82%
prioritize the vitality of business districts
80%
prioritize shared community space
75%
prioritize siting multifamily housing near public transit.
73%
prioritize locating the district in a walkable and bikeable area
According to Claire Ricker, Arlington’s Director of Planning & Community Development, the town received a $20,000 Technical Assistance grant to hire Planning Consultant UTILE to assist with siting and mapping our multi-family districts, developing appropriate use and density requirements, drafting zoning by-laws, and helping with community engagement.
In March 2023, over 1000 people participated in Arlington’s MBTA Communities Visioning Survey. The survey was created to collect public input and identify community goals and priorities regarding where multi-family housing should be allowed by right.
UTILE analyzed the data from the town’s MBTA Communities Visioning Survey and presented the survey results to the public at the MBTA Communities Working Group meeting on Tuesday, May 16th, 2023.
What UTILE has translated the survey data results into an actionable design framework, which the consultant provided in a summary analysis and two early draft plan maps.
Arlington’s Consultant UTILE recommends:
Preserve existing commercial & industrial. Preserve other frontage along Mass Ave to enable future commercial growth.
photo of slide presentation at 05/16/2023 meeting by Town Meeting Member Wynelle Evans
82% of respondents prioritize the vitality of business districts.
Town MBTA Communities Act Technical Planning Consultant Utile recommends: Preserve existing commercial & industrial. Preserve other frontage along Mass Ave to enable future commercial growth.
80% of respondents prioritize shared community space.
Utile recommends: Explore zoning standards, opportunities for the public realm, improvement of public spaces.
75% of respondents prioritize siting multifamily housing near public transit.
Utile recommends: Propose district locations close to existing bus routes.
73% of respondents prioritize siting multifamily housing in a walkable and bikeable area.
Utile recommends: Propose district locations close to existing Minuteman Bikeway, etc.
Why does the Town’s Professional Planning Consultant Recommend Preserving Commercial Space?
Utile recommends keeping the MBTA Communities Housing Overlay out of the Commercial districts because the MBTA Communities Act does not allow a commercial use requirement.
Utile’s Urban Planner, Will Cohen, said that businesses are good for Arlington because commercial use is good for tax purposes, diversity of use, and jobs. We have seen that if there is not a commercial use requirement, developers will only provide residential use because residential use is more lucrative. This is why Professional Planning consultants recommend against including commercial districts in MBTA Communities Act Multi-family zoning plans.