It’s all who you know
Pavel Payano said it best during the Lawrence City Council meeting of April 6, 2021, about the people who get results are those with connections to politicians.
The discussion they were having was about a recently-built, 4-family home at 36 Kendall St. that the city is now asking for the two top floors to be torn down. The issue here is that it was built illegally.
The story began 5 years ago when the plans were approved by Inspectional Services. The property was duly visited by city inspectors throughout the construction but in the past two years or so, questions arose about the size and number of apartments it has for being against zoning rules. That area is Zoned R-2.
The councilors were in a quandary because they wanted to help the owner but their job is to abide by the laws – or so we think.
The reason why I became interested in this topic is because on Saturday, April 3, five councilors held an illegal meeting at that address and toured the house. They were so impressed with the beauty, the craftsmanship, and the 5-year effort to improve the city that they set out to brainstorm how to concoct something to go against the rule.
The discussion was very lively on Tuesday night. Councilors Maria De La Cruz and Jorge Gonzalez were adamant about accepting any other solution but going by the zoning rules. Maria fiercely insisted on having the top floors demolished and leaving it as a two-family house. Councilor Jeovanny Rodriguez gave the impression of siding with them for a while.
The councilors noticed while visiting the site, that many of the homes on that street had converted their basements or attics to illegal apartments thus making them a 3-family home.
Meanwhile, they were plotting to change the area to a Zone 3-4. Pavel sarcastically said, “We are not changing it but calling it what it is.” Jorge was furious because that will create a precedent and we won’t be able to enforce the rules in the future.
In the end, only Councilors Gonzalez and De La Cruz voted against rezoning two blocks to R 3-4 and Rodriguez surprised me by going along with the majority.
On the positive side, those homeowners shall expect a visit from the city assessors to pay taxes on the illegal apartments. My thought is that it is a disgrace how the City of Lawrence adapts to the lawbreakers as if they are the ones running it.
Councilor Payano was correct. Now we know how many “friends” the builder and owner have in the council. The councilors participating at the illegal meeting Saturday morning were: Council Vice President Estela Reyes, Maria De La Cruz, Jorge Gonzalez, Ana Levy, and Pavel Payano who stayed in the car.
Councilor De La Cruz won’t change
There may be times when Councilor Maria De La Cruz sounds somewhat intelligent but she promptly proves she isn’t.
At the April 6th council meeting, while they discussed the cost of the Oliver School renovations she said, “The Historical Society is no longer using the Robert Frost house.”
They never did. That has always been private property, never was owned by the City.
That house is owned by Councilor Estela Reyes. She mentions that the City should buy it to add parking facilities for the school. I have no idea who’s putting her up to this but she sounds mindless, even mechanical repeating the same suggestion week after week after she’s been told “that’s not on the agenda” and “that’s a conflict of interests” a few times.
No wonder she has admitted that the rest of the councilors don’t pay attention when she speaks – they know what’s coming out.
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