dorchester

A home rule petition that would expand the Boston Public Library board of trustees and allow them to raise funds for the library system has hit a major snag. Although the measure was passed unanimously on June 30 by the Boston City Council, Mayor Tom Menino has not signed off on the measure. Menino told the Reporter this week that he has concerns about setting up “competing operations” for fundraising. City councilor Mike Ross said that Menino’s position marks a departure from what administration officials told councillors last month. The board reform measure – which also has the support of BPL board chairman Jeffrey Rudman – will die if Menino does not sign off. The reform push came after the BPL board and Menino moved to shut down four library branches earlier this year. Those closings – which include Dorchester’s Lower Mills branch – have been delayed, but are now scheduled to happen next year.

Tours Explore Possible Routes for Extending Neponset Greenway

Two tours held in the last week showcased possible routes for the next phase of the Neponset Greenway trail. The Greenway currently stretches from Pope John Paul park in Neponset to Milton’s Central Ave. State planners led the tours along the Boston and Milton sides of the Neponset River. The one-mile extension of the Greenway would connect the trail to another path next to Neponset Valley Parkway in Hyde Park. The project will likely cost between $3 and $5 million. The state has not settled on a timeline for a build-out. The DCR has extended the public comment period on its five proposed routes until Aug. 14. For more information on the alternatives, see the Dorchester Reporter.

New Plans Released for Development on Columbia Point

Plans for the future redevelopment of Columbia Point have been revised by a city task force. The latest version – shown at a public meeting last week – calls for more open green space and slightly shorter buildings. But the blueprint will still mark a dramatic change in the look and feel of the Point in the decades to come. Among the new features will be high-rise buildings – some as tall as 17 stories – next to the JFK UMass station. The plan envisions as many as 8,600 new residents if it's fully built out. The draft plan is the product of a two-year effort by the Boston Redevelopment Authority and a task force of local residents. The BRA is set to vote on the plan this fall. You can get a closer look at the designs in the Dorchester Reporter.

Police Begin Tougher Evening Enforcement at Carson Beach

After a July 4th disturbance at Carson Beach left one boy hospitalized, Boston and State Police have instituted a “no tolerance” policy for illegal activity along the Dorchester and South Boston waterfront. One result is that all public beaches from Castle Island to the mouth of the Neponset River will close at 11 p.m. According to a letter signed by city and elected officials announcing the crackdown, anyone on the beaches or in closed parking lots after that hour will be considered trespassers. Officials decided on the plan at a meeting held at BPD District C-11 headquarters on July 8. Neighbors in Savin Hill, who have complained of a major uptick in problems this summer, say they’ll hit the streets next week for to reinforce the policy. The Savin Hill Night Out will start on Tuesday, August 3 at 9 p.m. at the parking lot next to Savin Hill beach.

Community Notes. . .

The sale of the now-empty C. F. Donovan’s restaurant has been delayed. A sidewalk auction set for this morning has been postponed until August 12. A $20,000 deposit is necessary to enter the bidding process. The new date has the same time: 10 a.m. The restaurant went into foreclosure back in November 2009. A U2 tribute band will play a free concert this evening in Dorchester Park. The Joshua Tree will set up stage at the baseball bowl along Adams Street. The show starts at 7 p.m.

For more news from Dorchester, visit the Reporter.