As much-needed residential development projects in Boston prepare to seek their necessary approvals, George Thrush explores how a plague of "refusenicks" threaten to cost the city its competitive edge.
Thrush describes a convoluted approvals process in Boston that requires "every large-scale development proposal be approved by a citizens' advisory committee" to which "only committed anti-development gadflies show up."
As Thrush argues, in this system, only the high-end projects with deep pockets are able to commit to the lengthy and uncertain process, while "affordable projects that run on a tighter margin get killed by the protracted review process."
"Crazy as it sounds, in one of the nation's largest cities, a few local characters who regularly show up at public meetings somehow have the power to completely derail major projects. This has to change. If it doesn't, Boston could lose its competitive edge."
FULL STORY: Why Must a Few Lonely Cranks Decide the Future of Boston's Buildings?
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This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont