Roslindale Squares & Streets – Boston Zoning Commission Hearing on Deck – Wednesday, 21 May 2025, at 9:00 am – ADOPTED! UPDATE BELOW

Matt Lawlor

Roslindale Square - Squares + Streets | Bostonplans.org

The Boston Zoning Commission is set to hold their public hearing starting at about 9 am on this coming Wednesday, 21 May 2025, on the zoning text and map amendments developed through the small area planning process here in Roslindale Square over the course of the last year-plus.

LINK HERE: BZC agenda and information on how to register.

We encourage supporters of the proposed zoning changes to attend and offer testimony at the hearing, which will be over zoom, if at all possible. Whether you can make it or not, we also encourage you to submit supportive written comments to the Boston Zoning Commission’s Secretary, Jeffrey Hampton, at their official email address of zoningcommission@nullboston.gov. We’re going to submit our WalkUP Roslindale comment letter around the time of the BPDA Board vote last month. Hope to see many supporters on hand on Wednesday morning and here’s a LINK to a helpful tool that was put together for the BPDA Board meeting, but is also very helpful for preparing for the hearing and submitting your written support in advance!

UPDATE:

As first reported by Universal Hub (“Denser zoning approved for Roslindale Square”), the Roslindale Squares & Streets zoning amendments – both text and map – were adopted by the Boston Zoning Commission at their hearing this past Wednesday morning by a unanimous vote of 11 in favor, 0 against. As we have said many times, deep thanks go to the mayor and her administration, especially the folks at the Boston Planning Department, who worked tirelessly over the last 15 months to solicit feedback, develop the small area plan, and then craft zoning amendments to meet this moment in our neighborhood and city. Now we will all get to see what kinds of improvements and projects the new zoning will engender. Onward!

Welcome Home, Boston Phase 3 in Roslindale/Hyde Park

Ben Bruno

The Welcome Home, Boston initiative seeks to create new homes for first-time homebuyers on city-owned land. Phase 3 will involve the vacant city-owned land at 917 American Legion Hwy and Wilmot St. The neighborhood-specific workshop for Roslindale/Hyde Park is this Tuesday May 20, 6-7:30pm (virtual).

Bike to Work Day & Festival on City Hall Plaza – Friday, 16 May 2025 – WR/Roslindale Convoy Departs at 7:10 am in Adams Park

Matt Lawlor

This really is a great event every year and if you register early enough, you get a free Boston Bikes t-shirt. Get with the program if you can! Registration link is HERE.

BTD Open Houses: Roslindale Transportation Action Plan & Hyde Park Ave

Ben Bruno

Mark your calendar for two upcoming Boston Transportation Department (BTD) open houses this May!

Roslindale Transportation Action Plan Open House

Tuesday May 13th, 6:00 – 7:30pm @ St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church

BTD will be introducing the project, sharing what they’ve heard, and asking for some initial feedback. There’s no formal program and no need to stay the whole time. Come any time to meet the planners, learn about the project, and share your thoughts! See the flyer for the event.

Hyde Park Ave Multimodal Corridor Open House #3

Wednesday May 21st, 6:00pm – 8:00pm @ Boston Teachers Union School

Come listen and provide feedback on the latest design concepts for Hyde Park Ave.

Soft Open Alert – Roslindale Gateway Path Phase 1!

Matt Lawlor
Roslindale Gateway Path at Arboretum Road Entrance.
The newly opened entrance at Arboretum Rd.
Arboretum Map showing the new entrance and a view toward the Blackwell Path connection.
Updated Arboretum Map & Blackwell Path connection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We here at WalkUP Roslindale have been advocating and organizing around the Roslindale Gateway Path since our inception almost a decade ago and, thanks to the sustained leadership and partnership of the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, the Arboretum Park Conservancy, LivableStreets Alliance, the Tufts University Department of Urban and Environmental Planning, Rozzie Bikes, Hubluv, the Solomon Foundation, and of course the City of Boston (especially the leadership of Mayor Michelle Wu as well as the Parks and Recreation Department, the Department of Public Works, and the Transportation Department), we now have the first tangible result of those efforts – the Phase 1 extension from the terminus of the Blackwell Path at South Street alongside and then under the MBTA Needham Line tracks to a brand new and fully fledged Arboretum entrance on Arboretum Road. This is a great step forward in providing better access to this Emerald Necklace jewel to/from this part of Roslindale. It’s long overdue and very welcome, and we will continue to advocate for the rest of the path going forward, so that improved access can be achieved at Archdale Road and at the Roslindale Village Commuter Rail Station. We also urge everyone to mark your calendars for Saturday, 19 July 2025, when the formal grand opening celebration will be held. We’ll share details on that as they become available. Many thanks to all of the players who made this possible!

Our most recent summary piece on the full path can be found here: Roslindale Gateway Path.

 

Planning Department advances Squares & Streets Zoning Map and Text for Roslindale Square through BPDA Board

Matt Lawlor

There’s been light reporting on this so far in the broader media, but we can confirm that the Planning Department successfully moved the proposed Squares & Streets Zoning Map and Text Amendments through the approval recommendation stage with the BPDA Board at their meeting this past Thursday, April 10. The next and final step for the small area plan and zoning process will be the Boston Zoning Commission’s public hearing and vote on adopting the proposals as part of the city’s official zoning map and code. That is expected to occur in May, on a to-be-determined date. Many thanks to Planning Department staff (there are many, but special thanks to Abdul-Razak Zachariah, Kathleen Onufer, and Eileen Michaud) and everyone who has been involved. Stay tuned for more information on the BZC date as it becomes available!

Hyde Park Avenue Safety Walk – Saturday, April 12 1-3 PM

Ben Bruno

The Boston Better Streets Coalition has organized a Hyde Park Safety Walk tomorrow, Saturday April 12 from 1-3 PM, to help envision a safer Hyde Park Avenue. Meet at Forest Hills Station at 1pm. City Councilors, officials, and Boston transportation planners will be in attendance.

Squares + Streets Zoning Map – Roslindale Square – Closeout Meeting – 8 April 2025 @ 6 pm on ZOOM

Matt Lawlor

Close on the heels of the end of the comment period yesterday, the Planning Department is hosting their scheduled closeout meeting on the zoning map and the revisions made thereto since its release in February. We encourage supporters to attend and thank the staff who have worked so hard over the last year to move the process from visioning to the small area plan and now the adoption of a new zoning map for the plan area. Information on the meeting and how to sign can be found HERE. Thanks!

Roslindale Square - Squares + Streets | Bostonplans.org

 

Last Call for Comments on the S+S Zoning Map!

Ben Bruno

The deadline for comments on the Roslindale Squares+Streets Zoning Map has been extended to this Saturday, April 5th. We’ve just submitted our comment letter on the map, make sure to submit yours!

You may have submitted comments back in January or February for the Small Area Plan which was accepted by the BPDA, but the zoning updates are a separate process that follows the recommendations from the Small Area Plan. Make sure to comment on the Zoning Map as well.

Make a Public Comment on the Roslindale Squares + Streets Zoning Map by the Deadline on This Saturday, April 5th!

Highlights from The Rozzie Zoning Zoom!

Ben Bruno

Key highlights from The Rozzie Zoning Zoom are now available! You can also watch the full recording here.

Balancing Zoning Flexibility & Community Input

Boston City Planner Abdul Zachariah discusses how the new zoning grants greater flexibility to property owners interested in redevelopment, but it is also sensitive to neighborhood character and community input.

Roslindale Housing Growth Projection

Eric Ouyang, CEO of Perci PBC, shares a projection of housing growth in Roslindale based on assumptions of which parcels are more likely to be redeveloped under the new zoning.

New Zoning Makes it Easier to Build Affordable Housing

MAPC Director of Land Use Andrea Harris-Long and Boston City Councilor Enrique Pepén discuss how the new zoning flexibility and faster approval for projects means lower costs, making it easier for affordable housing developers to succeed.

Housing Types For Different Life Stages

Should we require developers to build more family-sized housing? Insights from MAPC Director of Land Use Planning Andrea Harris-Long, Boston City Councilor Enrique Pepén, and Perci CEO Eric Ouyang.

Community Interest in Upzoning

Boston City Councilor Enrique Pepén shares what he’s been hearing from community members interested in the new zoning.

Addressing Displacement

Our panelists discuss the risk of displacement today, as well as what tenants and businesses may encounter under new zoning. They also tackle different strategies for addressing it.

Tax Revenue Impact of New Development

Perci PBC CEO Eric Ouyang and Cambridge City Councilor Burhan Azeem describe the impacts that new development can have on local property tax revenue.

Removing Parking Minimums in Rozzie & Cambridge

Boston City Planner Abdul Zachariah and Cambridge City Councilor Burhan Azeem talk about the implications of allowing developers the flexibility to determine how much on-site parking to build.

Make a Public Comment on Squares + Streets Zoning by the March 31st Deadline!