Planning Board Approves Site Plan for Wesley Street Church

The site plan for the Ministerio Internacional Cristo Vive Church at 10 Wesley Street was approved by the Planning Board at its meeting on Tuesday night. The Zoning Board of Appeals previously approved a special permit for parking issues at the main site of the church, as well as for an adjacent property it owns at 19 Clyde St. in April. Three years ago, the church was approved for a major site plan, but there was an issue with parking, so the church purchased 19 Clyde St., which abuts the property, and restructured the parking.” Between the two properties, church legal counsel Thomas Curran said there are now enough spaces to satisfy parking requirements. The existing residential building at 19 Clyde St. will remain on the property and be used by visiting pastors and other church uses, Curran added. The main entrance and exit for the church will remain on Wesley Street. At Tuesday night’s planning board meeting, Curran presented updated lighting and landscaping plans to the board. “The lighting plan has been modified from the original plan to minimize any effect on the neighbors,” said Curran. All the lighting will face inward toward the property on Wesley Street and away from the neighboring property at 15 Clyde Street. “We’ve also provided for fencing along the property lines to avoid adverse lighting effects on Revere Beach Parkway and the property at 15 Clyde,” said Curran. The six-foot high wooden fence will replace a chain link fence on the property, he added. In addition, there will be additional plantings along the sidewalks and on the property as part of the landscaping plan, Curran said. Planning Board member Mimi Rancatore said she was concerned that the wooden fence would be susceptible to graffiti tagging and would have to be repainted on a regular basis. As part of the conditions approved by the planning board, there will be a design review of the fencing that is installed along the visible portion of the property along Revere Beach Parkway. Church Pastor Jose Sanchez has previously said his vision for the church is based on the time he has spent in the United States, as well as the help he received from people during a two-year battle with cancer and his desire to help others. He said there will be a large focus on helping young people and immigrants in the community.

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