Mystic Valley Parkway Green Line

Community Visioning Process

Pre-Meeting

November 2, 2011

1

Presentation Will Cover:

• Overview of the Green Line project

• Potential station area for Mystic Valley Parkway

• Purpose of this study

• Recap of previous meetings

Overview

2

Green Line Extension Project Area

3

Mystic Valley Parkway Project Area

4

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

Mystic Valley Parkway Visioning Process

5

Public Engagement Process

Community

Vision

Community

Opportunities

Community

Questions

Issue

Identification Draft

Recommendations

Continuous Public Involvement

Continuous Stakeholder Outreach

Tonight’s Meeting

6

Questions?

7

Mystic Valley Parkway Green Line

Community Visioning Process

Public Meeting #5

November 2, 2011 8

Public Involvement Process

9

Stakeholder Interviews

Meetings with Cities

Public Meeting #1

Kick-Off and Topic

Identification

Outcome List of Topics to be

Explored in Meeting #2

February 16

Topics from Meeting 1 Public Meeting #2

Community Questions

Outcome Questions Answered

and Concerns

Responded To

March 30

Information on Transit

Oriented Development Public Meeting #3

Community Assets

and Preferences

Outcome Understand Key

Community Assets and

Visual Preferences Preference Poll

May 17

Assets and Preferences

from Meeting 3

Public Meeting #4

Community Visioning

Outcome Series of land

use/development

scenarios

June 23

Scenarios from

Meeting 4 Public Meeting #5

Recommendations

Outcome Set of Recommendations

to Cities and MassDOT

November 2

Tonight’s Agenda

• Presentation of draft recommendations

• Opportunity for Q&A and comment

• Meeting evaluation and next steps

Agenda

10

Keypad Questions

11

Are you ready for the holidays?

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0 of 200 12

1. Yes, it’s my favorite time of the year

2. Yes, I could use a few days of vacation

3. No, it means winter is approaching

4. No, I’m already behind on my holiday shopping

5. None of the above

10

Which category below best describes you?

Pick one

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0 of 200

1. A concerned resident

2. Government (City, Town, State, or Federal)

3. Business/property owner

4. Non-profit organizations and advocacy groups

5. Other

Previous

Meeting

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51%

6%

26%

9%

9%

13

10

Where do you live?

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%1. Medford

2. Somerville

3. Arlington

4. Cambridge

5. Winchester

6. Boston

7. Other

0 of 200

Previous

Meeting

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56%

22%

6%

3%

0%

0%

14%

14

10

Do you own a home or rent?

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0 of 200

1. I own a single family home

2. I own a multi-family home (e.g., two-family or triple-decker)

3. I own a condominium or townhouse

4. I rent my home

5. Other (none)

Previous

Meeting

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57%

24%

3%

16%

0%

15

10

How long have you lived in the Medford,

Somerville, Arlington, or Cambridge area?

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0 of 200

1. 0 - 1 Year

2. 2 - 5 Years

3. 6 - 10 Years

4. 11 - 20 Years

5. 20+ Years

6. I live in another municipality

Previous

Meeting

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3%

14%

14%

28%

31%

11%

16

10

What is your age?

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0 of 200

1. 0 – 19

2. 20 – 29

3. 30 – 39

4. 40 – 49

5. 50 – 59

6. 60 – 69

7. 70 or Better

Previous

Meeting

----------

0%

6%

17%

25%

22%

22%

8%

17

10

How do you identify yourself?

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0 of 200

1. White

2. Black or African American

3. Hispanic or Latino

4. Asian

5. Other

6. Two or more

Previous

Meeting

----------

91%

0%

3%

3%

3%

0%

18

10

Have you attended a Green Line Extension meeting before?

0%

0%

0 of 200 19

1. Yes

2. No

Previous

Meeting

----------

84%

16%

10

20

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

Recap Meeting #4 – Community Vision

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.

4

3

2

1

T

Focus Area Sites

23

Focus Area 1

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

25

Focus Area 2

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

27

Focus Area 3

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

29

Focus Area 4

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

Potential Benefits

31

Potential New Housing Units: • 117 market-rate units • 55 new senior affordable units • 4 new low-income family townhome units

Potential Economic Development: • 240 new jobs • Double tax revenue

Potential Sq.Ft. of Office/Commercial: • 50,000 Sq.Ft. of commercial • 67,000 Sq.Ft. of office

Potential Homeowner Equity: • $25 million in added home equity

32

Vision Implementation

• 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

Land Use and Zoning

33

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

Managing Neighborhood Change

34

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

Managing Neighborhood Change

35

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

Managing Neighborhood Change

36

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

Managing Neighborhood Change

37

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

Managing Neighborhood Change

38

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

Managing Neighborhood Change

39

40

Increase Walk Time at Intersection

Increase Walk Time at Intersection

Improve Walking

Connectivity

Improve Mid-Block Crossings

Increase Open Space and Walking

Paths

Improve Lighting and Streetscape

Transportation

41

• 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

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

Economic Development

42

• 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

Conclusion

43

Thank you!

44

Meeting Evaluation

Meeting #4 – Meeting Evaluation

45

Did today’s event improve your understanding of

the topics presented?

0%

0%

0%

0%

1. Definitely

2. Somewhat

3. A little

4. Not really

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10

0%

0%

0%

0%

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How did today’s event make you feel about the

possible extension of the Green Line to MVP?

1. Excited

2. Optimistic

3. So So

4. Pessimistic

47

10

How would you rate the overall effectiveness

of the meeting?

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

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1. Very Effective

2. Good

3. OK

4. Needs Improvement

5. Poorly Managed

48

10

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 49