In the Sport-light: Roundup of news from Hull's wide world of sports

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LOTS TO CHEER ABOUT: Congratulations to the Hull Youth Football Association Cheerleading teams for their award-winning performances at the 2025 East Coast Showdown at Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School on Saturday. The A and B squads won second place, while the C Squad captured third. This Saturday, November 8, they will participate in the New England Cheer and Dance Competition at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston. [Courtesy photos]

Compiled by Matt Haraden

• Boys 5/6 Soccer tied Carver Team 1 with a score of 1-1 in the final game of the season. Enki Mundo scored off of an assist from Andy Michaelides. It was a good season from the team, consisting of Owen Bilodeau, Cody Calabria, Jordan Dunn, Harrison Jones, Killian Kelly, Ryder Lankas, Will McCarthy, Andy Michaelides, Teddy Misdea, Enki Mundo, Ethan Munzert, Braedyn O'Hare, Liam Palermo, Luke Panetta, Anthony Petruzzelli, Nathan Quan, North Saforrian, Zachary Shea, Gibran Succar, Silas Van Slyke, and Zachary Walsh. All improved greatly over the season and gave it their all.

• 7/8 Boys Soccer dominated Cohasset at home on the evening of Saturday, November 1, winning 5-0. The team finished the first half with four belters of goals from Joseph Johnston, Reefe Markowitz, Henry Littlefield, and Finn Smith. The game featured strong defense, great passing and communication from the team as well as the boldness to capitalize on every opportunity.

• 5/6 Girls Soccer finished the fall season undefeated with a 3-0 victory against Carver on Saturday, November 1. Willa Briton scored two goals and Charlie Ward had one. With the wind, Hull’s pressure from Ada McMullen, Hailey MacLeod, and Erin Goodfellow kept the ball in the defenders’ zone. Sydney O’Brien had a shutout game in goal. Everyone played a fantastic game in the season finale.

• The Hull Pirates Midget Football team battled past a tough Lower Cape squad, earning a hard-fought 28–20 victory to advance to the Old Colony Youth Football League Super Bowl. Captain Christian Silva led the Pirates’ offense, finding the end zone multiple times behind a dominant offensive line anchored by Shaine Hutcheson, Cormac Farley, Evan Doyle, Jacob Goodrich, Chase Silva, James Rand, and Jack Ranger. Captain Julian Lundrigan opened the scoring with a quarterback rush and later electrified the crowd with a pick-six, extending Hull’s lead. On defense, Ranger, Silva, Hutcheson, and Farley were relentless in the trenches, recording multiple sacks and forcing key turnovers. The Silva brothers spearheaded a stingy defensive effort, combining for several tackles for loss alongside Chance Ervin, Caden Rangel, Maclin Concannon, Cruz Costigliola, and Jayden Sheets. Head Coach Jeffery Lundrigan, assisted by Dave Gibbons, Mike Silva, Andrew Ziniti, and Hudson Sestito, praised his resilient team after Sunday’s win. “I am extremely proud of these kids for showing up every week, sometimes with only 11 players, and never quitting on each other,” Lundrigan said.

Despite facing larger programs all season, the Pirates’ trademark grit and heart have carried them to the championship. Hull lost key contributor Jet Minkler to an injury but will welcome back eighth-grader Aiden Gibbons from injury just in time for the Super Bowl. The team would like to thank their weigh-in representative, Karen Goodrich, as well as the HYFA Midget cheer staff and cheerleaders for their support this season. The Pirates travel to Nauset High School this Sunday, November 9 to face the Dennis-Yarmouth Dolphins in the OCYFL Super Bowl at 11:30 a.m. All Hull fans are encouraged to make the trip to Cape Cod and cheer on the Pirates as they aim to sink the Dolphins’ ship and bring home the championship!

• The Hull High Pirates Varsity Football team will host Atlantis Charter in the playoffs. The game is at 7 p.m. on Friday, November 7. The team will play the traditional Thanksgiving Day game at home against rival Cohasset. Kickoff will be at 10 a.m. 

• Congratulations to all athletes named as South Shore League All-Stars this fall season. Brianna Ramos, Georgia White, Gianna Thorne and Libby Harper were all named girls soccer All-Stars; Tobin also was named Player of the Year in the Tobin Division of the South Shore League. Max Lofgren and Teddy Hipp were named boys soccer All-Stars.

• In high school soccer tournament news, the girls team defeated Smith Academy, 9-1, on Wednesday night and will advance to the Round of 16. The next game will be at home against Boston Collegiate Charter School on Monday, November 10 at 5 p.m. The boys team fell to Turners Falls on the road on Wednesday after their opponents scored a last-minute goal to win, 1-0.

• Coaches, league organizers, and superfans – We need your help to report the scores and results of the latest events in Hull’s sports world! Please send local sports news and photos to sports@hulltimes.com. Deadline is Wednesday at noon. When providing details of the games or races, please be sure to include the sport/team, the players’ full names, and the final scores. When sending photos, names of those pictured are greatly appreciated, as well as who should get credit for taking the photo.

Thank you for your help!

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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Developer breaks ground on Paragon, a mixed-use project that draws on nostalgic name

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The developer building a 132-unit mixed-use project on the site of the former Paragon Boardwalk announced its groundbreaking late last month.

On October 20, the Procopio Companies launched “Paragon,” the latest name for the project at 181-199 Nantasket Ave. Crews have cleared the site and in recent weeks have been installing foundations and underground drainage systems.

The project was approved by the planning board last November and has a target completion date of spring 2027. It encompasses the former miniature golf course, arcade, and Paragon Boardwalk outdoor venue.

In addition to the apartments, the project includes 9,300 square feet of commercial space, an elevated courtyard with an inground pool, public open spaces, a parking garage, surface parking for a total of 180 cars, and a dog run. The total project cost is $65 million.

“Paragon integrates into Nantasket Beach’s lively, connected, and thriving neighborhood for residents and visitors alike,” said Bryan Vitale of The Procopio Companies. “We are proud to break ground on a project that will not only provide new housing options but also activate the waterfront with exciting retail and dining experiences.” 

The plan as approved also includes a 10-foot-wide wooden boardwalk along Nantasket Avenue with stairs and handicapped-accessible ramps, and elevating all but one of the commercial spaces and the residential lobby to a height that is about two feet, four inches above the current level of the sidewalk. The raised boardwalk will allow flood water to pass under the building.

Procopio is financing the project through Redcove Capital and Boston Andes Capital. Monte French Studio is the architect for the project, and CEC is the civil engineer. Dellbrook JKS is the construction manager.

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Road plan remains a roadblock as HRA seeks to jump-start discussion of property’s future

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By Carol Britton Meyer

As the Hull Redevelopment Authority discussed a process to revisit its draft Urban Renewal Plan, board members decided to invite project engineers and Hull Community Development and Planning Director Chris DiIorio to provide an update on that two-way road proposal at an upcoming meeting.

The controversial street reconfiguration would remove two of the four lanes of traffic crossing the HRA land and convert the remaining two lanes to one in each direction from Monument Square through the Surfside business district to the Anastos Corner area. Hull Shore Drive and Hull Shore Drive Extension also would become two-way, and would connect with a redesigned intersection with incoming traffic from George Washington Boulevard near the Mezzo Mare restaurant.

Click here for more information about the two-way road plan (scroll down).

Planning board member Cindy Borges suggested the board also notify the select and planning boards about this meeting once it is arranged.

The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) also is weighing into the two-way road plan. A 2023 letter to the town indicates that the current two-way road layout is not compatible with the state agency’s master plan for the Nantasket Reservation. But the HRA is waiting to hear more.

However, member Adrienne Paquin emphasized the importance of “moving forward with a plan, regardless of whether there will be a two-way road or not.”

A couple of board members expressed concern that HRA Chair Bartley Kelly’s strong support for the two-way road proposal – a plan he said the town is moving forward with – is being misinterpreted by some members of the community as support by the overall board, which is not the case.

Grant funding available

Kelly noted that grant funding is already in place – contingent on overall project approval – for improvements, resiliency measures, and safety enhancements that would positively affect the HRA property, in his opinion.

There continues to be a difference of opinion among some members about the two-way road proposal and whether there should be development on the HRA land geared toward economic development and increasing tax revenue, although all board members agree there should be at least some open space.

“We have to come up with something, or we will continue to talk in circles,” Kelly said. “I want to get off this merry-go-round.”

As an option to Kelly’s approach, Paquin urged board members to think creatively, “perhaps pairing with organizations and seeking grants for climate resilience and open space preservation” before taking what she called Kelly’s “black-and-white approach, which could be our fallback [position]. After all this time, why not take a little longer to get it right?”

Paquin asked Kelly what his vision for the URP process is moving forward, now that there is a full board following Charles Richardson’s recent appointment to the open seat following Dennis Zaia’s resignation.

Moving forward

Looking at maps of the property to determine which parcels might be suitable for development, if any, encouraging HRA members to endorse the two-way road plan, “and then starting to edit the URP and getting back to public meetings once the board reaches a consensus on some kind of direction and moving forward with this plan,” Kelly responded.

Resident C. Anne Murray has concerns about the proposed two-way road plan, recalling when the road was made one-way in the mid-1970s.

“Now it’s back to two-way [if the plan goes through],” she said, expressing safety concerns.

Paquin responded that she wants to do a survey “so that feedback from the community would guide the [URP] process. Is this board willing to do that or will it [continue to] be just five people throwing ideas around?”

Board member Dan Kernan noted when Kelly started displaying maps of the property from the earlier URP that there was a general agreement earlier not to “rehash” the old one. He suggested reviewing the property maps parcel by parcel or coming up with a vision of what the board wants “in general, and then figure out where things should go. Both would work,” he said.

Richardson, who said he’s “done his research and listened to people in town,” suggested a combination of development – looking at different parcels – and open space “that would make it more conducive to watching a sunrise or a sunset.”

Kernan was appointed by the board as HRA representative to the DCR-town working sessions to ensure the authority has a seat at the table about a variety of related issues.

“If they’re willing to accept us,” member Joan Senatore quipped.

Meetings to be in-person

HRA meetings, typically held on Zoom, will be in-person for the most part moving forward – after a majority vote of the board this week –with a Zoom option as an alternative, depending on how much of an interest the public is expected to have in a particular agenda.

The Monday, November 10 meeting will be held in-person in the select board meeting room at town hall. Hull Community Television will record the meetings live so they can be watched at the same time and on demand, but there is no provision for remote public input while the meetings are in session.

A few citizens said they feel Zoom meetings enable more people to participate who might not be able to attend in person, with a concern that the select board meeting room has a limited capacity and might be inadequate during in-person HRA meetings of particular interest.

The high school exhibition room is equipped for recording meetings, when a large in-person turnout might occur, but the HRA and school committee both meet on Monday, so their schedules would have to be coordinated for the board to meet there.

A replay of the meeting will be available on Hull Community Television’s website, www.hulltv.net.

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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Light commissioners differ on manager’s role in determining plant’s payment-in-lieu-of-taxes

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By Carol Britton Meyer

The light board last week discussed at length for the third time the draft policy on payments-in-lieu-of taxes (PILOTs) but did not take a vote due to the need for further details.

The policy had been earlier reviewed and refined by light plant attorney Nicholas Scobbo. Member Jake Vaillancourt and town manager/light plant manager Jennifer Constable were not present at the October 23 meeting.

Further discussion on the policy will take place at the board’s November 20 meeting, when Vaillancourt and Constable will be in attendance, and a vote is expected at that time.

The policy relates to 1) board authority over the PILOT program; 2) the annual review and timing; 3) a single annual payment, if any; 4) the condition of the light plant’s surplus funds before any PILOT payment is decided upon; 5) determining the PILOT amount; 6) compliance with Massachusetts law; 7) light board vote and documentation of any such payment; 8) the effective date of the policy once approved by the board; 9) and the provision that the new policy would supersede any previous practices or arrangements that conflict with the intent of the board’s vote to approve the policy.

Click here for the light plant’s PILOT policy

The board held numbers 1, 5, and 8 of the draft policy for further review during its next meeting, with most of the discussion centering on number 1.

This part of the draft policy states that the amount and authorization of any PILOT payment shall be determined solely by the elected light board and that the light plant manager “shall not independently set or schedule PILOT payments.”

There were differing views among board members about the level of involvement the town manager/light plant manager should have in this process.

Board member Dan Ciccariello claims there’s a conflict of interest with one person serving in both roles “because you don’t know whose interest that person is taking. I think the ratepayers should be assured that the party making this determination has their interest, rather than the town’s, at heart.”

He further noted that PILOT payments are part of the town budget, and if there’s a problem with that budget, it’s “up to the select board to raise taxes or cut services” and not up to the light board to cover the shortfall with a PILOT payment.

On the other hand, member Stephanie Landry thinks the board “should work cooperatively with the light plant manager” to arrive at the decision outlined in number 1.

Number 5, relating to determining the PILOT amount, states that the board “shall exercise prudent judgment in setting the PILOT amount, taking into account the size of the surplus and HMLP’s financial obligations and future needs as well as input from town officials.” Further clarification will be sought from Scobbo regarding to whom the term “town officials” refers.

Number 8 relates to the effective date of the policy once approved and “shall apply to the current fiscal year and all future years unless amended by the board.”

There will be further discussion about numbers 1, 5, and 8 of the policy and a vote at the next light board meeting.

Other agenda items that night will include the sharing of any input from solar users as a light board task force studies recommendations on solar power-related issues and rates; an update on Spinnaker Island and National Grid issues; cost estimates for a new light plant garage to protect vehicles from damage from the elements; a discussion about how to address the issue of light board emails not working properly; the proposed combined DPW/light plant facility at West Corner; and a conversation about agenda setting for future board meetings.

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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Wellspring expands Weymouth location, to open second Hull retail store for job skills training

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By Carol Britton Meyer

Wellspring Multi-Service Center recently moved its Weymouth facility to a new, much larger location on Route 53, welcoming residents of Hull and surrounding communities to take advantage of the additional services offered there.

“There are no geographic boundaries,” Wellspring President and CEO Vinny Harte told The Hull Times.

The Hull location at 814 Nantasket Ave. will continue to operate a thrift shop, Aunt Dot’s food pantry, the kitchen, and all of the social services currently offered there.

The main difference is that classes will now be offered at the Weymouth location at 875 Washington St., while the former Hull classroom will be transformed into a second retail store with a focus on furniture and some unique one-of-a-kind items. There will also be a small cafe.

“There’s a job skills piece to the new retail store,” Harte said.

This shop will be operated and staffed by adults with intellectual disabilities, “creating a program where they will run all facets of the retail operation, do some cooking and furniture refinishing, and curate the area,” Harte said. “This will empower these individuals and give them transferable skills that they can use for the rest of their lives.”

Wellspring began in Hull in 1985, when the late Rev. Diane Edson (above) rented a single Hull storefront after recognizing that many people needed assistance on the South Shore. Wellspring emerged as a safe place for neighbors needing to grab a cup of coffee and a warm coat as they sought help. Over the years, Wellspring grew into a community and regional resource.

Loyal following

Harte noted that Wellspring has a “very loyal following” – with a special interest in the thrift shops. Both locations have a community resource director and a case manager, with help available in filling out applications for heating assistance, food stamps (now referred to as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – SNAP), and other programs. There also is a legal advocate to assist clients free of charge.

Aunt Dot’s food pantry serves Hull residents only, with rides available and delivery to any Hull resident in need.

The Weymouth Wellspring partners with the food pantry in that town, which runs a mobile food pantry out of a converted school bus and stops at the Weymouth facility twice a week.

Wellspring operates a food truck

The Hull-based food truck also provides fresh meals at the Weymouth site, delivered by volunteers. Hull resident Anne Stenfors – a former executive chef for Alma Nove in Hingham and the former Saporito’s restaurant in Hull – is the culinary director and runs and schedules the food truck.

Looking toward the holidays, Wellspring continues to collaborate with Alma Nove and Chef Paul Wahlberg to provide Thanksgiving dinners. Signups are underway.

“People can stop by the Hull food pantry or call there and ask to be put on the list,” Harte said. “We’ll be offering a full Thanksgiving meal prepared by Alma Nove for pickup or delivery.”

Following Thanksgiving, details will be available about the holiday gift program.

Wellspring’s philosophy continues to be “providing support and skills to people facing challenges to their well-being to help them achieve independence and self-sufficiency,” Harte said.

For more information about the programs offered by Wellspring in Hull and Weymouth, visit https://wellspringmultiservice.org.

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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

In the Sport-light: Roundup of news from Hull's wide world of sports

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ON TO THE POSTSEASON: the varsity boys soccer team ended regular season play on Monday; its first playoff game will be next week. [Courtesy photo]

Compiled by Matt Haraden

• Boys 5/6 Soccer defeated Carver Team 2 on Saturday, October 25, with a final score of 3-0. Jordan Dunn, Cody Calabria, and Luke Panetta each scored a goal. Ryder Lankas and Will McCarthy were unstoppable in net. Nathan Quan and Gibran Succar were great as strikers. Andy Michaelides, Anthony Petruzzelli, and Killian Kelly were a force on defense. The team’s final game of the season will be Saturday, November 1 at home against Carver Team 1 at 2 p.m.

• Girls 5/6 Soccer continued an undefeated season with a 4-0 win over Kingston on Saturday, October 25. Passing and runs led to two goals from Willa Britton, one from Magnolia Harbin and Charlie Ward, her first career goal. Keepers Sydney O’Brien and Frankie Rockett delivered the shutout. The team has one game remaining on the season.

• Travel soccer teams play their last games of the fall season this weekend at the high school field. On Saturday, November 1, all teams play Carver: Boys 3/4 (Bilodeau) at 12:30 p.m., Boys 5/6 at 2 p.m., Girls 5/6 at 3:30 p.m., and Boys 3/4 (Duran) at 5 p.m. The Girls 3/4 and Boys 7/8 are on the road for their final matchups of the season.

• Hull High boys varsity soccer (D5) finished its regular season with a game against a formidable opponent in Abington High School (D4). Hull held Abington scoreless for 65 minutes but eventually lost in a close 2-0 game. For the fourth season in a row, the Pirates have qualified for the MIAA state tournament and will play their first playoff game next week.

FIELD OF DREAMS: The Hull High Pirates football team held a joint practice with players from the Hull Youth Football Association on October 23. This annual event is always a fun tradition for both teams and coaches. [COUrtesy photo]

• The Hull High Pirates Varsity Football lost its fourth game in a row on Friday, falling to Mashpee, 35-7. The 2-6 team is on a break until the Thanksgiving Day game at home against rival Cohasset. Kickoff will be at 10 a.m.

• Hull High girls varsity soccer celebrated Senior Night on Monday, October 27 with a 7-2 victory over Abington. With this victory, and a 2-2 tie in its previous game last Friday against Pembroke, the Pirates finished the season with a record of 8-5-3.

• Hull Youth Football’s regular season games have concluded, with playoff action scheduled for Sunday, November 2. The Super Bowl will be next weekend, November 9. Mites (C Squad) will play at 10 a.m.; Midgets (A Squad) will pay at 11:30 a.m.; and PeeWees (B Squad) will play at 1 p.m.

• Hull Pirates Youth Basketball is now accepting registrations for its travel program for boys and girls in grades 3-8. The season begins in late November, and registration will close on Friday, October 31. Families are encouraged to register players as soon as possible at https://hullbasketball.leagueapps.com.

• Coaches, league organizers, and superfans – We need your help to report the scores and results of the latest events in Hull’s sports world! Please send local sports news and photos to sports@hulltimes.com. Deadline is Wednesday at noon. When providing details of the games or races, please be sure to include the sport/team, the players’ full names, and the final scores. When sending photos, names of those pictured are greatly appreciated, as well as who should get credit for taking the photo.

Thank you for your help!

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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Water company seeks 3% rate hike for FY27, on top of fees for new Strawberry Hill tank

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By Carol Britton Meyer

Weir River Water System customers in Hingham, Hull, and Cohasset will see a 3% rate increase next year if the company’s proposed rates for fiscal 2027 are approved.

Customers will receive a letter about the proposed rate increase and related public meetings by the end of the month, WRWS Managing Director/Superintendent Russell Tierney told the Citizens Advisory Board on October 15. The meeting dates were not yet announced.

If approved by the WRWS water commissioners – comprised of the Hingham Select Board since the town took over the water system four years ago – the increase would go into effect July 1, 2026. At the same time, an annual capital debt service fee of $65 will go into effect for the next 30 years to pay for the new $1 million Strawberry Hill water tank in Hull, the associated booster station in Hingham, and the rehabilitation of the Turkey Hill water tank.

Tierney attributed the increase to WRWS’s contract with Veolia, which operates the system, and the significant increases in the cost of parts and materials during the past five years.

This is the first time that rates have increased since the Town of Hingham acquired the water company from Aquarion in 2021. A 10% rate increase was part of that contract. At that time, a 10% increase every three years was anticipated, which turned out not to be the case.

“We’ve budgeted well to avoid that,” Tierney told The Hull Times in a follow-up to the meeting.

After reviewing the letter as proposed by Tierney, the CAB gave its approval, subject to their suggested changes.

When asked by a member of the advisory board about future anticipated increases following this one, Tierney estimated a 3% rate adjustment every two years.

“This will be an open and transparent meeting [about the proposed increase],” Tierney said.

CAB members include Stephen Girardi of Cohasset; Chair David Anderson and Charles Culpin representing Hingham; and Hull’s Director of Wastewater Operations/Assistant Director of Public Works John Struzziery and Hull Select Board member Brian McCarthy. There is one open spot on the board for a Hingham citizen to fill.

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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

‘Trends are in the right direction’ for Hull’s MCAS scores, although schools to address problem areas

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By Carol Britton Meyer 

School administrators this week outlined to the school committee areas of student achievement as well as concerns requiring intervention related to this year’s scores on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System tests.

As reported previously in The Hull Times, the Hull Public Schools was recently recognized by the state for reaching pre-pandemic levels of academic achievement, according to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Hull was one of 63 school districts to reach this milestone with regard to this year’s MCAS results.

The Lillian M. Jacobs School was one of only 22 schools in the state to reach this milestone in English Language Arts.

However, at the Jacobs School, math scores declined for the first time in four years, and at the high school, fewer students met expectations in both English and math.

Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Christine Cappadona prefaced this week’s MCAS testing presentation to the school committee by explaining the district’s accountability system.

Such a system “brings together a set of measures in order to provide clear, actionable information about district and school performance,” she said. “Massachusetts’ system helps schools improve the performance of all students and helps communities and the state decide how to assign resources.”

The MCAS is a standardized test administered annually in English language arts (Grades 3-8, 10), mathematics (Grades 3-8, 10), and science (Grades 5, 8, and 10). MCAS seeks to assess whether students are exceeding, meeting, partially meeting, or not meeting grade level standards in each of the tested content areas.

Click here for the full presentation from Monday’s meeting

Click here for a summary of the results produced by school administrators

Last November, Massachusetts voters approved a ballot question that removed the MCAS test as a requirement for graduation. As a result, a committee appointed by the governor is expected to make initial recommendations for a new high school graduation standard by the end of the year.

Jacobs School Principal Kyle Shaw and Hull High School Principal Robert Shaw presented the MCAS results for their individual schools at this week’s school committee meeting.

“I stand here in great admiration of Jacobs’ teachers and our families’ dedication, and I am incredibly proud of our hardworking students – not just because of the MCAS results, but for the little things that happen over time and lead to the positive news I have to share tonight,” Kyle Shaw said prior to his presentation.

Following the presentation of the results, Shaw said the Jacobs School is “embarking on a collaboration with staff to figure out how we can get better. We’ll do everything possible to keep this upward momentum moving in the right direction.”

“This is our public profile and what is reported when people are looking up what the Hull Public Schools are like,” Superintendent of Schools Michael Jette said. “These trends are in the right direction, and continuing to support that work is what we want to see happening.”

Following his presentation, Robert Shaw outlined action steps for students related to curriculum and support for staff at the high school.

For students, these include a focus on writing from research, implementation of a standardized math curriculum, development of standards-aligned end-of-year course assessments, dual-enrollment courses through Quincy College, and expansion of Advanced Placement course offerings.

Support for staff includes peer observations, departmental collaboration time, learning walks, and enhanced communication.

Conversations about the MCAS results will continue in the weeks to come, administrators said.

A recording of the school committee meeting featuring the MCAS presentation is available on Hull Community Television’s website, hulltv.net.

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Hull’s master plan consultant highlights need for affordable housing, open-space protection

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By Carol Britton Meyer

The Master Plan Steering Committee listened intently to an update this week by a consultant working with the town to create a master plan for Hull, centering around open space and recreation and housing affordability.

The community services and facilities part of the presentation was postponed until another meeting due to time constraints. The town is partnering with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council for this project.

Committee members had an opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback. While there was some concern expressed about the use of reports such as the Unified Work Plan that don’t contain the most up-to-date details, and references to the Hull Redevelopment Authority property that are out of date, the purpose during Monday’s Zoom meeting was to provide a baseline for moving forward – with the final master plan reflecting more current information.

“This is just a presentation with information that won’t necessarily go into the final plan,” Community Development and Planning Director Chris DiIorio said.

Click here for the full presentation from Monday night’s meeting

Getting a sense of direction 

The goal, according to senior regional land use and historic preservation planner Sarah Scott, is “to get a sense of which direction to go in and how to prioritize all of this information.”

Paring down all the details “to get the most accurate and up-to-date information would be helpful,” said Chandelle Schulte, who recently replaced fellow planning board member Cindy Borges on the steering committee.

Steering committee member Paul Newman suggested that Peddocks Island be taken out of MAPC’s inventory of Hull’s open space, although he noted that there could be an opportunity for recreation or economic development in the future.

“We can take it out of the [master plan] equation, but could list the opportunities,” Scott said.

The island, although part of the town, is under the Department of Conservation and Recreation jurisdiction, according to DiIorio.

“It’s not easily accessible from Hull, but it is a great open space opportunity,” he said.

‘Rich and diverse mix of open spaces’

According to MAPC staff, who provided an existing condition analysis while also identifying gaps and opportunities for improvement for each category:

Open space and recreation are a key aspect of the town’s identity, with “a rich and diverse mix of open spaces that contribute not only to residents’ quality of life and well-being, but also to the town’s climate resiliency and economic strengths.”

About 82% of Hull residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park or open space.

“Open space [also] attracts visitors and tourists to town,” noted MAPC planner Evelyne St.-Louis.

Expanding walking and biking infrastructure as well as coastal recreation and access is a priority, and there is a need for protection of critical conservation areas, among other findings.

It was also noted that most of the open space in Hull is owned by the town (33%) or the Department of Conservation and Recreation (48%) and that the town is “grappling with a low tree canopy cover.”

Enhancing tree canopy has rewards

Benefits of enhancing the tree canopy relate to increased resilience to heat and floods, better air quality, and public health,” St.-Louis explained.

Hull’s open space and recreation plan was completed in 2019. The town has made investments in community recreation in the past five years, with a significant amount of funding coming from the town’s Community Preservation Act proceeds.

The MAPC presentation also mentioned the importance of meeting the needs of Hull’s growing senior population, including considering the expansion of the senior center’s exercise programs, exploring the possibility of a small fitness center within the existing facility, and creating “walkable and accessible outdoor spaces, i.e. age-friendly seating and exercise equipment.”

Of Hull’s 5,733 housing units, only 1.66% qualify toward the state’s required 10% affordable housing inventory, with minimal recent housing production in the town, MAPC regional housing planner Emma Yudelevitch said.

Forty-five percent of Hull’s housing stock was built before World War II, with less than 8% of housing production occurring in the 21st century.

Housing needs don’t match the supply

It was also noted that Hull’s housing needs don’t match the housing supply and that there’s “a growing wealth gap between renters and owners,” with a median household income of $127,112. To make matters more challenging, housing costs have increased significantly in recent years.

“It’s becoming difficult for Hull’s seniors to age in place,” Yudelevitch said. Forty-two percent of Hull’s households are occupied by seniors, while only about 16% of Hull’s households have children.

There’s also a lack of diversity in housing types. Seventy-three percent of Hull’s homes are detached single-family houses, 20% are multi-family, and 12% are smaller housing types, including studio and one-bedroom units.

Hull has the second-highest share of single-family homes from among context communities – which include Hingham, Ipswich, Nahant, Rockport, and Winthrop – and one of the highest percentages of seasonal housing units, second only to Rockport. Of Hull’s 1,158 vacant housing units, 63% are designated as seasonal.

Another sobering fact is that Hull residents are paying more than they can afford on housing costs, with one-third of the households paying more than 30% of their income on housing, which indicates a need for more affordable housing.

Moving forward

“For me, it’s a matter of what do we do now going forward,” said steering committee member Katie Barclay, chair of the affordable housing committee. “I feel like we’re all scratching the surface for ideas.”

Yudelevitch said she’s looking forward to working with the town to come up with affordable housing strategies that are uniquely suited to Hull.

MAPC staff also provided an update on the master plan visioning survey, including how many citizens have participated so far and related demographics.

Target populations include year-round and summer residents, lower-income households, youth, seniors, and the LGBTQ+ community. High school students are also participating in response to their principal encouraging them to do so.

So far, there have been 562 responses to the survey, as compared with 2,804 voters in the 2025 town election and 318 participants in this year’s annual town meeting.

“We’re trying to reach as many people as possible,” MAPC regional land use planner Jiwon Park said.

The deadline to respond is Sunday, November 2. To take the survey, visit https://mapc.ma/hull-MP-vision.

During the December 8 meeting, MAPC will share an initial analysis of survey responses.

The next steering committee meeting is November 17.

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In the Sport-light: Roundup of news from Hull's wide world of sports

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LOTS TO CHEER ABOUT: Last weekend’s game against Upper Cape was the final home game of the season for the players and cheerleaders of the Hull Youth Football Association. These eighth graders will be moving up to the high school level next year. [Courtesy photo]

Compiled by Matt Haraden

• Girls 5/6 Soccer secured an impressive 4-1 home victory against Plymouth on Saturday, October 18. Willa Britton scored two goals, with Magnolia Harbin and Scarlett Riley scoring the other two. This was Riley’s first goal of the season. The defense was formidable, holding Plymouth to almost no shots on goal for the entire game. Forwards and midfielders controlled the pace, consistently moving the ball downfield. This offensive pressure created numerous scoring opportunities and was the key to securing the win.

• The Boys 5/6 Soccer Team lost to Marshfield by a score of 4-1 at home. Liam Palermo scored Hull’s only goal off of a corner kick from Andy Michaelides. Braedyn O'Hare and Silas Van Slyke did great at defensive positions. Zachary Shea and Ethan Munzert also put in a great effort on offense. The 1-5 team’s next game will be Saturday, October 25 at Carver Elementary School at 11 a.m.

• Travel soccer teams play at the high school field on Saturday – Girls 3/4 vs. Kingston at 12:30 p.m., Boys 3/4 (Duran) vs. Kingston at 2 p.m., and Boys 7/8 vs. Hanover at 3:30 p.m. Best wishes to the teams playing on the road – Girls 5/6, Boys 3/4 (Bilodeau), and Boys 5/6.

• This weekend’s matchups are Hull Youth Soccer’s last for the fall in-town season. Players are welcome to wear costumes, but anything worn during the game needs to allow players to run and play safely, including wearing shin guards underneath the costume. Games are on Saturdays at the Dust Bowl field in Hull Village – Guppies (coed): 9-10 a.m.; Kindergarten (coed) and Girls Grades 1 & 2: 10-11 a.m.; Boys Grades 1 & 2: 11 a.m. to noon.

• The Hull High Pirates Varsity Football lost its third game in a row on Friday, falling to Cape Cod Regional Technical High School in Harwich, 12-7. The 2-5 Pirates head to the Cape again this Friday, October 24, playing Mashpee under the lights at 7 p.m. This will be the second-to-last game of the season, with the team on a break until the Thanksgiving Day game at home against rival Cohasset. Kickoff will be at 10 a.m.

• Hull High boys varsity soccer lost its last two games, falling to Cohasset, 1-0, on Thursday, and to Mashpee, 1-0, on Monday. The 2-11-2 Pirates play their next three games on the road – at Holbrook on Thursday, October 23 at 3:30 p.m., at West Bridgewater on Saturday, October 25 at 1 p.m., and at Abington on Monday, October 27 at 4 p.m.

• Hull High girls varsity soccer celebrates EM20 Night on October 24 against Pembroke, a fundraiser for the Emma Ryan Memorial Fund. JV plays at 4 p.m., and varsity takes the field at 5:30 p.m. Senior Night – honoring Montana Alibrandi, Emily Irby, Hannah Pearson, Abby Jeffries-Ranger, and student manager Sofia Provost – will be on Monday, October 27 vs. Abington at 5:30 p.m. (JV at 4 p.m.). The 7-5-2 squad won its last two games, beating Mashpee, 9-2, on the road on Tuesday and Southeast Regional Vocational-Technical High School, 4-0, on Wednesday.

• Hull Youth Football action continues this Sunday, October 26 with a away games against Abington. Mites (C Squad) will play at 10 a.m.; Midgets (A Squad) will pay at 11:30 a.m.; and PeeWees (B Squad) will play at 1 p.m.

• Hull Pirates Youth Basketball is now accepting registrations for its travel program, supporting boys and girls in grades 3-8. The season begins in late November, and registration will close on October 31. Families are encouraged to register players as soon as possible at https://hullbasketball.leagueapps.com. 

• Springfield College junior defensive lineman Tyler Sordillo, a 2023 graduate of Hull High, has earned multiple honors for his skills on the field. Sordillo been named the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Football Defensive Athlete of the Week for the second time this season. He anchored the Springfield defense in a 24-10 NEWMAC victory at WPI on Friday, October 17. Sordillo was a disruptive force up front, recording four tackles, three sacks, a forced fumble, and a quarterback hurry to help Springfield remain unbeaten in conference play. His relentless pressure consistently collapsed the pocket and set the tone for a defensive unit that limited WPI to just 10 points in the road win. The second honor Sordillo received was being named to the D3football.com National Team of the Week.

• Coaches, league organizers, and superfans – We need your help to report the scores and results of the latest events in Hull’s sports world! Please send local sports news and photos to sports@hulltimes.com. Deadline is Wednesday at noon. When providing details of the games or races, please be sure to include the sport/team, the players’ full names, and the final scores. When sending photos, names of those pictured are greatly appreciated, as well as who should get credit for taking the photo.

Thank you for your help!

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