for ensuring we can continue to enjoy and preserve North Nantasket Beach for the future.

This survey will remain available for input throughout the plan’s drafting process. Please visit the conservation commission’s page on the town’s website for updates.

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Strawberry Hill water tank expected by 2027; residents’ bills to increase $65 annually

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By Carol Britton Meyer

A new one-million-gallon water tank on Strawberry Hill is expected to be online by fall 2027, according to the Weir River Water System.

REMEMBER THIS VIEW? For decades, the water company maintained a storage tank atop Strawberry Hill, but took it out of service in 2008. The Weir River Water System is planning to build an even larger tank on the site. [John Galluzzo file photo]

The final design and permitting for the project is expected to be completed this spring, with minor site and preparation work planned for next fall and winter following the bidding process and awarding of the contract.

Construction will take place from spring 2026 to the summer of 2027, with the system expected to be up and running that fall, the water company’s Citizens Advisory Board was told last week.

During the first year that the Town of Hingham owned the water system, officials immediately began developing a master plan to identify water system needs.

Priority one in the final plan presented in October 2022 was a new water storage tank within the WRWS distribution system – hence the Strawberry Hill project. A full hydraulic analysis, tank siting study, and a master plan for the work were submitted in early 2024.

Double capacity of old tank

The new tank will be about double the capacity of the old Strawberry Hill tank, which was taken down after a 2008 study by the water company determined the 75-year-old structure was no longer needed.

The new tank and pumping station are expected to improve the reliability of service and water quality while ensuring adequate water pressure and flow for Hull customers.

In a recent update to the Weir River Water System Citizens Advisory Board, WRWS Managing Director/Superintendent Russell Tierney discussed the tank project, recent water main breaks, and other news. The water system serves residents of Hingham, Hull, and part of Cohasset.

The CAB consists of Cohasset representative Stephen Girardi; Hingham members Sam Mullen, Chair Steven Weiss, and Charles Culpin; and Hull representatives select board member Brian McCarthy and Director of Wastewater Operations/Assistant Director of Public Works John Struzziery.

About $13 million worth of improvements have been made to the water system and the water treatment facility over the past four years, with changes to the billing system in the works that will provide monthly, rather than quarterly, bills to customers.

While no rate increases are planned for fiscal 2026, an annual capital investment charge of about $65 a year per single-family dwelling will be added to customers’ bills starting July 1 to pay for the final design and construction of the water tank.

In other news…

Tierney said the biggest contributors to the recent water main breaks in Hingham and Hull were a 2.5- to 3-foot depth of frost, four days in a row in December and two stretches in January of four days with temperatures lower than 20 degrees – colder than average temperatures in the past several years.

Tierney provided a chart showing that there were 21 water main breaks in the system in 2020; 28 in 2021; seven in 2022; 20 in 2023; 16 in 2024; and 10 so far this year.

“The frost line and cold weather 100% contributed to the recent water main breaks,” Tierney said, noting that other communities are facing similar challenges.

While the number of main breaks seems higher than usual, Weiss and Tierney noted that this perception may be due to WRWS’s enhanced communications system, which posts water system issues and updates on Facebook, which are immediately accessible to residents in all three towns, whereas that wasn’t the case in the past.

“A lot of people in Hull have received robocalls, so they are working,” McCarthy said.

In response to a question posed by McCarthy, Tierney said he plans to go before the Hull select board this month to provide an update about the water tank and other WRWS business, and that the Town of Hingham has requested a public meeting.

‘Good communication and transparency’

“We want to be sure we provide [our residents] with as much information as possible in the interest of good communication and transparency,” McCarthy said.

FY26 will mark the beginning of the second five years of the contractual agreement with Veolia to operate and maintain the water system.

“Veolia was notified … that as part of the agreement, the town will exercise its right to remove billing and customer service from the contract and move the services to Hingham Municipal Lighting Plant,” Tierney explained. “We have been working with HMLP and will be meeting with their billing vendor to develop and implement a transition plan.”

The goal is to have all customer service operations moved to HMLP by July 2, and WRWS will be working with HMLP and Veolia to achieve this goal.

“In the event there is any delay in the billing transition, we will consider a month-to-month agreement with Veolia to continue producing our bills through their system,” Tierney said.

Reduction in unaccounted for water

He also noted a reduction in unaccounted for water – from 23.9 to 18 percent – and that there are now 84 additional hydrants in the system, with six additional flushing hydrants installed on dead-end mains and 102 inoperable hydrants replaced.

Tierney also reported that PFAS levels in the water system are well under Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection guidelines, that PFAS study proposals are being reviewed and considered, and that the lead and copper levels are well within compliance.

Tierney encouraged customers from all three towns to email WaterQuality@weirriverwater.com to report water-related issues or concerns, and to include their address in the correspondence.

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Board addresses Tipsy Tuna noise complaints, endorses affordable housing trust

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By Carol Britton Meyer

 

The select board addressed a lengthy agenda this week, from a sound mitigation plan for a local restaurant to warrant articles to create a community housing trust for affordable housing and to limit “visual clutter” from certain types of signage.

Tipsy Tuna restaurant owner Anthony Ghosn presented the mitigation plan with a focus on a particular Porrazzo Road resident who has repeatedly voiced concerns about noise coming from music on the patio.

Select board member Greg Grey, who has heard complaints from a number of neighbors, said he doesn’t see “a decent solution” to the noise issue unless Ghosn builds a “roof and walls” over or around the patio.

Concern was voiced from some members of the board that the mitigation plan is geared toward the one neighbor and not the surrounding area as well. 

“The restaurant is often over capacity, which adds to the noise, and you are relying not on running a restaurant, but a nightclub out of the back end, which you are not licensed to do,” Grey said. “The true problem is how you run your business. The noise issue isn’t going to go away [unless] you are more flexible by limiting the hours of entertainment.”

Ghosn said he focused on the one neighbor because he wasn’t aware that others had gone to Grey with complaints.

Entertainment policy/noise ordinance proposed

Board member Jerry Taverna noted that there’s no town regulation by which to measure the mitigation plan and suggested the board consider crafting an entertainment policy/noise ordinance to address noise issues townwide “that stipulates that at a certain time of night, the volume goes down.”

The board will discuss Taverna’s recommendation at a future meeting.

“This is a quality of life issue, and we need to come up with a common-sense policy that covers everyone across the board,” he said.

Town Manager Jennifer Constable asked board members to be mindful of looking at the issue from both perspectives.

Ghosn promised to have the sound mitigation alterations completed before the start of the new season, contingent on building commissioner approval, which he expects soon. 

Chair Irwin Nesoff thanked Ghosn for working with the board to resolve the noise issue.

“We want you to be successful and remain in town, but we need to address these complaints,” he said.

Ghosn will return to the board later this year to request a seasonal license. In the meantime, Taverna suggested Ghosn purchase and install a decibel meter to gauge noise levels at Tipsy Tuna “so you can turn the music down” when it reaches a certain level.

In other business…

• The board supported a warrant article to create a community housing trust, as explained by affordable housing committee chair Cynthia Koebert, which in part would have the authority to purchase property for affordable housing without town meeting approval to take advantage of unexpected opportunities.

Such a trust would provide for the creation and preservation of affordable housing for the benefit of low- and moderate-income households and for the funding of community housing.

Affordable housing committee member Bob Pahl described the benefits of such a trust, noting that there’s $500,000 in unspent Community Preservation Act funds dedicated to community housing.

Board members expressed appreciation for the AHC’s efforts and the progress made so far in support of creating affordable housing beyond the current 1.6% of the total number of housing units in town. 

The state’s desired threshold is 10%, which leaves Hull vulnerable to proposed Chapter 40B comprehensive permits that allow developers to circumvent most local regulations in exchange for an affordable housing component.

“A trust would be a building block in moving forward with creating more affordable housing units,” Constable noted.

The board voted unanimously to place the housing trust article on the spring town meeting warrant, pending review by staff and legal counsel.

“The effort to create more affordable housing has been going on for decades, and it’s exciting that something is going to come out of this finally,” select board member Brian McCarthy said. 

• The Hull Beautification Committee and the Design Review Board are leading an effort to tighten guidelines and prohibit certain types of signage within Hull’s existing sign bylaw through a town meeting article this spring.

The proposed changes would limit highly illuminated, moving, and excessive commercial signage, electronic community message boards, and billboards.

The board supported this article, as explained by beautification committee member Michael Parks and design review board member Marie Rockett, while referring it to the planning board, because the change involves the town’s zoning bylaw.

• The select board accepted advisory board member Dan Sullivan’s letter of resignation, acknowledging his long service to the town.

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Shorelines - News about your neighbors

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• The long Presidents Day weekend gives all of us an extended period to celebrate Valentine’s Day – no need to rush out with that special someone on Friday night after a long day at work! Whether you are heading out on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or Monday, plan to shop locally for that special gift for your Valentine, and remember that Hull has many fantastic places to buy sweet treats, gift certificates, flowers, and other unique presents to present to your beloved. Your support of our local businesses helps them during the difficult winter season, and will keep Hull’s economy thriving. And if you see their ad here in the Times, please mention it, and thank them for supporting Hull’s independently owned news source. We are grateful to all of you!

FLIPPING AWESOME! The girls varsity gymnastics team [co-op with Hingham] finished the season undefeated and Patriot League champions after a program-high score of 138.3 at Friday’s meet. The team posted an incredible 9-0 record for the season. [Courtesy photo]

• Congratulations to Hull’s Jaden Stilphen, who has been named to the Dean’s List for the fall semester at Western New England University in Springfield. Stilphen is one of more than 750 students to achieve this mark of academic excellence. Students are named to the Dean’s List for earning a semester grade-point average of 3.30 or higher. Stilphen is working toward a bachelor of science in criminal justice.

• Sophia Tremblay has been named to the Plymouth State University Dean’s List for the fall semester. To be named to the Dean’s List, a student must achieve a grade-point average between 3.50 and 3.69 and must have completed at least 12 credit hours. Tremblay is a psychology major.

• Hull’s Paula Moszenberg Nesoff’s first novel, “Among Us,” is now available at Buttonwood Books and Toys in Cohasset. Nesoff’s deep commitment to advocating for social justice issues motivated her to write this book dedicated to her parents, Minia and Leon Moszenberg, both survivors of the Holocaust who immigrated to the United States in the early 1950s. Nesoff learned from an early age about the importance of being involved in efforts to overcome discriminatory systemic barriers. She retired from a career in social work and human services education in 2008, was designated as a professor emeritus at LaGuardia Community College/CUNY, and continued teaching as an adjunct in social work. Throughout her professional career, Nesoff enjoyed creating meaningful experiences for her students to use writing as a tool for expressing their deepest feelings.

Her passion for reading and writing led her to explore creative writing with the support of family, friends, and colleagues. Paula and her spouse, Irwin, moved to Hull in 2008 after living in New York City for many years. After this move, she began an encore career in massage therapy, working at Boston Medical Center establishing a massage therapy program for underserved populations. She also pursued her interest in weaving, letting her creative spirit create tapestries, table runners, and scarves for her dear ones. Currently, Nesoff is a volunteer with Norwell Visiting Nurse and Hospice, co-leading bereavement support groups, is on the advisory board of the Mindfulness Plus community organization, and an advocate for Medical Aid In Dying.

“Among Us” takes readers on the self-discovery journey of the protagonist, Marion Reilly. Marion is a middle-aged woman whose personal growth came through facing truths about herself, her brother Kevin, her parents, and confronting Kevin’s arrest for the murder of his next-door neighbor. Marion finds her strength to forge a new life through an old friend from high school. She learns how to trust and depend on others, while uncovering her creative spirit, and eventually finding love. Events unfold in New York City’s Upper West side neighborhood in the 1980s and ’90s, a time of increased homelessness, the AIDS crisis, and rising racial tensions. The realities of living in a city where powerful real estate market interests, along with changing demographics, challenge community groups servicing residents living on the fringes economically and psychologically. The story describes the struggles of ordinary people confronting circumstances often beyond their control, learning about themselves and others, as they connect beyond differences to survive.

• The public is invited to meet Hull Public Schools Superintendent Michael Jette as part of the Nantasket-Hull Rotary Club’s regular meeting on Wednesday, February 19. Rotary meetings are open to the public, with a dinner ($25 per person) prior to the 7 p.m. presentation by the guest of honor. Jette has been superintendent since July, and previously was a superintendent in New Hampshire, as well as a high school science teacher. For information on attending, visit www.nantaskethullrotary.org.

• Grace Holden, a Lasell University student from Hull, was named to the Dean’s List for academic performance in the fall semester. To be named to the Dean’s List, Lasell students must complete at least 12 credits and achieve a semester grade-point average of 3.5 or higher.

• Leah Tessler has been named to the MassBay Community College Dean’s List for the fall semester. To be eligible, students must complete at least six credits of college-level courses, be in good standing with the college, and earn a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher.

• Caitlin Hogan has been named to the fall Dean’s List at Roger Williams University in Bristol, R.I. Full-time students who complete 12 or more credits per semester and earn a grade-point average of 3.4 or higher earn a place on the Dean’s List.

• State Senator Patrick O’Connor has been named Legislator of the Year by the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. O’Connor received the award during a biannual breakfast hosted by NAIFA for incoming legislators to recognize his efforts to raise awareness of financial literacy among young people.

O’Connor is currently co-sponsoring, with state Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, a bill that would require financial education in Massachusetts schools. This effort has the potential to make a lasting impact on the future financial wellness of students by offering them knowledge for their long-term success, helping them understand how to apply for loans, make large-scale purchases, and how to save and invest.

“This award means a lot to me, and with my acceptance of it I am honored to accredit my receipt in part to everyone who paved the path to where we are now in understanding that a continued lack of formal financial literacy curriculum does a disservice to Massachusetts residents,” O’Connor said. “The empowerment that financial literacy offers will be an important navigation tool to have in the achievement of overall financial health. I look forward to continuing to work hard on the legislative front and with NAIFA to champion policies that will set students within the Commonwealth up with the tools needed for financial success and proper money management.”

BOOKIES. Amanda Davis and Stephen B. Martin were among the dozen local authors who discussed and signed their books at an author and Barnes & Noble Booksellers at Hingham’s Derby Street Shops on January 25. [Skip Tull photos]

• Summer Hill has been named to Plymouth State University President’s List for the fall semester. To be named to the President’s List, a student must achieve a grade-point average of 3.70 or better and complete at least 12 credit hours. Hill is a criminology major.

• Hailey Gould has been named to the Dean’s List for the fall semester at the University of New England. Dean’s List students have attained a grade-point average of 3.3 or better out of a possible 4.0 at the end of the semester.

• Siobhan Burke was named to the University of Alabama President’s List for the fall semester. A total of 14,631 students were named to the Dean’s List with an academic record of 3.5 (or above) or the President’s List with an academic record of 4.0 (all A’s). These driven students are making waves across UA’s more than 70 undergraduate programs and 12 colleges and schools.

• Springfield College has named Faye Lofgren to the Dean’s List for academic excellence for the fall semester. Lofgren has a primary major of health science/pre-PT.

• Carly Donovan has earned Dean’s List Honors for the fall semester at Fairfield University. In order to be placed on the Dean’s List, students must have completed a minimum of 12 credit hours in a semester, have no outstanding or incomplete grades, and have attained a grade-point average of 3.50 or better.

• It’s always beach season around here, as even the chilly water temperatures don’t stop the polar plungers from jumping into the ocean in the middle of winter. That connection isn’t lost on Bruce Berman, a familiar face to many through his years of involvement with Save the Harbor/Save the Bay and the Metropolitan Beaches Commission. Even though he retired to Florida in 2023, Berman is bringing some of that community spirit to Biscayne Bay, as the organizer of the Miami Beach Cupid Splash to raise money for the restoration of the bay and to support environmental education programs. The event is set for Sunday, February 16.

“For years I splashed in Boston Harbor for Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, where the water temperature in February was a frigid 38 degrees,” said Berman, who served as Boston’s bay watcher for more than 30 years. “Now that I am older, wiser and spending the winter in South Beach, I am looking forward to continuing that tradition here in 305, where the water will be a chilly 68 degrees. Sure, we will be cold for a few minutes on the beach, but the warm feeling we will get from raising funds for a great cause will last a long time.”

For more details on the event, visit www.cupidsplash.com.

• Mark your calendars for the 44th Annual Snow Row, which is coming up on Saturday, March 15 (weather date is March 16). The race starts at noon and the entry fee is $45 per racer. The Hull Lifesaving Museum’s signature rowing event features a unique LeMans-style start and covers a 3.75-mile triangular course, starting and finishing off the beach at the Windmill Point Boathouse. The Snow Row celebrates traditional boats and rowers, with participants including experienced youth and adult crews from New England, New York, and along the East Coast. Spectators can enjoy the action from the Windmill Point Boathouse or aboard the spectator boat. This thrilling event offers an exciting experience for both participants and onlookers alike. To register or for more information, call 781-925-5433 or visit www.hulllifesavingmuseum.org.

If you have news about Hull residents to share – birthdays, anniversaries, career and education achievements, weddings, births, and other milestones – send your information to us at news@hulltimes.com. If you include a photo, please be sure that everyone in the image is identified. Thank you!

Improperly filed easement could complicate Rockaway Annex condo development

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By Carol Britton Meyer 

An issue relating to the developer’s right to install a water line along an access easement on adjacent private property could delay the comprehensive permit process for the proposed 12-unit condominium development at 25 Ipswich Street in the Rockaway Annex neighborhood.

ILL AT EASEMENT. At Tuesday night’s meeting, Hull Town Counsel Brian Winner told the zoning board of appeals that unanswered questions about the developer’s ability to use an easement for utility access ‘touches the fundamental feasibility’ of the Rockaway Annex condominium plan. [IMAGE FROM HULL COMMUNITY TELEVISION]

In a recent letter to town officials involved in reviewing the project, 20 Ipswich Street owner Derek M. Paris objected to the developer’s plan to install utilities on his property and any other improvements or alterations.

Paris’ property, which was originally part of a larger lot of land surrounding the former Veterans of Foreign Wars post, was sold to him and his wife with an easement for public access.

In his letter, Paris said he’s aware that “the small road is open to public access,” but his deed states that he has to allow access to abutting parcels only and that he is opposed to the utilities, “as there is no mention of this in my deed.”

This issue came up during the fifth lengthy zoning board of appeals hearing Tuesday night on the proposed four-story, 12-unit project in the Rockaway Annex neighborhood. Three of the units would be affordable.

Chair Patrick Finn read the letter submitted by Paris, who attended the hearing. The letter is posted on the ZBA’s page on the town’s website, along with other documents and plans.

The ZBA supported Town Counsel Brian Winner’s suggestion that he and his legal team meet with developer Alan Mckenzie’s attorney, Walter Sullivan, to try to resolve this complicated issue.

Click here for plans, correspondence and other details on this project

Winner noted that the attorneys’ role isn’t to determine “who has rights to what property – we’re not the land court,” or to address abutter concerns.

Housing consultant Dean Harrison, representing Mckenzie, a Hull resident, and engineer Tim Powers provided an update on the project this week. This included a revised building design, landscaping, sewer system details, a rain garden to collect surface runoff, and a blasting plan update.

Powers said that the blasting of 2,700 cubic yards of ledge would take about two weeks and involve about 100 trucks to remove those materials. Outstanding issues include stormwater management, waivers to be requested by the developer, and the easement issue.

The comprehensive permit process, more commonly known as Chapter 40B, allows developers to circumvent most local regulations in exchange for an affordable housing component if the town has less than 10% of its housing units designated affordable. Hull’s current percentage of affordable units is 1.6%, according to the state’s formula.

According to Harrison, the Weir River Water System requested that the developer loop the water service for the development through the easement, which connects with North Truro Street.

“With this outstanding issue, it would be difficult to get financing,” he said. “We will work it out to the benefit of all.”

Winner read a preliminary legal opinion into the record of the meeting, noting that the easement appears to be improperly filed at the Plymouth County Registry of Deeds. He said that while legally there is a potential solution, this doesn’t mean it could be executed, or completed within a particular timeline.

“In the abstract, there is a pathway to potentially go forward, but it’s up to the applicant, if interested. I imagine this will be a topic of discussion among the attorneys,” he said.

Winner added that time is of the essence “because I think it gets to a very fundamental component of this project. If they don’t have the rights to proceed along this easement the way they are suggesting they do, that touches the fundamental feasibility of that proposal. We need an answer to this sooner rather than later.”

Also, Paris wrote in his letter, “I have seen the plans for the project and am very disappointed that anyone would consider allowing someone to build a road on my property which would come within inches of my home and disrupt my family’s life for the foreseeable future. … I will fight this to the end.”

At the hearing, Paris said he’s a “good neighbor,” taking no issue with allowing access to abutters or emergency vehicles.

“I heard from my neighbors that they were going to rip up my property,” he said. “There has been no communication from the developer.”

Finn responded that Paris has “a right to protect” his property and that after the attorneys consult with each other, perhaps there will be an adjustment to the current plan.

Harrison noted that “if it gets to the point where we can’t get this issue resolved within the timeframe for the project, MassHousing [which is involved with approving plans under Chapter 40B] will look at this as a title and not a ZBA issue.”

This means that if the project is approved by the ZBA, the board could set a condition requiring that the developer have a clean title to the easement.

“I’m not suggesting we go that route yet,” Harrison said. “Let’s get the minimum number of attorneys in the room [together to talk about this issue].”

In response, Finn asked, “But [what] if [the] number 20 Ipswich St. owner isn’t in the room? How will this get resolved?”

Harrison said that while he can’t answer for the homeowner, “if he has an attorney, he’s more than welcome I assume to join or to represent himself.”

North Truro Street resident Dan Sullivan read a letter submitted to the ZBA that day and signed by a number of abutters asking that the zoning board deny the comprehensive permit, citing concerns about the “overwhelming scale” of the project and blasting, among others.

Finn expressed appreciation for the developer’s willingness to appear before the design review and planning boards, although not required under the comprehensive permit process, and for completing four sets of drawings, including revisions.

“Time is money,” he said.

The next hearing is scheduled for February 18.

A replay of the meeting will be available on Hull Community Television’s broadcast channels and on demand at www.hulltv.net.

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HRA approves events for summer season, continues review of parking lot lease

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By Carol Britton Meyer

Looking toward the busy summer season, the Hull Redevelopment Authority last week approved two events on its property following lengthy discussions to iron out all the details.

The family-friendly South Shore Revival event, which will celebrate sobriety and recovery from addiction, is scheduled for June 2-8, featuring participation by a number of South Shore churches, The Anchor of Hull recovery and wellness center, a Cohasset recovery group, as well as speakers, live music, and more.

“This will be a celebration of the victory over addiction,” said event organizer Patrick Lenhart, who lives in Hingham and has family in Hull.

Mass Bears and Cubs is a non-profit organization that promotes an inclusive LGBT+ community through fundraising and other community events, and builds upon earlier Bears at the Beach Hull activities in order to carry on and eventually expand upon that tradition.

The Bears and Cubs event, planned for August 2, will be an opportunity to spend a day at the beach in a safe environment while enjoying time spent with others, president Marko Zaric said. The goal is also to support local restaurants by ordering food for delivery and enjoying a meal and drinks after spending time at the beach.

Both free events are contingent on having proper insurance and the required approvals from various town boards.

In other business…

• Chair Dennis Zaia Dennis started off what turned out to be a nearly four-hour meeting with a reminder that the topic of the two-way road plan “will not be discussed at our meetings until we are asked to resume input by request of the town of Hull via the town manager,” who recently submitted a related statement to the authority.

• HRA members continued to review and fine-tune, with HRA technical operations manager Mark Hamin, the draft parking lot lease request for proposals for a maximum of 900 permitted parking spaces, contingent on select board review and approval, to submit to the Central Register (where state, county, and municipal solicitations are posted), working around already approved events.

At its April 7 meeting, the HRA will select the lessee/tenant, with May 1 the start of the parking season. The RFP for vendors will be discussed at the next HRA meeting.

• The board also approved – at Zaia’s request – a process whereby Hamin will not only check his own HRA email regularly, but also the authority’s administrative email account three times a week. He will inform HRA members of any pressing matters to ensure they don’t miss important details related to managing the HRA property, with deliberation at a public HRA meeting in accordance with the Open Meeting Law.

• There was also a lengthy discussion at the end of the meeting about whether the HRA should invite the Wildlands Trust, which recently contacted the authority about a possible connection of some kind between the two, to a meeting.

Members Adrienne Paquin and Dan Kernan favored that approach, while Zaia, who has already met with a Trust representative and noted that “we all want some open space [on the property],” suggested they also talk individually with someone from the Trust and then compare notes with him, and for the board to focus on discussing “Option 3” of the draft Urban Renewal Plan.

On the other hand, Kernan – who has already talked with someone from the Trust – thinks the board should invite them to talk at an HRA meeting sooner rather than later.

“An outfit like the Wildlands Trust demonstrates that there are different paths,” he said, noting that such a conversation could be “a potential door” and would “put a foundation under [past] citizens’ presentations, ideas, and resources” related to the use of the property, including open space preservation.

The next HRA meetings are scheduled for Mondays, February 10 and 24; March 10 and 31; and April 7, 14, and 28.

A replay of the meeting will be available on Hull Community Television’s broadcast channels and on demand at www.hulltv.net.

Like what you’re reading? Stay informed and support our work with a Hull Times subscription by clicking here.

Do you have an opinion to share? Click here to write a Letter to the Editor.

© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.