Group Wants Marathon Route to Bloom Boston Strong
Gardening groups and others will plant daffodils along the entire Boston Marathon route. South End Patch News
Connolly Wants Developers to Get Fast Track For Schools
Boston At-Large City Councilor and mayoral John Connolly proposed allowing a fast track permitting process for large developers, if they agree to build a school or fund any of the $ 1.8 billion in construction projects identified as needed for Boston Public Schools. “We look at large school development projects and offer an option to developers to give them a fast-track permitting process. Keep it to six months, and still do the full-robust process, but get it done in six months – in exchange for building a new school or the adoption of a major school project,” said Connolly during the Boston City Council’s Wednesday meeting. He added that projects would still get rejected, and those developers would not have to build a school or adopt a project. Through recent budget hearings, Connolly said that Boston Public School (BPS) long-term facilities plan “is in development”, and that $ 1.8 billion in new construction needs have been identified, as well as $ 640 million in needed renovations and repairs, and $ 500 million in deferred maintenance costs. Connolly said that New York City has built schools on the site of developments through the NYC Department of Education Educational Construction Fund. He added that wasn’t supporting that idea, but that it was an option. He added he’s talked to some developers who loved the idea of being able to go through a six-month process compared to a three- to five-year process, whether they get the project greenlit or not. “…and red lights will still be given. And if given a ‘yes’ – they get a new school or a major renovation. That’s the way we should be doing partnerships with schools,” said Connolly. The matter was referred to the Committee on Education for a future hearing. The Boston Redevelopment Authority, Department of Neighborhood Development, BPS families and staff, as well as developers, will be invited to speak at the hearing, said Connolly. SOUTH END PATCH: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates South End Patch
What Do You Want in a Park? Boston Wants to Know
What makes a park great? Is it the amount of open space, the prevalence of natural features, shade trees, trails, benches, gardens or playgrounds? Is it a community garden, like Berkeley, or a nice space with benches, like Library Park? The city of Boston has begun its effort to plan for the preservation of open space and the development of parks through 2021, and wants input from residents through a new online questionnaire. The planning process will consider all of Boston’s public spaces including parks, playgrounds, squares, malls, community gardens, cemeteries, trails and harbor islands, and consider demographics and socio-economic trends and how they fit into park use, officials said. Officials also plan to target natural areas for preseracation, such as rivers, harbors, wildlife and vegetation. “Public participation is crucial to the success of the plan and the key ingredient to helping us make our parks and open spaces better,” the Parks Department said in a statement. Residents can fill out the survey here. Copies of the questionnaire are also available at the Boston Public Library branches and the Boston Centers for Youth and Families community centers through May 24, by emailing openspaceplan2015@cityofboston.gov or by writing to the Boston Parks and Recreation Department. SOUTH END PATCH: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates South End Patch
Menino Wants Cab Industry Investigated
With the local taxicab industry thrust into the spotlight by a major media outlet, Boston’s mayor ordered an oversight review. Mayor Thomas Menino wants to hire an expert on the industry to review Boston’s taxicab industry, according to the Boston Globe Tuesday. The Globe ran an investigative story on the industry, unearthing the fact that owners who routinely violate police regulations coerce cab drivers into paying bribes to get access to their cabs. “We have real problems, and I’m very concerned about it,’’ Menino told the Globe during an interview in his office. “We’re not going to tolerate this nonsense.’’ Menino said the review will include a look at the Boston Police Department’s oversight of the taxi industry, according to the Globe. SOUTH END PATCH: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates South End Patch
Categories: Arrests Tags: Industry, Investigated, menino, Wants