Felix Arroyo files City Planning Board proposal
Jan 29, 2007 20:54 | Transparency in
Government
At-large
Councilor Felix Arroyo has, in the first session of
the year, filed for a hearing on creating a City
Planning Board.
We haven't had a Planning Board since the BRA got it abolished, simply by sneaking the following sentence into unrelated legislation in 1960:
The city planning board of said city is hereby abolished, and all property of said city in the custody of such board and all appropriations of said city for the use of said board are heraby transferred to and vested in the authority; and all persons appointed by said board are hereby transferred to, and made employees of, the authority.
The BRA took it over specifically to evade public oversight through the City Council, and make sure planning would never get in the way of developers.
Obviously, it's a conflict of interest to be an advocate for developers and also a planning agency, which is supposed to review development projects with the overall well-being of the city in mind. No other city in America let an urban renewal authority take over their planning and zoning. Everywhere else, the renewal authority has to come before the City Council to ask for approval, like any other developer.
The zoning ordinance that implements planning is legislation, and in all other municipalities of Massachusetts -- and the rest of America -- puts it into the hands of the legislative branch -- the City Council. In fact, this is the most important responsiblity of a City Council -- to approve the laws ruling land use, and to oversee the planning for the city as a whole; in this context, Council's role in budget oversight can be properly informed. Here, the BRA elbowed the City Council out of the way, and does whatever it wants. We all have seen how that works.
This is not just about the BRA's power -- it's about whether we have a real City Council, and planning/zoning that is publicly accountable through it -- accountable to us, the citizens.
So, prepare to testify or write comment letters. This will be your chance to change the system -- to take the planning/zoning of your city from a 'quasi-public" authority and put it into a totally public body of government. If you don't like what they do, you can vote 'em out -- or at least call 'em up and talk to 'em, for heaven's sake.
I'll let you know as soon as I find out when the hearing is scheduled. I'm trying to get it held in the evening, so more people can come.
We haven't had a Planning Board since the BRA got it abolished, simply by sneaking the following sentence into unrelated legislation in 1960:
The city planning board of said city is hereby abolished, and all property of said city in the custody of such board and all appropriations of said city for the use of said board are heraby transferred to and vested in the authority; and all persons appointed by said board are hereby transferred to, and made employees of, the authority.
The BRA took it over specifically to evade public oversight through the City Council, and make sure planning would never get in the way of developers.
Obviously, it's a conflict of interest to be an advocate for developers and also a planning agency, which is supposed to review development projects with the overall well-being of the city in mind. No other city in America let an urban renewal authority take over their planning and zoning. Everywhere else, the renewal authority has to come before the City Council to ask for approval, like any other developer.
The zoning ordinance that implements planning is legislation, and in all other municipalities of Massachusetts -- and the rest of America -- puts it into the hands of the legislative branch -- the City Council. In fact, this is the most important responsiblity of a City Council -- to approve the laws ruling land use, and to oversee the planning for the city as a whole; in this context, Council's role in budget oversight can be properly informed. Here, the BRA elbowed the City Council out of the way, and does whatever it wants. We all have seen how that works.
This is not just about the BRA's power -- it's about whether we have a real City Council, and planning/zoning that is publicly accountable through it -- accountable to us, the citizens.
So, prepare to testify or write comment letters. This will be your chance to change the system -- to take the planning/zoning of your city from a 'quasi-public" authority and put it into a totally public body of government. If you don't like what they do, you can vote 'em out -- or at least call 'em up and talk to 'em, for heaven's sake.
I'll let you know as soon as I find out when the hearing is scheduled. I'm trying to get it held in the evening, so more people can come.
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