Vol. 3, No. 5
March 18, 2003
Contents
1) HELP MAKE SOMERVILLE MORE WALKABLE - FREE WORKSHOP!
What
The Boston Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is hosting eight workshops in the
region on making communities more "walkable" - and Somerville has been selected as a site for
one of these workshops. Sponsored by the National Center for Bicycling and Walking, this half-day course is geared to interested residents, to professionals in planning, engineering, law
enforcement and education, and to elected officials. The event will feature "a dynamic,
informative presentation by national experts, including a visit to a specific site in the community
to view pedestrians in action."
Where, When, and How
The Somerville site where pedestrians are to be 'viewed in action' will be Union Square, as the
workshop location is the beautiful new Community Room at the Family Center, 366 Somerville
Avenue. The workshop will be held on Friday, March 28, 2003, from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.
There is no cost to attend, but registration is required: to register, e.mail walkable@ctps.org or
telephone (617) 973-7097.
2) WARD 3 MEETING ON PUBLIC EDUCATION
On Thursday, April 3, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Ward 3 School Committee person Roberta
Bauer, and parent/activists Joel Nitzberg and Martha Friend will be hosting a public discussion
of people's "goals and needs" for Somerville's schools. This meeting will be held in the
auditorium of the Somerville Public Library on Highland Avenue.
"The meeting has been called to provide Ward 3 residents with an opportunity to share their
ideas and hopes for the schools and education in Somerville. With the backdrop of budget cuts
and major decisions being made in the city, come talk about what is working, what might be
different, and what you want for your child(ren). Let your voice be heard."
This event is a potluck; please bring a snack or drink. "People who do not live in Ward 3 will
not be turned away." For more information, call Joel Nitzberg at (617) 627-9003, or e.mail him at
jnitzberg@masspip.org
3) TRAFFIC COMMISSION TO MEET AND DISCUSS 48-HOUR PARKING LIMIT
The Meeting
The Somerville Traffic Commission will have a public meeting on Wednesday, March 19, 2003,
at 6:00 p.m., at 133 Holland Street, to discuss the city's 48-hour limit for parking a vehicle on
the city's public ways, among other agenda items. Call the Commission at (617) 625-6600,
extension 7922 to find out if public testimony will be taken; I will be unable to attend, but will
try to send a letter conveying the concerns of constituents that the limit is too short.
The Board of Aldermen's Response
Because of a high volume of complaints from constituents, I put before the Board of Aldermen
at its Feb. 27, 2003 meeting a proposed Board Order asking the Traffic Commission to revisit
the 48-hour parking limit. To my surprise, this proposal became the most controversial item on
that night's agenda, with at least three aldermen voting against even asking the Traffic
Commission to consider the item. Several aldermen spoke vehemently in favor of the rule.
My position is that reasonable people can differ as to what is the maximum amount of time that
a vehicle should sit unmoved in a public street. I think it makes a difference whether the vehicle
is registered at an address in the neighborhood. When the Police Department determines when
to tow a vehicle that has exceeded its time limit, neighbors are allowed to linger longer, but this
factor isn't considered when ticketing.
The Police Department's Point of View
After the Feb. 27 Board meeting, Lt. Paul Upton of the Somerville Police Department
telephoned me to talk about the public safety and law enforcement aspects of this issue. He
justified more diligent ticketing of overparked cars after snowstorms. He said that cars, which
remain uncleared, encourage the formation of ice banks, which can be a serious obstruction to
emergency vehicles.
He also stated that it was unfair to monopolize spaces in the public ways with one's vehicle; that
one should regularly move it, and "give someone else a shot at that space." According to this
way of thinking, 'reserving' a space with your car is no different than doing so with a chair or
trash barrel. (I wonder - are tickets given for this practice?) Lt. Upton states that almost all
excess of time limit tickets are given because of telephoned complaints from others in the
neighborhood: "we get hundreds of complaints like that, but no one ever calls to complain that
the 48 hour limit is unfair."
Some Practical Suggestions
In talking with Lt. Upton, and thinking about the problem, I have come up with a few words
of advice for those who are disobliged by the 48-hour parking limit:
A) Go to the Traffic Commission meeting and put your opinions on the record - and cc: the
police department.
B) Clear the snow off your car as soon as you can after a storm. It's good street courtesy, and
keeps your car from looking abandoned, and being an easy target for enforcement. Ask a friend
to help out if you're sick or out of town.
C) GET TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS. You might find that there are, perhaps, some older
folk who don't use their driveways, and who might make an arrangement in exchange for
clearing snow, or other help. Plus, neighbors who know you, and know that a particular car
belongs to you, are probably less likely to call the police and complain.
4) CITIZEN POLICE ACADEMY FORMING IN MARCH
On another law enforcement note, I'm informed that the Somerville Police Department is
sponsoring a Citizen Police Academy, beginning Tuesday, March 25, 2003. This ten-week
course that will be held every Tuesday in the police academy from 6:00 until 9:00 p.m. "This
will be a great opportunity for residents to interact with their police officers and learn of the
challenges that Somerville Police Officers face in today's society."
If you are interested, contact Lt. Michael Cabral at (617) 625-1600 ext. 7275, or
mcabral@police.somerville.ma.us
Applications are also available on the city's web site.
5) MORE ON LAW ENFORCEMENT, GANGS, AND LOITERING
There has not yet been any word of when the state legislature might be holding a public hearing
on Somerville's Home Rule Petition to create a Gang Loitering Ordinance. At the present time,
however, section 12-11 of the Somerville Code of Ordinances provides that:
"No person shall saunter or loiter for more than five minutes upon a sidewalk in any street after
being directed by a police officer to move on, nor shall any person willfully or negligently
obstruct the free passage of foot travelers on such sidewalk, nor shall any person congregate
with others and loaf upon any such sidewalk or in any street or other public place of the city."
This ordinance has been on the books since at least 1963. The proposed Gang Loitering
Ordinance would only be applicable to certain designated areas of the city - what I think of as
its "redlining" feature. It is only enforceable against individuals who loiter in the company of
one or more members of a tortuously defined "criminal street gang."
Is the proposed ordinance really a better tool against unlawful conduct than the existing
ordinance?
6) FEBRUARY 21 READER'S QUIZ ANSWER
Here was an example of the limits of google searches for quotations - though I did not expect
it to turn out that way. I had asked for the individual who made this remark, and in what
context:
"The voice of the people is not always the voice of God. When selfish political speakers succeed
in arousing public prejudice and stilling the voice of reason... the voice of the people then
becomes the hiss of mobs."
Several readers found this quotation embedded, unattributed, in a speech of Teddy Roosevelt's.
One reader said that he had heard Bill Shelton make this statement at a Planning Board meeting,
but he may have had his tongue in cheek when he sent this message. None of the google quotes
databases made reference to the original source, Sam Houston, the first governor of Texas.
Houston's remarks reflected upon his impeachment from that office, in 1861. Houston was
opposed to having Texas secede from the U.S.A. and join the Confederate States of America;
the people of Texas got themselves a governor who would. Houston died in 1863.
copyright 2003 Denise Provost
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