No Fisher College Expansion
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I, the undersigend oppose Fisher College's proposed expansion plans.
Fisher College is planning to roughly double the number of students living on the block of Beacon Street between Arlington and Berkeley (see map on reverse) by:
Relocating students from a dorm in Bay Village
Converting three historic Brownstones currently housing Boston residents to dorms
Converting existing administrative and classroom space on Beacon St. to dorms
Moving administrative offices and classrooms to Arlington Street
Expanding 118 Beacon into what is currently Back St. parking.
Fisher already exceeds the neighborhood's carrying capacity, strains city services, and causes major traffic congestion for thousands of Boston commuters.
Traffic
More than 16,000 vehicles use this block of Beacon Street daily according to DOT. Fisher frequently disrupts traffic, narrowing Beacon Street and causing backup that can extend all the way back to the state house as well as block egress from Storrow Drive.
Large Greyhound-size buses double park mid-block as long as 45 minutes to pick up and drop off Fisher students for every athletic practice and game, as well as orientation and other activities.
Delivery trucks serving the cafeteria and vending machines double park daily.
Commuting students are picked up and dropped off all day long.
Students jaywalk day and night because the campus is on both sides of the street.
Because students compete for scarce parking, workmen and other delivery trucks must double park.
Density/Parking
This is an historic neighborhood with limited space and aging sewer, water, and electrical systems.
Historic brownstones now house 80+ students creating an unsafe situation.
Fisher parks 20+ vehicles on both sides of Back Street. There is no loading dock for deliveries, no room for additional staff or student parking.
Security/Noise
Neighbors have noticed increased drug use by students outside of Fisher's video cameras, spilling onto the adjacent parks and public spaces including the Fiedler Bridge, the Boston Public Garden, and further down Beacon Street. In good weather, there is often street noise late into the night.
Smoking/Loitering/Trash
This is a residential neighborhood with children walking to schools, the Esplanade Playspace, and the Public Garden. In warm weather the sidewalk becomes almost impassable with students hanging out and smoking since they have nowhere else to go. They discard butts, food wrappers, cans and other litter around the neighborhood -- usually only picked up on Fisher property.
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