In the Sport-light - Roundup of news about Hull athletes

Compiled by Matt Haraden

• Boys 3/4 soccer Team 1 started the season off with a bang, beating Middleboro 9-1 in their first game. The team, consisting of Owen Bilodeau, Liam Palermo, Luke Panetta, Harrison Jones, Rhys Siegrist, Henry Lidington-Trubia, Luca Dibley, North Saforrian, Finn Saforrian, Rocko Truglia, Sawyer Markowitz, and Casey Resnick worked together in their debut, enabling seven players to score their first goals of the season.

WHAT A KICK. Last Wednesday, the Hull High boys soccer team kicked off the season with an intense 2-2 tie against Mashpee. This week, the Pirates fell short against the Cohasset Skippers at home on September 11, losing 2-0. The team heads to Abington on Monday. [Jennifer Whelan photo]

Click here for a Boys Soccer gallery from Jennifer Lynne Photography

• The boys 3/4 Team 2 defeated Carver, 8-1, in their first game of the season. Andy Michaelides and Jordan Dunn each scored three goals, with Teddy Misdea and Kai Funari each getting one goal. The team’s next game is on Saturday, September 14 at noon in Plympton. 5/6 Soccer lost Saturday, September 7 against Carver at home, 7-2. Reefe Markowitz made some excellent saves in goal. Finn Smith scored both goals and Slava Rzhevskii played a great midfield. The next game is Saturday, September 14 in Pembroke.

• Girls 5/6 Soccer faced off against Hanover on the turf at home, losing 7-1. Goals were hard to find, but thanks to some fancy footwork, Hull wasn’t shut out. Reese Isby scored Hull’s goal with an assist from Magnolia Harbin. Sydney O’Brien delivered a full game in net with countless saves. Girls 7/8 lost the season opener to a tough Halifax team, 4-1. Aubrey Littlefield scored Hull’s goal and Sophie Munn played an outstanding game in the net. Sixth graders Reese Irby, Molly McCarthy, and Natalie Tiani were strong on defense. The team will host Duxbury on Saturday, September 14 at home.

• Hull High Girls Soccer defeated Dennis Yarmouth, 7-0, on Monday, September 9, led by a hat trick from Fallon Ryan. Elly Thomas contributed with two goals and an assist, with Libby Harper and Georgia White netting the other two goals. Montana Alibrandi recorded her second shutout in net. The team takes on Abington at home on Monday, September 16 at 5:30 p.m. The JV squad will play at 4 p.m. The next day, the team travels to Carver to square off against the Crusaders at 4 p.m. On Friday, September 20, the girls host East Bridgewater at 6 p.m., with the JV game at 4:30 p.m.

• Hull High boys varsity soccer fell short against the Cohasset Skippers at home on September 11, losing 2-0. The Pirates next head to Abington High School on Monday, September 16 at 5 p.m., then return home on Tuesday to play Carver at 5:30 p.m. On Thursday, the Pirates host South Shore Charter School, also at 5:30 p.m. Last Wednesday, the team kicked off the season with a very intense and entertaining 2-2 tie down the Cape against the higher division Mashpee. The Pirates took the lead in the first half, with a shot from distance from Thomas Brasil. The game was tied at the half, but Christian Truglia scored midway through the second. Mashpee got an equalizer 10 minutes from time and despite chances at both ends in a frantic finish, game ended with a score of 2-2. This was a very good start to what promises to be an exciting season. Outstanding performances were turned in by Finn Walsh, Max Lofgren, Jonah Whelan, Nate Tiani, and Nick McDonald. Also great to see Oliver Szabo return to the field after his injury.

• The Pirates Varsity Football team’s first game of the regular season against South Shore Technical High School will be played at home on Friday, September 13 under the lights at 7 p.m. The home opener also will feature local veterans in a POW/MIA commemoration ceremony.

• Coaches and Super Fans – We need your help to report the scores and results of the latest events in Hull’s sports world! Please send local sports news and photos to sports@hulltimes.com. Deadline is Tuesday at 8 p.m. When providing details of the games or races, please be sure to include the sport/team, the players’ full names, and the final scores. When sending photos, names of those pictured are greatly appreciated, as well as who should get credit for taking the photo. 

Thank you for your help!

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© 2024 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

30+ bands will fill the air with music during Saturday’s Hull PorchFest 2024

By Kathleen McKenna

This Saturday, the streets of Kenberma will be transformed into a music festival featuring 30-plus bands from all over the Boston area – in genres including bluegrass, jazz, blues, plus plenty of rock’n’roll – who’ll perform for attendees of all ages on donated porches and driveways that become stages for the one-day event.

Anna DALEY YOUNG, shown here during a preview show on the kenberma sidewalk, will be one of the performers featured during this weekend’s hull porchfest 2024. [Photo by jennifer Whelan]

Hull PorchFest, which is scheduled for September 14 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., follows a series of successful preview shows staged outside Nantasket Paint & Hardware and the Saltwater Diner for the past eight Saturdays.

Organizers are relieved that this weekend’s forecast calls for sunny skies and summery temperatures, especially since the 2023 festival was washed out by a day of relentless rain. New additions this year include MJ’s Food Truck, which supplied lobster rolls, salads, slushies, and more to beachgoers at the HRA lot this summer, and the Vitamin Sea Brewing truck.

“We are so excited to celebrate the Hull community and showcase our local musicians on what appears will be a beautiful day,” said PorchFest President Sue Lynch. “Our team has worked collaboratively with our town leaders and businesses to make this year’s family-friendly event happen.”

Begun in 2018, PorchFest has become a beloved Hull tradition. It’s a highly walkable and bikeable event that takes place in the rectangle formed by Kenberma and Revere Streets, and Nantasket and Manomet Avenues. 

The PorchFest tradition began in 2007 in Ithaca, N.Y., with neighbors teaming up to offer their front porches as venues so that attendees could stroll the streets and experience local live music. 

An increasing number of Massachusetts cities and towns besides Hull now embrace the idea, including Milton, Quincy, Jamaica Plain, and Somerville, which hosts upward of 400 bands at its PorchFest each May.

Hull’s PorchFest is unusual is that it’s also a registered non-profit that raises funds for a rotating list of worthy causes. In the past PorchFest raised money for the Anne M. Scully Senior Center and the Hull High School band program. Net proceeds this year from PorchFest merchandise that will be sold Saturday, plus donations raised at a series of off-season fundraisers at the C-Note Music Club and The Parrot, will go toward programs for veterans organized and run by the Hull Lifesaving Museum.

“We’re so grateful for everyone’s support as we raise funds for our local veterans,” said Lynch, who currently serves as a U.S. Army colonel. “We hope everyone comes out and joins us Saturday.”

For PorchFest map and more info, visit hullporchfest.org.

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Start your engines: Annual Nantasket Beach Car Show hits the streets on Sunday

The 19th Annual Nantasket Beach Car Show will be held on Sunday, September 15, from 8 a.m. to noon along Nantasket Avenue, from approximately Park Avenue to the Mary Jeanette Murray Bathhouse.

A veterans resource fair will be held along with the display of antique and classic autos. Funds raised from the event will benefit Cops for Kids with Cancer and other local charitable organizations. The rain date is September 22.

Volunteers are still needed! They are asked to arrive by 6 a.m. in order to organize, get T-shirts, and receive their assignments, as cars will begin arriving at about 6:30 a.m. Volunteers can park in the DCR lot behind the Horizons condominiums. Vendors and sponsors will set up tables beginning at 6:30 a.m.

The show starts off with the singing of the National Anthem at 8 a.m., live music starts at 10 a.m., followed by the Marilyn Monroe Parade at 10:30 a.m. Trophies are scheduled to be presented at 11:30 a.m. and the 50/50 raffle will be drawn at 11:55 a.m.  The show ends promptly at noon so that the road can be reopened to traffic as quickly as possible.

The show is sponsored by the Nantasket Hull Rotary Club, Hull Police, Town of Hull, and the state Department of Conservation and Recreation.

For more information, visit nantasketbeachcarshow.com or contact organizer Craig Wolfe, 89edge@comcast.net or 781-771-6416.

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Paragon Dunes modifications include 10-foot setback, wooden boardwalk, ‘beachy’ landscaping

By Carol Britton Meyer

The developer of the proposed Paragon Dunes mixed-use project at the former Paragon Boardwalk presented revised plans to the planning board last week in response to comments received during the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) review process. Most of the modifications address stormwater management and landscaping.

GETTING A LIFT. The planning board reviewed revised plans for the Paragon Dunes project last week. The changes include adding a 10-foot-wide wooden boardwalk along Nantasket Avenue and elevating most of the commercial spaces and lobby to a height that is about two feet, four inches above the current level of the sidewalk. The raised boardwalk will allow flood water to pass under the building, but will not increase the overall height of the structure, as the interior ceiling heights of the first-floor commercial spaces will be reduced.

The Procopio Companies’ proposed changes include creating a 10-foot-wide wooden boardwalk along Nantasket Avenue with stairs and handicapped-accessible ramps, and elevating all but one of the commercial spaces and the residential lobby to a height that is about two feet, four inches above the current level of the sidewalk. The raised boardwalk will allow flood water to pass under the building, but will not increase the overall height of the structure, as the interior ceiling heights of the first-floor commercial spaces will be reduced. One of the commercial spaces won’t be elevated because of its location; it would be disconnected from the public area if elevated.

The building also is being pushed back 10 feet from Nantasket Avenue, as well as the same distance from the northern boundary near the state Department of Conservation and Recreation’s comfort station.

These modifications, however, won’t materially change the density, unit count, parking, or the architecture of the earlier approved plan, Adam Brodsky, attorney for the developer, said earlier.

Members of the Design Review Board also participated in last week’s hearing, along with a number of residents who asked questions and expressed concerns. The hearing will continue on September 25.

Click here for the latest project Paragon Dunes details, including updated architectural drawings

The development will include 132 residential units, commercial uses, an elevated courtyard with an inground pool, public open spaces, a parking garage and surface parking for a total of 180 cars. The structure will have four stories, including three stories of residential units above first-floor commercial space. The garage level, located partially below the street grade of Nantasket Avenue, will consist of parking and storage areas for residents, as well as an enclosed trash room and utility spaces. Procopio finalized the purchase of the property for $6 million from Nantasket Dune Holdings LLC on May 20 of this year, and the businesses remained closed this summer.

The approval of the Paragon Dunes plans granted by the planning board on March 20 was subject to conditions, including gaining approval from all the appropriate state agencies. The plans were reviewed by the board April 3 and approved April 10.

The idea behind the modifications is to better comply with the MEPA regulations while maintaining the street-front commercial space included in the initial planning board approval.

The Design Review Board is generally supportive of these modifications, with remaining lighting and other details to be worked out, Co-Chair Julia Parker said.

At the DRB’s suggestion, shade sails were added to the southern commercial seating area and the northern boardwalk expanded to create a gathering space along Nantasket Avenue.

Steven Greenberg, who sits on the Hull Nantasket Chamber of Commerce and the board of directors of the Friends of the Paragon Carousel, said he is “delighted” with the modified plans, especially the placement of the community room.

Concerns aired by residents included what will happen to cars parked on the property should flooding occur, ensuring that the public feels welcome to enjoy the boardwalk – including the ocean views, and stormwater system maintenance.

The developer is working on a plan to move vehicles from the site due to flooding, if necessary, and then shuttle residents back to the building.

Maintenance of the stormwater system will be part of the order of conditions issued by the conservation commission.

At the request of Planning Board Chair Jeanne Paquin and the Design Review Board, a landscape architect with expertise in coastal landscaping will review the landscaping plan to ensure the plantings will work at that location, considering its proximity to the ocean.

Resident Bill Smyth suggested instead consulting with the Hull Garden Club, “which [regularly] deals with this kind of environment.”

The developer “is trying to be as responsive as possible to what MEPA has asked them to do,” Paquin said. “This plan looks better to me – it’s more beachy and seaside, which is heartening.”

The hearing was continued to September 25.

In mid-September, an online meeting with MEPA and others will be held that will be advertised in The Hull Times, according to Director of Community Development and Planning Chris DiIorio. There will also be a site walk, which the planning board can attend.

Once MEPA certification is granted, final approval by the planning board and the conservation commission is required.

“Everyone has their marching orders,” Paquin said.

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Board to interview law firms to replace Lampke as town counsel

By Carol Britton Meyer 

The select board has “a busy few weeks coming up,” Town Manager Jennifer Constable reported during this week’s meeting.

Interviews for a new town counsel to replace recently-retired James Lampke are scheduled for Tuesday, September 10, beginning at 6 p.m.

FORMER TOWN COUNSEL JAMES LAMPKE, WHO RETIRED RECENTLY AFTER 40+ YEARS IN THE POSITION.

By that time, a screening committee consisting of Constable and other town staff will have recommended two finalists from among four firms that have submitted applications.

Whether the chosen firm will serve jointly as general town counsel and land-use counsel has yet to be determined, “depending on their capacity,” she said.

Prior to the interviews, Climate Adaptation and Conservation Director Chris Krahforst will present an update on the town’s municipal vulnerability preparedness plan. The presentation begins at 5:30 p.m.

This meeting will be open to the public.

In other business at the meeting

• Anyone interested in serving on the council on aging – or who knows of someone who might be interested in filling one of the nine vacancies – is encouraged to send a letter of interest to Town Clerk Lori West. “The applicant pool is very slow,” Constable said. “We’ve done extra outreach looking for applicants.” A number of members resigned, and a couple are seasonal residents.

• New Hull resident Paul Wilson was appointed to serve a three-year term on the conservation commission. He previously worked at Clean Harbors as a chemist on environmental projects and with the Department of Environmental Protection. He applied out of an interest in “helping out the town.”

• Mary Harrington, a full-time resident since 2018, was appointed to a three-year term on the historical commission. “I’m passionate about preserving our historical assets and would like to make a contribution to the community,” she said.

• Select Board member Jason McCann was named the board’s designee to the capital outlay committee that was reestablished at this year’s town meeting for a one-year term.

• Two applicants submitted a Request for Information related to the town’s two available retail recreational marijuana licenses and will be on the board’s agenda for Host Community Agreement consideration in October.

• Chair Irwin Nesoff commended the affordable housing committee for its efforts in identifying a town-owned parcel as the site for one affordable unit, and for its work on an affordable housing trust proposal. “It’s very exciting,” he said.

• Constable reported that the town’s television contract with Verizon will be on the board’s September 18 agenda, as will a presentation on the integrated select board/town staff goals and objectives for the current fiscal year.

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© 2024 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Shorelines - News about your neighbors

• Congratulations to Graham Whelan, who graduated in May from Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida with a bachelor of arts in sociology with a minor in business.

• Several local students were named to the Dean’s List at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst for the spring semester. In order to qualify, an undergraduate student must receive a 3.5 grade-point average or better on a four-point scale. Hull students earning this distinction were Martin Aramis Brault, Grace Elizabeth Cain, Katie Lynn Clifford, Natalie Mars Devin, Bridget Catherine Fleming, Katie Marie Fortnam, Kyla Catherine Ho, Ava Margaret Hutchinson, Haylee Rose Londergan, Neelah Marie McCarthy, Jillian Grace Rose Reppucci, Harriet Violet Wiley, and Ellie Miriam Zieper.

• Six Hull students were among the 7,000 scholars who earned bachelor’s degrees at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst’s undergraduate commencement in May: Kimberly Dang, Hannah Nicole Duran, Yana Fralkova, Kyla Catherine Ho, Rebecca Lynn Rosenbaum, and Rebecca Jeanne Whelan.

• Congratulations to Matthew Averill, who has been promoted to the rank of major in the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office in South Carolina.  Matthew has served with the Beaufort County Sheriff's office for 31 years, after he took the position when he finished his tour of duty with the US Marine Corps. He graduated from Hull High School in the Class of 1979 His family is so proud of him and the rank he worked to achieve.

• The Rev. Edward McCabe, who was assigned to St. Mary’s Catholic parish in the 1970s and 1980s, has entered hospice care in Boston. He is unable to receive many visitors but would enjoy receiving cards of support from his old parishioners. Anyone wishing to send him a greeting should address cards and letters to Fr. Edward McCabe, Regina Cleri Residence - Room 212, 60 William Cardinal O’Connell Way, Boston, MA 02114.

• A piece of American Legion Post 140 history recently was delivered to post Commander Jim Richman. The Post 140 Legion flag was found while cleaning out the Memorial School. Hull Veterans’ Service Officer Paul Sordillo preserved it and presented to Richman, who said the post will fly the flag with the honor and the respect it deserves.

• Attorney Teresa Walsh, who spits her time between West Medford and Hull, was a delegate to the recent Democratic National Convention in Chicago last month. This was her third convention and first as an elected delegate from Congressional District 5. Walsh, is a former Assistant Attorney General and an election integrity specialist who has monitored elections in Eastern Europe – including Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, and Ukraine.

Additionally, she was an elected member of Electoral College during the historic 2020 election. Walsh lives in Hull Village with her husband, John Plunkett, and their cat, Lassie, who was adopted from Hull Seaside Animal Rescue.

• Hull’s Karen Riccio will join thousands participating in next month’s fundraising walk for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to support all forms of cancer research and care. The Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk will be held on Sunday, October 6. The Jimmy Fund Walk has raised more than $176 million for Dana-Farber in its 35-year history, raising a record-breaking $9.4 million in 2023. To register for the walk or to support a walker, visit www.JimmyFundWalk.org. All registered walkers will receive a bib, medal, and Jimmy Fund Walk T-shirt.

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!

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© 2024 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Hearing on four-story, 12-unit project in Rockaway Annex draws standing-room-only crowd

By Carol Britton Meyer 

It was standing room only Tuesday night during the first Zoning Board of Appeals hearing on a proposal to build a four-story, 12-unit condominium development on a .63-acre lot at 25 Ipswich Street behind the former Veterans of Foreign Wars post in the Rockaway Annex neighborhood. Neighbors shared a number of concerns during the three-hour meeting. 

ZBA Chair Patrick Finn explained that this is the first comprehensive permit under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 40B to come before the ZBA – which is the permit-granting authority for 40Bs – since two earlier 40B proposals “didn’t get off the ground.” The town has the benefit of technical support through a grant-funded consultant for the project, which will contain three units designated as affordable under the law. 

Abutters shared various concerns, including the impacts of potential blasting to remove ledge, overall disruptions to the neighborhood, stormwater runoff, assurances from Weir River Water System that there is enough water to supply the new development, and the proximity of the planned new units to some of the existing homes in the neighborhood. The project is located near the Hull Community Garden, off Salisbury Street and in the area of the Hull Medical Center. 

Other residents voiced concerns related to setback and other requirements, additional traffic, maximum lot coverage, height of the six two-unit buildings, the possibility worsening flooding in the area, and the overall density of the proposed development. 

Long hearing process 

“The 40B hearing process can take quite some time,” Town Manager Jennifer Constable said, while encouraging interested residents to monitor the town’s website for a special project page. 

The property, located near the Hingham-Hull town line, last sold on August 30, 2022 for $310,000. 

The developer, Hull resident Alan Mckenzie, is seeking approval through the comprehensive permit process under MGL Chapter 40B, which allows developers to circumvent a number of local zoning regulations in exchange for an affordable housing component. 

Despite objections raised by abutters, because Hull falls far short of meeting the state’s 10% affordable housing threshold from among all housing units in town – less than 2% – were the ZBA to not approve the project, the developer could appeal that decision in the housing appeals court with a likely outcome in his favor. 

North Truro Street resident Joan Wilder asked if it would be likely that the developer would appeal. 

Dean Harrison, consultant to the developer, said the plan is to “work with the board and abutters,” while reiterating the right to appeal if the ZBA vote is unfavorable. “The lower the affordable housing count, the harder it is for a community to say it doesn’t need [additional] affordable housing,” he said. “We don’t want to go there. Our goal is to provide more affordable housing.” 

Harrison plans to provide a detailed list of 40B requirements and anticipated waivers the developer will be seeking for building with regard to height and lot coverage, and to meet with abutters to address their concerns. 

Ipswich Street is a partially built road that runs up the hill along the former VFW’s driveway. The land to be developed includes an unpaved area that was previously used as the post’s parking lot. 

Views of the beach and beyond 

The first floor of each of the six “Residences at Rockway” buildings (with two units each) will be garages, with living units above and decks on the fourth floor with views of Nantasket Beach, downtown Boston, and the Weir River. The property is located in the Single Family C zoning district. 

“We want this development to fit into the surrounding community, with similar colors, styles, and features,” Harrison said. 

Three of the units will be affordable for families at or below 80% of the area median income and available to qualified buyers by lottery. The remainder will be market rate. The affordable units remain so in perpetuity. 

According to Mckenzie, the initial thought was to build 40 units. However, the number was later reduced to 12. 

According to the application – filed through MassHousing – the site, or a portion of it, is located within a designated flood hazard area and includes a significant amount of ledge and steep slopes. 

Each unit will feature three bedrooms and two full and two half baths, with parking garages at ground level and parking spaces in each unit’s driveway. 

The intent is for the new buildings to complement the surrounding architecture. The design includes hip roofs and Nantucket-style siding in a “simple palette of greys and blues.” 

The letter of eligibility from MassHousing to Mckenzie dated April 1, 2024 states that Hull officials, after reviewing the site approval application and submitting comments to MassHousing, believe the siting of the building, the roof height, and overall architectural style “should be readdressed to fit into the surrounding context more thoughtfully.” 

Neighbor Bob Burwick said it would be helpful for the plan to show how close the proposed development would be to Barnstable Street residences. 

One abutter noted that “this will [appear to be] the second-tallest structure in all of Hull” due to its location on the top of a hill. “Fort Revere is the tallest. We’ll be able to see [this development] from George Washington Boulevard.” 

Development of the site will require compliance with all state and federal environmental laws, regulations, and standards applicable to existing conditions and to the proposed use related to building construction, stormwater management, wastewater collection and treatment, and hazardous waste safety, according to the letter. 

“We care about the people who will eventually buy these units,” Harrison said. “It will be an expensive community, and we want to be sure that the units are sellable” – to which ZBA member Richard Hennessey responded, “We care about everybody [involved].” 

‘Good-faith effort’ 

“The applicant should continue to engage with [Hull town officials] in a good-faith effort regarding design review and other site-related matters, including water access, road and sidewalk connections, and sewer access,” according to MassHousing, in addition to providing detailed information related to the existing slope and the site work required to stabilize it. 

Hennessey called this first hearing “a good start,” noting that informal input from other town boards will be helpful to the process. “I think this can work, but it will take some time and finesse,” he said. 

Hennessey also suggested that those with an interest in the proposal educate themselves about what is involved so the meetings will go smoothly. “This is like a new frontier for us,” he said. 

The hearing was continued to Tuesday, Oct. 1. 

In response to an email after the hearing, Finn told The Hull Times that the ZBA intends to adhere “to our standard operating procedures with standard scheduling of meetings” on the first and third Tuesdays of every month at 7 p.m. at town hall. 

Finn also noted that the ZBA received assurances during Tuesday’s meeting that the applicant “will attend meetings and work cooperatively with all town of Hull departments and the planning and design review boards to enable the ZBA to get input on the important site plan and design review issues that are typically not within the purview of the ZBA to the extent necessary in multi-family developments. The conservation commission is not involved and has no jurisdiction.” 

For more information on this project and Chapter 40B, click here. A video of the meeting is available on demand through Hull Community Television at hulltv.net. 

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HRA members still ‘miles apart’ from agreement; chair floats new conference center concept

By Carol Britton Meyer 

While Hull Redevelopment Authority members remain “miles apart” – as member Bartley Kelly described it at Monday night’s meeting – on reaching consensus on potential changes to its Urban Renewal Plan, the five-member board showed a willingness to take time prior to the next two meetings in October to review a “dream scenario” presented by Chair Dennis Zaia. 

Zaia’s vision for the area known as Lot C, or the “triangle lot” at the southern end of the property includes a 6,400-square-foot, two-level building consisting of a conference and learning center where students “from schools of higher education” could come to further their study of geology and oceanography. The building, which would generating income, would be “built to the prerequisite height on pilings” due to projected sea level rise and include a space for weddings, trade shows, and community events that could accommodate about 350 people, complete with a staging kitchen for caterers, a rooftop deck with a view of the ocean and bay, and parking under the building and at the nearby lot on Bay Street. 

“There are no facilities on the South Shore that can accommodate more than 225 for a sit-down dinner event, and this venue would be a desired location,” Zaia said. “I realize it’s near the water and part of an Area of Critical Environmental Concern, but magic can happen.” 

Monday’s meeting was the second this month to be facilitated by UMass-Boston professor Douglas Thompson. The HRA is considering changes to the Urban Renewal Plan that guides development of the 13-acre parcel after hearing from residents and presenting their own ideas in past meetings. 

Idea of Hull WaterFire floated 

Zaia’s concept also includes creating a Hull spinoff of Providence, Rhode Island’s WaterFire; improved transportation, with added bus stops and signage along the HRA property; metered parking along Hull Shore Drive from The Parrot to the Phipps Street comfort station; and a possible partnership with the Blue Cross BlueShield BLUEbikes program. 

A Hull WaterFire “would generate opportunities for Hull citizens and visitors alike to gather and enjoy the sights of flickering flames on the water and adult rowers of the Hull Lifesaving Museum rowing to load the braziers with wood while music, dance, art and theater may be happening on the bayside park area,” he said. 

In response to HRA member Adrienne Paquin’s question about who would own and run such a development, Zaia responded, “That’s the big question. The answer is not yet known. I don’t have a clue.” 

For more information, including the draft Urban Renewal Plan, click here.

Zaia also said that his vision for the property has moved away from affordable housing with the recent passage of the state MBTA Communities Act and by-right accessory dwelling unit legislation, which he feels could provide other viable opportunities for affordable housing. 

In addition, Zaia suggested aligning the HRA’s objectives with the select board and the Department of Conservation and Recreation “to identify and support opportunities which advance the vitality and value of the Hull community, while ensuring there are adequate affordable housing units for first responders, veterans, and seniors by updating the zoning requirement to ensure at least 15% of new properties in the MBTA Communities zones are deed-restricted ‘affordable’” and addressing this same concern with respect to the accessory dwelling unit regulations recently approved at town meeting and the more stringent ADU requirements recently adopted by the state. 

Animated discussion 

The discussion among HRA members during the three-hour meeting was often animated, with a wide variety of opinions and ideas shared without making any major decisions. The idea of getting the select board involved in the overall discussion was floated, since its approval, along with the state’s, is necessary for any URP to move forward. 

“We are only the first step in the process,” Zaia said. 

Paquin noted that a URP can “be as specific or not to allow for flexibility or not. It’s simply an option on the table. We could issue another RFP [Request for Proposals], we could disband, or we could do nothing,” she said. “We’re under no obligation to do anything. We could give the land to the town and disband tomorrow.” 

HRA meetings with the same format and continued guidance from Thompson are scheduled for October 8 and 15 at 7:30 p.m. 

As was the case at the August 12 HRA meeting, this was an opportunity for HRA members to dig deeper into what they envision for the property and to reach a consensus, and while residents were encouraged to attend in-person in the Hull High School exhibition room or watch the meeting live on Zoom or on hulltv.net, no public comments were accepted. 

The audience remained a listening one following Zaia’s request at the beginning of the meeting in response to attempts to interject comments into the discussion during the August 12 meeting. 

While no consensus has been reached, all five members agree that some form of open space should be included in the final plan and that including the HRA’s legal counsel in an upcoming URP discussion is a good idea. 

‘We should make a wish list and narrow it down’ 

Kelly said the HRA “should go back to defining the different parcels and their potential use” to determine what is economically viable. 

“We should make a wish list and narrow it down to what we can accomplish with available funding.… the devil is in the details,” he said. “We’re miles apart. The plan has to be economically viable to work.” 

Paquin noted that economic stimulus was not part of the HRA’s original goal. 

“I’m not saying we should disregard that part, but it’s not up to us to solve all the problems in the town,” she said. 

Part of the discussion centered around differences of opinion among HRA members as to the meaning of certain definitions contained in the authority’s goals and objectives, and the already town meeting-approved and partially funded two-way road plan. 

While HRA member Dan Kernan supports preserving the parcel as open space, he acknowledged that there was no “real opposition” to Zaia’s idea, and that while it’s “not making us happy, I don’t have a fundamental conflict. I like [some of the components].” 

‘One of Hull’s most beautiful parcels’ 

At the same time, in advocating for open space, Kernan said, “This is one of Hull’s most beautiful parcels – between the bay and the ocean and the only chunk of Nantasket Beach that’s sandy. [Landscape architects] would drool over the opportunity to make this the jewel of the whole state park system. We would be the number one beach in Massachusetts – a treasure if we do it right. It would make national news.” 

At the end of the session, Thompson told HRA members that in order to reach a consensus, “You will all need to agree to move forward together and not necessarily remain with your preferred approaches. This [discussion] has exposed some fault lines and differences, but frankly it’s kind of expected, and with some compromise, the HRA will find something that can work for all of you. You have made some progress there.” 

The HRA is in the process of hiring an administrative assistant. “We can’t continue to do this on our own,” Zaia said. 

A replay of the meeting is available on demand on hulltv.net. To view the draft URP and other HRA documents, visit www.hra02045.com. 

The redevelopment authority was formed in the 1960s under a federal program to revitalize urban and suburban neighborhoods. The HRA’s original footprint – designated Town Center No. 1 – encompasses the land between the beach and bay from Water Street to Phipps Street; at one time, the authority planned to expand its territory into three additional districts that stretched southward to the site of the former Paragon Park. 

Much of the HRA land has been vacant since the 1970s, when homes and businesses were taken by eminent domain by the authority and bulldozed, burned, or relocated in anticipation of development proposals that never materialized. The HRA has been working for the past several years to create a set of guidelines for future development. 

A 2023 version of the URP envisioned several uses for the property, including a boutique hotel and buildings with ground-floor retail and residential units on the upper floors. For the property north of the DCR parking lot near Monument Square, options included affordable housing or beach parking and event space. The HRA stepped back from that plan and has embarked on the current process to rework the URP. 

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Red Line, commuter rail closures to impact Boston commuters in September

Hull residents who use the Red Line for their daily commutes will be affected by closures during most of September. 

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority will shut down service between the Braintree terminal and JFK/UMass station between September 6 and 29. Shuttle buses will pick up riders at Braintree, Quincy Adams, Quincy Center, Wollaston, and North Quincy and bring them to the Ashmont station to board a train for the ride into South Station and beyond. 

In addition, there will be no Greenbush commuter rail service on the weekends of September 7 and 8 and September 14 and 15. Shuttle buses will run between South Station and Braintree on those weekends. 

The MBTA says the closures will allow crews to repair 18 miles of track between JFK/UMass and Braintree, resulting in the removal of more than 20 speed restrictions and improving round-trip Braintree branch travel times by as much as 24 minutes. These track improvements will also lay the groundwork for the MBTA’s goal of raising current Red Line train speeds above current speeds where possible. Kingston, Middleborough, and Greenbush (Old Colony) Commuter Rail line trains, which run adjacent to the Red Line, will also be replaced with shuttle bus service between South Station and Braintree during the weekends of September 7 and 8 and September 14 and 15 to accommodate this work. 

On the Red Line:  

• Red Line Braintree branch service will be suspended between JFK/UMass and Braintree for 24 days from September 6 to September 29.  
• Middleborough, Kington, and Greenbush (Old Colony) Commuter Rail line service will also be replaced by shuttle bus service during the weekends of September 7 and 8 and September 14 and 15.   
• The T encourages riders to use the Middleborough, Kington, and Greenbush commuter rail lines for fare-free service between Braintree, Quincy Center, JFK/UMass, and South Station (with the exception of the weekends of closure). Commuter rail schedules are available on mbta.com. 
• Commuter Rail trains operate about every 20-30 minutes. Travelling between Braintree and South Station on the Commuter Rail is about 24 minutes. 
• Additional Keolis personnel will be available at Braintree, Quincy Center, and JFK/UMass during weekday morning and evening rush hour periods to answer questions and assist riders boarding Commuter Rail trains. 
• Extra trains will be added to the Middleborough, Kington, and Greenbush Commuter Rail lines to accommodate the anticipated increase in ridership. 
• Regular Commuter Rail fares will be collected for travel beyond Braintree. 
• Free and accessible shuttle bus service will make stops at Braintree, Quincy Adams, Quincy Center, Wollaston, North Quincy, and Ashmont for connections to further Red Line subway service. 
• There will be no direct shuttle bus service to or from JFK/UMass. These riders should use the fare-free Commuter Rail when possible. 

• Riders using shuttle buses during this service change should budget extra travelling time. For example, a rider travelling to Park Street from Braintree should anticipate an extra 40 minutes in addition to their regular commute. Again, riders are strongly encouraged to consider the fare-free Commuter Rail during this service change. 
 • There will be increased subway service on the Ashmont branch in order to maintain train frequency through the Red Line core between JFK/UMass and Alewife. Trains will operate at about an eight-minute frequency between Ashmont and Alewife. 
• Riders can find complete information at mbta.com/RedLine. 
• This service change is in place to perform work as part of the Track Improvement Program, including replacing tracks and ties, resurfacing track areas, and upgrading station amenities. The track work accomplished during these 24 days allows the MBTA to run service up the maximum allowable speed of 40 miles per hour, but also lays the groundwork for raising current Red Line train speeds. 

On the Commuter Rail lines: 

• Free and accessible shuttle buses will operate directly between South Station and Braintree, stopping only at South Station and Braintree. The schedule will be available online at mbta.com/CommuterRail. 
• Passengers can use free and accessible shuttle buses replacing Red Line Braintree Branch service between Braintree and Ashmont. 
​​​​​​​• There will be no direct shuttle bus service to or from JFK/UMass. 
• Bicycles are not allowed on shuttle buses, and regular Commuter Rail fares will be collected between Kingston, Middleborough, Greenbush, and Braintree stations. 
• Keolis customer service agents, MBTA staff, and transit ambassadors will be on site at impacted stations to support riders. 
• This service change is in place to accommodate Track Improvement Program work taking place on the Braintree branch noted above. Suspending service on these Commuter Rail lines allows crews to be more productive during the planned work during these weekends thanks to the unencumbered access to the track area. 

Riders can find more information on service changes through in-station signage, in-station public announcements, and at mbta.com/alerts. 

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19th Endless Summer kicks off at noon on Saturday; will feature food, fun, and music

The 19th Endless Summer Waterfront Festival kicks off this Saturday, September 7 at noon, and promises to be the biggest and best event yet!

With free admission, free parking, and lots of entertainment, there’s no excuse for not attending. If the weather is an issue on Saturday, the Hull-Nantasket Chamber of Commerce has set Sunday, September 8 as a rain date.

Endless Summer was created to give Hull’s businesses one final boost before the end of the season. It has grown in size and popularity as the years have passed.

Dozens of vendors and other participants will line Nantasket Avenue under tents, including the Hull Boosters Club (selling fundraising stickers to support school athletic programs), Hull Artists (featuring their Aquarium art pieces that are being auctioned), and many other community groups.

This year’s food vendors include the South Shore Taco Guy, Lilly’s Craft Barbecue & Catering, MJ’s (Lobster Rolls), Cool Breeze Ice Cream Shoppe, Aahhh-Roma (wood-grilled pizza), Gonzalez Food Truck (Mexican), Cali Arepa (Columbian) Saltivate, Daddy’s Beach Club, Al’s Backyard Berries, Pick Pop Shaved Ice & Thai Food, Rooted Bloom, and Wellspring.

Musical performances at the Bernie King Pavilion include Assisted Living at noon, Here for Now at 1:15 p.m., and Gracie Grace and All Good Boys at 3:30 p.m. These performers are part of the Friends of Nantasket Beach Summer Sunshine Performance Series.

Endless Summer is supported by grants from the Save the Harbor Save the Bay, Massachusetts Department of Conservation, Massachusetts Cultural Council, and Hull Cultural Council.

Visit www.hullchamber.com or the Endless Summer Facebook page for the full schedule of events and additional information.

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