Every Thursday evening this summer, open house-style workshops to collect resident and stakeholder feedback to help shape Somerville’s future.

SOMERVILLE – Drop in and help shape Somerville’s future through a series of Zoning Workshops this summer. Held each Thursday from June 12 through August 28 from 4 to 7:30 p.m. at the community meeting room at 50 Middlesex Ave., behind Style Café in the Public Storage building at Assembly Square, the workshops seek to gather ideas, inform, and answer questions on the City’s new proposed zoning ordinance.

These events are open house-style workshop meetings. Members of the Zoning Advisory Committee and planners from the City will host each open house/workshop to gather ideas, inform, and answer questions on the proposed new zoning ordinance. Join the members of the Zoning Advisory Committee and City planners for any of the workshops. Drop in for whatever time you have available—no formal presentations will be given. You can participate in a meaningful way, whether you drop in for 15 minutes or all three and a half hours.

Over the last year, City staff has been developing a new zoning ordinance that brings transparency and customer service to the City’s development review process. The workshops are intended to invite residents and stakeholders into the important process of refining the details that will improve protections for residential neighborhoods and unlock smart growth opportunities consistent with SomerVision.

Workshop topics are as follows:

June 12 SomerVision’s Goals for the New Ordinance
June 19 Sustainability
June 26 Mobility, Parking, and Access
July 10 Zoning for the Arts and Creative Economy
July 24 Somerville’s Building Types
July 31 Community Benefits
August 7 Square, Main Streets, Jobs, & the Somerville Economy
August 14 Zoning for Businesses
August 21 Signs, Lighting, & Site Development
August 28 Administration & Permitting

For more information, contact the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development at 617-625-6600 ext 2500, or visit http://www.somervillebydesign.com.