By Joseph A. Curtatone

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

Our greatest successes as a city are born from working together, on a foundation of shared values and principles, to build the frameworks that will shape the future of our city. From our 20-year comprehensive SomerVision plan, to the rezoning of Union Square, to our ongoing Somerville By Design workshops, we rely on you to guide what kind of community we are going to be. That’s what all of these community-based discussions are about—building community. At a base level, building community starts with our zoning code. It’s where we identify neighborhoods and what should be allowed to be built in each neighborhood. This is the framework that shapes how our city will evolve, but we have realized that what we have on the books today is neither predictable nor easy to navigate.