The Somerville City Council Committee on Land Use, and the Somerville Planning Board, invite all interested community members to attend and speak at a joint Public Hearing on the adoption of a new Somerville Zoning Ordinance. The Hearing will take place on Thursday, September 19, at 6 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at City Hall, 93 Highland Ave. The Land Use Committee of the Whole and the Planning Board will hear testimony on the proposed new ordinance. Written public comment will also be accepted as noted below.

The proposed zoning overhaul is the first major review of the rules for development and land use since 1990 and incorporates a review of many regulatory provisions and mapping decisions that were first put in place in the 1920s. The new zoning ordinance was first formally introduced by the Administration to the City Council in January 2014 and has undergone extensive legislative review and community-driven revision since.  To learn more about the ordinance and the process, please visit www.somervillezoning.com.

Copies of the proposed ordinance (now in Version 4) and maps are available online at www.somervillezoning.com. Copies of the ordinance and maps are also available for review in the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development, located on the third floor of City Hall, 93 Highland Avenue.

Written Testimony: Public testimony at public hearings is generally limited to two minutes per person, but may be extended at the discretion of the Chair.  Written testimony for the public record may be submitted via email to cityclerk@somervillema.gov through 5 p.m. Thursday, September 19, or submitted by mail to City Clerk, 93 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA 02143.

Individuals with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication, written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures, in order to access the programs and activities of the City of Somerville or to attend meetings, should contactNency Salamoun, at 617-625-6600 x2323 or NSalamoun@somervillema.gov.