Allston-Brighton Community Updates 02/14/2018 & More

16 views
Skip to first unread message

Anthony D'Isidoro

unread,
Feb 14, 2018, 7:53:53 PM2/14/18
to Anthony D'Isidoro

Attachment: Allston Brighton Community Updates 02/14/2018

Attachment: Student Housing Update


Tony D'Isidoro


AB Update 02-14-2018.pdf
Student Housing Update.pdf

Eva Webster

unread,
Feb 14, 2018, 11:44:55 PM2/14/18
to Cleveland-Cir...@googlegroups.com, Homeowners Union of Allston-Brighton, AllstonBrighton2006
On 2/14/18, 10:37 PM, "'Marcia Armstrong' via Cleveland Circle Community" <cleveland-cir...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Tony, 

Please note the that the comment period for 5 Washington St ends March 9 per the BPDA website. IAG and community meetings are after the date listed in the notes. 

Marcia – thanks for posting this correction!  When I saw those wrong dates (not just for 5 Washington) listed in the Update today, I could not help but think, “Oh no! Not again. Why disseminate wrong info? Just so others have to take time to correct it?”  (I’m frustrated, because it’s not the first time.)

Tony, I know you’re a very busy and do this as a volunteer, so I’m asking you as nicely as I can, please stop posting stuff that is misleading.  Your updates/newsletters are extremely valuable, and everyone is grateful to you for them — but they ought to be accurate, as well as user-friendly.

It would be best if the information was listed/grouped by specific categories, such as “Development Matters” (so all BPDA news and meeting notices could be grouped together), “Community Groups & Civic Life”, “Library News & Cultural Events”, “Youth & Family”, “Sports”, “Special Events” etc.

Since everyone has limited time, most people are not interested in absolutely everything that is happening in the neighborhood. It would be helpful to have the notes/updates arranged in a way that allows the readers to easily skip the categories they have little or no interest in.  I hope you agree.

Thanks for listening.

Eva 
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Cleveland Circle Community" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cleveland-circle-co...@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to cleveland-cir...@googlegroups.com.
Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/cleveland-circle-community.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
<AB Update 02-14-2018.pdf>
<Student Housing Update.pdf>

--

You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Cleveland Circle Community" group.

To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to
.

To post to this group, send email to
.

Visit this group at
.

For more options, visit
.

Paul Creighton

unread,
Feb 15, 2018, 12:31:01 AM2/15/18
to allstonbr...@googlegroups.com
Anthony;
How about the BAIA cheerleading for the developers of the former Jack Young properties at the overwrought Harvard Ave/Cambridge St. intersection?
I wish they spoke up for a greenspace/park at the old Washington Allston School site when they had the chance.
ACA should worry about having their grass cut by others.
Keep on keeping
Paul

--
To post to this group, send email to AllstonBrighton2006@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/AllstonBrighton2006?hl=en
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "AllstonBrighton2006" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to allstonbrighton2006+unsub...@googlegroups.com.

Joanne D'Alcomo

unread,
Feb 15, 2018, 12:49:47 AM2/15/18
to allstonbr...@googlegroups.com

To shed some light here:  fyi, all -  the initial short deadlines for public comment on major projects in Allston and Brighton that Tony puts into the community notes he circulates are dates that the Boston Planning and Development Agency provides not just out of whim, but rather these dates are specifically set by the governing law, Article 80 of the Boston Zoning Code.  For example, one of the early documents that a developer files is the Project Notification Form.  Section 80B-5-3(b) of the Zoning Code specifically  provides that

    

 Public comments, including the comments of public agencies, shall be transmitted in writing to the Boston Redevelopment Authority within thirty (30) days after publication of notice of the PNF [Project Notification Form.]”

 

   30 days? A ridiculously short time to provide comments on most projects, for sure, when meetings haven’t even been held.  But this deadline is written right into the Zoning Code. Now the deadlines can be extended, and typically are, but it would be cavalier – and I would say risky – for Tony to withhold information from us about BPDA-announced  deadlines that are specifically based on the Zoning Code.  If he holds back such information,  he would simply be using his own assumption—and hope --   that a particular deadline would be extended.  But that’s not guaranteed, because these deadlines are right in the Code and they aren’t meaningless. Deadlines written into the code can be used against the public if we aren’t paying attention to them.

      

            

      Joanne D’Alcomo



On Wed, Feb 14, 2018 at 11:44 PM, Eva Webster <evawe...@comcast.net> wrote:
On 2/14/18, 10:37 PM, "'Marcia Armstrong' via Cleveland Circle Community" <cleveland-circle-community@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Tony, 

Please note the that the comment period for 5 Washington St ends March 9 per the BPDA website. IAG and community meetings are after the date listed in the notes. 

Marcia – thanks for posting this correction!  When I saw those wrong dates (not just for 5 Washington) listed in the Update today, I could not help but think, “Oh no! Not again. Why disseminate wrong info? Just so others have to take time to correct it?”  (I’m frustrated, because it’s not the first time.)

Tony, I know you’re a very busy and do this as a volunteer, so I’m asking you as nicely as I can, please stop posting stuff that is misleading.  Your updates/newsletters are extremely valuable, and everyone is grateful to you for them — but they ought to be accurate, as well as user-friendly.

It would be best if the information was listed/grouped by specific categories, such as “Development Matters” (so all BPDA news and meeting notices could be grouped together), “Community Groups & Civic Life”, “Library News & Cultural Events”, “Youth & Family”, “Sports”, “Special Events” etc.

Since everyone has limited time, most people are not interested in absolutely everything that is happening in the neighborhood. It would be helpful to have the notes/updates arranged in a way that allows the readers to easily skip the categories they have little or no interest in.  I hope you agree.

Thanks for listening.

Eva 



On Feb 14, 2018, at 7:53 PM, Anthony D'Isidoro <Anthony...@msn.com> wrote:

Attachment: Allston Brighton Community Updates 02/14/2018

Attachment: Student Housing Update


Tony D'Isidoro


--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Cleveland Circle Community" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cleveland-circle-community+unsub...@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to cleveland-circle-community@googlegroups.com.
<AB Update 02-14-2018.pdf>
<Student Housing Update.pdf>

--

You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Cleveland Circle Community" group.

To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to
.

To post to this group, send email to

--
To post to this group, send email to AllstonBrighton2006@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/AllstonBrighton2006?hl=en
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "AllstonBrighton2006" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to allstonbrighton2006+unsub...@googlegroups.com.

Eva Webster

unread,
Feb 15, 2018, 2:18:58 AM2/15/18
to AllstonBrighton2006
Paul – you are right to be concerned about the “Allston Square” projects (multiple buildings — I think it’s as many as seven!).  Here is a link that has info about it, including some maps and renderings (but there is nothing on the PBDA website yet):

We all know that what is happening right now all over A-B is absolutely overwhelming.

The problem is that developers got the memo that no one in City Hall enforces any zoning protections whatsoever — everything is up for grabs. So they submit “Letters of Intent” to the BPDA for projects that are just too big for our already congested streets that were never supposed to handle that kind of density. All green spaces get sacrificed as well.  And the BPDA lets developers file those arrogant, oversized projects, without trying to make them more reasonable from the start.

Then — it’s all on us to fight for changes, reductions, improvements.  This is horrendously unfair to the community, as it takes THOUSANDS OF HOURS of unpaid labor from residents who volunteer their time and energy, at the expense of their own lives, and whose voices of reason are frequently ignored.

I think we should be all united, in solidarity, and in full revolt over this — which is why petty turf wars (such as periodic frictions between BAIA and ACA) is the last thing anyone should be squandering their energy on.

A-B desperately needs all civic groups that are in existence, and they should find a way to collaborate amicably — be supportive of one another, instead of competing for illusory control.  (I personally am not bothered if more than one group takes interest in a project — as long as each is honestly trying to improve it, instead of getting chummy with the developer or angling for “benefits”.)

Any divisions among civic groups are playing to the hands of developers and those who wish to green–light all those oversized projects with no consideration for what the extreme congestion and lack of green space is going to do to people’s lives here.

I also think that the sheer volume of development in Allston exceeds any one group’s ability to monitor and comment on during the multiple project review processes.

I remember I got involved on 89 Brighton Ave./corner of Linden (project totally too big for that corner) — even though it’s not close to me. I felt the responsibility because that area is transient, and Allston folks north of the Pike (except for Paul Berkeley) were not willing or able to fight for a smaller, more reasonable project.

I don’t know where the BAIA stood re. the Washington Allston School project — but I know that a few months ago they advocated hard to save the beautiful Stick Style house at 599 Cambridge St. (which was going to be demolished – and ACA voted for that!).  So clearly, mistakes and good deeds happen on all sides.

One thing to keep in mind is that focusing on control and ego issues does not make anyone stronger – on the contrary. Those damn projects — fighting to make them better (and seeking allies in that) — should be our only focus.

Eva




To post to this group, send email to AllstonBr...@googlegroups.com

For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/AllstonBrighton2006?hl=en
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "AllstonBrighton2006" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to allstonbrighton...@googlegroups.com.

AngelaT

unread,
Feb 15, 2018, 7:12:47 AM2/15/18
to allstonbr...@googlegroups.com

Excellent point! Thanks Paul.
To post to this group, send email to AllstonBr...@googlegroups.com

For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/AllstonBrighton2006?hl=en
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "AllstonBrighton2006" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to allstonbrighton...@googlegroups.com.
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages