Those concerned with the proposed updating of the Demolition Review Ordinance got an opportunity to share their views on the issue at a public hearing before the Legislative Matters Committee Monday night.

By Jim Clark

A public hearing was held by the Board of Aldermen’s Legislative Matters Committee of the Whole on Monday night to provide updates to and take comments from the general public in regards to the proposed updated Demolition Review Ordinance which is currently under consideration by the Committee, and ultimately the Board as a whole.

The ordinance was initially proposed in September of last year and has since undergone much scrutiny and debate among city officials throughout a long series of meetings.

In the initial stages of the current review process, Director of Planning George Proakis explained, “Demolition review is a creation under the city’s home rule powers. These regulations have been established by many communities in the Commonwealth. Typically, they permit a historic commission to put a pause on the demolition of a building for the purpose of determining the value of retaining the building, and to seek alternatives to demolition in circumstances where such alternatives are worthy of review. While the length of a demolition review period is individually determined by each municipality, typical demolition review time periods in MA are between 6 and 18 months. A handful of communities in the Commonwealth are looking to extend demolition review periods beyond 18 months. While demo review ordinances are not uncommon, less than half of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts currently have demolition review laws in place.”

According to Proakis, demolition review is not an outright prohibition of demolition. The only way to prohibit the demolition of a building is to place that building in a Local Historic District (LHD) and to have a local historic district commission refuse to allow the demolition of the building.

Proakais further said that this is why it remains important to ensure that the most significant buildings in any city or town are protected by a Local Historic District. Somerville’s Historic Preservation Commission and Preservation Planning Staff continue to identify and recommend that your Board vote to designate as LHDs important historic structures such as the Union Square Post Office and the Harvard Hill Local Historic District when the circumstances arise to deem them necessary of preservation. Currently, Preservation Planning Staff and the Commission are reviewing a larger local historic district for areas around Union Square.

What followed over the ensuing months since the initial request for an update to the ordinance was a protracted period of study and refinement, leading to Monday’s public hearing to give city residents a chance to offer their views on the matter.

The Committee Chairman, Ward 5 Alderman Mark Niedergang, explained at the top of the meeting that he did not anticipate that deliberation on the administrations proposed revision of the Demolition Review Ordinance would occur that night after the public hearing as there were some half dozen major issues yet to be resolved.

Niedergang told those gathered for the hearing that he looked forward to seeing them again in September as work on the ordinance continues.

Director Proakis then gave a presentation providing an overview of the ordinance, which was followed by public comments on the matter.

Among the first to address the Committee was former Alderman At-Large Jack Connolly, who urged the Committee to make the information presented by Director Proakis readily available to the public, since not all interested parties would be present at this particular public hearing, and many residents who would be affected by the ordinance ought to be provided with that information.

“I’m not so sure why a complete replacement, complete rewrite’s necessary,” Connolly said, “But what it does need is time, and we’re not giving this period of time, which is this short review this evening.”

Others addressed the Committee with concerns over details in the proposed process of demolition review. Some expressed displeasure with the latitude that would be afforded those who would determine the status of preservation in actual practice.

Since the updating process for the ordinance will continue over into September, there will be opportunities for the public to go over the proposed changes to date, by way of materials provided on the city’s website at https://www.somervillema.gov.