The crematorium at St. Michael’s Cemetery on Canterbury Street in Mattapan would expand from its existing eights spots (called retorts) and add four new oness in a brand-new building on the existing site in a plan shown to members of the Greater Mattapan Neighborhood Council (GMNC) last week.

The group voted unanimously to support the plan with some unique conditions surrounding air quality and the removal of metals from bodies prior to cremation.

The expansion would increase the permitted number of cremations per year from 9,984 to 14,976. An air quality permit was issued from the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to allow the upgrade on environmental emissions terms.

Chair Fatima Ali-Salaam said St. Michael’s and Forest Hills are the only two cemeteries that offer cremation services in Greater Boston. They noted that demand has increased. The concern for air pollution is mostly from mercury escaping into the air, a worry that has resulted in one of the more unusual conditions ever put on a vote of the GMNC: The crematorium is to work with cemeteries and funeral homes to remove dental fillings and other metals from bodies before being transferred to St. Michael’s for services.

The other condition was the placement of air quality monitoring devices near the facility to see if there are any increases in such pollution because of the expansion.

The crematorium is near restaurants, a grocery, churches, and an elementary school. A Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) hearing on the matter is scheduled for March 8.

Mattapan Square Reconfiguration
The Boston Transportation Department (BTD) unveiled some conceptual designs for improvements to Mattapan Square’s main intersection last week in an online meeting. The design would focus on ensuring that the often-treacherous pedestrian crossings will be more friendly by making them shorter and enlarging sidewalks.

The re-design also seeks to accommodate the dedicated center-lane bus that has become a hallmark of emerging Blue Hill Avenue designs and a new direct connection to the T Station that would prevent buses from having to go to Milton and turn around. That is expected to further shorten ride times on buses coming and going from Mattapan Station.

A new pedestrian crossing would be added across Blue Hills Parkway on the entrance and exit to and from Milton. The city has said it plans to continue community outreach on this and other Blue Hill Avenue plans into the 2023 calendar year.

•The GMNC’s Housing and Development Committee have advised developer Kirk Phillips, of Tower Construction, and architects to reconsider his proposal for a 40-unit building proposed for 106-114 Wales St./39-49 Browning Ave., located off Talbot Avenue in Dorchester’s Talbot-Harvard Triangle.

“We told them to go back and look at a smaller project, more sustainable and with more affordable housing,” said Ali-Salaam. “The project now would not meet the needs of constituents.”

•The GMNC is fully on board with bringing back the Greater Mattapan Love event in the summer months, an event last held in 2019 to great success. The civic will be partnering with several community groups, including Powerful Pathways and others. More information will be forthcoming, they said.