ABUTTERS MEETING HAPPENED

ABUTTERS MEETING HAPPENED Thursday evening at 6 PM January 28, 2016 The Architect who drafted the plans for my shed/workshop (after it was built on a legal permit, issued by Inspectional Services (ISD)) attended with the plans on a board. About 10 people came and stood in the cold in my yard in front of the shed. The story was told and questions were asked and answered. It didn’t sound like anyone was overtly opposed to the shed being where it is, so we go on to the next (required) step. The message from ISD is that although a “mistake” was made, now we go through the “community process” because Andrea (me) did everything she should have done, and therefore, with everyone working collaboratively, we can make this right and legalize my shed. THE NEXT STEP: (I am required to put the following notices into the mailboxes of abutters) Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council Zoning Committee invites you to attend a meeting on Wednesday evening, February 17th at 7:00 p.m.
at Farnsworth House
90 South Street
Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts
to discuss the following matters: 110 Chestnut Avenue Petitioner: Andrea Bredbeck Construct an 8' x 15' shed four feet off of property line (Variances: Side Yard Insufficient; Accessory Building Located in Front Yard) The Zoning Committee hopes that you will attend in order to discuss these matters that affect your neighborhood. Your participation will help us make a recommendation to the Boston Redevelopment Authority and to the City’s Zoning Board of Appeal. For further information contact: Jesse Abair - 617-794-1631 jabair@rackemann.com In all honesty I am not comfortable asking people to do these things and the experience has me flooded with gratitude for the hearty souls who chose to stand with me in the cold. And hopefully will choose to make time and attend this meeting. *** It has been difficult for me to ascertain whether the PROCESS by which a building is approved is considered a taboo topic of discussion, or whether, because of fast changing technology and culture, the logistics have lagged far beyond what is both necessary and imminently accessible. What seems to be the case is that for a homeowner (and I’ve discussed this with several) the process as it currently stands, is excruciating and often impossible. In my particular situation though, the process of “legalizing” a shed/workshop that was built with full disclosure and a legal permit, that was determined to be a “mistake” after-the-fact by ISD, seems to be comprised mainly of hurdles. Even in the language on the “Notices” I am required to pass out, the use of the word: “construct” is faulty. With the technology available it would seem reasonable for someone to have the authority and the ability to change the language so that the notices fit the actual real-time situations that come up. For example, mine could have said Petitioner: Andrea Bredbeck ‘LEGALIZE AN’ 8' x 15' shed four feet off of property line instead of what it said. The implications are absolute and different. This matters to me because the feeling that someone who doesn’t know the whole story might think that I am “asking for permission” to build something I’ve already built, feels untrue and humiliating as I would never have done this. The Abutters Meeting in my yard was unmediated. While most every attendee stayed on the topic of the shed, there were no construction issues on the table. (The construction is excellent.) One of the attendees appeared to have (previously unknown, never expressed, and utterly shocking to me) issues with me personally. Of course this happens between us humans. In the appropriate setting, people working out their disagreements makes perfect sense to me. However, that viciousness of a personal nature, having nothing specific to do with the matter of my shed/workshop situation, was allowed to happen, terrifies me. It was fortunate (and I am truly grateful) that one of my daughters was there. Whether it was apparent to others or not, my legs were shaking so badly from fear of this person that I would have fallen had she not held me up. The ramifications of an unmediated meeting where there was no one present to keep attendees on the topic of the shed/workshop, how it came to be located where it is, how people feel about the City Officials who approved the permit and whether they should honor it, and how the City is trying to make this “right” by forcing this process while stating that we are “all working together to legalize the shed/workshop”, are unfathomable unless you were in our shoes. I can tell you that I am terribly frightened now. Having a neighbor that is enfranchised in this way in a public arena feels awful, and certainly not what I’ve ever hoped for living here in my community in Jamaica Plain. In our City of Boston, we need ACCESSIBLE definitions for structures, building codes and rules. We need decision makers and Building Inspectors who are clear, in agreement, responsive, and timely in their work. We need to revise our thinking so that excessive value for negative input by individuals with a personal agenda is not enfranchise-d more than informed citizens about specific projects. Without these (and many more) how are we to go forward in a fair, inclusive and honorary manner?