Please help! Petition to stop subdivision of One Benton Road property.

[lslapiko.livejournal.com]

At this point we have collected over 60 letters from neighbors supporting our efforts to prevent the subdivision of One Benton Road (see details below). Your signature on our petition will help show the Zoning Board of Appeals that Somerville residents do not support the project. Thanks!

http://www.change.org/petitions/please-help-stop-the-subdivision-of-one-benton-road

MLM Realty Trust was denied permission to subdivide the land at One Benton Road by the Somerville Office of Strategic Development and Planning Board. They are appealing this decision to the Somerville Zoning Board of Appeals without having addressed any of the concerns that caused the initial decision. (more after cut)



One Benton Road was built in the mid-19th century and contained a number of unique architectural details, most notably the large stained glass window in the back of the house, all of which were dismantled and sold by MLM during their renovation of the house. Additionally, the lot was the site of the last significant area of green space in the neighborhood, characterized by a rolling grassy hill with a pink blooming cherry tree in the spring. That landscape feature was completely eradicated when MLM put in a driveway.

One Benton Road is a single lot, and based on MLM's approach to renovating the original structure, without regard to the wishes of Somerville residents and Aldermen, and without cooperation with the Historic Preservation Society, there is no reason to expect that further subdivision and construction on the land will be an improvement.

For almost a year and despite significantly dropping the price, MLM has not been able to sell the third unit in the existing structure. There is no reason to expect that further building in a space designed for one home will be attractive to prospective buyers.

Comments

[lslapiko.livejournal.com]

1. The ZBA meeting has been rescheduled for March 14

2. Yes, I will continue posting this weekly, as not all people will have seen it before and we are seeking community support for our position

3. If you read the actual petition, you will see that there are more issues at stake than the ones mentioned in the brief summary above

moderator's opinion

[ron_newman]

Weekly posts really are too frequent unless there is new information to report (such as the changed hearing date)

Another mod's opinion

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

You're crossing the line into spam here and it is highly inappropriate. 1 Benton Road isn't even Davis Square, and while we encourage extended community here, you are taking it too far. I will totally support removing the next update if it's too soon. A reminder in March about the ZBA meeting would be fine.

Spamming the community does *not* help.

Re: Another mod's opinion

[ward2.livejournal.com]

I agree with the fact that a weekly re-post is unnecessary and obnoxious without new information. I think the poster can (and should) let the community know if the decision is moved in case there are people who plan to attend the meeting.

That being said, I strongly agree with the Original Poster's position on the issue, and the Planning Board's decision denying the application.

For those who don't know, the Planning Board and Zoning Board are two separate entities (as someone has already mentioned). In many cases, the Planning Board acts as in advisory capacity to the ZBA, who makes the final decision. In other instances (such as 1 Benton Rd), the Planning Board WAS the final arbiter. It took a lawsuit by the developer to bring it before the ZBA before it goes to court.

I vehemently disagree with Bombardiette's assessment of this property or any other property in the city. Yes, the property belongs to MLM. Yes, there are some things they can do to the property without asking anyone's permission (such as ripping out the guts of the house and converting it to condos). The subdivision was not one of them.

The law requires that they needed permission. They were denied permission. They are sulking. Unique properties such as this should be preserved in a city with too few examples of large lots and beautiful architecture (I wonder if Bombardiette would like a 40-unit building going in next to her house).

This isn't a "Davis Square" issue. This is a Somerville issue, and one that will certainly make it to Davis Square in the future (what if someone wants to throw an apartment building on the empty lot on the corner of Grove and Morrison? You will all be up in arms). And for those who want to limit concerns to Davis Square only, please also complain about the farmers' market at the Armory or East Somerville Main Streets posting here.

Re: Another mod's opinion

[noisybeacon.livejournal.com]

Hark I hear a voice of reason! Someone who gets it. Thank you very much!

Re: Another mod's opinion

[ron_newman]

I'm fine with the discussion topic, just not the weekly reposts. When the next public hearing comes closer, a reminder post would be in order.

Re: Another mod's opinion

[lslapiko.livejournal.com]

Thanks for your support.

As for the rest of you, I'm sure it's not very politic to say so, but you make me sick. Your nastiness and attacks on someone who is simply trying to help protect Somerville from profit-minded corporations seeking to chop it up into tiny pieces and sell them to the highest bidders are incomprehensible to me. Keep up the good work defending developers' rights to overcrowd the city with unaffordable and substandard condo units. I'm sure MLM appreciates your sentiments and efforts on their behalf.

I will no longer be posting here about this issue or anything else. I have no interest in playing games with internet trolls.

Go to hell.

Re: Another mod's opinion

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

I don't disagree with anything you've said, except for the hyperbole of the last paragraph. The problem is not the cause itself, the problem is how this poster is promoting the cause. My note about it not even being in Davis Square was because that makes the too-frequent postings even less appropriate. How often have you seen the Armory post here, despite events that happen every week?

As I said, we encourage the extended community here. We do not encourage spammer-like behavior, and we've dealt similarly in the past when people or groups overposted. Unlike this poster, though, they chose to modify their behavior to abide by community guidelines rather than flounce off, which tells you something.

Re: Another mod's opinion

[ron_newman]

I don't know what brought forth "you make me sick" from the OP, because all I did was ask that she post less frequently and that she include new information such as the changed hearing date. I didn't attack anyone, I don't think I was nasty, and I never defended the developer.

(the only reason I'm not posting this as a direct reply to her is that she deleted her LJ account and therefore won't ever be notified of the reply)