>  ML> We're talking Revere, Mass. and the Mafia here.
> That simply wouldn't happen here, not even in notorious Montreal.

I can't say we have had more time to perfect the art
of corruption, but we've certainly had more experience.

>  JW> building codes do get enforced (here).
>  ML> variances get rammed through that are not only illegal but
>  ML> unethical and unsanitary.
> Variances get public scrutiny here. The city administration can
> approve up to a 10% variance on things like side and rear yard
> setbacks, garage sizes, minimum apt sizes etc at their discretion,

In this case, all hearings are theoretically public 
unless there are overriding privacy or confidentiality
issues. Theoretically, a quorum of a board cannot even
meet for beers without calling a public hearing. That's
of course theoretically. Both of my friends are in favor
of transparency, but they're not part of the old boys'
network (being women, among other things).

> Anything beyond that is automatically turned down and a developer
> can then go to an independent development appeal board and plead his
> case. All such hearings are publicized in the media for 14 days and
> the hearings are open to the public to make presentations at. Some
> sensible ones get approved if they have merit. I have been invited
> to sit on the appeal board but declined because I like to be free
> to lobby for my clients and customers.

That place tends to have a "the developer is always right" 
attitude. Barring a complaint to the state, there's 
nothing to do. And a complaint is going to take a while, 
and the construction is going to be done anyway, and who 
has the heart to tear down the hard-earned fruits of 
labor (and at state expense). There is a famous case of 
an apartment building in Revere that was built right up 
to the highway right-of-way in direct contravention of 
all law and good sense, with the developer confident 
that a variance could get rammed through. Which it 
WASN'T, with a court order issued to demolish the 
structure. Whereupon the developer declared bankruptcy, 
and there were certainly no government funds to do the 
removal, and the building stood there for at least a 
decade, probably two, vacant but for the druggies and 
moldering away. At last a successor company applied for 
a permit not to remove the structure but to rehab it 
for conversion into condominiums. That permit was 
approved by a subsequent city government, and you can 
now see this occupied apartment house that extends all 
the way to the highway. It's between Wonderland and 
the G.E. Bridge on the right side as you go from 
Revere to Lynn. Down here, the wheels of the law turn 
slowly, but they grind not at all.

>  ML> At Lilli's, though, she could build a helicopter factory
>  JW> So I'm curious what type of loose multi-use zoning
>  ML> for the outlying areas has no rules at all. Remember
>  ML> this is the US of A.
> Even our smallest hamlets in the high arctic have rudimentary zoning
> including residential, commercial and industrial areas. These small
> communities with limited bureaucracies also get Territorial
> Government guidance for the asking. Even in the wilderness you need
> a permit to build a fly-in fishing lodge and you have to apply for a
> land lease to build on and the hurdles a mine must jump through with
> several depts in three levels of government are awesome, or more
> realistically awful.

How Communist - but your government must have learned
something from bitter experience, and future generations
may benefit.

> ... Wieners: fine ground things that you wouldn't eat otherwise.

I lunched on Snappy Grillers yesterday. Today I made
chili, because at least I know what's in it.

Vencil's slow beans
cat: Texas, bbq, side
Yield: 6 c

2 c dried pinto beans
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 Tb chili powder
1 ts ground black pepper
1 c finely chopped bacon
1 ts salt, or more to taste

Don't be in a rush to cook beans, Vencil advises. They
taste best when they are cooked very slowly. A Crockpot
is really the perfect cooking vessel for home-cooked
pintos. Sort the beans to remove any stones or grit.
Rinse in a colander, and place the beans in a Crockpot
with 6 c water. Add the other ingredients. Cook on high
for 2 hr. Turn to low, and allow to simmer 8 hr or
overnight. Add more water as needed. Variation: Beans
and Sausage. At the Taylor Cafe, Vencil serves a bowl
of these beans topped with sliced Bohunk sausage and a
little chopped onion. You can spike the beans with hot
sauce if you like. Serve the dish with lots of saltines.

Source: after Vencil Mares, Texas Highways 7/2002
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