Massachusetts
Somerville looks to become second Massachusetts city to get rid of ‘unnecessary’ parking spaces
The Somerville City Council will consider a zoning ordinance to remove “unnecessary parking spaces” built with new developments, a request that proponents say is aimed at improving quality of life and “meeting climate goals.”
Council President Ben Ewen-Campen and Councilor Willie Burnley, Jr., are set to bring forth a resolution highlighting the framework of their proposal to the rest of the council on Thursday. They say they already have support from city administrators and advocates.
“This is about reducing traffic congestion, lowering costs, and meeting climate goals,” Ewen-Campen said Monday in a post on X.
In 2019, the council approved a zoning law that set a maximum number of new parking spaces built in its transit-accessible neighborhoods. The new proposal looks to apply that regulation to “certain large commercial developments” in other parts of the city while doing away with so-called “parking minimums.”
“The elimination of parking minimums in Somerville’s transit-oriented development areas has resulted in a remarkable 62% decrease in the number of parking spaces being built compared to what was previously mandated,” part of the resolution states.
Requiring “large commercial developments” to provide at least a minimum number of parking spaces, Ewen-Campen and Burnley, Jr. say, leads to “increased traffic congestion,” hampers residents’ quality of life, and impedes the city’s climate goals.
In a statement to the Herald on Tuesday, the city said Mayor Katjana Ballantyne believes the proposal “merits serious consideration” as it aligns with Somerville’s transition to cleaner modes of transportation and promotes affordable housing.
The request has caught some pushback in the community after Ewen-Campen posted a document of the resolution on social media Monday.
“Removing spaces causes more congestion with people looking for parking,” someone commented on X. “It also hurts business because many people can not navigate public (transit), and will go elsewhere if they can not park. It will bring more Uber traffic too.”
The city told the Herald that “the administration recognizes many residents currently rely on access to parking.”
“With this in mind, the City is committed to dedicating resources to employing curb use and other strategies that make the best use of limited parking resources,” a spokesperson said, “rather than mandating the creation of new parking.”
Rough 30% of parking spaces in new apartment buildings across Greater Boston are unused, according to undisclosed studies that Ewen-Campen and Burnley, Jr., cited in the resolution.
Cambridge in October 2022 became the first city or town in Massachusetts to eliminate all minimum parking space requirements from a zoning code. In Boston, Mayor Michelle Wu signed an amendment earlier that year eliminating parking minimums for affordable housing developments.”
The resolution order in Somerville highlights how “the creation of even a single parking space costs, on average, $50,000 with significantly higher costs in dense metropolitan areas.”
“It is often said that zoning is the most powerful tool that municipalities have in the fight for housing affordability,” Burnley Jr. said in a post on Instagram. “By eliminating parking minimums like Cambridge did years ago, we hope to spur further affordable housing development.”
Massachusetts
Changes Coming to Mega Millions in 2025
Mega Millions lottery tickets will more than double in 2025, but the Massachusetts Lottery says you’ll have a better chance of winning.
The Lottery says, “Mega Millions, the multi-state lottery game that has produced a record six jackpot wins exceeding $1 billion, is getting ready for a ‘mega’ overhaul with plans to be bigger and better than ever when the new and improved game launches in April of 2025.”
The Massachusetts Lottery promises “improved odds to win the jackpot, bigger jackpots more frequently, larger starting jackpots, faster-growing jackpots, a built-in multiplier on every play, automatically improving every non-jackpot win by 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, or 10X – up to $10 million for matching the five white balls, and no breakeven prizes, meaning when a player wins they’ll always win more than the cost of the ticket.”
Five jackpot prizes have been paid out in Massachusetts since the Mega Millions game began in 2022.
Forty-five states and two U.S. territories participate in the Mega Millions game.
The Associated Press quotes Christian Teja, the Massachusetts Lottery Director of Communications, as saying that “They’re constantly looking at ways to enhance the games, maybe make them a little bit different than Powerball.”
“You have probably heard about jackpot fatigue, it used to be $100 million and everybody was playing. Then it became $300 million,” Teja said. “Then it was $500 million. Now, it’s really approaching a billion dollars before you see the sales kick up.”
It currently costs $2 to play Mega Millions but the ticket price will increase to $5 in April 2025. Perhaps the lure of bigger prizes and better chances to win will overshadow the higher ticket cost.
25 Times SouthCoasters Won $1 Million or More in the Massachusetts Lottery
Since 2006, the Massachusetts State Lottery has kept a record of every winning ticket of $1 million or more. Here are 25 sold on the SouthCoast.
Gallery Credit: Gazelle
America’s Top 10 States With The Most Lottery Wins
Just how lucky is your state? A new list has determined which states have won the most money from either the Powerball or MegaMillions in the last 10 years.
Gallery Credit: Jahna Michal
Massachusetts
Massachusetts lawmaker proposes legislation to regulate drones
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Massachusetts
Ocean State Job Lot taking over 3rd former Christmas Tree Shops store in Massachusetts
NORTH ATTLEBORO – Ocean State Job Lot announced this week it is taking over a third former Christmas Tree Shops location in Massachusetts and sixth overall in New England.
Ocean State Job Lot opening in North Attleboro
The Rhode Island-based discount retail chain will open its 53rd Massachusetts store in North Attleboro after buying the Cumberland Crossing shopping center. The store is scheduled to open sometime in the second quarter of 2025. Other shops at the plaza include a trampoline park, Guitar Center, Planet Fitness and David’s Bridal.
Ocean State Job Lots says its growth strategy includes a “repurposing of former retail sites.” Old Christmas Tree Shops stores in Avon and Pembroke, as well as locations in Augusta, Maine; St. Albans, Vermont and Warwick, Rhode Island have also turned into Ocean State Job Lots.
What’s happening to old Christmas Tree Shop stores?
The last Christmas Tree Shops stores closed more than a year ago, after the New England retailer declared bankruptcy and went out of business.
The once-popular chain known for its “Don’t you just love a bargain?” jingle began on Cape Cod 50 years ago. Not long before closures began, ownership decided to rebrand as “CTS” because some confused shoppers outside of New England thought the stores only sold Christmas trees.
A former Christmas Tree Shops location in Dartmouth has been turned into a “Spirit Christmas” store for the holidays. Other Christmas Tree Shops have become furniture stores, supermarkets and potential real estate development opportunities.
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