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The Newsletter of the High Street Hill Association

April 2009

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Please Join Us for Your Neighborhood Association's
Annual Meeting
and Potluck Dinner

Monday, April 27
Latvian Lutheran Church
58 Irving Street

6:00 PM Family Potluck Dinner
7:00 PM Featured Speaker Erin Chute Gallentine
Director, Brookline Parks and Open Space

With Special Invited Guest
State Representative Jeffrey Sanchez

HSHA Annual Business Meeting to Follow

Those with last names beginning with A-F please bring a dessert, G-M a salad, and N-Z a main dish.

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Warrant Article Could Apply to 52 Parcels on Pill Hill

It's no secret that some of the larger homes in Pill Hill and elsewhere in town have illegal "in-law" apartments. A creative warrant article submitted for next month's Town Meeting, however, may go a long way to addressing the issue.

The Housing Authority Board (HAB), which has been promoting Article 18, believes that the creation of "Accessory Dwelling Units" (ADU's) will enable some homeowners to reduce their own housing costs and provide affordable housing without public cost or further new development. ADU's will also offer greater safety by providing a legal alternative to illegal units which don't comply with all fire and safety codes.

After researching the issue, the HAB concluded that an "affordable housing program" requiring single family home owners to voluntarily deed restrict their homes and meet program requirements for tenant selection, limits on income and rents and annual reporting would not be successful.

So the HAB looked to other towns for more limited but more successful ADU programs to come up with their proposal that includes certain restrictions. See sidebox.

There are just under 1,300 properties in town which would meet baseline thresholds of minimum lot size and owner occupancy and there are 52 in the HSHA neighborhood. See the Planning Department page on the Town's website for a map and more info. Be sure to let your Town Meeting Members know how you feel about this important issue.

Dwell On This...

• The ADU must be a segregated space within a single family home, comprised of a kitchen, bathroom and living/sleeping area.
• The ADU must be within a single family home located on S-10 to S-40 zone parcels of 10,000 square feet or greater.
• The principal residence or the ADU must be owner-occupied.
• The ADU can be no greater than 700 square feet or 30 percent of the home's total habitable space, whichever is less, and it can have no more than one bedroom.
• Parking must be provided or otherwise proven adequate.
• The house must continue to appear as a single family home and can have only one set of metered utilities.
• All ADU's would require a Special Permit that would be recorded, would set forth all applicable restrictions, and would include a special certification of owner occupancy which would have to be renewed every 5 years or upon sale of the home.

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Celebrate
Frederick Law Olmsted's
Birthday
with an afternoon of

Stewardship
and
Music

at Olmsted Park
Sunday, April 26, 1-5 PM
featuring

the Brookline Community Band

As part of Earth Week, join your neighbors to help spruce up your park. We will be raking, weeding and pruning at the Allerton Overlook in Olmsted Park (along Pond Avenue near Allerton Street) from 1 to 4 PM. At 4 PM the Brookline Community Band, one of the oldest, continually-performing bands in the country, will entertain us.

Volunteers Needed

Bring work gloves and a picnic dinner. Refreshments and tools will be provided. Sponsored by the High Street Hill Association's Friends of Leverett Pond in cooperation with the Brookline GreenSpace Alliance and the Town of Brookline Division of Parks and Open Space. For more info please call Rob Daves at 617-566-7334 or Hugh Mattison at 617-232-6083.

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Amendment to Bylaws Proposed

At last year's HSHA Annual Meeting, the membership voted to adopt a revised set of bylaws. A motion was made, however, to ask the Board to develop language that would allow a nonresident who has a special interest in the association to become an "associate member." Also, a minor clarification to the wording in "Section A. Voting Members" has been suggested. The HSHA Board has voted to bring the following amendments to April 27's Annual Meeting for consideration by the membership (proposed changes are in bold and italicized):

III. MEMBERSHIP/1. Eligibility.

A. Voting Members
The membership of the Association shall be open to and consist of all property owners and and/or residents of the Neighborhood area who meet the qualifications for membership hereinafter described. [Paragraph continues]

B. Associate Members
A nonresident of the Neighborhood may apply to the Executive Board for an Associate Membership in the Association, which may be approved by the Executive Board if it determines that such a person has a special interest in the Neighborhood that would justify such approval. Such Associate Member would pay the current dues assessed to the regular membership, have the right to attend and participate in all meetings and events of the Association, but such Associate Member would not have the right to vote on Association matters.

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Jay Veevers Earth Day Fund

Jay Veevers, who lived at the corner of High and Allerton Streets, passed away last December. She supported many philanthropic causes but was an especially dedicated and enthusiastic board member for the Brookline GreenSpace Alliance.

At its Annual Meeting on April 6, the BGSA announced the formation of the Jay Veevers Earth Day Fund, an environmental scholarship. A portion of this account will support a Brookline school student to attend the Park and Recreation summer environmental day camp. An essay contest which encourages 9-10 year olds to consider how their neighborhood open space contributes to their enjoyment and their responsibility to protect it will determine the winner of this contest. To contribute to the Jay Veevers Fund, please contact the BSGA at 617-277-4777 or at www.brooklinegreenspace.org.

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Neighborhood Extras...

Election May 5
Since there are only five Town Meeting Member candidates on the ballot, all will be guaranteed a seat. Incumbents Lenore von Krusenstiern, Randolph Meiklejohn and Phyllis O'Leary will be joined by David Hamlin from Wellington Terrace and Phil Harrington from Edwin Street.

We'd like to give a big thank you to Liz Craig-Olins and and Rob DeVries for their long service as Precinct 5 Town Meeting Members.

Although the TMM race is uncontested please vote. The School Committee contest is important.

Village Green Renewal
Neighbor Robert Kaufman on Upland Road sent in this item: "The ornate latch on my dining room cupboard has been in disrepair for over a year now. So I was delighted to discover that Seth Barrett at the Village Green Renewal shop at 6 Davis Avenue could do the job. At a very reasonable cost it was repaired the same day I dropped it off. This new shop is a treasure trove of antique hardware, including door knobs, plates, hinges, tools, and even fire screens. I was also surprised to hear that they repair most anything new or old, and offer handyman services as well. What a great resource to serve our historic neighborhood." Call 617-Go-Green.

Terrier-ist Alert
Adorable Jack Russell puppies available to populate Pill Hill! Come see them at Faith Michaels' home. Show quality, home raised, $650. 617-739-6729

Pill Hill Rental Wanted
Harvard professor and family looking for a 2-3 bedroom apartment to rent for one year, June '09 through June '10. Please contact Liz Craig-Olins at or call 617-734-1931.

Local Historic District/PC Survey Update
In February, property owners who have appeared before the Preservation Commission in the past three years were asked to participate in a survey about the PC's processes and communication procedures. The results, which were collected by an independent researcher, are now being analyzed and a report, originally expected to be available in April, should be ready in May. Another, less formal survey will be sent to all LHD residents later in the spring. The HSHA is helping to underwrite the cost of this important project.

What's Next? Roadrunners?
Last week coyotes were sighted on Walnut Place. Since coyotes will eat small animals, fruits, vegetables, garbage, and pet food, it's important that you secure your garbage and keep your pets safe. Please see www.masswildlife.org (search: coyote) for tips on how to prevent conflicts with our canine visitors. Incidentally, Police Captain John O'Leary informs us that there have been reports of coyotes preying on Brookline's wild turkeys.

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Let's Go Pill Hill! We Can Beat Cottage Farm!
Announcing the Green Neighborhoods Challenge

The Green Neighborhoods Challenge, jointly sponsored by the Brookline Neighborhood Alliance and Climate Change Action Brookline, is a campaign to cut carbon in Brookline's neighborhoods.

The rules of the contest are below. Stay tuned for more info about how to become involved.

• Three Brookline neighborhood associations will be awarded the designation of 2009 Brookline Green Neighborhood.
• Neighborhoods will be judged on the number of households participating, and the quality of the participation.
• Carbon cutting measures taken between September 1, 2008 and September 30, 2009 will be eligible for consideration.
• A list of potential carbon cutting measures will be provided to participating neighborhood associations. Measures not on this list may still qualify.
• Reporting to the judges of measures taken by a neighborhood association will be on the honor system. No verification will be required.

This Challenge is offered in the spirit of fun, inclusion, and cooperation. All participants will be acknowledged.

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The Highlight is printed several times a year and is distributed on foot or by bicycle by HSHA Board members and their usually willing family members. If you have a comment or contribution contact the editor, Rob Daves, at 617-566-7334 or robdaves@rcn.com.