Bluntly Speaking by Ross E. Blouin, Publisher The Somerville Times

On June 8, the Somerville Board of Aldermen will have the opportunity to finally vote on new zoning that will allow Union Square’s revitalization to move forward.  The redevelopment, which will be implemented by Union Square Station Associates (US2), is slated to create over 1.3 million square feet of commercial space, high quality open space and hundreds of units of new market rate and affordable housing over the next decade or so. The new development will create 5,000 new permanent jobs, 4,000 construction jobs, will generate millions in new annual tax revenue and will help to pay for the Green Line Extension to Somerville.  The vote comes on the heels of several missed deadlines and extensions for the rezoning process that started in summer 2016.

Residents of Somerville have been working on the revitalization of Union Square for almost a decade.

• In 2009, Somerville Residents and City staff started a lively community planning process with the goal of creating Somerville’s first comprehensive master plan.
• In early 2012, the Board of Aldermen endorsed SomerVision which set out the community’s vision to make Somerville an even more exceptional place to live, work, play and raise a family.
• In October 2012, the City adopted the State approved Union Square Revitalization Plan for the SRA to acquire and dispose of the 7 parcels identified in the plan so they could be redeveloped and contribute to SomerVision’s goals.
• In June 2014, US2 was selected by the SRA as the City’s Master Developer Partner for the Union Square Revitalization Project.
• In May of 2016, the award-winning Union Square Neighborhood Plan was adopted by the Somerville Planning Board after a 17 month community based planning process.
• In April 2017, the SRA approved US2’s Master Land Disposition Agreement with the City.
• The Board of Aldermen is currently considering the Union Square Zoning Overlay and Development Covenant. These approvals are required for the project to move forward.

Once the Board of Aldermen approves zoning, the next step in the process will be a Planning Board review and approval of US2’s Coordinated Development Plan which will give the community further opportunity to influence what finally is to be built.

If the Board of Aldermen does not vote this week, zoning will be set aside for City budget deliberations which are slated to begin next week and run through late June, right around the time that the current zoning petition expires on June 29. Inaction would likely signal the end for the current zoning petition and require the City and the Board of Aldermen to begin the process all over again. New zoning review would take place during the fall election season and would likely delay approval and project construction start for many months. A delay would have meaningful financial consequences for the City as the start of construction will allow the City to recover millions of dollars through the land sale, permits fees and developer contributions to community priorities. Overall, the community benefits from the project are estimated at $112 million dollars which includes $19.2 million in direct payments for neighborhood community benefits priorities, the Green Line and infrastructure.