Welcome
Jamaica Hills is part of Boston’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood. Bounded by Harvard University’s Arnold Arboretum, Jamaica Pond and the Emerald Necklace, Allandale Farm and Larz Anderson Park, Jamaica Hills’s special feature is its treasured greenspace in close proximity to the richly diverse restaurants and shops in Jamaica Plain’s urban center.
The Jamaica Hills Association (JHA) is a longstanding civic organization that serves many needs in our community. The goal of our interactive, frequently updated website is to inform residents, facilitate social interaction, and encourage community service.
To contribute your ideas, suggestions, skills and talents to our community, we encourage you contact us at advocate@jamaicahills.org.
Highlights
DCR Press Release: Asian Longhorned Beetle Found on Faulkner Hospital Campus
We are posting a press release from the Massachusetts Department of Recreation and Conservation about the Asian longhorned beetle, which is devastating to trees. Six infested trees were removed from Faulkner Hospital’s property July 6, 2010, and a 1.5 mile radius around the site is now considered a regulated area. Inspectors are permitted to visit private properties to search for any infestations.
- Jamaica Hills Association
“FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL OFFICIALS ANNOUNCE DISCOVERY OF ASIAN LONGHORNED BEETLES ON GROUNDS OF BOSTON’S FAULKNER HOSPITAL
Six infested trees in Jamaica Plain removed this morning represent first confirmed Massachusetts presence of ALB outside Worcester County
To report suspicious tree damage, call the toll-free Asian longhorned beetle hotline at 866-702-9938.
The community meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 13, from 6-8 p.m. in the Franklin Park Clubhouse on Circuit Drive in Franklin Park.
An education session for those involved in the wood and wood products industries will be Thursday, July 8, from 1:30-4:30 p.m. in the Franklin Park Clubhouse on Circuit Drive in Franklin Park.
DCR officials already have declared a regulated area around the site where the infested trees were found. The area extends in a 1.5-mile radius from the site. No wood or wood products are allowed to leave that area. (A map of the area is attached with this press release and also can be viewed at www.mass.gov/dcr.)
These beetles are not harmful to humans, but are harmful to trees. To report suspicious tree damage, view photographs and videos of tree damage, or read about the Asian longhorned beetle, visit http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/ar/archive/jun00/asian0600.htm or call the toll-free Asian longhorned beetle hotline at 866-702-9938.
For property owners clearing limbs or other wood debris from their yards and properties, and anyone else wanting to dispose of wood, a drop-off area will be set up within the regulated area. The location and any additional details will be posted as soon as possible.
The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), an agency of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, oversees 450,000 acres of parks and forests, beaches, bike trails, watersheds, dams, and parkways. Led by Commissioner Richard K. Sullivan Jr., the agency’s mission is to protect, promote, and enhance our common wealth of natural, cultural, and recreational resources. To learn more about DCR, our facilities, and our programs, please visit www.mass.gov/dcr. Contact us at mass.parks@state.ma.us.”
June 29: Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council Meeting
The JPNC will consider the proposal to subject Jamaica Hills to a Neighborhood Design Overlay District. The public meeting is at 7 pm at Curtis Hall on South Street.
June 27: JHA Picnic and Boston Pops Brass Ensemble at Jamaica Pond
A Jamaica Hills Association Event
in coordination with
The Emerald Necklace Conservancy’s “Sundays in the Park”
Bring your picnic basket and join your Moss Hill neighbors at 5 pm at Pinebank Promontory (#16 on the Emerald Necklace Map)
Enjoy a free outdoor concert at 6 pm. The Boston Pops Brass Ensemble will play classical, jazz, and modern music. Visit The Emerald Necklace Conservancy for a schedule and more information about Sundays in the Park. We look forward to seeing you!
Neighborhood Design Overlay District Proposal: JP Neighborhood Council Zoning Committee Meeting June 24
The Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council Zoning Committee invites you to attend a meeting on Thursday evening, June 24th at 7:00 p.m. at Curtis Hall, 20 South Street, Jamaica Plain, to discuss the following matters:
Location: Jamaica Hills (Map Amendment)
Petitioner: Peter Welsh, 48 Louders Lane
Proposal: To Create a New Neighborhood Design Overlay District (NDOD) Covering All of Jamaica Hills*, Requiring That All Construction/Improvements Visible from the Street and Over 300 Square Feet in Size Shall be Subject to Design Review by The Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA). * Excluding those areas already included within a recognized Overlay District.
The Zoning Committee hopes that you will attend in order to discuss these matters that affect your neighborhood. Your participation will help us make a recommendation to the Boston Redevelopment Authority and to the City’s Zoning Board of Appeal.
For further information contact:
Kevin Leary - 617-542-8905
leary50@aol.com
Neighborhood Design Overlay District Proposal: JHA Follow-up Meeting June 9
Location: Faulkner Hospital, 1153 Centre Street, Huvos Auditorium, third floor
Date/Time: Wednesday, June 9, 2010, at 7:30 pm
Background: At its Annual Meeting May 12, 2010, the JHA scheduled an informational meeting for the community to discuss a recent proposal that a neighborhood resident submitted to the Boston Redevelopment Authority to subject the Jamaica Hills residential area to a Neighborhood Design Overlay District (NDOD).
The application was filed with the City of Boston Zoning Commission by Peter Welsh of Louders Lane and referred to the Boston Redevelopment Authority. (You may download Mr. Welsh’s case statement to the BRA.) According to Article 55, Section 28 of the Boston zoning code, “Neighborhood Design Overlay Districts are established to protect the historic character, existing scale, quality of the pedestrian environment, character of the residential neighborhoods, and concentrations of historic buildings within the Neighborhood Design Overlay Districts.” Jamaica Plain has seven NDOD’s established in these neighborhoods: Glenvale Park, Green Street, Hyde Square, Monument Square, Sumner Hill, Walter/Sigourney, and Williams Street.
Explaining both the NDOD proposal process and the permitting changes under an NDOD were the BRA’s Richard Shaklik, Michael Cannizzo, and Ines Palmarin. The proponent explained his reasons for the filing the application. JP Neighborhood Services Coordinator Colleen Keller described her experience in JP neighborhoods with established NDODs.
June 9 Meeting: The JHA has scheduled a follow-up discussion for the entire community June 9. If the BRA has completely reviewed the proposal by then, its recommendation will be shared at the June 9 meeting. In addition, the JHA Board might take a vote on the proposed NDOD and make a recommendation to the BRA. If you have any questions, please contact the JHA Zoning Committee at advocate@jamaicahills.org.
WEE STONE HOUSE by Steve Lerman
Written by Moss Hill neighbor, Steve Lerman, WEE STONE HOUSE is the story of the picturesque stone house at 57 Louder’s Lane, the short dead-end street that really should be called Lowder Lane, and a unique neighborhood, the Jamaica Hills section of Boston. It began with the mystery of a beautiful unidentified bride in a 1939 photograph. To learn more and download Steve’s engaging research, visit our History section.
Emerald Necklace Maps Now Available
Maps of the Emerald Necklace parks are available courtesy of the Emerald Necklace Conservancy. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, Boston’s Emerald Necklace consists of an 1,100-acre chain of nine parks linked by parkways and waterways: Boston Common, Public Garden, Commonwealth Avenue Mall, Back Bay Fens, Riverway, Olmsted Park, Jamaica Pond Park, Arnold Arboretum, and Franklin Park. Contact Andrea Howley at 617-524-5306 or at andhowcc@aol.com to obtain one of these beautifully designed maps.
Coyote Sightings
Coyote sightings are becoming more common on Moss Hill, even in the afternoon. MassWildlife assures us that coyotes are afraid of humans and that coyotes will run away if you scare them by making loud noises, shining bright lights, or throwing objects like tennis balls at them. MassWildlife will not capture and move healthy coyotes to another area, because it is against law. (Coyotes actually breed more frequently in response to be moved.) This state agency provides extensive information on living with wildlife and how to discourage coyotes from your property and prevent conflicts with them.
For more information, visit www.masswildlife.org or contact the MassWildlife Northeast District Office in Acton: 978-263-4347.
Neighborhood Crime Watch: Become a Street Leader
We Need More Volunteers! For crime watches to be successful, we need captains for every street. Curious about what’s involved? Email us at crimewatch@jamaicahills.org. Get to know your neighbors and contribute to a safer community! See our Crime Watch page for more safety resources.
Subscribe to JHA Community News and Updates
We are compiling email addresses from our Jamaica Hills neighbors for our mailing list. Email us at subscribe-mail@jamaicahills.org to join. Kindly include your name, address, and phone number for residency verification only. This information is not made public or shared with anyone other than the JHA Board.