By Adam Swift
A proposed zoning amendment could help pave the way for a major fish processing facility to relocate from South Boston to the former Signature Breads site on Justin Drive. Last month, the planning board approved recommendation of a zoning amendment that would allow seafood processing by special permit in an industrial zone. The amendment still needs approval by the city council. At a public hearing, representatives from Boston Processing spoke about their plans to move their seafood processing operation from South Boston to Chelsea if the zoning amendment is successful.
“Our hope is to consolidate our facilities from South Boston, as well as Cambridge, into a new facility here in Chelsea,” said Mike Garrity, one of the owners of Boston Processing. “We will be bringing over 150 jobs from both of these areas, and we will not be keeping our space over in these two locations. We anticipate the 150 will grow to probably 300 jobs within the first 12 to 24 months of our opening.” Garrity said the majority of the company’s employees live close to Chelsea, with a number from the city itself. “Our business is taking whole fish or subprimal cuts of meat and breaking them down into portions,” he said. “We do no cooking of any products, it’s just processing, repackaging, and putting onto small trucks to deliver to most of our clients. Our clients are primarily small restaurants and local establishments in New England.” Garrity said there would be little odor associated with the facility. He added that the company uses mostly small box trucks and vans and not larger 18-wheelers to move its products, adding that there were no plans to have any deliveries or traffic along the waterfront by boat.
“We are very excited about the idea of being in Chelsea,” Garrity said. “This location and area checks every single box for us.” Planning Board member Sarah Ritch said she believed it would be a good use for the former Signature building, but added that she wanted to make sure the new tenant looked at providing waterfront and pedestrian access. “I had a lot of the concerns this board had until I was able to go out and look at the facility (in South Boston) with the smell and how they deal with trash,” said City Councilor Leo Robinson. “They answered all these questions for me when I was there; the trash was self-contained, and there were no real smells outside of the building. Their hope is that they can build and expand in Chelsea by increasing the number of jobs in the first 12 to 24 months.”
City planning and land use administrator William Cecio said the zoning change was necessary to allow for the business because seafood packaging and distribution is currently not allowed in the city’s industrial district. “This is an individual use that has the potential to bring jobs to the city of Chelsea, as well as improve the tax base for the city,” Cecio said. “The industrial district has very close proximity to the water, and many of the industrial uses have access to the water, as well. It makes sense to have seafood processing in these areas.”