Hmm. A few years back when I lived on Highland, I seem to recall a variance for a building project proposal near my home going to the aldermen after the zoning board of appeals basically ignored the concerns of everyone involved, both builders and neighbors alike. So I'm not sure you're correct that the aldermen don't ever vote on such things.
My experience at the time with that other project was that the bureaucrats involved had basically made up their minds in advance; one of them even told me outright, before public comment began, what the decision was going to be and what their criteria were, and it had nothing to do with anything either the builder or the neighbors cared about. (Specifically, I was told that if it had a brick facade it would be approved, and if not it would not, and that the board did not care about the size or parking concerns likely to be raised by the neighbors.) So, I have no trust of the zoning boards in this town to listen to anything anyone says in public comment.
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Date: 2009-03-04 12:08 am (UTC)My experience at the time with that other project was that the bureaucrats involved had basically made up their minds in advance; one of them even told me outright, before public comment began, what the decision was going to be and what their criteria were, and it had nothing to do with anything either the builder or the neighbors cared about. (Specifically, I was told that if it had a brick facade it would be approved, and if not it would not, and that the board did not care about the size or parking concerns likely to be raised by the neighbors.) So, I have no trust of the zoning boards in this town to listen to anything anyone says in public comment.