A petition is circulating calling on the City of Boston and the State Legislature to enact an \u201cironclad\u201d shadow law for the Arnold Arboretum: a blanket ban on any new shadow falling on the Arboretum\u2019s collection anywhere along its perimeter, modeled on the protections for Boston Common and the Public Garden.<\/p>\n
WalkUP Roslindale believes this proposal is misguided and harmful to the public good. A categorical, perimeter\u2011wide shadow ban is not a reasonable response to any actual threat to the Arboretum\u2019s collection and it would cause serious collateral damage to the city\u2019s ability to add homes in the places where they make the most sense.<\/p>\n
WalkUP Roslindale supports protections for the Arboretum’s collection (many of us live near its periphery and all of us are regular visitors). These protections should be grounded in project-by-project review using the City’s existing design and permitting processes, which already evaluate shadow impacts, environmental effects, and site-specific conditions.<\/span><\/p>\n A perimeter\u2011wide shadow ban would apply uniformly around the entire boundary regardless of actual impact, scientific relevance, or proximity to sensitive plantings. It would also lock away some of Boston\u2019s most transit\u2011accessible land at a time when the city urgently needs more homes near reliable transportation.<\/span><\/p>\n Boston should not lose future housing opportunities to a rule written to address disputes unfolding elsewhere along the Arboretum\u2019s edge. Thoughtful, evidence\u2011based review, not categorical prohibition, is the right way to protect the Arboretum while ensuring the city can grow sustainably and equitably.<\/span><\/p>\n The Arboretum’s southeastern perimeter runs along Washington Street near the Forest Hills Orange Line and Commuter Rail station across the Roslindale\/Jamaica Plain boundary. This stretch, home to a working mix of small businesses, light industrial uses, and some vacant and transitional parcels, has real opportunities for a substantial amount of new transit-oriented housing. A blanket rule that treats every parcel along the entire perimeter the same, regardless of a given site’s actual shadow impact, would shut down sensible development before it’s even proposed.<\/span><\/p>\n As an example, a proposal for a 165-unit building a short walk from Forest Hills at 3841 Washington Street<\/a> recently won approval, showing what’s possible here when projects are evaluated on their own merits rather than blocked by a categorical rule. Shadow studies at this location showed minimal early morning shadows only for brief periods of time during the year.<\/span><\/p>\nBuilding housing in transit\u2011rich areas should not be made infeasible by fiat<\/span><\/h2>\n