Town of Arlington

The report includes recommended CPA projects for FY2025, covering community housing, open space and recreational land, and historic preservation. Key projects include special needs housing creation, the 10 Sunnyside affordable housing project, homelessness prevention programs, leasing differential support, Shea House roof repair, McClennen Detention Pond survey, Minuteman Bikeway redesign, Crosby Park renovation, Menotomy Rocks Park improvements, digitizing marriage records, Winfield Robbins Memorial Garden restoration, and the "Foot of the Rocks" Battlefield Memorial.

The Arlington Redevelopment Board convened to discuss several key agenda items, including a continued public hearing for a project at 15 Ryder Street. Discussions involved parking and loading solutions, exterior facade updates, lighting adjustments, and landscaping plans. The applicant team addressed board member comments with updated materials, including dimensional and parking information, site plans, vehicular traffic plans, and elevation renderings. The board members raised concerns about traffic, parking availability, noise levels, litter prevention, and signage, proposing potential solutions such as one-way street conversions and noise monitoring.

The meeting included a continued public hearing for a project at 1323 Massachusetts Avenue, which was postponed to May 5th due to the applicant's need to provide updated materials. The board also reopened the public hearing for warrant articles related to zoning for the 2025 annual town meeting, with discussions on six articles planned, each allotted 30 minutes. The first article discussed was article 36, concerning a zoning bylaw amendment for no net loss of commercial space for local businesses.

This document outlines the Select Board and Town Manager goals for Fiscal Year 2026-2027. The strategic direction encompasses organizational, strategic, and long-range financial planning, including updating financial plans, managing ARPA funds, and improving investment and assessment processes. Key focus areas also include capital projects and maintenance, such as the Arlington High School project, Mystic Street Bridge, and Town Hall restoration. Community planning and development goals address zoning updates, small business assistance, and regional environmental issues like the Alewife Brook. Transportation and parking initiatives focus on EV charging infrastructure, traffic calming measures, and bikeway improvements. Additionally, the plan prioritizes public communications, customer service, resident engagement, and information technology, with an emphasis on cybersecurity, digital ADA compliance, and the implementation of new software platforms.

This plan aims to revitalize and energize the historic Massachusetts Avenue commercial area in Arlington Heights. Key strategic pillars include consolidating existing business districts into a single Arlington Heights Business (AHB) district, re-zoning the "Gold's Gym" site as a Planned Unit Development (PUD-AH) to encourage mixed-use development and housing, and streamlining the permitting process through a tiered Environmental Design Review. The plan also emphasizes non-zoning actions such as promoting public events, improving walkability and parking, and coordinating with the Arts and Culture Plan to enhance the area's vitality and attract new businesses and residents.