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Check out the latest <a href="https://voice.somervillema.gov/9455/widgets/26917/documents/57014" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Brickbottom Neighborhood Plan</a>! Please send your feedback to <a data-fr-linked="true" href="mailto:planning@somervillema.gov">planningboard@somervillema.gov</a>. Learn more at the public meeting on Monday, July8!<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/ehq-production-us-california/7abb902b87dc6ddf9f16651c25abd488ee938275/original/1719252500/96b8d6370670ddda03b02b0c670ec390_Social_Media_Graphic.png?1719252500" style="width: 408px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Come and learn about the updated Brickbottom Neighborhood Plan. City Staff will present the most current version of the plan and will answer questions from the community. The meeting will be hybrid, taking place both in-person and via Zoom.<div data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)"> </div><div data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Zoom information: </div><div data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Topic: Brickbottom Community Meeting</div><div data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Date &amp; Time: Jul 8, 2024 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)</div><div data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Meeting ID: 861 0313 3834</div><div data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Registration Link: <a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIsd-qprTgiGdAJas_g2T5LvMfLw0TAUmGS" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIsd-qprTgiGdAJas_g2T5LvMfLw0TAUmGS</a></div> Transportation to 100 Chestnut Street:The walking/biking path is located just north of 100 Chestnut Street and directly adjacent to the southern end of 86 Joy Street. It connects right to the East Somerville Green Line stop. There is some on-street parking available on Chestnut Street. City parking regulations for duration apply. The parking garage also has $10 flat rate parking after 5:00 PM. <hr>Current planning efforts for Brickbottom aim to produce a Vision Plan for the development of the area, which will inform infrastructure investments by the City while serving as a precursor to specific zoning changes that will enable new construction. It will primarily focus on the future physical design of streets and parks as well as the shape, size, and architectural character of new buildings. If there is a Master Planned Development overlay district for Brickbottom in the future, this Vision Plan will inform or become the Urban Design Framework that the Planning Board would adopt to enable it.Brickbottom is identified as an area to transform by SomerVision, the City&#39;s comprehensive plan. Therefore we want to enable extensive change in the area, creating new possibilities for housing, civic spaces, and commercial development.Please email any concerns or feedback to agraminski@somervillema.gov and <a href="http://eepurl.com/gR2bmX" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sign up for our mailing list!</a>

Brickbottom Neighborhood Plan

Central Somerville Avenue

The City of Somerville&rsquo;s Public Space and Urban Forestry (PSUF) Division is working to transform 217 Somerville Avenue, a vacant lot at the corner of Somerville Avenue and Rossmore Street, into a new pocket park. This parcel will add approximately .15 acres to Somerville&rsquo;s open space network as a pocket-park. The City&rsquo;s PSUF Division will lead a community process and hire a professional landscape architect to develop the park design and construction documents. The construction phase of 217 Somerville Avenue is intended to immediately follow the completion of design.

217 Somerville Avenue Pocket Park

<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/ehq-production-us-california/34fb39d06693065cf8956600999699e78150004c/original/1684873754/90a98b246d52127f66896ec7a470e12b_Prospect_Hill_DigitalEquity.png?1684873754" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-fil">The City of Somerville and the <a href="https://www.mapc.org/our-work/expertise/digital-equity/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC)</a> are developing a Digital Equity Plan, as part of the Massachusetts Broadband Institute&#39;s <a href="https://broadband.masstech.org/municipal" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Municipal Digital Equity Planning Program</a>. The planning process involves four main phases:Existing Conditions Assessment and Data Analysis: May - June, 2023In this phase, MAPC&#39;s Data Analytics team will collect and analyze existing data relating to digital access from local, state, and federal sources. This phase also includes mapping of existing broadband infrastructure and of social infrastructure which exists to support digital literacy at community institutions like libraries, schools, community centers, and others. Community Engagement and Qualitative Research: July - August, 2023After completing initial data analysis, MAPC&#39;s Community Engagement team and the City staff will conduct a comprehensive community engagement process. This process will consist of survey research (conducted in-person as well as online), interviews and focus groups, and public events to contextualize the results of our data analysis with the lived experience of Somerville residents.Action Plan Development: August - September, 2023Once qualitative and quantitative data have been collected and analyzed, the project team will work to produce specific, actionable recommendations to be shared with municipal leadership and community-based stakeholders. These include policy recommendations, infrastructure investments, and other interventions.Documentation and Plan Communication: September - December, 2023Building on the digital equity action plan, MAPC&#39;s Digital Equity team will work to turn findings and recommendations into a comprehensive plan document, with a target publication date of early November, 2023. Following publication, the project team will share the findings with state and local elected leaders, municipal decision makers, community-based organizations, and the public in a series events and other outreach activities.To learn more or get involved in the planning process, please email Will Pfeffer (<a href="mailto:wpfeffer@mapc.org">wpfeffer@mapc.org</a>), the project manager for this planning process.

Digital Equity Plan

<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW56901829 BCX0">Somerville is a dynamic, ever-evolving city. One constant, though, is how we unite as a community when challenges arise. Now, our resilience is being tested by climate change. &nbsp;</div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW56901829 BCX0">In the face of disruptions - whether economic, public health, or environmental - our shared values of creativity, innovation, and inclusivity help us persevere. Together we will transform Somerville into&nbsp;SustainaVille&nbsp;-- a city that works together to take bold steps to slow climate change while ensuring we are a diverse and vibrant community where all people thrive.  &nbsp;</div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW56901829 BCX0">The SustainaVille brand houses the programs and initiatives that reduce Somerville&rsquo;s contribution to and prepare us for the impacts of climate change. The Climate Forward plan is our roadmap for how we&rsquo;ll meet this urgency with Somerville-style grit and determination.&nbsp;</div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW56901829 BCX0"><a class="Hyperlink SCXW56901829 BCX0" href="https://www.somervillema.gov/departments/programs/somerville-climate-forward" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Climate Forward </a>was developed in 2018&nbsp;and established&nbsp;(13)&nbsp;priority strategies&nbsp;for a more sustainable and climate resilient community.&nbsp;It&#39;s&nbsp;now&nbsp;time to update the plan&nbsp;with community feedback and more recent&nbsp;climate data&nbsp;to&nbsp;reassess&nbsp;our priorities and identify strategies to accomplish our climate goals. &nbsp;</div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW56901829 BCX0">The Climate Forward Update is part of the City&rsquo;s&nbsp;evolving&nbsp;climate action plan and is designed to be updated every 5 years. From 2018 to 2023,&nbsp;the&nbsp;City&nbsp;has taken significant actions to reduce&nbsp;greenhouse&nbsp;gas emissions while enhancing equity-centered&nbsp;resiliency. This has&nbsp;included&nbsp;upgrades and extensions to public transportation, expansion&nbsp;of the urban tree canopy,&nbsp;developing&nbsp;the Citywide Drainage and Water Quality Plan, and&nbsp;more.&nbsp;The&nbsp;City&nbsp;has also reduced emissions resulting from powering municipal buildings, overhauled its zoning ordinance to include sustainability and resiliency standards,&nbsp;and maintained the <a href="https://cce.somervillema.gov/">community choice electricity program</a> for residents to access regionally produced, renewable energy.&nbsp;Read the Climate Forward annual progress reports for more information:&nbsp;<a class="Hyperlink SCXW56901829 BCX0" href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/somervillema.gov.if-us-east-1/s3fs-public/somerville-climate-forward-progress-report-2019.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">2019</a>,&nbsp;<a class="Hyperlink SCXW56901829 BCX0" href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/somervillema.gov.if-us-east-1/s3fs-public/2020SomervilleClimateForwardProgressReportFINAL.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">2020</a>,&nbsp;<a class="Hyperlink SCXW56901829 BCX0" href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/somervillema.gov.if-us-east-1/s3fs-public/Somerville-Climate-Forward-Progress-Report-2021-Final-Full-Report.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">2021</a>,&nbsp;and 2022 (coming soon).&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW56901829 BCX0">We&rsquo;ve got momentum on our side. Now&rsquo;s the time to roll up our sleeves, put our creative energy to work, and use Climate Forward to drive&nbsp;continuous, informed&nbsp;climate action in Somerville.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

Somerville Climate Forward Update

5 Palmer Avenue was purchased by the City using Community Preservation Act funds in 2018 for the purpose of expanding the adjacent Glen Park Community Garden. A community meeting was held in September of 2022 and a final design agreed upon. The design consultant is finalizing construction documents and the project will go out to bid in Spring 2023. Construction is anticipated for summer/fall of 2023.

Glen Park Community Garden Expansion

Thanks for visiting the Somerville Armory project page! If you&#39;re new here, please take a look at this narrative and reference material - previous public meetings, Advisory Committee meetings, and background information are a good place to start.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/ehq-production-us-california/2c54d68420cfdda2f287778a517a665f5e8bb02b/original/1655826791/93739e6b002987c5082790945d1238fa_Armory_Base_Google_cropped.jpg?1655826791" style="width: 825px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> Armory Master Plan Focus Group findingsOn May 1st, 2023, the Master Plan Advisory Committee reviewed the findings of four Focus Groups hosted by Somerville&#39;s master planning consultants in April. A summary of these findings has been prepared and is available in the &quot;Documents&quot; tab to the right side of this site.Project InformationSomerville recently acquired the Armory property for use as a public Community Arts Center. The city&#39;s Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD) and the Somerville Arts Council (SAC) have selected a consultant, Create Today, LLC, to compile an Armory Master Plan will guide how the property will serve as an arts center, including a business strategy outlining how the space will be used, managed and financially sustainable. Create Today will study best practices from other community arts facilities and coordinate with city staff on a community engagement process that will involve the City officials, our arts community, residents, and other interested stakeholders.Get Involved!The Somerville Armory Master Plan Advisory Committee (SAMPAC) started meeting on June 6th and convened again on September 12th of 2022. SAMPAC will continue to convene regularly in 2022 and early 2023 until the Master Plan is complete in early 2023. Follow this site for information about upcoming Committee meetings and other public meetings to review progress on development of the Master Plan, and to preview a draft of the plan before it is finalized.The next Advisory Committee meetings will be held virtually later in the summer! Stay tuned to this site for a recording of the proceedings and meeting material!Project SiteThe Somerville Armory is located at 191 Highland Avenue, a nearly 1-acre site between Davis Square and Somerville City Hall. Built in 1903 with three floors and a basement spanning 27,000 square feet, this building contains nearly 22,000 square feet of usable space. It currently features a two-story, 5,600 square foot performance hall with a mezzanine, a ground floor cafe, large work rooms and live/work apartments on the upper floors.The Armory first served as a National Guard facility until the 1970&#39;s and was then transferred to the Massachusetts State Police. Vacant since the mid-1980&#39;s, the site was purchased by a private owner in 2004 and renovated in 2009 as a private arts facility and performance space. The City acquired the property in 2020, and will use the forthcoming Master Plan as a roadmap to transition it into a modern public arts center. The City must follow state law in selecting future tenants through public request for proposal (RFP) procedures, and public relocation processes in helping current Armory tenants adjust to future use of the site.Project TimelineOSPCD&#39;S Economic Development division and the Arts Council are working closely with Create Today LLC to draft the Armory Master Plan. Preparatory work started in 2022, with the Advisory Committee starting to meet in June 2022. A draft Plan should be ready for review in mid-2023, and a final Armory Master Plan should be completed later in 2023. Once the Master Plan is finished, Economic Development will quickly pivot to implementation.

Armory Master Plan

<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/ehq-production-us-california/cb0fd3c56b3ce31b7b51fc4cd6b4b01295c9bf52/original/1645131685/3957297ca377994b3de97bb48aa39961_CPA_logo_title.jpg?1645131685" style="width: 213px;" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-fir">The Community Preservation Act (CPA) is a special City fund that is used for capital improvement projects related to open space/recreation, and historic preservation, and for projects that help to create or support affordable housing. The Community Preservation Committee oversees a grant program through which CPA funds are distributed to organizations and City departments for open space/recreation and historic preservation projects, while the Somerville Affordable Housing Trust distributes the funds set aside for affordable housing. Each year the Community Preservation Committee solicits public input to identify community needs and priorities for how the funds should be spent. Please share your ideas for ways to improve your neighborhood.

Community Preservation Act

Due to habitat loss and pesticide use, pollinator populations are declining in New England and worldwide. In response, Mayor Ballantyne&rsquo;s Office and the Division of Public Space and Urban Forestry (PSUF) are developing a Somerville Pollinator Action Plan (SPAP) to identify spatial and behavioral interventions that create the best habitat for pollinators and wildlife in the city.The Somerville Pollinator Action Plan will:<ul class="rteindent1"><li style="margin-left: 60px;">Describe Somerville-specific and regional pollinator species.</li><li style="margin-left: 60px;">Explore pollinator habitat within the city&rsquo;s network of urban open spaces.</li><li style="margin-left: 60px;">Educate public servants and city residents on the interdependence of pollinators, habitat, and resilient urban life.</li><li style="margin-left: 60px;">Propose ways that public servants and residents can foster Somerville-appropriate pollinator habitat.</li></ul>The mayor has appointed a Somerville Pollinator Action Plan Advisory Committee to lead this effort. The committee is comprised of youth, community members and advocates, inter-departmental City staff, and members of relevant Somerville non-profit groups. They will set out goals for the planning process, engage the public, and hire a consultant to write the Plan. Through harnessing the expertise and passion of our citizenry and a qualified consultant, we will produce a document to guide how we care for and foster pollinator habitat to support regional populations and our own urban lives.

Somerville Pollinator Action Plan

The City of Somerville, in collaboration with Street Plans, is developing a citywide bicycle network plan. The vision for bicycling in Somerville is to design our streets so that everybody, regardless of age and ability, can ride a bike to anywhere in the City feeling safe and comfortable. The Somerville Bicycle Network Plan will support this vision by establishing a network that will designate corridors for various bicycle infrastructure (such as protected bicycle lanes on roads or lanes next to sidewalks). The plan will connect gaps in the current network and will be a guide for future improvements. समरभिल साईकल सञ्जाल योजनाले हाम्रो सडकको डिजाइन योजनालाई मार्गदर्शन गर्ने लक्ष्य राखेको छ ताकि उमेर र क्षमताको भिन्नतका वावजुद सबैले सुरक्षित र सहज महसुस गरी सिटिको जुनसुकै ठाउँमा साईकल चलाउन सकून्। O Projeto da Malha de Ciclovias de Somerville visa transformar nossas ruas para que todos, independentemente da idade e habilidade, possam andar de bicicleta para qualquer lugar da cidade de forma segura e confort&aacute;vel. El Plan de la red de bicicletas de Somerville tiene como objetivo guiar el dise&ntilde;o de nuestras calles para que todos, independientemente de su edad y capacidad, puedan andar en bicicleta a cualquier lugar de la ciudad sinti&eacute;ndose seguros y c&oacute;modos. Vision pou plan pou Bisikl&egrave;t se pou gide plan pou lari yo afenke tout moun ka monte bisikl&egrave;t pou ale nenp&ograve;t kote nan vil la an sekirite epi konf&ograve;tab.

Somerville Bicycle Network Plan

This process has concluded and you can <a href="http://www.somervillebydesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/ASN_Plan-Update_Final.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.somervillebydesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/ASN_Plan-Update_Final.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">download the final version of the Assembly Square neighborhood plan here</a>. A huge thank you to all who contributed to this process! We are now coordinating the next steps toward the adoption of the plan. You can view the presentation from the October 13 meeting by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cLscRzHsgs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">following this link</a>, and read the recent Boston Globe article on this initiative by <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/10/14/business/somerville-outlines-plan-expand-assembly-square/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">following this link</a>.The Assembly Square neighborhood planning process will be unique. Where in other areas the challenge faced by Planning Staff has been to preserve and enhance the most desirable characteristics and potential of an existing neighborhood, here we will focus on realizing Assembly&#39;s full promise as a Transformational Area. This neighborhood also requires that we assess and develop an infrastructure framework suited for the needs and pressures of what is becoming one of Somerville&rsquo;s major new Regional Centers, an effort that will rest heavily on assessing the status of current infrastructure to ensure it provides support for expected new growth. Visit Assembly&#39;s <a href="https://www.somervillebydesign.com/neighborhoods/assembly/">SomervilleByDesign Page</a> to learn more about the planning history of this area.<a href="http://eepurl.com/gAdDr5" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> </a>We have completed our virtual meeting series that lasted from November 30th through December 4th, thank you to all who attended! If you missed it, you can catch up by viewing the videos below and these <a href="http://www.somervillebydesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Assembly_Square_WIP_12-4-20_AS_PRESENTED.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">presentation slides</a>. You can also still provide feedback through the surveys at the bottom of this page or by emailing our staff listed on the right side.Work-in-progress presentations from the meetings:<ul><li><a href="https://youtu.be/0VH3PkhO9oc" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Introduction &amp; Vision</a></li><li><a href="https://youtu.be/uo8Qhz86dy0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mobility</a><a href="http://www.somervillebydesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/What-is-a-Neighborhood-11-24-20-447PM.mp4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> </a></li><li><a href="https://youtu.be/C-Q0NFkxV5w" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Infrastructure</a></li><li><a href="https://youtu.be/Lb3TFizGilE" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Economics &amp; Closing</a></li></ul>Informational videos created prior to the meetings:<ul><li><a href="http://www.somervillebydesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/ASN_Report_Scenarios-UPDATED-11-19-20.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.somervillebydesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/ASN_Report_Scenarios-UPDATED-11-19-20.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"></a><a href="http://www.somervillebydesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Assembly-Square-Come-to-the-Charrette-Film1.mp4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Process Introduction</a></li><li><a href="http://www.somervillebydesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/What-is-a-Neighborhood-11-24-20-447PM.mp4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">What is a Neighborhood? </a></li><li><a href="http://www.somervillebydesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/SOMERVILLE-SCENARIO-FILM.mp4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Example Scenarios</a></li><li><a href="http://www.somervillebydesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/asq-mobility-analysis_PvdLSTer.mp4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mobility Analysis</a> &amp; <a href="http://www.somervillebydesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/ASQ-Vehicles-Video-2020-11-20.mp4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Vehicles Study</a></li></ul><a href="http://eepurl.com/gAdDr5" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sign up for our mailing list</a> in order to receive news, updates, and alerts about the Assembly Square Neighborhood planning process.

Assembly Square Neighborhood Plan Update

Background In 2018, the City of Somerville convened the <a href="https://www.somervillema.gov/internetaccesstaskforce" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Internet Access Task Force</a> to preserve and expand affordable internet across the City. After meeting for a year, the task force released its recommendations for expanding internet access and supporting net neutrality. However, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the City had to pause their efforts. The pandemic revealed deep inequities across the City with regards to internet access and digital literacy. Thus, in 2023, the City of Somerville decided to revisit the recommendations with digital equity and access as their top priorities.As the world moved online, leaders across the nation began to realize the severity of the digital divide. In response, the federal government provided large grants to expand high-speed internet. Additionally, state and local governments and community-based organizations created their own initiatives to provide access to their communities. Because of the growing awareness around digital inequities and new funding opportunities, the City of Somerville created the Digital Bridge Initiative to address the digital divide. VisionWe envision the City of Somerville to be one of the first cities in the U.S. that is 100% connected. We would like to see residents close the wealth gap by turning reliable and fast internet access and digital skills development into positive health outcomes.We aim to:<ul><li>remove barriers preventing people from completing online transactions such as purchasing groceries, signing up for healthcare, searching for jobs, and more.</li><li>equitably create a standard for affordability so that every resident has sustainable access to the internet.</li><li>successfully connect all public spaces such as schools, libraries, parks, public housing, government buildings, and more.</li><li>provide all residents with the devices they need to successfully integrate technology into their day-to-day lives and future aspirations.</li></ul>

The Digital Bridge Initiative

The Poplar Street Pump Station project will develop a portion of the ArtFarm site in Somerville&rsquo;s Brickbottom neighborhood to provide critical stormwater management infrastructure and new park space. It is one in a series of projects underway to relieve flooding in the city, prepare for climate change, and reduce Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) in the region. Construction will begin this spring 2023 and is expected to continue through 2025. The Poplar Street pump station and accompanying underground storage tank will fundamentally change the way stormwater drainage is managed for approximately 60% of the city. It represents a major investment in modernizing the City&rsquo; stormwater management infrastructure and increasing preparedness for extreme weather events. ArtFarm is Somerville&rsquo;s proposal for our next great public space: a self-sustaining art and urban agriculture laboratory designed to foster community engagement and creativity. A 2.1 acre site located at 10 Poplar St., it will serve as a park, urban agriculture site, and arts hub featuring the ArtFarm community center with performance and exhibit spaces. In discussions since 2015, the ArtFarm was conceived as a unique urban space bringing together residents and visitors. With strong support from community members and the Somerville Arts Council, a commitment was made by Mayor Curtatone&rsquo;s administration in 2017 to make 10 Poplar Street the ArtFarm&rsquo;s permanent home. Learn more about Art Farm at: <a href="http://www.somervilleartscouncil.org/artfarm/">http://www.somervilleartscouncil.org/artfarm/</a>

Poplar Street Pump Station 

<a href="http://www.somervillebydesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/BrickbottomSAP.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Download the Brickbottom Small Area Plan here.</a>The comment period deadline for this draft was July 11. We are currently working on updating the plan based on community feedback and aiming to complete it by the end of 2022. We worked diligently to incorporate the feedback we received during the previous Brickbottom Plan open comment period, and this new version is a result of that effort. We appreciate everyone who contributed their thoughts and ideas thus far. A big thank you to all who attended our June 11 Open House.After we analyze and integrate all the comments we receive during the current open comment period we will release a final version of the plan. <hr>Current planning efforts for Brickbottom aim to produce a Vision Plan for the development of the area, which will inform infrastructure investments by the City while serving as a precursor to specific zoning changes that will enable new construction. It will primarily focus on the future physical design of streets and parks as well as the shape, size, and architectural character of new buildings. If there is a Master Planned Development overlay district for Brickbottom in the future, this Vision Plan will inform or become the Urban Design Framework that the Planning Board would adopt to enable it.Brickbottom is identified as an area to transform by SomerVision, the City&#39;s comprehensive plan. Therefore we want to enable extensive change in the area, creating new possibilities for housing, civic spaces, and commercial development.Please email any concerns or feedback to <a href="mailto:vnascimento@somervillema.gov">vnascimento@somervillema.gov</a> and <a href="http://eepurl.com/gR2bmX" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sign up for our mailing list!</a>

Brickbottom Small Area Plan

<div class="OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW226523556">The City of Somerville will be resurfacing the roadway and sidewalks of Pearl Street between McGrath Highway and Mount Vernon Street. This project presents an opportunity to improve the experience of people traveling on Pearl Street while promoting sustainability and improving traffic safety for all users. </div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW226523556">This project will include traffic calming interventions such as raised intersections/crosswalks, speed humps, and neighborhood traffic circles. The project will not include any utility work below the surface of the road, nor will it include new traffic signals or major network redesign such as turning Pearl St into a one-way street. </div>

Pearl Street Reconstruction
& Safety Improvements 

We are creating an updated version of the Davis Square Neighborhood Plan and need your input! Last summer, we began discussions on the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on the Davis Square plan. We also continued to hear feedback from the public, including community concerns we know we could address better. Over the past two years, we also saw the public realm change and adapt to the needs of residents and businesses throughout the different stages of the pandemic. We are now rethinking our plan elements and recommendations related to street design and placemaking features that will be necessary to support our small business owners and use our public realm more effectively. We want to expand on what we have learned over this time to provide an improved plan for quality civic spaces, outdoor dining and vending, pedestrian and bike safety, expanded way-finding opportunities, and public realm maintenance that will support the commercial core and improve the visitor and resident experience. To that end, we have narrowed the focus of the Davis Square Plan to the core business area and changed the title from Davis Square Neighborhood Plan to Davis Square Commercial Area Plan. We are excited about this renewed initiative and eager for our community to be part of it. We will be sharing a draft in January. To receive updates and opportunities to participate please sign up for our <a href="http://eepurl.com/SXnFT" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mailing list</a>. To learn more about the broader history of planning in Davis Square <a href="https://www.somervillebydesign.com/neighborhoods/davis/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">go here</a>.

Davis Square Commercial Area Plan

Somerville&rsquo;s Union Square is the social, cultural and spatial heart of the neighborhood. It is the city&rsquo;s oldest commercial district as well as the historically significant location of a Union soldier recruiting station during the Civil War. It sits just below the site of the raising of the first American flag, the Grand Union Flag, on Prospect Hill during the American War for Independence. With a network of travel corridors leading to it, the plaza is the hub of Union Square, and the site of many festivals, events, and public activities. It is a square that has experienced waves of growth and decline and is positioned for a new phase of transformation.The present configuration of Union Square Plaza took shape in the 1960&rsquo;s when Washington Street was rerouted, and vehicles were removed from the central space. The reclaimed roadway space allowed for gatherings and events of all types. The Union Square streetscape and plaza project will expand on the work from the 60&#39;s to increase the plaza in order to become a distinguished civic plaza space and complete the adjoining streetscapes. This project aims to tackle the following questions and goals as well as bring forward new ideas:&bull; What is the right balance between travel lanes and plaza?&bull; How can the plaza design anchor a neighborhood while simultaneously embrace the future design of the D1, D5, D6 and D7 Parcels?&bull; The plaza shall accommodate a variety of gathering in both sun and shade, permanent and temporary, static and active.&bull; The design shall protect all people and make them feel safe at all times of the day throughout the year.&bull; Clearly articulate a design position for embracing, modifying, enhancing, or eliminating site features and seasonal programming of the plaza as it exists today, such as existing trees, existing parking, existing Arts Council installations, outdoor dining, markets and festivals.&bull; Utility design shall further the City&rsquo;s goals of rehabilitating existing subsurface infrastructure, completing sewer separation, and better managing stormwater through the innovative use of Green Stormwater Infrastructure.&bull; The design shall celebrate and respect Union Square monuments and neighborhood history&bull; The design approach shall establish a construction narrative to identify the order of construction phasing to deliver a new plaza space. The complete narrative should consider traditional construction planning as well as implementing temporary tactical urbanism methods to keep our public spaces active during the full transformation.

Union Square Plaza and Streetscapes

Following the completion of the Green Line and Community Path extension, the City of Somerville is planning to expand and improve Somerville Junction Park. In addition to being an important neighborhood passive park, Junction Park will become an important node and resting place along the Community Path. The City has hired a design consultant to lead the design and community process in Spring 2022. Potential new amenities at an expanded Junction Park may include community gardens, water play, and adult fitness equipment.

Somerville Junction

Largely developed during the 19th century, Spring Hill is served by a combined sewer system that collects both wastewater and stormwater runoff in the same pipes. The City is currently working to upgrade these systems by installing new storm drains that separate stormwater from the existing combined sewer. This measure is one in a series of actions the City is undertaking to reduce water pollution, mitigate flooding, and ultimately modernize our infrastructure.In addition to the installation of a modern, separate sewer system, the project includes:<ul><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr">Green stormwater infrastructure</li><li>185 new trees planted by the <a href="https://www.somervillema.gov/departments/ospcd/psuf/urban-forestry">Urban Forestry Division</a></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr">Improvements to the streetscape</li></ul>The Spring Hill Sewer Separation project has been divided into two areas: Project Area 1 and Project Area 2, as illustrated on the limits of map on the right-hand side of this page (click image to enlarge). Construction has begun in Project Area 1 while Project Area 2 will advance to construction in 2023 at the earliest. Select from the list below to view planned improvements and the anticipated schedule for each street within Project Area 1.<ul><li><a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1o7LovP1XVVe8shBIwjoFgzOTcvTX-ewImzBwSQYJ6SI/edit#slide=id.g23c9e157e09_2_86" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Avon St.</a></li><li><a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1o7LovP1XVVe8shBIwjoFgzOTcvTX-ewImzBwSQYJ6SI/edit#slide=id.g23c9e157e09_2_106" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Berkeley St.</a></li><li><a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1o7LovP1XVVe8shBIwjoFgzOTcvTX-ewImzBwSQYJ6SI/edit#slide=id.g23c9e157e09_2_126" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cambria St.</a></li><li><a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1o7LovP1XVVe8shBIwjoFgzOTcvTX-ewImzBwSQYJ6SI/edit#slide=id.g23c9e157e09_2_146" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Carter Terr.</a></li><li><a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1o7LovP1XVVe8shBIwjoFgzOTcvTX-ewImzBwSQYJ6SI/edit#slide=id.g23c9e157e09_2_166">Central St.</a></li><li><a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1o7LovP1XVVe8shBIwjoFgzOTcvTX-ewImzBwSQYJ6SI/edit#slide=id.g23c9e157e09_2_201" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gibbens St.</a></li><li><a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1o7LovP1XVVe8shBIwjoFgzOTcvTX-ewImzBwSQYJ6SI/edit#slide=id.g23c9e157e09_2_238" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Highland Ave</a></li><li><a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1o7LovP1XVVe8shBIwjoFgzOTcvTX-ewImzBwSQYJ6SI/edit#slide=id.g23c9e157e09_2_286" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Oxford St.</a></li><li><a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1o7LovP1XVVe8shBIwjoFgzOTcvTX-ewImzBwSQYJ6SI/edit#slide=id.g23c9e157e09_2_317" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">School St.</a></li><li><a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1o7LovP1XVVe8shBIwjoFgzOTcvTX-ewImzBwSQYJ6SI/edit#slide=id.g23c9e157e09_2_338" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Summer St.</a></li><li><a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1o7LovP1XVVe8shBIwjoFgzOTcvTX-ewImzBwSQYJ6SI/edit#slide=id.g23c9e157e09_2_380">Westwood Rd.</a></li></ul>

Spring Hill Sewer Separation Project

The City of Somerville is piloting the planting of a micro-forest using the Miyawaki method with support from Biodiversity for a Livable Climate and SUGi.We also need your help! Sign up here to volunteer with us: <a href="https://forms.gle/ygub1PkmvSFeeyYg9">https://forms.gle/ygub1PkmvSFeeyYg9</a> What is the Miyawaki method, you ask?Dr. Akira Miyawaki (1928-2021) was a botanist and ecologist in Japan who sought to restore layered forests, especially in degraded areas. He advocated for the protection of native forests and saw their value to humans, non-humans, including their role in minimizing the impacts of intense weather events. He believed it was important to foster species that were native to an area and to mimic the behaviors of plants that grow naturally in a forest. The technique he developed, now called the Miyawaki method, encourages quick growth by densely planting 30-50 species in a small area. This arrangement is inspired by natural forest behavior where species grow taller and more robust through competition for sun, water, and nutrients. The result of this high-density, native planting is a mature forest in as few as 20-30 years that is well adapted for our region.Miyawaki forests have been planted all over the world and are extremely biodiverse, require little maintenance, and are installed on small pockets of land. Very quickly, we can bring a forest to our densely developed city!Planting small, dense forests is not a typical practice in cities in the United States. Each time a city or town does so, we learn a little more about ways to make our urban lands resilient, livable, and beautiful. Each strategy we use to increase our tree canopy creates resilience to heat extremes, reduces air pollution, captures carbon dioxide, and provides a home for birds and pollinators. This is a pilot project and we will use this experience to learn about the efficacy of micro-forests and the Miyawaki method in our region. Get Involved!This page will be your source for project updates, for information about opportunities to participate, as well as a place to ask questions or leave comments. We will need volunteers to help plant and care for this forest in the first two-three years until it becomes self-sufficient. Please stay informed and see the tabs below for other ways to engage. Si necesita ayuda en su idioma, comun&iacute;quese con nosotros a trav&eacute;s de somervillema.gov/ContactSomerviva o llame al 311 (617-666-3311)&ensp;&ensp;&ensp;&ensp;&ensp;&ensp;Caso precise de assist&ecirc;ncia em seu idioma, entre em contato conosco por meio deste formul&aacute;rio online: somervillema.gov/ContactSomerviva ou ligue para 311 (617-666-3311) &ensp;&ensp;&ensp;&ensp;&ensp;Si ou bezwen asistans nan lang ou a, kontakte nou nan somervillema.gov/ContactSomerviva oswa rele 311 (617-666-3311) &ensp;&ensp;&ensp;यदि आफ्नो भाषामा सहायता चाहिन्छ भने कृपया सम्पर्क गर्नुहोस: www.somervillema.gov/ContactSomerviva गर्नुहोस् वा यो ३११ (६१७-६६६-३३११) / 311 (617-666-3311)&ensp;&ensp;&ensp;如果您需要語言方面的協助 請撥打 311 (617-666-3311) 或於somervillema.gov/ContactSomerviva 聯絡 彩薩默: 移民事務辦公室。&ensp;&ensp;如果您需要语言方面的协助，请联系 (somervillema.gov/ContactSomerViva)或者请拨打 311（617-666-3311）。

Urban Micro-Forest (Miyawaki)

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The City of Somerville needs your input for the Mystic River Outfall and Sewer Separation project.&nbsp;As part of the Mystic River Outfall and Sewer Separation Project, the City will be making streetscape improvements to prioritize safety and implement portions of the <a href="https://ehq-production-us-california.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/5ba4b4097935bd855875ffe6dba8fec0ca4816d7/original/1681824638/abc69f024d6671067bf4b1c76a1036a8_Somerville_Bike_Network_Plan.pdf?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIA4KKNQAKICO37GBEP%2F20241113%2Fus-west-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20241113T131722Z&X-Amz-Expires=300&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Signature=3e2979f4d0e6c8c22639aeb7bd1f2b6863f46d0c3d4ad60c7f91cf0becfab228">Somerville Bike Network Plan</a>. These portions will include a two-way separated bike lane on Temple St. and a neighborway on Jaques St. The design of these changes and others in the project area will be guided by public input.Writing your comments about roadway layout and mobility features on this map will let the City&rsquo;s project team know what you see as issues and opportunities in the project area. Use the different color pins to highlight locations that you think it is important for staff to prioritize for changes or improvements, as well as locations that are currently working well. Once you add a pin, you can also include comments and images to highlight specific priorities or concerns.&nbsp;Click on the marker button (+) to start adding pins. Note that the project area is outlined in blue.

Street Improvements Map

Survey for Map - 4502

Streetscape Improvements Area

Project OverviewThe City of Somerville is making substantial systemwide investments to modernize its sewer and stormwater infrastructure. As part of this effort, the City will be constructing a new stormwater outfall pipe which will discharge to the Mystic River, installing new drainage infrastructure, and rehabilitating the existing sewer system in the neighborhood west of Foss Park. This project will reduce flood risk in the surrounding area and help maintain the water quality of local rivers.Prospective TimelineCity Staff from the Department of Infrastructure and Asset Management, along with consulting partners, are currently working on preliminary design for this project.We anticipate sharing more information and initial design concepts at a community meeting to be scheduled in late spring/early summer 2024.Preliminary designs are expected to be completed by Fall 2024. Final design is expected to be complete in 2025.Learn MoreTo learn more about the City&#39;s efforts to reduce flooding and improve water quality in our local rivers, please see our Citywide <a href="https://voice.somervillema.gov/citywide-drainage-and-water-quality-master-plan" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Flood Mitigation and Water Quality Master Plan</a>. Information in other languages <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/somervillema-live/s3fs-public/Mystic%20River%20Outfall%20and%20Sewer%20Separation_ProjectOverview_Spanish%28LatAm%29.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Espa&ntilde;ol</a>, <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/somervillema-live/s3fs-public/Mystic%20River%20Outfall%20and%20Sewer%20Separation_ProjectOverview_Portuguese%28Brazil%29.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Portugu&ecirc;s</a>, <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/somervillema-live/s3fs-public/Mystic%20River%20Outfall%20and%20Sewer%20Separation_ProjectOverview_Haitian%20Creole.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Krey&ograve;l Ayisyen</a>, <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/somervillema-live/s3fs-public/Mystic%20River%20Outfall%20and%20Sewer%20Separation_ProjectOverview_Nepali.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">नेपाली</a>, <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/somervillema-live/s3fs-public/Mystic%20River%20Outfall%20and%20Sewer%20Separation_ProjectOverview_Simplified%20Chinese.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">简体中文版</a>, <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/somervillema-live/s3fs-public/Mystic%20River%20Outfall%20and%20Sewer%20Separation_ProjectOverview_Traditional%20Chinese.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">繁體中文版.</a>