Vol. 4, No. 8
April 26, 2004
Contents
1) ASSEMBLY SQUARE ZONING ADOPTED
On Thursday April 22, the Board of Aldermen voted 8 to 3 to adopt the March 1, 2004, zoning
proposal promoted by the administration. This vote served to ratify two previously signed
covenants between developers and the mayor, contracts which set forth development agreements.
Copies of the covenants were distributed to the Board during its discussion of the zoning.
I proposed six amendments to the 45 page zoning document. Only one of these was approved
by the city's team of consulting attorneys, and this one was adopted by the Board of Aldermen.
Regarding the other five proposed changes, the city's consultants typically said that the changes
could be considered "material" by the developers.
The Assembly Square Limited Partnership is expected to apply very shortly for building permits
to locate five new retail tenants in the mall structure. K-Mart will stay, Building 19 will likely
depart. I may know more of the details once I have the opportunity to read the covenants.
2) PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED 2 A.M. CLOSINGS
The Somerville Licensing Commission, at its regular meeting on Monday, April 26, 2004, will
take testimony on petitions to extend closing hours until 2:00 a.m. for the following
establishments: The Independent and Toast, both in Union Square; P J Ryan's, in Teele Square;
Johnny D's, in Davis Square; and Good Times Billiards, in Assembly Square. The meeting will
be held at 6:00 p.m. in the Academy Room of the Public Safety Building in Union Square, 220
Washington Street. For questions, contact Joanne Burke at 617-625-6600,or
jburke@ci.somerville.ma.us
3) PUBLIC MEETING ON PROPOSED GANG ORDINANCE
The Committee on Legislative Matters of the Somerville Board of Aldermen will be meeting this
Tuesday evening to discuss the proposed prohibition of "gang loitering" in designated areas of
the city. While not a public hearing, the April 27 meeting will be open to the public, and
Committee Chair Tom Taylor has indicated that he will entertain public questions and comment
at the end of the meeting, which starts at 7:00 p.m., in the Committee Room on the second floor
of City Hall.
4) "CHAMPIONS" PERFORM IN DAVIS SQUARE
If I were free to do as I pleased on Tuesday evening, I would stroll into Davis Square to hear
a musical group from the other side of the world. The "Champions of the World" are a sextet
of young women from Lomonosov, Russia (near St. Petersburg), who sing a capella renditions
of popular songs from around the world. I've never heard this group, but would love to be there
for their one night only performance, Tuesday April 27, at 8:30 p.m., at Johnny D's. There is
an $8 cover charge.
This notice should not be construed as any sort of endorsement of Johnny D's petition for a 2
a.m. closing. Johnny D's is simply the venue where this performance happens to be.
5) STOP & SHOP SEEKS "MAJOR AMENDMENTS"
The Planning Board will hold a public hearing on Thursday May 6, at 6:00 p.m. in the
Aldermen's Chambers on proposed Major Amendments to Stop & Shop's previously approved
plans to develop an enormous supermarket at 775 McGrath Highway, at the intersection with
Mystic Avenue and opposite Foss Park. The proposed amendments "include both on-site and off-site changes to traffic and parking patterns, changes to building design, and landscaping."
The original design for this project was horrible, turning residential streets into access roads,
and fronting a major roadway with the blank back of a large building. Design sensitive to the
site could help humanize Route 28, and potentially make Foss Park a safer place. I have not seen
the specific plan changes proposed, but will be advocating for real improvements at this
important location.
copyright 2004 Denise Provost
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