Arnold Arboretum Wants Proposed Development to Reduce Shadows and Visual Impact
The Arnold Arboretum said it does not object to the size, density or amount of units of a new proposal that abuts its property—but it wants the developer to alter the physical design to reduce shadows and visual impact to the Arboretum.
The proposal is to raze the existing Poor Clare Nuns Monastery at 920 Centre St., and replace it with a new building for 158 residential units. This proposal is different than the previous iteration that included renovating the current 50,000 sq. ft. monastery along the Arborway. That proposal was due to people being upset about an original proposal to raze the monastery to create affordable senior housing.
“Almost all of our concerns could be addressed by a reasonable, achievable change: step back the wings of the current building to reduce shadows and visual impact on the Arboretum,” wrote the Arboretum to the Planning Department.
Specifically, the Arboretum referenced the developer’s own shadow analysis, corroborated by the an independent analysis of their own with an environmental engineering firm, shows the current proposal would cast 2-3 hours of new shadows over vegetated areas of the Arboretum.
“Less sunlight means less healthy trees – trees that we maintain for scientific and conservation purposes (18% of the living collection of trees are members of species that are of conservation concern),” wrote the Arboretum. “Our goal at the Arboretum is to provide optimal conditions rather than adequate conditions for our trees because we are preserving and protecting an invaluable collection. New shadows also limit the ability of future Arboretum researchers to plant new trees, given their greater dependence on sunlight and their risk of being shaded out by taller, mature trees.”
The Arboretum also said the developer has proposed giving the Arboretum “the right to dictate to the residents of the proposed development how they must maintain their trees, and what trees they must plant, and when those trees must be planted or replaced.” The Arboretum said that wouldn’t be good because it would create an ongoing conflict with prospective new neighbors, and that disagreements “might only be resolvable via litigation, which the Arboretum would be loath to undertake.”
The Jamaica Hills Association expressed its dissatisfaction with the proposal and encouraged people to contact city officials and submit comments to the Planning Department before the July 31 deadline.
In an email newsletter, the JHA said the current proposal is too big, that apartments/condos would cost too much and negatively affect the Arnold Arboretum, as well as create traffic safety concerns.
Neighborhood residents also created an online petition to extend tree protections for the Arnold Arboretum. The petition wants Mayor Michelle Wu, District 6 City Councilor Ben Weber, and the Boston City Council to introduce and pass a city ordinance to protecting trees in the Arnold Arboretum, as well as state Rep. Samantha Montaño and state Senator Liz Miranda to establish a permanent, state-level Shadow Law for the Arnold Arboretum.
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