Good editorial by Taylor Armerding in the Newburyport Daily News, February 28, 2007 about amending a law that would speed the process up for the Newburyport Planning Board and the Newburyport Zoning Board of Appeals.
“And a proposed minor change in local ordinances looks like a good way to preserve the need for informed decisions while cutting down on frustrating delays…”
“City Councilor James Shanley has proposed allowing board members to miss one meeting and still vote on a matter as long as they read notes, listen to an audiotape or view a videotape of the meeting so they have the same information as those who were present. The member would also have to state in writing that he or she had caught up on all the relevant information…” (Newburyport Daily News, February 28, 2007, by Taylor Armerding)
The original story in the Newburyport Daily News, February 22, 2007 did not mention was that this is not something that Councilor James Shanley (as intelligent as he might be) thought up all by himself.
The Newburyport City Council voted to adopt a change that has already been approved by the State Legislature. The change in the law was approved by the State Legislature May 12, 2006.
Apparently the information on this change to the state law was covered at a workshop, sponsored by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission, on Variances and Special Permits.
As I understand it, the change in the law was driven by the fact that many towns and cities are having trouble with having enough members present at meetings, mostly due to the fact that so many people have to travel for work now. (Makes a lot of sense to me.)
And this is for “an adjudicatory hearing.”
And what in the world is “an adjudicatory hearing?” A large word for The Newburyport Blog. Had me scrambling for dictionaries, etc.
Here’s what I came up with:
*To study and settle (a dispute or conflict).
*the act of pronouncing judgment based on the evidence presented.
So the Newburyport City Council did not vote on some “fly by night” whim thought up by a member of the Newburyport City Council.
The Newburyport City Council voted on a change that has already been approved by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and recommended by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission.
Works for me. And obviously worked for the Newburyport City Council. Hope it helps a whole lot.
Mary Eaton
Newburyport, MA