Comments on: Residents’ group aims for zoning changes

By: David Dahlbacka

David Dahlbacka — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 21:50:39 +0000

There are a couple of reasons why I find unappealing the proposal to make the BOA the special permit granting authority.

One is that the Aldermen simply don’t have the time or expertise to make fact-based decisions. The work part time and don’t have staff of their own, so they will have to lean entirely on the planning staff. How is that an improvement on the current situation?

Another is that making the BOA the special permit granting authority legitimizes the politicization of zoning decisions. Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals decisions are supposed to be fact based and professional. If in fact developers can bypass the process by going to politicians and getting them to pull strings, we aren’t fixing that by changing which politicians developers have to go to.

If we don’t think that zoning decisions are being made competently, we should propose better candidates to the Mayor and the BOA Committee on Confirmation of Appointments and push hard for them. After all, the Mayor has to run for election just as much as the Aldermen do.

By: Jeff Levine

Jeff Levine — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 00:00:04 +0000

I remember that proposal. If I remember correctly it was only done as a way of making the Mayor pay attention – he didn’t really want to have to be responsible for zoning review.

By: Courtney O'Keefe of Ward5Online.Com

Courtney O'Keefe of Ward5Online.Com — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 20:40:46 +0000

I think SomeSense is trying to link the responsibility of making proper zoning decisions with the reliability of being re-elected year after year. It’s not a bad strategy, but if you take the opposite approach, I don’t think someone should be campaigned for because a developer needs their vote. Nor, because someone is trying to stop a development from happening. Basically, I don’t want zoning issues/questions to be someone’s sole campaigning platform.

Funny thing is, Alderman Bill White proposed 10 years ago that the BOA take on the zoning responsibility of Assembly Square. I’ve always thought him to be one of the most level-headed members of the BOA.

By: Janine D.

Janine D. — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:32:58 +0000

I agree with you, Jeff. I would never trust the BOA with handling zoning issues.

By: Jeff Levine

Jeff Levine — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:02:30 +0000

As someone with some experience in the zoning process, I personally would never want to see a directly elected body like the Board of Aldermen be responsible for enforcing and interpreting the zoning ordinance. The ZBA may not be perfect, but they are not directly affected by the next election cycle. Citizens should focus on making sure that ZBA appointments are made on merit rather than patronage, not on changing that part of the system.

Activists should concentrate on making sure that beneficial interests in projects are clearly stated, not in giving quasi-judicial power to a legislative body.

If anyone wants to see an example of how it works (or doesn’t) to have zoning power with a Board of Aldermen, check out how it works in Newton.