By Joseph A. Curtatone (The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville News belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville News, its staff or publishers.) Spring is finally upon us once again, and the city has again planned a fun and events-filled spring and summer, beginning with our annual Spring Cleanup on May 8.

Springtime also means that, here at City Hall, we're gearing up for another budget season. We've weathered the tough Fiscal Year of 2010 better than most Massachusetts municipalities, but additional cuts in FY2011 are already looming. Somerville, as always, continues to do more with less, and we are moving forward and identifying new and improved ways of cutting costs, without cutting services. We are planning and preparing for the City to grow in thoughtful ways. We have to – our residents, community members, and the character of our city depend on it.

Somerville is a unique, thriving community characterized by individual squares and neighborhoods, and by the diverse mix of families and individuals, whether they are families who have lived here for generations, or students and young professionals attracted to the walkable neighborhoods and proximity to educational institutions and downtown Boston. We have thriving artist and business communities, and a large foreign-born population that adds an important entrepreneurial spirit and diversity to the city. Each of these groups depends on the sustainability of services provided to and for the residents of Somerville.

Somerville has received national recognition as a model of innovation and efficiency, and received a number of national awards – most recently the All-America City Award in 2009 and we should all be proud of these facts and accomplishments. Yet we must ask ourselves, what will define Somerville in the next twenty years?

As design of the Green Line Extension and Orange Line station at Assembly Square proceeds, it is clear that considerable positive change in Somerville's transportation network is well underway. Today, 30 percent of Somerville's population lives within a half-mile of transit centers. With these new transit initiatives underway, that number will jump to 85 percent, an increase in transit service that few cities can boast. The accessibility to surrounding communities ties Somerville's economic well-being to the general status of the regional economy.

What we need now is a city-wide plan for the future, built on a clear and shared vision. Such a plan will help us continue to improve the quality of life for this community, to fully capture the benefits of this transformational opportunity, and to recognize its many pressures.

This comprehensive plan will examine not only the places that make Somerville distinctive – its squares and hills, residential neighborhoods, schools, roadways, transit, and open space, but also the people that make Somerville special – the people who live, work, and play here today, and who will call Somerville home in the future. It recognizes what the city is doing well and wants to preserve, as well as areas of growth and targets of significant investment and transit-oriented development that will shape the City's development patterns in the future. The future Green Line and Orange Line stations represent tremendous opportunities for Somerville to progressively address sustainable economic development and physical growth in the city.

To kick-off this planning process in late 2009, we held a series of "World Cafés": small round-table conversations aimed at creating greater community connection and mapping out the best ideas from a broad range of community members. Participants said that they enjoyed meeting other people enthusiastic about the future of Somerville and walked away with new thoughts and ideas. But most importantly, participants were excited about the prospect of helping plan our future. It's not easy; building a city is like building a jigsaw puzzle, with many pieces and often competing interests. That is why our plan has and will continue to involve all community members in creating a unified goal for Somerville's future.

Our Plan will direct innovative public policies and procedures, ensure better delivery of city services, empower neighborhood planning, and provide for future, sustainable growth and development. Through the World Cafés and in working with the Plan's steering committee, we created a vision that captures the elements vitally important to our community members Рdiversity, community spirit, economic growth, city-wide accessibility, sustainability, and innovation. (You can view and provide feedback on the vision at www.somervillema.gov/ComprehensivePlan, or www.somervilleresistat.blogspot.com/).

The Plan is aimed at three different audiences. First, it is directed toward the public, to ensure that our residents and business owners have a good understanding of land use and planning issues in the city, and know how to ensure their opinions are heard. Second, this plan is useful for city departments in directing actions and advocating policies necessary for running the city. Third, the Plan informs State officials as to the actions the City will pursue to comprehensively address the planning issues it faces.

We understand that we will all need to revisit and renew the Plan so that it stays current and provides an ongoing blueprint for decision-makers that goes beyond the next budget or election cycle.

We are committed to transparency and inclusiveness in government. Let's work together to build a better Somerville. City government cannot do it alone; we want to hear from you. All stakeholders must be involved. The Plan and its community process are the most important things our city can do to prepare for change and capture the many opportunities within our grasp.