J L
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On the article Ward 5 Alderman Sean O'Donovan Steps Down
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On the article 20 People Who Will Sway Somerville Zoning Overhaul
J L
7:18 am on Wednesday, March 27, 2013
ReplyGee, I wonder why there is no one from 2 or 7 on this board? Union Square is kind of a big deal and ought to have representation, and who from ward 7 is the mayor afraid of? Everybody there? Trane? Ballantine? Capuano? Jim Halloran? None of these people were qualified?
So we have the Somer Vision person who is a mayoral employee, a couple of attorneys who represent every developer in the city, several developers themselves, business people, contractors, and two people from the planning and zoning boards who have never gone against the mayor's wishes.
Why do I think the "plan" will involve less parking, more units, higher fees, and the ability to chop up our old homes?
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On the article Mayor Defends Street Improvements that Don't Emphasize Parking [VIDEO]
J L
7:47 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
ReplyCourtney - if the idea is to simply look at it in a revenue context, that's your prerogative. I look at it as a quality of life issue for people who raise families here, not just $$. Families need cars because kids have soccer equipment, buy lots more groceries, etc.
Mr Weeks notes above he uses his bike for his primary transportation. I'm glad. However, he also HAS a car, and avoids using it. I wonder where Mr Weeks parks his car when he isn't using it? Or where the majority of other bikers park their cars when they aren't using them?
Lots of folks in the city (including one of our candidates for office) tell me that they try to bike as much as possible around the city - but that the driveways that they have is the most valuable thing about their house. I expect this is true for the vast majority of bikers - they avoid using their car, but still own one (and have to park it) to go grocery shopping, visit their in-laws, tote laundry around, etc.
Somerville's existing housing does not come with a lot of off-street parking. Otherwise the schools and municipal lots wouldn't be full every snowstorm. Adding 3,000 housing units will definitely add more cars. I am all for increasing the safety of bikers and walkers. However,we cannot live with blinders on, and think that eliminating parking = eliminating people who own cars. All we will do is exacerbate our existing problems.
I wonder - does the mayor ride his bike the 1.5 miles he lives from work?
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On the article Mayor Defends Street Improvements that Don't Emphasize Parking [VIDEO]
J L
1:09 pm on Thursday, March 21, 2013
ReplyPeople are also LEAVING Somerville because they cannot afford a home large enough to raise a family in. People are LEAVING Somerville because other than 20-somethings who can bike to their first job, real adults with real families and real jobs need cars to run normal errands - biking is a hobby, not a legitimate form of everyday transportation for everyday needs.
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On the article Sen. Jehlen Speaks Out Against Beacon Street Reconstruction Plan
J L
12:21 pm on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Replyhttp://www.wjla.com/articles/2012/12/l-street-cycle-track-cause-frustration-among-drivers-82756.html
Very interesting article/video about a contentious cycletrack just built in Washington DC that eliminated 150 spaces. Note that:
1) DC has biking weather 11 months out of the year and virtually no snowfall, so snow doesn't impact the number of available street parking spaces
2) The girl in the video featured said the reason she sold her car was that it was too difficult to park even before the cycle track was put in (so, parking would be even WORSE with the track there)
3) This one mile stretch of L Street in DC has at least 6 parking garages, is mostly commercial space, and is serviced by FOUR different Metro stops, so it won't impact current residents of that area.
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On the article Sen. Jehlen Speaks Out Against Beacon Street Reconstruction Plan
J L
9:54 am on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
ReplyI am very glad Senator Jehlen finally spoke up on this subject. I know she lives around the corner from the proposed project.
I agree with her (and Ms. Coren). Segregated lanes, on a road with driveways and cross streets, makes no sense. Eliminating a hundred parking spaces to marginally increase safety for bikers on a stretch of road less than half a mile long is a waste of time, money and aggravation.
The mayor wants to run for governor. The mayor will not BE governor. Does he think that his form of "urban mayoring" will appeal to anyone in Metro West? To anyone in the North Shore? To anyone even close to Central or Western MA?
He has bent backwards to interest groups for projects that get his name in the papers and on stage with Michelle Obama. Somerstats. Cycletracks. Happiness surveys. Street festivals. Over-reliance on the GLX that isn't coming. IKEA, which left. Big condo developments.
He has done nothing to make people want to STAY in Somerville long-term, whether they have been here for decades or just moved here last year. You cannot afford enough living space to raise a family here anymore - all the housing stock is 2 bedroom condos. You can't park anywhere in the city - which is fine if you're a hip 20-something, but not if you actually have a family. The schools remain mediocre even if you COULD afford a big-enough home. He needs to work on the fundamentals, not the gloss. Or he needs to be voted out.
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On the event Harvard College Democrats Endorsement Meeting
J L
11:25 am on Wednesday, February 20, 2013
ReplyIs this a news story? That Ed Markey has a surrogate speaking for him at an event? This is absolutely par for the course in any election and really doesn't merit a headline.
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On the article Map of Somerville Snow Emergency Parking Lots
J L
8:58 am on Friday, February 8, 2013
ReplyI don't think we need addresses. As long as the markers are where they should be, our own eyes ought to be fine.
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On the article Capuano to Consider Run for Governor
J L
6:08 am on Friday, February 8, 2013
ReplyCapuano won't leave his seat for an unsure race. Heck, he didn't run for the special Senate race this time that wouldn't make him leave if he lost. Curtatone will have a hard time in Everett for speaking out so strongly against their casino proposal. He will have a hard time competing against minorities in Boston who would certainly run. Also heard that Capuano's son was looking at this seat.
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On the article Union Square Affordable Housing Project Joins With Market-Rate Developer
J L
1:51 pm on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
ReplyMatt - my guess is the vast majority of new housing in Union Square and Boyton Yards (including the new 14 unit building on Prospect St that was featured in another article) will be market rate. I don't think SCC can afford to buy more than one property and develop it. At most, you'll probably see the standard 15%-20% affordable within the larger developments as is standard throughout the city.
J L
7:02 am on Friday, April 12, 2013
I had the misfortune of watching this debacle last night. So the process that has worked for years, is no longer OK? Aldermen Bastardi (from Bill Roche), O'Donovan (from Stan Koty), Koty (from Joe Macaluso), Favaloro (from Rich Johnson) , Kelly-Gay (from Taylor), McCallum (from Pero), were all immediately appointed without this rigamarole.
Every single alderman said they'd be happy to vote for O'Keefe, but they wanted a "process" to make it look like they were being transparent. So, a "process" for a process's sake that that all said was unnecessary?
I understand why LaFuente spoke so strongly against appointment - he was passed over in 2001, after he lost the mayoral race (after moving into the city to run). I understand the transparent reason Gewirtz wanted to move it to Rules and then have her Board Order ruled on before the O'Keefe vote (she has endorsed Mark Niedergang already for Ward 5), but Taylor? He appointed his own successor with no fight (who then ran for LG and lost, then ran for Mayor, won, then lost in the primary).
This is a sham - the voters have a chance to remove this temporary appointee in six months if they want. Until then, Ward 5 may have no representation for weeks or months if Gewirtz's Board Order passes.