Help with a Development mis-justice

[lentower.livejournal.com]

Update: The ZBA denied the Special Permit.

See my comment below.


My neighborhood still needs a favor.

I'm reposting this for two reasons:

• In December, the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) postponed public testimony until January.
  
• People who were busy with the holidays in December, may now have time to help us.
  

Could you please forward this on to anyone who might come and support my neighborhood? And help tell developers that they have to play by the rules in Somerville!

Thank you either way. -len tower

Please write a letter to the ZBA saying you are opposed to the granting of any special permits for 1-4 Hayden Terrace.

Richard Daley, Chairman,
Zoning Board of Appeals,
Somerville City Hall,
93 Highland Avenue,
Somerville, MA 02143

If you don't have the time to US Mail a letter, please send an email to zba@ci.somerville.ma.us. But a written letter is more effective. It's OK to do both. You have another week or so to do so.

Just stating your opposition is enough, though it you can add a few reasons that would make your letter even more effective. You can find possible reasons at the web sight.

If you are free you can also come and speak at the public hearing at Wednesday, January 17, 2006, 6 PM, at Somerville City Hall, on Highland Avenue at School Street.

The web sight is at http://www.haydenterrace.com/ with all the reasons why these special permits should not be granted! And pictures and maps!

You are welcome to come by and look at the development in question.

A list of other recent inappropriate developments in Somerville is at http://www.provost-citywide.org/what.html#H3

There is also another one in my neighborhood at 7 Carver Street, off Porter Street between Elm and Summer Streets, that will be before the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals soon.

One more thing to do is to call the Somerville Journal's Speakout phone line at 671-776-9844 and comment on the article that George Vroom got started and
is quoted in. It is at

http://www.townonline.com/somerville/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=565347&format=text

When I've done this in the past, they made the headline out of the first few works. I know suggest a headline at the start of my Speakout.

A developer has illegally added a 3rd story and gable roof to 1-4 Hayden Terrace, off Linden Avenue. We want the building returned to just 2 stories. It's 45 feet behind my yard, and is blocking light/air/views for me and many homes around it. It has added a lot of traffic and parking congestion when it's occupied. He played tricks with the permits and a building department inspector, so no one knew he was doing more then interior rehab, and then used pre-built trusses, etc to put up, in less then two weeks, a third floor with a gable roof on a building that had been two stories with a flat roof. The gable roof was framed in under a day.

Come by Hayden Terrace and look at the monster. Also go uphill on Linden Avenue two houses and walk up Gussie Terrace to see the side and back of the monster. You'll see why the neighbors are upset. Even people 3 and 4 houses up the hill. Even people 3 or 4 blocks away, e.g. on Brastow Ave. A loss of parking, privacy, air circulation, and views. There is no parking on that lot. The spaces and garages on Hayden Terrace belong to the two houses on Linden Avenue.

Might you be interested in helping us fight it by coming to a hearing? Just attendance would help. Attendance and signing in helps more. Attendance, signing in, and speaking your opposition would be the best.

Please forward this on to anyone who lives in Somerville, you think might be interested in coming to the hearing and asking that the building be stopped.

Thank you either way. -len tower

Comments

[anomie666.livejournal.com]

Why are you spamming the davis square community for something that is a private issue between you and your neighbors???

I got into a fight with my girlfriend last night, but I'm not posting to Davis Square with her email address so everyone can tell her what a bitch she is being.

Has city wide implications

[lentower.livejournal.com]

I don't view it as spam, or as a private matter. If I had, I wouldn't have posted it.

Over and/or inappropriate development lowers the quality of life for all of us in Somerville.

Helping fight it, improves the City for all of us.

best -len

[en-ki.livejournal.com]

A systematic problem has citywide indications. You haven't done any work to document one (at least not here); you're just airing your own particular problem.

[two-stabs.livejournal.com]

Did you read what you wrote?

[en-ki.livejournal.com]

Eh, it was late. "systemic", "implications".

other over and/or inappropriate developments

[lentower.livejournal.com]

A list of other recent inappropriate developments in Somerville is at http://www.provost-citywide.org/what.html#H3

Some of these are still active and could use more community support.

There is also another one in my neighborhood at 7 Carver Street, off
Porter Street between Elm and Summer Streets, that will be before the
Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals soon.

best -len

[en-ki.livejournal.com]

Thanks a lot, that's definitely of interest.

Denise Provost's web sight

[lentower.livejournal.com]

All of http://www.provost-citywide.org/what.html
let alone the rest of Denise Provost's web sight is so much better at telling one what is really happening in the City, then the City's web sight, or the Somerville Journal, or Somerville News.

With Denise becoming a State Rep, it's not clear how well maintained it will be.

best -len

[magpiefirefly.livejournal.com]

I second that.

[anomie666.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

[obra.livejournal.com]

Len,

This feels really inappropriate for this forum. It felt that way when you posted substantially the same missive last month, too. Your repeated spamming of the community doesn't do your cause much good. Please make it go away.

(http://community.livejournal.com/davis_square/731907.html)

[unbelman.livejournal.com]

I don't find it off topic at all. I'm glad to have been made aware of the situation. I think there is a personal gripe, but who wouldn't? You don't want this to happen next to you , do you? and if this one is prevented, then future careless development will be prevented.

[two-stabs.livejournal.com]

Fight the good fight, man.

[cleanup-davissq.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Len, best of luck with this. Post back about how the court case goes. Developers that allegedly pull a fast one and break the law/zoning should have to answer to the law just like the rest of us.
I don't necessarily think you are spamming but I do think you should hide more of it behind the cut.

To those of you who think this is irrelevant, imagine what it would be like if you lived there. Of course some of those who rent don't care about the neighborhood.

[sly-salkie.livejournal.com]

We're all neighbors here. Whether I agree with you or not, this topic is far more important and relevant than those considered "not spam" by the people who have complained in the comments to this post. We can talk about silly things like the fillings of crepes, but it's really harsh to censure someone because they wish to preserve one of the last good places in the boston area.

[ron_newman]

I think what's getting a few people upset is that this appears to be the same message re-posted at intervals. What you (Len) need to explain is why the decision on this keeps getting postponed.

why this case keeps getting postponed

[lentower.livejournal.com]

The decision has been postponed since the end of September for a variety of reasons:

• Most of them due to the owners/developers trying to delay the process as long as possible.
  
• Various procedural reasons by both the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals. Most of them are due to both boards being extra careful because this case is in and will go back to Land Court, and both Boards have repeatedly needed to consult with the City Attorney before proceeding. The City Attorney has been attending the last few Board meetings, which has helped prevent all but one delay.
  

Details at the web sight http://www.haydenterrace.com/

thanks -len

Hayden Terrace

[tt02144.livejournal.com]

I don't think this is off-topic at all. Sometimes forums like this are the only way to reach all of the residents affected by these types of inappropriate development. The city does a lousy job of informing abutters, and doesn't stand up for abutters at the hearings. Everything is slanted toward the developer, so I give Len credit for trying to contact people who would be willing to speak up about this development. Watch how this plays out.....if the developer truly built something for which he didn't have the correct permits, then you'd think it would be an open and shut case......just watch and wait!

is this livejournal a community or not?

[lentower.livejournal.com]

Hi all,

• It is far more useful to do as Ron Newman did, and say why you think a posting is inappropriate, then to just complain. Ron: Thanks ! ! !
  
  Due to his comment, and some further thought on my part, I revised my posting that started this thread.
  
• I use to view this forum as an extended, online, neighborhood where we all got along and helped one another. Much like my neighborhood on and around Porter Street and Linden Avenue.
  
  I see now that some of you agree with me and some of you don't.
  
• I view this forum as being for those who live in or visit the western half of Somerville, not just the few blocks of commercials district about Davis Square. If there is a better forum for 02144, please post the URL, i.e. the http://... here.
  
• The useless complaints just tear online communities apart. Why should anyone want to take part in a community, when there is some much negativity?
  
• Thanks any or all of you who show up tonight, or write an email or letter in the next week.
  

thanks -len

Re: is this livejournal a community or not?

[artic-monkeys.livejournal.com]

Len, you are doing a great job!

Same thing happened to a friend of mine! http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=ma&vol=appslip/15726&invol=1

There is not telling how many new people either joined this forum or how many people this might of happened to since the last post. Not that it might of happened but it is important.

Way to keep an eye on em!

No special permit - back to court

[lentower.livejournal.com]

Several people asked me to post updates ...

The ZBA denied the owners of 1-4 Hayden Terrace their Special Permit for the second time last night. The vote was 3 for 2 against, but it needed a supermajority 4-1 to be approved...

Our portion of the hearing lasted over three and a half hours. There were 4 more cases to be heard when we left after 10pm. I wish they had been heard first.

The matter has a status hearing today in Land Court. Maybe then or sometime soon, there will be a summary judgment hearing. Then appeals. Then ??? It could all be back before the ZBA in two years.

thanks -len