Powerpoint presentation from the final Green Line Extension Community Visioning Process meeting on 11.2.11

1. Mystic Valley Parkway Green Line
Community Visioning Process
Pre-Meeting
November 2, 2011
1

2. Overview
Presentation Will Cover:
• Overview of the Green Line project
• Potential station area for Mystic Valley Parkway
• Purpose of this study
• Recap of previous meetings
2

3. Green Line Extension Project Area
3

4. Mystic Valley Parkway Project Area
4

5. Mystic Valley Parkway Visioning Process
This process identifies:
• Land use changes that are possible within the station area
• Benefits from a station and associated transit-oriented
development
• Potential impacts and mitigation measures
• Recommendations for the two cities and MassDOT
This process isn’t:
• An assessment of whether or not the Green Line should be
extended
• A study providing more information on the Phase I Green Line
Extension
• An engineering study
5

6. Public Engagement Process
Tonight’s Meeting
Issue Community Community Community Draft
Identification Questions Opportunities Vision Recommendations
Continuous Public Involvement
Continuous Stakeholder Outreach
6

7. Questions?
7

8. Mystic Valley Parkway Green Line
Community Visioning Process
Public Meeting #5
November 2, 2011
8

9. Public Involvement Process
Stakeholder Interviews February 16 Outcome
Public Meeting #1 List of Topics to be
Kick-Off and Topic Explored in Meeting #2
Meetings with Cities Identification
March 30 Outcome
Public Meeting #2 Questions Answered
Topics from Meeting 1 Community Questions and Concerns
Responded To
Information on Transit May 17
Public Meeting #3 Outcome
Oriented Development
Understand Key
Community Assets
Community Assets and
Preference Poll and Preferences Visual Preferences
June 23
Outcome
Assets and Preferences Public Meeting #4 Series of land
from Meeting 3 Community Visioning use/development
scenarios
November 2
Scenarios from Outcome
Public Meeting #5
Meeting 4 Set of Recommendations
Recommendations to Cities and MassDOT
9

10. Agenda
Tonight’s Agenda
• Presentation of draft recommendations
• Opportunity for Q&A and comment
• Meeting evaluation and next steps
10

11. Keypad Questions
11

12. Are you ready for the holidays?
1. Yes, it’s my favorite time of the year
0%
2. Yes, I could use a few days of vacation
0%
3. No, it means winter is approaching
0%
4. No, I’m already behind on my holiday shopping
0%
5. None of the above
0%
10
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13. Which category below best describes you? Previous
Pick one Meeting
----------
1. A concerned resident
0% 51%
2. Government (City, Town, State, or Federal)
0% 6%
3. Business/property owner
0% 26%
4. Non-profit organizations and advocacy groups
0%
9%
5. Other
0% 9%
10
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13

14. Where do you live? Previous
Meeting
1. Medford ----------
0% 56%
2. Somerville
0% 22%
3. Arlington
0% 6%
4. Cambridge
0% 3%
5. Winchester
0% 0%
6. Boston
0%
7. Other 0%
0% 14%
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15. Do you own a home or rent? Previous
Meeting
1. I own a single family home ----------
0% 57%
2. I own a multi-family home (e.g., two-family or triple-decker)
0%
24%
3. I own a condominium or townhouse
0% 3%
4. I rent my home
0% 16%
5. Other (none)
0% 0%
10
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16. How long have you lived in the Medford, Previous
Somerville, Arlington, or Cambridge area? Meeting
----------
1. 0 - 1 Year
0%
3%
2. 2 - 5 Years
0%
14%
3. 6 - 10 Years
0%
14%
4. 11 - 20 Years
0%
28%
5. 20+ Years
0%
31%
6. I live in another municipality
0%
11%
10
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16

17. What is your age? Previous
Meeting
1. 0 – 19 ----------
0% 0%
2. 20 – 29
0% 6%
3. 30 – 39
0% 17%
4. 40 – 49
0% 25%
5. 50 – 59
0% 22%
6. 60 – 69
0% 22%
7. 70 or Better
0% 8%
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18. Previous
How do you identify yourself?
Meeting
----------
1. White
0% 91%
2. Black or African American
0% 0%
3. Hispanic or Latino
0%
3%
4. Asian
0%
3%
5. Other
0%
3%
6. Two or more
0% 0%
10
0 of 200
18

19. Have you attended a Green Line Extension meeting before?
Previous
Meeting
1. Yes ----------
0%
84%
2. No
0%
16%
10
0 of 200
19

20. Recap Meeting #4 – Community Vision
Meeting Purpose:
• Develop a series of land use
scenarios for the study area
• Understand benefits and impacts
• Inform MAPC’s understanding of the
community’s preferences
Feedback Received:
• Create more open space
• Strong connectivity between new
development and surrounding area
• Consider neighborhood character
• Mixing uses is good
• More senior housing is needed
• Keep Whole Foods as neighborhood
anchor 20

21. Vision
A well-connected, walkable, bike-able, neighborhood
scale station area that provides new opportunities for
mixed-income housing, job creation, increased tax
revenue, and access to quality public transit. New
development must knit into the fabric of the existing
neighborhood and provide opportunities for increasing
access to affordable housing and quality jobs.
Connectivity from the surrounding area is critical in
making the station a part of the neighborhood.
21

22. Focus Area Sites
4
T
1 3
2

23. Focus Area 1
23

24. Focus Area 1
Vision for Potential Changes:
• Allow for up to four floors of mixed-use development
• First floor mix of retail and office space
• Up to three floors of residential above
• Create open space at corner of Mystic Valley Parkway and Boston
Avenue
Example Images
Three-Floor Mixed-Use Four-Floor Mixed-Use
http://www.homedesignfind.com 24

25. Focus Area 2
25

26. Focus Area 2
Vision for Potential Changes:
• Allow for up to three floors of office/R&D development
• First floor could include small café/restaurant space
• Smaller parking structure to support new development
Example Images
Three-Floor Office Building
Three-Floor Office Building
26

27. Focus Area 3
27

28. Focus Area 3
Vision for Potential Changes:
• Allow for up to four floors of senior affordable housing
• Allow for construction of affordable townhomes on site
• Consolidate senior units into fewer buildings, more open space
• Reconstruct new community center for residents on site
Example Images
Four-Story Senior Housing Townhomes
28

29. Focus Area 4
29

30. Focus Area 4
Vision for Potential Changes:
• Allow for up to six floors of mixed-use development
• Ground floor Whole Foods and small retail space
• Up to four floors of residential above
• Mix of underground and surface parking
Example Images
Six-Floor Mixed-Use Six-Floor Mixed-Use
http://www.rainiervalleypost.com http://www.prlog.org
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31. Potential Benefits
Potential New Housing Units:
• 117 market-rate units
• 55 new senior affordable units
• 4 new low-income family townhome units
Potential Sq.Ft. of Office/Commercial:
• 50,000 Sq.Ft. of commercial
• 67,000 Sq.Ft. of office
Potential Economic Development:
• 240 new jobs
• Double tax revenue
Potential Homeowner Equity:
• $25 million in added home equity
31

32. Vision Implementation
32

33. Land Use and Zoning
• Changes to existing land use regulations (zoning)
would be needed to allow for the types of
development which would lead to the realization
of the vision
• Design guidelines and a design review process can
help to ensure new development respects existing
neighborhood character
33

34. Managing Neighborhood Change
Concerns We Heard:
• Green Line Extension to Mystic Valley Parkway may increase
housing values, which may raise property taxes and may
displace residents who may be low-income or on a fixed
income (such as seniors)
Displacement Could Impact:
• Low-income homeowners or homeowners on a fixed-income
• Low-income renters or renters on a fixed-income
• Homeowners on a fixed-income who want to maintain
ownership of their home to pass on to their heirs
34

35. Managing Neighborhood Change
Homeowners:
• 48% of housing units within a half-mile radius are owner-
occupied (2,064 units)
• Approximately 35% of homeowners within a half-mile
radius spend more than 30% of household income on housing
costs (Cost Burdened)
• 35% of homeowners over the age of 65 are cost burdened
• 65% of all homeowners over the age of 65 do not have a
mortgage on their home
35

36. Managing Neighborhood Change
Renters:
• 52% of housing units in the study area are rentals
• Approximately 44% of renters are considered cost
burdened
• 53% of all cost burdened renters are over the age of 65
36

37. Managing Neighborhood Change
Homeowners on a Fixed-Income:
• Circuit Breaker – State program, tax credit to reduce overall
property tax bill for qualified 65 and older homeowners
• Accessory Dwelling Unit Bylaw – Homeowners can construct small
accessory housing unit on property, could rent for income or use as
own residence and rent/sell main house
• Add More Affordable Housing – Construct more senior
affordable housing, adopt inclusionary zoning
• Weatherization Program – Funding to help retrofit existing homes
to make them more energy efficient, helps save money on heating
and cooling costs
37

38. Managing Neighborhood Change
Potential Impacts on Housing Costs:
• Assessed single family home values could increase by up to
15% in the area
• A 15% increase in single family home assessed value could
generate on average $47k in additional home equity
Measures to Ease Property Tax Increase
• Estimated property tax increase of $550
• Weatherization program can save $350/year on home
heating costs
• Circuit breaker, and other policy programs could help
ease increased property tax
38

39. Managing Neighborhood Change
Renters on a Fixed-Income:
• Preservation of Existing Units – Deed restrictions, tax
incentives to encourage preservation, utilize low-income tax
credits to preserve affordability of units
• Construct additional senior housing at Walkling Court
• Adopt Inclusionary Zoning
• Condo Conversion Ordinance – Assistance to renters whose
unit is being converted to ownership. Creates notice
requirements, relocation assistance, and moving cost assistance
39

40. Increase Improve
Walk Time at Lighting and
Intersection Streetscape
Increase
Open Space
and Walking
Paths
Improve
Walking
Connectivity
Increase
Improve
Walk Time at
Mid-Block
Intersection
Crossings
40

41. Transportation
• Pedestrian and Bicycle Infrastructure
• Install pedestrian countdown signals at all intersections
with vehicular signals
• Upgrade sidewalk ramps to ADA accessibility standards
• Install Sharrows along Boston Avenue
• Complete shared-use pathway improvements along
Mystic River
• Ensure adequate and safe bicycle parking in the station
area 41

42. Economic Development
Recommendations for Expanding Economic Development
• Cities should continue business loan and storefront
improvement programs, target funds to station areas
• Encourage formation of retail association in West Medford
Square, extended to cover Boston Avenue
• Initiate dialogue with Tufts University Office for Technology
Licensing and Industry Collaboration, determine office needs
and unmet demand
• Invest in streetscape and enhancements to increase overall
visual attractiveness of the area
42

43. Conclusion
• Green Line Extension to Mystic Valley Parkway will create
new transportation choices and increase access to jobs and
housing
• Vision for the station area has the potential to create
additional housing units, jobs and tax base for both cities and
their residents
• Extension is not without impacts. Vehicle trips will increase
with new development and property taxes in the area are
likely to increase
• Strategies and policies can be put in place to mitigate
impacts to the extent possible
43

44. Thank you!
44

45. Meeting #4 – Meeting Evaluation
Meeting Evaluation
45

46. Did today’s event improve your understanding of
the topics presented?
1. Definitely
0%
2. Somewhat
0%
3. A little
0%
4. Not really
0%
10
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46

47. How did today’s event make you feel about the
possible extension of the Green Line to MVP?
1. Excited
0%
2. Optimistic
0%
3. So So
0%
4. Pessimistic
0%
10
0 of 200
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48. How would you rate the overall effectiveness
of the meeting?
1. Very Effective
0%
2. Good
0%
3. OK
0%
4. Needs Improvement
0%
5. Poorly Managed
0%
10
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48

49. Thank you for your participation!
Draft Report Will Be Released Soon
Followed by a 15-Day Comment Period
Ways to provide comments:
• Comment forms from tonight’s meeting
• Email: glx@mapc.org
• Website: www.mass.gov/greenlineextension OR www.mapc.org
• Mail: Metropolitan Area Planning Council, 60 Temple Place,
Boston, MA 02111
• Phone: 617-451-2770
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