Development and Zoning

BOA Committee on Housing and Community Development

Tues. Mar 16 6:30 PM

Somerville City Hall
2nd Fl. Comm. Rm
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

Agenda (PDF)

This is the regular meeting of the Somerville Aldermanic Committee on Housing and Community Development. Among other business…

Morse-Kelley and Dickerman Parks Community Meeting

Mon. Mar. 15 6:30 PM

John F. Kennedy Elementary School
Library
5 Cherry St.
Somerville MA (map)

This community meeting, sponsored by Mayor Curtatone and Alderman Taylor, is called to discuss the renovation of the Dickerman and Morse-Kelly Playgrounds, including presentation of…

MPO Long Range Transportation Plan Meeting

Thurs. Mar. 18 10:00 AM

State Transportation Building
10 Park Plaza
Boston MA (map)

This is the first of a series of meetings sponsored by the Metropolitan Planning Organization to develop the new Long Range Tranportation Plan for Greater Boston out…

3/11/2010 By Tom Nash : 1. SomeSense makes case for zoning changes, 2. Senior zoning ordinances shelved, Advocacy group claims victory

Blueback Herring River Route Community Meeting

Wed. Mar. 10 6:30 PM

Elizabeth Peabody House
277 Broadway
Somerville MA (map)

This meeting, sponsored by Mayor Curtatone and Alderman Pero, will present and request feedback from the public on the City’s plans to create the “Blueback Herring River Route” connecting…

Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee Planning Meeting

Tues., Mar. 9, 6:30 PM

Upper Hall
Greek Orthodox Church
29 Central St.
Somerville MA (map)

This is the second phase 3 planning meeting of the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee. At this meeting, the group will continue specifying goals, policies and actions…

BOA Land Use Committee and Planning Board Joint Meeting

Thurs. Mar. 4 6:00 PM

Somerville City Hall
Aldermen’s Chamber
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

Agenda (PDF)

This is a joint meeting of the Land Use Committee and the Planning Board to consider changes to…

BOA Land Use Committee Meeting

Tues. Mar. 2 7:00 PM

Somerville City Hall
2nd Fl. Comm. Rm.
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

Agenda (PDF)

This is the regular meeting of the Aldermanic Land Use Committtee. On the agenda is an ordinance increasing the allowed…

The City of Somerville, with it’s clear mandates and civil rights obligations from Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, continues to be really , truly, obviously unskilled at inclusive community-building.

Housing and Community Development Committee Meeting

Mon. Feb. 22 6:00 PM

Somerville City Hall
2nd Fl. Comm. Rm.
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

This is the regular meeting of the Aldermanic Housing and Community Development Committee. There will likely be further discussion of the Route 16 Green…

Davis Square Visioning Meeting

Wed. Mar. 3 6:30 PM

Tufts Administration Building (TAB)
169 Holland St.
Somerville MA (map)

This meeting, sponsored by the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD), is intended to promote discussion about what should happen in the Davis Square area in the…

Assembly Square Public Advisory Committee Meeting

Tues. Mar. 2 6:00 PM

Federal Realty Investment Trust
5 Middlesex Ave. Suite 401
Somerville MA (map)

This is the regular meeting the Assembly Square PAC. At this meeting we will discuss how the IKEA development is to proceed in 2010 and how to…

Union Square Design Plan Meeting

Mon. Mar. 1 6:30 PM

Argenziano School
290 Washington Street
Somerville MA (map)

This meeting, sponsored by Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD) is intended to present and get community feedback on plans to improve Union Square. The city will present…

Red Line/Blue Line Connector Working Group Meeting

Tues. Feb. 23 4:00 PM

Amenities Room
Suffolk University
73 Tremont Street
Boston, MA (map)

This is the regular meeting of the Red Line/Blue Lline Connector working group. This meeting’s agenda includes a summary of alternatives, environmental impacts, and a schedule…

I believe that both the premise for the Ordinance and the approach that it takes are wrong.

Davis Square Task Force Meeting

Wed. Feb. 24, 7:00 PM

Tufts Administration Building (TAB)
169 Holland St.
Somerville MA (map)

This is the regular meeting of the Davis Square Task Force, one of the longest running activist groups in Somerville. It came into existence around the extension of…

MPO Access Advisory Committee to the MBTA Meeting

Wed. Feb. 24 1:00 PM

State Transportation Building
Conf. Rms. 2, 3
10 Park Plaza
Boston MA (map)

Agenda (PDF)

This is the regular meeting of the Metropolitan Planning Organization Access Advisory Committee. This committee was…

MBTA Rider Oversight Committee Meeting

Mon. Feb. 22 5:00 PM

State Transportation Building
Conf. Rms. 1, 2, 3
10 Park Plaza
Boston MA (map)

This is the regular meeting of the MBTA Rider Oversight Committee, which provides recommendations to the MBTA to address the needs and concerns of…

MPO Transportation Planning and Programming Committee Meeting

Thurs. Feb. 18 10:00 AM

State Transportation Building
Conf. Rms. 2, 3
10 Park Plaza
Boston MA (map)

Agenda (PDF)

This is the regular meeting of the Metropolitan Transportation Planning and Programming Committee. This group makes decisions to…

This hearing is important because it is a key step toward getting Federal money for improving Somerville.

Move Massachusetts Meeting

Fri. Feb. 19 8:15 AM

Brown Rudnick
18th Fl., One Financial Center
Dewey Square
Boston MA (map)

This is a membership meeting of Move Massachusetts. MassDOT director David Mohler and Urban Ring Project Manager Scott Hamwey will present, ‘How Will We Get A”round”? MASSDOT suspends…

Regional Transportation Advisory Council Meeting

Wed. Feb. 10 3:00 PM

State Transportation Building
Conf. Rm. 4
10 Park Plaza
Boston MA (map)

Jan. 28, 2010 MPO Amendment to Public Comment Period. (PDF)

Feb 2. 2010 TCAC Letter to MPO (PDF)

This…

Comment Period on Amendment to MPO Public Participation Plan

Starts: Mon. Feb. 8
Ends: Thurs. Mar. 25

Amendment (PDF)

This is the beginning of the 45-day comment period on the MPO Public Participation Plan to shorten or waive the public comment period on certification documents.

Ordinarily…

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Mystic River Watershed Association Committee Meetings

Tues. Feb. 2 7:00 PM

East Hall, Room 015
Tufts University
Medford MA (map)

This is the regular meeting of the MyRWA Committee on Water Quality (CoWQ), the Outreach Committee, and the Policy Committee. At this meeting MyRWA will introduce a new…

MassDOT Community Forum

Tues. Feb. 2 3:30 PM

MBTA Board Room, 3rd Fl.
10 Park Plaza
Boston MA (map)

Agenda (PDF)

This is one in a series of “You Move Massachusetts Initiative”meetings, held to update the community on transportation issues in the Commonwealth…

Smart Growth/Transit Oriented Development – What is working or not?

Thurs. Feb. 4 11:30 AM

Radisson Hotel
200 Stuart St.
Boston MA (map)

This presentation by the City of Somerville OSPCD Director Monical Lamboy, developer Ted Tye, and MassDOT Transit Development Director Mark Boy will address how…

Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee Planning Meeting

Tues., Feb. 16, 6:30 PM

Upper Hall
Greek Orthodox Church
29 Central St.
Somerville MA (map)

This is the rescheduling of the Feb. 9 Phase 3 planning meeting of the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee. At this meeting, the group will begin specifying…

MetroBoston DataCommon Training Event

Thurs. Feb. 4 1:00 PM

MAPC Offices
60 Temple Place
Boston MA (map)

This is one of the monthly training sessions in using the Boston DataCommon to:

• Access statistics about a city or town
• Analyze social and economic data
• Generate

By Alix Roy, Town Correspondent, Boston Globe

A neighborhood group has filed a series of zoning ordinance proposals with the city clerk, motivated by its frustration with the city’s zoning review and approval process for development projects.…

Pizza Ring, the restaurant operated by the owner of 371 Beacon St. ~Photo by Tom Nash

By Tom Nash

City officials admitted this week a special permit application for a contentious hotel project nearing final approval is missing basic information about the developer’s identity and lacks any mention of the property’s lingering environmental issues.

Housing and Community Development Committee Meeting

Mon. Jan. 25 7:00 PM

2nd Floor Comm. Room
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

Agenda (PDF)

This is a special meeting of the Somerville Housing and Community Development Committee. The agenda includes discussing the…

Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership Meeting

Mon. Jan. 25 7:00 PM

3rd Floor Community Room
Visiting Nurses Association
259 Lowell St.
Somerville MA (map)

This is the STEP monthly meeting. at which will be discussed current developments on the Green Line Extension and the Assembly Square T-Stop.

This…

Your Walkable Community in Winter: Somerville

Sat. Jan. 30 2:30 PM

Somerville Library
79 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

This is a workshop on walkability in Somerville during the winter. It includes information about snow clearance and ways to make your neighborhood more walkable.

This workshop…

Fueled by a growing dissatisfaction with the city’s zoning review and approval process for development projects, a group of concerned residents have joined together to initiate what they are describing as “much-needed and long-overdue reforms of the zoning ordinance aimed at making the key decision-makers more responsible for their actions.”

As the City prepares to sell the closed Powder House School building to private developers, the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD) just posted an Aug 24, 2009 real estate analysis report (pdf) to its website .…

Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee Visioning Meeting

Tues., Jan. 26, 6:30 PM

Upper Hall
Greek Orthodox Church
29 Central St.
Somerville MA (map)

This is the last Visioning meeting of the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee. At this meeting, the group will finish the vision statement.

The goal of…

MPO Transportation Planning and Programming Committee Meeting

Wed. Jan. 21 10:00 AM

State Transportation Building
Conf. Rm. 4
10 Park Plaza
Boston MA (map)

This is the regular meeting of the Metropolitan Transportation Planning and Programming Committee. This group makes decisions to support or not support new transportation…

BOA Committee on Parks and Open Space

Tues. Jan. 12, 6:00 PM

2nd Floor Comm. Room
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

This is an official replacement for the Jan. 6 meeting, which began after 7:30 PM, too late to go on the record. Instead…

This is a public hearing on updates to the Sullivan Square Orange Line T-Stop and the surrounding area, including the Rutherford Avenue overpass. This meeting is important because the area of Somerville near Sullivan Square uses the T-Stop and is inconvenienced by the overpass.

This is the first 2010 meeting of the Somerville Bicycle Committee. They may be discussing the contamination issue on the bike path.

This is the second Visioning meeting of the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee. At this meeting, the group will review the citizen inputs from the earlier SomerVision meetings and pull them together into the beginning of a vision statement.

Mystic River Watershed Association “DoughRaiser” Event

Thurs. Jan. 21, All Day

Porter Square Pizzeria Uno
820 Somerville Avenue
Cambridge MA (map)

Print and Bring Coupons (PDF)

This event is a fundraiser for the Mystic River Watershed Association. Upon presentation of a coupon, up to 20%…

BOA Committee on Finance

Wed. Jan. 13, 7:00 PM

2nd Floor Comm. Room
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

This is the first 2010 meeting of the Finance Committee.

Finance Committee meetings are always important, because this is where decisions are made about city…

Zoning Board of Appeals Hearing

Wed. Jan. 6, 6:00 PM

Aldermanic Chamber
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

Meeting Agenda (PDF)

This is a regular hearing of the Zoning Board of Appeals. Among other business, the Board will hear the case of…

MassDOT Public Hearing for Somerville’s Washington Street Project

Thurs. Jan. 7, 7:00 PM

Ralph and Jenny Senior Center
9 New Washington St.
Somerville MA (map)

This is a public hearing on road improvements to Washington Street from New Washington Street to the Boston city line. These improvements are…

End of Comment Period on Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on Green Line Extension

Comments End: 1/8/10

Submit written comments at the project’s Share Your Opinion e-mail site.

The Executive Office of Transportation (EOT) has posted the Draft EIR on the Green Line Extension into Somerville and…

Assembly Square Public Advisory Committee Meeting

Tues. Jan. 5, 6:00 PM

Federal Realty Investment Trust
5 Middlesex Ave. Suite 401
Somerville MA (map)

This important event is sponsored by Federal Realty, the chief developer of the new Assembly Square mixed use development.

These meetings are important because they provide…

BOA Committee on Parks and Open Space

Wed. Jan. 6, 7:00 PM

2nd Floor Comm. Room
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

Agenda (PDF)

This is the first 2010 meeting of the new Committee on Parks and Open Space. On the…

BOA Committee on Housing and Community Development

Wed. Jan 6, 6:00 PM

2nd Floor Comm. Room
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

This is the first meeting of the new Committee on Housing and Community Development. Among other business, this meeting will deal with the…

Assembly Square Orange Line Station 30% Progress Design Meeting

Tues. Jan. 12 7:00 PM

Cafeteria
Capuano Early Childhood Center
150 Glen St.
Somerville MA (map)

This is the progress report meeting by the MBTA on the design for the Assembly Square Orange Line T-Stop. Present from the MBTA…

MBTA Rider Oversight Committee Meeting

Mon. Dec 21 5:00 PM

State Transportation Building
Conf Rms 1-3
10 Park Plaza
Boston MA (map)

This is the regular meeting of the MBTA Rider Oversight Committee meeting established as part of the T’s fare policy commitments. This meeting includes a report…

MPO Transportation Planning and Programming Committee Meeting

Thurs. Dec. 17, 10:00 AM

State Transportation Building
Conf Rm 4
10 Park Plaza
Boston MA (map)

Meeting Documents (PDF)

This is the regular meeting of the Boston MPO. At this meeting, technical assistance work programs for 2010-2011…

Public Meeting on Mystic River Reservation Recreational Path Extension (Wellington Undercarriage)

Thurs. Dec. 17 6:30 PM

Mystic Activity Center
535 Mystic Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

This meeting is a forum for discussing the planned boardwalk connecting the recreational path under Route 28 to link Ten Hills and Assembly…

Ward 1 ResiStat Meeting

Mon. Dec. 7, 7:30 PM

Cafeteria
Capuano Early Childhood Center
150 Glen St.
Somerville MA (map)

This meeting, sponsored by Mayor Curtatone and Ward 1 Alderman Roche, deals with statistical data and issues relating to Ward 1. Similar meetings are held in all other…

Ward 4 ResiStat Meeting

Tues. Dec. 8, 7:00 PM

Cafeterium
Arthur D. Healey School
5 Meacham St.
Somerville MA (map)

This meeting, sponsored by Mayor Curtatone and Ward 4 Alderman Pero, deals with statistical data and issues relating to Ward 4. Similar meetings are held in all other…

Public Meeting on Green Line Extension Maintenance Facility Alternatives

Wed. Dec. 16 6:00 PM

Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center
41 2nd St.
Cambridge MA (map)

Submit written comments at the Green Line Extension project’s Share Your Opinion e-mail site.

This is a Public Meeting…

BOA Committee on Housing and Community Development

Mon. Dec. 14, 6:30 PM

2nd Fl. Comm. Room
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

This is a special meeting of the BOA Committee on Housing and Community Development to hear a presentation by the Office of Strategic…

Ward 7 ResiStat Meeting

Thurs. Dec. 10, 5:30 PM

Tufts Admin. Building (TAB)
167 Holland St.
Somerville MA (map)

This meeting, sponsored by Mayor Curtatone and Ward 7 Alderman Trane, deals with statistical data and issues relating to Ward 7. Similar meetings are held in all other wards…

Deckerman and Morse-Kelley Playground Renovations

Wed. Dec. 9 7:00 PM

Library
John F. Kennedy School
5 Cherry St.
Somerville MA (map)

This is a public community meeting to discuss the renovations of the Dickerman and Morse-Kelley Playgrounds on Craigie Street, close to Wards 3, 2, 5, and 6…

Urban Ring Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting

Tues. Dec. 1, 5:00 PM

State Transportation Building
Conf Rms 2-3
10 Park Plaza
Boston MA (map)

This meeting of the Urban Ring Citizens Advisory Committee provides citizens an opportunity to hear MassDOT Secretary Jeffrey Mullan discuss Urban Ring planning in…

Community ratifies set of 11 principles for land use planning along the Green Line extension.

Planning Board and Land Use Committee Meetings

Thurs. Dec. 3
6:00 PM – Planning Board
7:00 PM – Joint Meeting

3rd Floor Community Room
Visiting Nurses Association
259 Lowell St.
Somerville MA (map)

This is the joint meeting of the Somerville Planning Board with the Land Use Committee…

From SOMERVILLE, MA City website: There will be a joint public hearing by the Board of Alderman Land Use Committee and the Somerville Planning Board regarding proposed amendments to the Somerville Zoning Ordinance to define senior housing types, add design guidelines, establish Senior Housing Zoning and Dimensional Requirements and incorporate relevant parking requirements. WHEN: Thursday, December 3rd at 7:00 pm

From Ward 6 Ald. Gewirtz’s Winter ‘09 newsletter :
There is a proposal being made by the owners of the Citizens Bank building on Elm Street on the corner or Bowers Ave. to bring a Staples to that space. I have been very concerned about large chain stores coming into the square. I’m…

Ward 5 ResiStat Meeting

Tues. Dec. 1, 7:00 PM

Cafeterium
John F. Kennedy School
5 Cherry St.
Somerville MA (map)

This meeting, sponsored by Mayor Curtatone and Ward 5 Alderman O’Donovan, deals with statistical data and issues relating to Ward 5. Similar meetings are held in all other…

Ward 2 ResiStat Meeting

Mon. Nov. 30, 7:30 PM

Argenziano School
290 Washington Street
Somerville MA (map)

This meeting, sponsored by Mayor Curtatone and Ward 2 Alderman Heuston, deals with statistical data and issues relating to Ward 2. Similar meetings are held in all other wards of the…

Ward 6 ResiStat Meeting

Mon. Nov. 23, 7:30 PM

Ciampa Manor
27 College Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

This meeting, sponsored by Mayor Curtatone and Ward 6 Alderman Gewirtz, deals with statistical data and issues relating to Ward 6, particularly the Davis Square area. Similar meetings are held in…

Comprehensive Plan Visioning Meeting

Tues. Nov. 17, 6:30 PM

Argenziano School
290 Washington Street
Somerville MA (map)

This is the November meeting of the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee. The Visioning Discussion begins with this meeting and will continue with four public input meetings in December. The Steering Committee…

StreetTalk: Design Advocacy – Designing for How We Move Through Space

Thurs. Nov 12, 7:00 PM

Livable Streets
100 Sidney St.
Cambridge MA (map)

This presentation gives examples of landscape architecture and public art projects where pedestrian movement and design determined the space. It is important because we…

BOA Committee on Finance

Mon. Nov. 9, 6:00 PM

2nd Floor Comm. Room
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

Agenda (PDF)

This is a rescheduling of the Nov. 4 meeting of the Finance Committee, which was cancelled on November 2. It is…

STEP Green Line DEIR Community Meeting

Sat. Nov. 7, 9:30 AM

Community Room
Visiting Nurses Association
259 Lowell St.
Somerville MA (map)

This coming Saturday, the Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership is sponsoring a community meeting on the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Green Line Extension. This important, very…

Broadway Rezoning: Winter Hill to Sullivan Square

Thurs. Nov. 5, 6:00 PM

Aldermanic Chamber
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

This meeting is a rescheduling of the joint October 8 meeting between the Land Use Committee and the Planning Board. It is important because…

BOA Committee on Housing and Community Development

Thurs. Nov. 5, 7:00 PM

2nd Floor Conference Room
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

This is meeting of the Aldermanic Committee on Housing and Community Development is important because the Committee will discuss the proposed MBTA maintenance…

BOA Committee on Finance

Wed. Nov. 4, 6:00 PM

2nd Floor Comm. Room
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

This is the regular meeting of the Finance Committee. It is important because it addresses the final requirements of the iCubed program just approved by the…

Mystic View Task Force Annual Meeting

Sat. Nov. 7, 2:00 PM

Third Life Studio
33 Union Square
Somerville MA (map)

This is the annual meeting of the Mystic View Task Force. This meeting is important for MVTF members and supporters because at this meeting the organization will elect Board members…

Mystic River Watershed Association Annual Meeting

Thurs. Oct 29, 6:00 PM

BNY Mellon Building
135 Santilli Hwy.
Everett MA (map)

This is the annual meeting of the Mystic River Watershed Association. The guest speaker, Kathy Abbott, Executive Vice President, The Trustees of Reservations, will speak on Environmental Advocacy…

Community Corridor Planning Steering Committee Visioning Meeting

Wed. Oct. 28, 6:00 PM

Argenziano School
290 Washington Street
Somerville MA (map)

This visioning meeting is sponsored by the Community Corridor Planning Steering Committee to develop ideas for Somerville’s response to the Green Line Extension.

For background and…

Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee Meeting

Tues. Oct. 27, 6:30 PM

Community Room
Visiting Nurses Association
259 Lowell St.
Somerville MA (map)

This is the second October meeting of the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee. The subcommittees will meet and the committee as a whole will review the Land Use…

Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership Meeting

Mon. Oct. 26, 7:00 PM

Community Room
Visiting Nurses Association
259 Lowell St.
Somerville MA (map)

The monthly meeting of STEP provides an opportunity for citizens to get informed and involved in transportation developments around Somerville. This meeting is particularly important because the…

Massachusetts State Representative Denise Provost and Somerville Climate Action present:

THE GREENING OF SOUTHIE

A documentary on

What happens when you’re asked to build

The City of Tomorrow …Today?…

The Executive Office of Transportation (EOT) has posted the Draft EIR on the Green Line Extension into Somerville and Medford. It is important that all citizens of Somerville and Medford evaluate this document and give their feedback, because this is one of the final steps before the project begins implementation. Citizens should particularly look at the proposed mitigation of effects of this development on the surrounding neighborhoods.

In RE: Joe Lynch on Joe’s Original Crosswalks

The situation you describe, Joe, in which the Magoun Square project consultant told you that cost is the reason that a principal location, one where safe wheelchair access is crucial, will not be built in compliance with ADA specifications- is scandalous. I join you…

Rutherford Avenue/Sullivan Square Project Design Meeting

Thurs. Oct. 8, 6:30 PM

Schrafft’s Center Cafe
529 Main St.
Charlestown MA (map) ‎

Public meeting to discuss the Rutherford Ave./Sullivan Square Design.

For background and issue to monitor, see Rutherford Avenue / Sullivan Square Redesign Project …

BOA Finance Committee Meeting and Hearing

Wed. Oct. 14 6:30 PM

Aldermanic Chamber
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

This is a continuation of the Sep. 16 public hearing on the iCubed funding proposal before the Board of Aldermen, which would provide $50 million in…

Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee Meeting

Tues. Oct. 13, 6:30 PM

Community Room
Visiting Nurses Association
259 Lowell St.
Somerville MA (map)

This is the first October meeting of the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee. The subcommittees will meet and the committee as a whole will review the Housing Trends…

BOA Committee on Land Use Meeting and Public Hearing

Thurs. Oct. 8, 6:00 PM

Aldermanic Chamber
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

Agenda (MS DOC)

This meeting includes a public hearing on an amendment to the Somerville Zoning Ordinance regarding the Corridor…

Riverfest 2009

Starts 4:00 PM
(fireworks at 8:00 PM)

Assembly Square (map)

This is the second annual Mystic River Festival, featuring food, music, games, and fireworks. This event is sponsored by Federal Realty Investment Trust; Mayor Joseph Curtatone, City of Somerville; the City of Malden; and the…

Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Meeting

Thurs. Oct. 1, 10:00 AM

State Transportation Building
Conf Rms 2-3
10 Park Plaza
Boston MA (map)

This is the regular meeting of the Boston MPO, at which the status of the 2010-2013 Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) will be discussed. This…

BOA Committee on Public Health and Public Safety Meeting

Wed. Sep. 30 6:30 PM

2nd Floor Comm. Room
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

Agenda (PDF)

This is the regular meeting of the Somerville Aldermen’s Committee on Public Health and Public Safety…

Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee Meeting

Tues. Sep. 29, 6:30 PM

3rd Floor Community Room
Visiting Nurses Association
259 Lowell St.
Somerville MA (map)

This is the second September meeting of the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee. The subcommittees will meet and the committee as a whole will review the…

BOA Committee on Finance Meetings

• Tues. Sep. 22, 6:00 PM
• Wed. Sep. 23, 6:00 PM

2nd Floor Comm. Room
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

• Tues. Agenda (MS DOC)
• Wed. Agenda (MS DOC)

These are back-to-back…

Q:  Why Didn’t the Rolling Somerville Pedestrian Cross the Road at the Crosswalk?

A:  Because the City of Somerville Deciders have been playing chicken with standards.

This photo essay will show 30 lost opportunities to create a safer community on Mayor Curtatone’s watch.…

Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee Meeting

Tues. Sep. 15, 6:30 PM

Community Room
Visiting Nurses Association
259 Lowell St.
Somerville MA (map)

This is the kickoff meeting for the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee. This committee is intended to provide input to a comprehensive plan for developing the city. The…

Boston MPO Public Workshop on Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) 2010-2013

Wed. Sep. 16, 5:00 PM

Central Library
700 Boylston Street
Boston, MA (map)

Flier (PDF)

This important meeting provides an opportunity to express support for the Green Line Extension to Somerville and the Orange Line…

BOA Finance Committee Meeting and Hearing

Wed. Sep. 16 6:00 PM

Aldermanic Chamber
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

Agenda (MS Word)

This important meeting of the Somerville Aldermen’s Committee on Finance will include a Public Hearing on the State I-Cube program…

My long-lived friends keep telling me stories about pedestrian accidents in Davis Square.  Fractured a jaw.  Twisted knees.  Fractured elbow, shoulder, wrists.  Slipped and broke an ankle, on crutches for 5 months, still don’t feel safe walking.  Couldn’t even drive for 5 months.  Davis Square bricks.

Yep, reported it, tried to.  Told the Aldermen. …

Assembly Square Public Advisory Committee Meeting

Tues. Sep. 8, 6:00 PM

Federal Realty Investment Trust
5 Middlesex Ave. Suite 401
Somerville MA (map)

This important event is sponsored by Federal Realty, the chief developer of the new Assembly Square mixed use development.

For background and matters of interest, see…

MPO Transportation Planning and Programming Committee Meeting

Thurs. Sep. 3, 10:00 AM

State Transportation Building
Conf Rms 2-3
10 Park Plaza
Boston MA (map)

This is the regular meeting of the Metropolitan Planning Organization transportation planning committee. This meeting includes review of the draft 2010-2013 Transportation Improvement Program document, which…

Comment Period for Status of Public Transit Projects Required by State Implementation Plan

Ends Tues. Sep. 15, 5 PM

MassDEP Main Office
Washington Street Conference
One Winter Street
Boston, MA 02108 (directions)

Status letter (PDF)

On July 1, the Executive Office of Transportation submitted…

30-Day Comment Period on MPO Transportation Improvement Plan

Starts Mon. Aug. 24
Ends Wed. Sep. 23

The draft Transportation Improvement Plan 2010-2013 (TIP) and Regional Transportation Plan 2010-2030 (RFP) are available from the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) as of Monday, August 24, 2009, for a 30-day comment period.

Everyone who…

Somerville Committee on Public Health and Public Safety

Wed. Aug. 26, 7:30 PM

2nd Floor Committee Room
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

Agenda (MS DOC)

This is the regular meeting of the Aldermanic Committee on Public Health and Public Safety…

Housing Trends in Somerville

Tues. Aug. 25, 6:30 PM

Tufts Admin. Building (TAB)
167 Holland St.
Somerville MA (map)

This important meeting, sponsored by the City of Somerville, provides an opportunity for citizens to learn about and give their views on housing issues in Somerville.

For background and…

Somerville Planning Board and Land Use Committee Joint Meeting

Thurs. Aug. 20, 6:00 PM

Aldermanic Chamber
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

Agenda (MS DOC)

This is a joint meeting of the Housing and Community Development and Land Use Committees. On…

MPO Transportation Planning and Programming Committee Meeting

Thurs. Aug. 20, 9 AM

State Transportation Building
Conf Rms 2-3
10 Park Plaza
Boston MA (map)

Agenda (PDF)

This is the regular meeting of the Metropolitan Planning Organization transportation planning committee. This meeting includes review of the draft 2010-2013…

Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership Meeting

Mon. Aug. 17, 7 PM

Community Room
Visiting Nurses Association
259 Lowell St.
Somerville MA (map)

The monthly meeting of STEP provides an opportunity for citizens to get informed and involved in transportation developments around Somerville.

For background and issues to monitor…

Traffic Board Meeting and Hearing

Thurs. Aug. 13, 6 PM

Aldermanic Chamber
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

Agenda (PDF)

This is a special meeting of the Traffic Board. It includes a public hearing on petitions challenging the decision to extend parking…

Broadway Rezoning Community Meeting

Wed. Aug 12, 6:30 PM

Cross Street Senior Center
165 Broadway
Somerville MA (map)

This is the last of a series of community meetings on rezoning Broadway in East Somerville to introduce a transit-oriented development district.

For background and issues to monitor, see…

Comment Period for Mass Highway Improvements around Assembly Square

Ends Mon., Aug. 3, 2009.

The comment period for the proposed highway changes around Assembly Square ends Mon., Aug. 3, 2009. The existing proposals emphasize automobile access.

For background and issues to monitor, see Assembly Square Mixed-Use Development Project.

Comment Period for Transportation Improvement Plan 2007-2010 and Unified Planning Work Program 2010 (Correction)

Ends Tues., Aug. 4, 2009, 5 PM

The comment period for the Federal Transportation Improvement Plan 2007-2010 and Unified Planning Work Program 2010 is ending. The Assembly Square Orange Line T-Stop and the Green Line Extension aren’t…

Public Hearing: Proposed Amendments to Mass Air Quality Standards

Tues. Aug. 4 10 AM

MA Department of Environmental Protection
2nd Fl. Atlantic Conf. Rm.
One Winter St.
Boston MA (map)

This important hearing is to discuss amending the state ambient air quality standards to align them with…

Special Meeting, Somerville Board of Aldermen

Tues. Aug. 4 6:30 PM

Aldermanic Chamber
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

This special meeting of the Board of Aldermen is being held to discuss economic proposals for the Assembly Square development project, and other financial issues…

Transportation and Infrastructure Trends in Somerville

Tues. Aug. 4, 6:30 PM

Tufts Admin. Building (TAB)
167 Holland St.
Somerville MA (map)

This important meeting, sponsored by the City of Somerville, provides an opportunity for citizens to learn about and give their views on the transportation options in…

End of Comment Period Urban Ring Phase 2 EEA #12565

End of comment period:
Aug. 7, 2009

The Executive Office of Transportation has filed a Notice of Project Change that modifies the Urban Ring plan to bypass Assembly Square with the main loop, providing only a spur with bus service. The…

Gilman Square T-Stop Community Corridor Planning Meeting

Wed. Aug. 5, 6 PM

Community Room
Pearl Street Park
238 Pearl St.
Somerville MA (map)

This important event is sponsored by the Somerville Community Corporation as an opportunity for citizens to have input into the Green Line Extension to…

Urban Ring Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting

Tues. July 28, 4 PM

State Transportation Building
Conf Rms 2-3
10 Park Plaza
Boston MA (map)

Notice of Project Change
(LARGE PDF)

This meeting of the Urban Ring CAC provides citizens an opportunity to discuss the…

Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership Meeting

Mon. July 27, 7 PM

Community Room
Visiting Nurses Association
259 Lowell St.
Somerville MA (map)

The monthly meeting of STEP provides an opportunity for citizens to get informed and involved in transportation developments around Somerville. Matters of interest:

• Orange Line

Somerville Housing and Land Use Joint Committee Meeting

Wed. July 29, 7 PM

Aldermanic Chamber
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville  MA (map)

Agenda (MS DOC)

This is a joint meeting of the Housing and Community Development and Land Use Committees. On the…

Inner Belt / Brickbottom T-Stop Community Corridor Planning Meeting

Wed. July 29, 6 PM

Holiday Inn
30 Washington St.
Somerville MA (map)

List of Meetings (PDF)

This important event is sponsored by the Somerville Community Corporation as an opportunity for citizens to have input…

This important press conference will be held Monday morning at Assembly Square with Governor Patrick, Senator Kerry and Congressman Capuano. The event will focus on I-Cubed funding, GDI funding and stimulus funding for the Assembly on the Mystic project. Issues of interest: * Assembly Square long term vision * Assembly Square Orange Line T-Stop funding

Union Square T-Stop Community Corridor Planning Meeting

Sat. July 25, 10 AM

Boys and Girls Club
181 Washington St.
Somerville MA (map)

List of Meetings (PDF)

This important event is sponsored by the Somerville Community Corporation as an opportunity for citizens to have input…

Assembly Square Access Improvement Public Hearing

Thurs. July 23, 7 PM

Cross Street Senior Center
165 Broadway
Somerville MA (map)

Hearing Notice (PDF)

This is a public hearing to be held by the MassHighway regarding the Assembly Square Access Improvement Project. This provides an…

Boston MPO Open House

Wed. July 22, in two sessions
12 PM (#1) and 5:30 PM (#2)

MPO Conference Room
Suite 2150, State Transportation Building
10 Park Plaza
Boston (map)

Flyer (PDF)
Presentation Schedule (PDF)

This two-session open house describes Metropolitan Planning…

Transportation and Infrastructure Trends in Somerville

Tues. July 21, 6:30 PM

Cafeteria
Capuano Early Childhood Center
150 Glen St.
Somerville MA (map)

This important meeting, sponsored by the City of Somerville, provides an opportunity for citizens to learn about and give their views on the transportation options in…

Assembly Square Public Advisory Committee Meeting

Mon. July 20, 6:00 PM

Federal Realty Investment Trust
5 Middlesex Ave. Suite 401
Somerville MA (map)

This important event is sponsored by Federal Realty, the chief developer of the new Assembly Square mixed use development. Matters of interest:

• Urban design and

sponsored by the Somerville Community Corporation as an opportunity for citizens to have input into the Green Line Extension to Somerville and Medford. Matters of interest: * Status of Green Line Extension to Lowell Street * Implications for economic development * Implications for environmental improvement.

This is the regular meeting of the Federal EPA committee on the Mystic River. Matters of interest: * Mystic River environmental status * Status of Combined Sewer Overflow mitigation

sponsored by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) to provide information on what planning information is provided by the Commonwealth and how to access it. * Data sources for public health effects of VOCs in I-93 and McGrath corridors. * Data sources for economic development along Green Line.* Data sources for transportation development impact equity.

sponsored by the Somerville Community Corporation (SCC) as an opportunity for citizens to have input into the Green Line Extension to Somerville and Medford. Matters of interest: * Status of Green Line Extension to Ball Square * Implications for economic development * Implications for environmental improvement.

The Globe has a story today about the evolution of Davis Square and my son Nick’s project of finding out what happened to the kids who made the beautiful T station tiles when they were in elementary school…

This is a public meeting on the Green Line Extension to Union Square hosted by the City of Somerville at which you can monitor the following: * Status of Green Line Extension to Union Square * Implications for economic development * Implications for environmental improvement.

This is one of a series of Green Line Extension community meetings. At this meeting, you can monitor the following: * Status of Green Line Extension to Route 16 * Implications for economic development * Implications for environmental improvement.

This is a city-sponsored meeting to discuss economic development in Somerville. This gives citizens of Somerville the chance to look into progress on developments such as: * Assembly Square Development * Boynton Yards/Brickbottom Development * Union Square Development * Somerville Avenue Development

Interested in better public transportation? Open spaces? Affordability? Healthy communities? … The Community Corridor Planning Project will host station-based meetings throughout summer 2009 to engage the community in conversations about how the Green Line will affect their neighborhood. Our goals include…

In spite of the overwhelming cupidity of the Board of Aldermen, one or more may ask why or how the Mayor connects “access” to higher tickets across the board? … The obvious conclusion is that he cares nothing about access, and everything about money. While that may be good for his budget, it is at real cost to citizens and businesses, and, ultimately, to the management system that justifies – or rationalizes – that cost.

As announced in the Somerville Journal : What should happen with the former Powder House Community School?

Forum on Gentrification and Displacement!
Thursday, May 14th, 6 PM
Elizabeth Peabody House
277 Broadway (at Broadway & Grant Street) Somerville, MA 02145

Gentrification and Displacement

The Community Corridor Planning Project invites you to attend a meeting on April 29th to learn about and talk with your neighbors about changes that will come about in Somerville and in your neighborhood with the Green Line extensions.…

Somerville’s future – what’s in the works? Come find out.

SomerVision City Planning Open House

Saturday, April 25th from 11 am to 2 pm

Argenziano School, 290 Washington Street

The intent of the

Thanks to the interdependence of everything, Barry Rafkind’s post Keep Big Brother ouf of Somerville has morphed into a discussion about whether or not traffic cameras can induce more folks to obey traffic laws (see comments starting from # 7). I’m saying that, with regards to the specific pedestrian safety issues that Steve Roix has worked gallently to solve, this speaks to a deeper need to create a signal timing plan…

Dear Chairperson Bill White and distinguished aldermen, I strongly object to the installation of surveillance cameras in public spaces around our city and urge you to request their immediate removal. I believe this surveillance program, which was roundly rejected in Cambridge, MA, violates American ideals of freedom and liberty and the Constitutional right to privacy…

Last Thursday, responding to requests from the Actors Shakespeare Company and Arts at the Armory, I attended the Board of Zoning Appeals hearing. Testimony at that hearing was a revelation in several very different – and conflicting – ways.…

On March 3rd, the Somerville Board of Aldermen will hold its hearing on the proposed Condo Conversion Ordinance. If you are a Somerville homeowner, you know that the Libertarian, Cambridge-based Small Property Owners Association (SPOA) — which mailed letters to every Somerville homeowner — is seeking to derail that legislation by disseminating inflammatory and baseless claims about how passage will result in plummeting property values and escalating property taxes.

Madeleine Masters, Planning Director with the Somerville Office of Strategic Planning & Community Development emailed an announcement about the upcoming meeting on the Union Square Open Space and Recreation Plan, which will be held on Tuesday, January 6th at 6:30 p.m. in the Aldermanic Chambers at City Hall.

The following message was sent by Stephanie Hirsch to some ResiStat groups today. This is the park bounded by Holland Street, Simpson St., and Paulina St..

Hello ResiStat groups –

Please see below for an announcement of a planning meeting regarding Hodgkins Park:

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and Ward 7 Alderman Robert…

[Posted for Union Square Neighbors] Union Square Neighbors (USN) is a group of area residents who are concerned with the future of Union Square. We believe that careful planning and a cohesive community vision are critical to the future of the square.

Please join the Affordable Housing Organizing Committee (AHOC) and Save Our Somerville (SOS) on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. for the hearing of the Union Square Zoning Ordinance at City Hall. We are very concerned that the proposed Union Square zoning does little to protect affordability in the area.

The tree is gone. Several of us confronted the arborist. Ellie and Kirsten went to court in Woburn where Joe Benoit mysteriously turned up and successfully challenged their request for a temporary restraining order. (with video)

The Mystic View Task Force is holding its annual meeting on Wednesday, November 19, 2008. The focus of this year’s meeting will be reports on air pollution research. Taeko Minegishi, a scientist at Environmental Health & Engineering, Inc., will report on the results of measurements of

I just got a robo-call from the “Small Property Owners Association” telling me that I should email my alderman and demand that all condo conversion controls be eliminated. It also urged me to attend the BOA meeting on November 18. We’ve had some discussion on this site about gentrification. Well, I can’t think of a better way to promote gentrification than to wipe out large numbers of rental units via condo conversion.

From a phone message received today, October 8:

Hello, this is an important message from the National Institutes of Health.

On October 14 we’ll be holding a meeting of the NIH Blue Ribbon Panel for the risk assessment of the national emerging infectious diseases laboratories at Boston University Medical Center.

The purpose…

Below is a letter I submitted to the City of Somerville License Commission in favor of the above petitioner and his application to obtain a conditioned liquor license for Churassco (now Pampas) Buffet and Grill Beer at 505 Medford Street in Magoun Square.

Folks,

Just a reminder about this meeting about a proposed bio-lab in Cambridge.  As residents of Somerville, we can speak to the danger of the materials going through our city to get to Cambridge.

You may not have heard, but a developer is planning a Level Three biotech lab in Cambridge , to test toxic gases and other intriguing Cantabridgian products. What’s particularly interesting and notable to Somerville is that such items cannot be legally transported through tunnels, so, if they come from the airport, they come through Somerville . Nobody in Somerville seems to have noticed, but such a lab could kill your kids. Level Three labs are legitimate alternate testing sites for Level Four substances on occasion, and lack only the security conditions for that higher status.

Isn’t it odd that there has been no discussion in Somerville at all about the Cambridge Biolab 3, pending in East Cambridge?? The requirements for transporting its contents mandate “no tunnels” so everything that goes to Logan goes through Somerville. And everything is virtually all that’s in the Biolab 4 except fissionable materials!

PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY FOR

REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING INPUT

UNTIL AUGUST 5, 2008:

The Boston Region MPO will hold two Open House sessions on July 30, 2008 from 12:30 pm – 2 p.m.

and from 5:30 pm – 7 pm

AT: Suite 2150, State Transportation Building

10 Park Plaza, Boston…

Note: We’re planning to run a range of views on the rezoning of Union Square.
This one is from Matt McLaughlin, president of Save Our Somerville.

The Green Line is coming through, which is a great step forward for Somerville. I look forward to jumping on the Green Line and going into Boston. But where am I going to live? ……

East Somerville residents deserve the dream of a better community. Let’s talk together about what costs and benefits the new development will bring to our community and to East Somerville residents.

Sustainable Somerville — a nascent network of community organizations working to make/keep Somerville a great place to live, work, and play — is sponsoring a Sustainability Scavenger Hunt at ArtBeat (Saturday, July 19th in Davis Square), to show how the common thread of sustainability connects the work of the

On Monday, I went to the Union Square rezoning meeting held at Somerville High. I took my laptop with me and took the following “live blog” notes. The slides and maps are available on the city website.

Today, 2 residents from the Community Access Project of Somerville (CAPS) took their digital levels and measuring tapes and perambulated down Holland Street. We checked both sides of the sidewalk, from Winter Street to the Traffic and Parking Building (133 Holland St.) and then went back to Davis Square via the other side

Please join us for this important AHOC meeting as we discuss our leadership, prepare for the Union Square meeting Zoning on June 24th, plan for a busy summer in the green line corridor and get updates on the Condo ordinance!

Federal Realty Investment Trust will present development plans, and the exchange of a parcel currently owned by the Department of Conservation and Recreation for a slightly larger strip along the river which FRIT will develop into DCR parkland. FRIT will also discuss access to Draw 7 Park, and proposals for easements. Legislation to accomplish the land swap is currently before the legislature. Community members are invited to learn about the process and plans for community investment and mitigation. There will be a chance to ask questions and raise concerns.

This community meeting on the Mystic River Reservation Master Plan will include a presentation of the Draft Master Plan, followed by smaller group discussions on specific topics, including: Open Space and Recreation Programming, Conservation Plans, Pathways, and River and Riverfront Access.

For those of you who may not know, Governor Patrick filed the environmental bond bill (H.4446) this past December. Open space for outdoor recreation (as we all know) is extremely limited in Somerville. These funds can be used to develop Foss Park into the Urban Oasis we so desperately need in Somerville. There is tremendous potential to significantly upgrade the park for all who utilize the area. We must maximize this critical moment by taking advantage of these opportunities.

The city is holding a Community Meeting on the latest proposal for Zoning in Union Square on Tuesday, June 24th, at 6 PM at the Somerville High School auditorium.

Having the Green Line go to Route 16 will also serve Somerville residents so STEP hopes that you will support the goals of Green Line advocates in Somerville and Medford by signing the petition for the terminal stop at Route 16.  There are some Medford residents who opposed this location for the end of the line and want to end it the stop to be built  near Tufts.  Take a minute and sign the petition on line.…

Fred Berman and Bill Bumpus host a program called “Progressive Voices” on Somerville Community Access Television. I thought this might be a good program for folks to view if they want more info about the Green Line Expansion Project. Their guest is Ellen Reisner from STEP (Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership. She brings with her a lot of info about the project and its ramifications for our fine city.

In the ordinary course of business, one notices accessible route problems throughout Union Square’s Somerville Reconstruction Project area. During construction, it is very important for the City to maintain continuous, unobstructed, level and safe sidewalks, as well as safe curbcuts and walkways for everyone.

April 14, is the last day the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection will accept public comments on how to improve the proposed Assembly Square IKEA, and lessen its impact on the public’s right to freely travel to and enjoy our Mystic River waterfront.

It isn’t often that the words “surplus” and “parking” are associated with Davis Square. But the request currently before the Board of Alderman to declare three municipal parking lots surplus property in our hippest square does that as well as bring up the long simmering, but little acknowledged question of responsible management of city owned real estate.…