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
Suspect in Massachusetts stabbing spree to undergo mental health evaluation
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
Massachusetts
Healey expands universal pre-k across 8 Massachusetts school districts
Universal pre-k in Massachusetts took another step forward Tuesday, with the state expanding funding for the program across eight school districts.
“We know that the high cost of child care is holding back our families, our providers and our economy from their full potential,” said Gov. Maura Healey. “That’s why we have been focused on expanding access to affordable, high-quality preschool, creating new seats for children in Gateway Cities and rural communities across the state.”
The school districts will receive $1.7 million in Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative (CPPI) grants to expand seats and access to preschool programs for all families.
The Healey administrations launched the “Gateway to Pre-K” initiative earlier in the year, committing to expanding universal affordable preschool for all 4-year-olds in 26 cities in Massachusetts by 2026. This investment builds on $16.4 million invested in expanding universal pre-k this fiscal year, and with these new grants, 19 of the 26 cities are now receiving CPPI grants expanding preschool access.
Six districts included in Tuesday’s announcement — in Gloucester, Haverhill, Holyoke, Hoosac Valley, New Bedford and Westfield — will expand their existing universal pre-k programs, adding a total of 259 seats in public and community-based preschool programs.
The remaining two districts in Chicopee and Taunton will receive $50,000 each to draft a plan and work through early implementation for their universal pre-k programs, including putting together a needs assessment, leadership team and community partners.
The CPPI grants work with a range of early education programs to meet the different needs of families, including special education programs. The grants also provide funding for scholarships for working families to receive low or no cost preschool.
Education officials cited the importance of bridging gaps in pre-k access to the development of kids’ “academic and social-emotional skills.”
“This is not just an investment in our children and families, early childhood educators, and local communities—it’s a down payment on the future success of our state,” said Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler.
Massachusetts
Cole Swindell, Bryson Tiller: 9 MA Events This Week
MASSACHUSETTS — Are you saving your nights outside of the house for the weekend? In Massachusetts, that can often mean missing out on a bevy of great concerts, art exhibits and other events across the state.
In Patch’s latest weekly column, we focus on the events happening throughout the week in the Boston area and beyond.
This week, the storied band The Damned stops at Big Night Live while R&B crooners Tank and Keri Hilson bring their show to Orpheum Theatre.
Plus, Cole Swindell is at Leader Bank Pavilion and Bryson Tiller is at MGM Music Hall.
Here’s what else to know for this week in Massachusetts:
-
Movie Reviews1 week ago
‘The Substance’ Review: An Excellent Demi Moore Helps Sustain Coralie Fargeat’s Stylish but Redundant Body Horror
-
Movie Reviews1 week ago
‘Rumours’ Review: Cate Blanchett and Alicia Vikander Play Clueless World Leaders in Guy Maddin’s Very Funny, Truly Silly Dark Comedy
-
Culture1 week ago
From Dairy Daddies to Trash Pandas: How branding creates fans for lower-league baseball teams
-
News1 week ago
Video: A Student Protester Facing Disciplinary Action Has ‘No Regrets’
-
World1 week ago
Panic in Bishkek: Why were Pakistani students attacked in Kyrgyzstan?
-
Politics1 week ago
Anti-Israel agitators interrupt Blinken Senate testimony, hauled out by Capitol police
-
Politics1 week ago
Michael Cohen swore he had nothing derogatory on Trump, his ex-lawyer says – another lie – as testimony ends
-
News1 week ago
City of Kyle falls short of ‘Kyle’ world record