Committee Hears Refiled Bill to Reconfigure Riverside Boat Club Lease, Sponsors Say No Loss of Public Open Space

State Representative Mike Connolly told the joint committee he supports a refiled local land-lease measure, House Bill 3308 (and companion Senate Bill 2923), to allow the Riverside Boat Club in Cambridge to enter a lease under Chapter 65 (2010) with a reconfigured boundary that would improve access to the club’s building and boat storage space. Connolly said the language was approved by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and that the proposal would not result in a loss of public land under the open-space provisions referenced in legislation.

Why it matters: Connolly said the Riverside Boat Club is a community organization that stores boats for local schools and community groups; improved boundaries and a multi-year lease would facilitate safer storage and better access. He noted the bill had passed the Senate previously and had been vetted by the House Committee on Bills in the Third Reading.

Sponsor’s summary: Connolly said Riverside Boat Club currently holds a five-year waterfront permit and is seeking to enter a Chapter 65 lease with a reconfigured boundary; he told the committee the revised bill incorporates edits made by the House Committee on Third Reading and that DCR’s review found no conflict with Chapter 274 (2022) open-space provisions. He asked the committee to move the bill quickly given its prior Senate passage.

Ending: Connolly invited questions and offered to work with committee staff; a member of the committee said they would vote to report the bill favorably when it reached a vote in committee.