Vol. 4, No. 1
January 4, 2004
Contents
1) THANKS FOR ELECTION HELP - AND AN INVITATION
You put signs in your yards, came to 'stand outs,' handed out leaflets. You donated money to
my campaign fund, made telephone calls, sent "dear friend' cards. Your energy, generosity, and
enthusiasm inspired me to run a strong and positive campaign, with a most satisfactory outcome. Thank you for all you have done.
You are most cordially invited to attend the events accompanying this year's establishment of
city government on Monday, January 5, 2004. First, there will be an organizational meeting for
the Board of Aldermen and School Committee. This short, scripted ceremony will be held in the
Aldermen's Chambers at 5:30 p.m., and the oaths of office will be administered to the incoming
officers, including myself as President of the Board.
Then, at 7:00 p.m., the Inauguration ceremony will take place in the Somerville High School
Auditorium. It should adjourn no later than 8:30 p.m. There will be a reception afterwards in
the Somerville High School Field House.
I will be delighted to see any of you who can attend all or some of these events.
2) STATUS REPORT ON PROPOSED ASSEMBLY SQUARE ZONING
The December 23 Hearing, and its Outcome
On Tuesday, December 23, 2003, hundreds of people crowded City Hall for the public hearing
on the new zoning that Mayor-elect Curtatone has proposed for Assembly Square. By my
unofficial count, 64 people testified at the hearing, not including the city's consulting attorney,
Mark Bobrowski. Professor Bobrowski testified that, in order to pass legal muster, the zoning
would have to be amended to allow for appeal of zoning decisions by "any aggrieved person."
The proposed ordinance presently allows for appeal by "an applicant (and only an applicant)
[who] is aggrieved." An "applicant," in this case, would be someone applying for a permit to
build, a landowner or developer working on the landowner's behalf. This 'limitation on appeals'
feature is an important part of the regulatory scheme embodied in the proposed zoning, and one
for which the development community has been advocating strongly.
According to my notes, 13 of those people testifying were in favor of the proposed zoning,
including three individuals employed by landowner/developers, and three individuals associated
with the Somerville Chamber of Commerce. Fifty-one people testified against the proposed
zoning, including representatives of the Somerville Conservation Commission, and the
Commission on Energy Use and Climate Change. The hearing itself ran for four hours, was
broadcast live on city cable, and was videotaped, so there is a complete record of the
proceedings.
Although the Planning Board Chairman stated at one point during the hearing that his Board
would vote on the zoning that evening, the Planning Board ultimately did not vote that night,
or since. State law allows the Board of Aldermen to vote on a zoning proposal 21 days after the
close of the public hearing, or once the Planning Board has issued its report and
recommendations, whichever happens sooner. Without a vote of the Planning Board, the Board
of Aldermen could not vote on the zoning, and its special meetings, scheduled for December 26
and January 2, were cancelled.
The December 29 Planning Board Meeting
Not quite a week after the public hearing, the Planning Board met to discuss, but not to vote on,
the proposed zoning. Board members asked City Solicitor Lisa Mead and outgoing Office of
Housing and Community Development (OHCD) Director Steve Post a number of questions about
the proposed zoning and its anticipated effects. The Planning Board's discussion suggested to
me that the Board is not totally reconciled to the prospect of relinquishing its Special Permit
process in favor of the weaker Site Plan Review process embodied in the new zoning.
It also seemed that the Planning Board was less than fully comfortable with the relatively vague
criteria given them for final action on a project, with the controversial appeal section, and with
the proposed discontinuation of the Waterfront Overlay District. A wide-ranging and thoughtful
discussion took place among Board members and other city staff. At one point, Planning Board
member Linda Bohan remarked, "We're all frustrated - but do we want just anything? I don't.
I hate what they did over in Everett." Later in evening, she observed, "We need somebody to
help us."
What Next?
Planning Board
Steve Post promised to put his staff to work on the zoning in order to get the Planning Board
the information it hopes to have before voting. That Board expects to vote at its Thursday,
January 8 meeting, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in the OHCD conference room on the third floor
of City Hall. Since the Board of Aldermen is meeting that same night at 7:00, I will be unable
to attend the Planning Board's meeting.
Board of Aldermen
As soon as the Planning Board issues its report, it becomes technically possible for the Board
of Aldermen to vote. If the Planning Board recommends amendments to the proposed zoning,
I think it more likely that the matter will go back to committee for deliberations than be passed
by the Board of Aldermen that same night. My guess is that there will be more work done in
committee, particularly if the Planning Board makes extensive recommendations.
What we Still Want to Know
I am very grateful to everyone who took the time over the holidays to testify at the hearing, to
telephone me, and to write to me about your views. I always learn a great deal from this kind
of public process. One of the things that strikes me about this zoning, and about Assembly
Square issues in general, is the number of questions people have which remain unanswered.
Some of those questions can be answered - albeit, not easily - by reading the 30-odd pages of
the proposed zoning itself. It can be viewed at the City Clerk's office on the first floor of City
Hall, or the OHCD office on the third floor, during regular City Hall business hours. It is posted on the
city's web site, along
with the Planning Board report, once that becomes available.
As far as other kinds of questions, I'd like to start an inventory. So, please, let me know what
you most want to know about the development potential of Assembly Square. I want to assemble
- no pun intended, really - a collection of the essential questions that need to be answered, and
try to get the best, official, on-the-record answers possible.
3) CELEBRATE MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY!
The Somerville Human Rights Commission is holding the annual Martin Luther King, Jr.
Celebration on Monday, January 19th from 10 a.m. until noon in the Auditorium at the East
Somerville Community School.
The focus is very much on Somerville. Yve-Rose Saint Dic and Carolina Contreras will be
featured speakers. Yve-Rose has served Somerville as the Director of the Human Rights
Commission, as a community activist, and a board member of the Haitian Coalition. She is
currently the Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action at Tufts
University. Carolina Contreras is a student at Somerville High School, a strong activist, a
member of TADA (Teens Against Dating Abuse) and a member of Jovenes Latinos.
A long time Somerville activist will receive an individual recognition award and a
Somerville non-profit founded and continuing to work for racial equity and immigrant and low
income family support will receive the organization award. Expect the music to be as wonderful
as last year. Food will be provided as well as childcare and interpreter services.
Any questions? Contact Alex Pirie the coordinator for the event: 617-776-5931 x243
copyright 2004 Denise Provost
This file has been converted from WordPerfect
Using wp2html.exe by Andrew Scriven