Category: Uncategorized

Walk Audit Series Community Meeting Wed 11/19 6:30-8pm

Ben Bruno

Please join us for our community meeting to wrap up our walk audit series! We’ll report back, discuss our findings and improvements that have already been made, and talk about next steps.

BCYF Community Center
6 Cummins Hwy, Boston, MA 02131
đź“… Wednesday, November 19
🕞 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM

Our 2025 walk audit series is made possible by the AARP Community Challenge, a grant program that funds quick-action projects to help communities become more livable for people of all ages. It’s part of AARP’s nationwide Livable Communities initiative. Learn more at AARP.org/Livable.

Show Support for Affordable Senior Housing Tonight!

Ben Bruno

rendering of 4259-4267 Washington St developmentTonight at 6 PM, there’s a public meeting about B’nai B’rith’s proposal for a 6-story, PassiveHouse-certifiable building with 41 affordable senior homes and new retail — including a new home for the Thrift Shop — on the former Bank of America parking lot on Washington St (between Chilacates and the recycling center).

This is exactly the kind of thoughtful, sustainable development that many Roslindale residents hoped would come out of the Squares + Streets rezoning. Let’s show up and show support!

Here are two quick ways to help Roslindale say YES to more affordable homes:

📅Join the Public Zoom Meeting — Tonight, Monday October 20th at 6:00 PM
Register here: bosplans.org/4259Washington-1015

✍️ Send a Written Comment of Support
Use this tool to write and submit a public letter in under 2 minutes.

Cummins Highway Walk Audit – Wed Oct 15, 3:30 – 5:00 PM

Ben Bruno

Join us on our third and final walk audit in this year’s series this coming Wednesday! We’ll meet in Adams Park and depart by 3:35 to observe and document how safe, accessible, and welcoming the street and sidewalks are for people of all ages and abilities.  We will not be entering the Sarah Roberts school grounds so as not to interfere with school dismissal and buses, but we will observe and document the issues and challenges on this busy corridor at rush hour / school dismissal time from the opposite site of Cummins Highway.

Cummins Highway (Adams Park to Sarah Roberts Elementary School)
đź“… Wednesday, October 15th
🕞 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM

👉 RSVP here to let us know you plan to join. While RSVPs aren’t required, they’ll help us prepare enough materials for everyone.

Hope you can join us!

 

Our 2025 walk audit series is made possible by the AARP Community Challenge, a grant program that funds quick-action projects to help communities become more livable for people of all ages. It’s part of AARP’s nationwide Livable Communities initiative. Learn more at AARP.org/Livable.

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).

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!

S+S Zoning Map

Ben Bruno

small snapshot of part of the new S+S zoning map

On February 14, the Planning Department released a draft of zoning updates for the Roslindale Square area. In addition to the maps, a Zoning Updates Guide (English) is now available to help explain the changes (the Spanish version is coming soon, the link will be here when it’s available).

This is a major step towards implementing the community vision that was detailed in the Land Use and Design Framework of the Roslindale Square Small Area Plan, which was adopted on February 13. The Planning Department will be engaging Roslindale residents and taking in their comments on the zoning updates from now through March 31st.

Public Meetings

Presentation and Resource Fair for Tenants & Owners – Register
Tuesday, February 25th from 6-8PM
The Substation, 4228 Washington St, Roslindale, MA 02131

Draft Zoning Updates Public Meeting – Register
Thursday, February 27th 6-8PM
Virtual (Zoom)

Office Hours

In-Person at the Roslindale BPL (Thursday Afternoons) Sign up
Virtual (Tuesday Evenings on Zoom) Sign up

Public Comment Form

Submit your comments until March 31st through this public comment form or email comments to squaresandstreets@boston.gov.

Here we go again: Roslindale Snow Clearance Collaborative Version 7.4 (UPDATE with Photos)

Matt Lawlor

Boston Yeti Takes to the Streets during Winter Storm Marcus ...

Lather, rinse, repeat. Our old, but fairly familiar this winter friend the Boston Yeti is calling us out for the fourth time this season! The reported snowfall before the rain came is in the range of 4-6″ (10-15 cm) and therefore exceeds our 4″ (10 cm) threshold. Accordingly, we are again calling our forces out onto the snowy streets to clear bus stops, curb ramps, and key sidewalk segments for our neighbors. As has been the case for many years now, if you send us pix of the clearing you’ve done, we will send you back $10 in Rozzie Bucks as a reward and heartfelt thank you. Send pix to info@walkuproslindale.org. Thanks!!!

UPDATE: One of our neighbors just sent in the following photos upon clearing the storm drain at the intersection of Belgrade and Aldrich and indicated that a “satisfying whoosh” greeted the finish product as the water that had pooled was allowed to drain. Thanks!!

B

WalkUP Roslindale Snow Clearance Collaborative Version 7.3 – All Forces Deploy!

Matt Lawlor

Boston Yeti Takes to the Streets during Winter Storm Marcus ...

Yes, you read that right. This is not a drill. Our old friend Boston Yeti is calling us out for the third time this winter! The reported snowfall total of 6″ so far exceeds our 4″ (10cm) threshold, so we are again calling our forces out onto the snowy streets to clear bus stops, curb ramps, and key sidewalk segments for our neighbors. As has been the case for many years now, if you send us pix of the clearing you’ve done, we will send you back $10 in Rozzie Bucks as a reward and heartfelt thank you. Send pix to matthew.j.lawlor@gmail.com. Thanks!!!

Comment Letter on Squares + Streets Small Area Plan

Ben Bruno Leave a comment

Today, we sent in our comment letter on the Roslindale Squares + Streets Small Area Plan.

If you haven’t sent in your comments yet, you can still take a few minutes to do so by using the tools and resources from our prior post. But please hurry because the deadline is TODAY (1/31/25)!

WalkUP Roslindale Snow Clearance Collaborative Version 7.2 – All Forces Deploy!

Matt Lawlor Leave a comment

Boston Yeti Takes to the Streets during Winter Storm Marcus ...

Our old friend Boston Yeti is calling us out for the second time this winter! The reported snowfall total exceeds our 4″ (10cm), so we are again calling our forces out onto the snowy streets to clear bus stops, curb ramps, and key sidewalk segments for our neighbors. As has been the case, if you send us pix of the clearing you’ve done, we will send you back $10 in Rozzie Bucks as a reward and heartfelt thank you. Send pix to matthew.j.lawlor@gmail.com. Thanks!!!