Saint Mark’s Area Civic Association (SMACA) Meeting Minutes
October 25, 2022 7:00pm
Basement of St. Mark’s Church
Minutes by Kendra Beaver, Secretary

Attendees (including speakers): 26
Police Report — Officer Mike Keaney
● Oct. 8 - 40-y/o Jamaica Plain man arrested for distribution of marijuana near Edwin
St/Florida St
● Oct. 11 - Two homeless men were found in a tent at Hemingway Park with syringes, some of
which with of heroine inside; arrested and charged with possession of a Class A substance
● Oct. 24 - Man arrested for disorderly conduct and fined for minor possession of marijuana and
for pointing a BB gun towards multiple houses outside of 380 Centre St
● Oct. 27 - District 11 handing out candy outside of station from 4-7pm
● Oct. 28 - Several cruisers will be handing out candy from 4-7pm on River St near the old
Mattapan Hospital
● Best way to approach finding needles in the community is to put in a request via Boston 311,
and someone will go out to collect the needles
● Halloween is among the top three busiest nights regarding volume of calls; will have extra 12
officers patrolling on Halloween night
● District 11 will have between 8-12 new officers in the next month
● Call Mike at District 11 if you have extra Halloween candy you want to donate
Representatives of Elected Officials updates & answers to questions
● Lisa Searcy (617-635-3115, [email protected]), Councilor Erin Murphy’s office
○ Priorities lately: Gun violence reduction, Mass & Cass; Clifford Park; redistricting
○ Look into and get involved in the Blue Hill Ave Transportation Action Plan
○ Take part in the BPS: Safety in our Schools City Council hearing on Oct. 27th
○ More crime going on in our neighborhood being committed by young people
○ Get your ticket number if you put in 311 calls, and the Councilor’s office can track them
if you do not get a response
○ Uptick in rodent infestations; notify Boston 311 with issues
● Colleen Lofgren (774-225-1320), Representative Daniel Hunt’s office
○ Reach out to Colleen with any constituent issues
Via Cannuccia restaurant owners, Stefan & Tsedenia Kiros
● Attorney: Andrew Upton
● Restaurant to be opening where Zia Gianna used to be
● Stefan will be the chef, and is classically trained in French and Italian cuisine, and Tsedenia
will manage front of house
● Owners live in the neighborhood (in the Carruth building in Ashmont)
● SMACA board voted unanimously to support owners applying for a beer and wine license
● Food offered will fuse two cuisines: French & Italian
● Restaurant will be open from 7am-10pm, 6 days a week, and serve breakfast, lunch and dinner
● Hoping to open up in December; January if renovations take longer
1
● Will be working with local vendors
● Restaurant will seat 40 people, serve brunch on the weekends, & include a bar
Neighborhood Development Proposals
1. 110R Lonsdale St
a. Owner: Michelle Flowers
b. Original building: A garage
c. New proposal: Convert the garage into a home office space; will include two windows
and a door, a heat unit, a sink, a counter, and a closet
d. Violation(s): Screening and buffering required
e. No abutters meeting (not necessary)
f. VOTE: 14 in favor, 0 opposed
2. 7 Rosemont St
a. Building is in Pope’s Hill Neighborhood Association, which voted in support of the
project; presenting to SMACA because it straddles Adams St
b. Owner: Elizabeth Angell, lifelong Dorchester resident; acquired the property 6/7 years
ago
c. Lawyer: Mr. Adams
d. Original building: Vacant, separately-assessed 2850 sq ft lot (behind a developed lot)
zoned for 5000 sq ft for a single family home
e. Proposal: Build a two-family house (one-bedroom on 1st floor; two-bedroom on 2nd)
totaling 1350 sq ft in hopes of moving owner’s in-laws into the first floor
f. Violations: Insufficient lot width; side yard variance (right side of property short by 1’1”
feet); rear yard insufficient
g. Abutters meetings/feedback:
i. “No known opposition” in the immediate community
ii. SMACA meeting attendees expressed concern about the risk of trees being cut
down and parking challenges regarding the residents of the front lot currently
parking in the vacant lot
h. VOTE: 5 in favor, 7 opposed
Community Announcements
● Meeting on Oct. 27 at 7pm at the Murphy School about the Pine St Inn & Community Builders’
proposal to buy the Comfort Inn on 900 Morrissey Blvd to turn it into permanent supportive
housing
● Street cleaning is coming to an end on side streets, but will continue year round on Dot Ave
● Reminder to vote in the upcoming State Election on November 8 — deadline to register is Oct.
29! Polls are open on Nov. 8 from 7am-8pm
● Please share our new SMACA flyers by forwarding it to a friend virtually or posting them in
your neighborhood by printing them out
Meeting adjourned at 8:10pm