Looking for information on MAPC’s official meetings and legal notices? Find it here.
Municipal Webinar
How Municipalities can make meaningful investments with ARPA dollars
Massachusetts cities and towns have received $3.4 billion dollars through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)’s State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. These dollars present an opportunity to make critical investments in communities and especially those that were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. This federal funding can help set the stage for an equitable and resilient recovery.
Join us for a discussion with Doug Howgate from the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation on how cities and towns can make these strategic investments for a more prosperous and equitable region.
Speakers include:
- Lizzi Weyant, Director of Government Affairs, Metropolitan Area Planning Council
- Doug Howgate, Executive Vice President, Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
We’ll hear from experts on retrofitting suburbia, get a first look at MAPC’s interactive report and website, and discuss opportunities for you to transform suburban space to meet new needs.
Melrose, Malden, and Medford worked with the MAPC to collaboratively develop sustainable and resilient building design guidelines for residential and mixed-use developments and retrofits. These voluntary guidelines will help these communities encourage developers to build more more affordable housing that is energy-efficient and climate-resilient.
Join us for an interactive webinar on April 26 at 12:00 p.m. to learn about the guidelines and hear from the communities about how they plan to use them to shape green, affordable development.
Launched by the Citizens Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA), the Neighborhood Emergency Housing Support Program provided funding to community-based organizations (CBOs) with cultural and linguistic competency to outreach to residents about available housing stability resources. Additional funding support for the program was provided by The Boston Foundation (TBF) and the United Way of Massachusetts Bay.
MAPC analyzed the effectiveness of emergency rental relief and the role CBOs play in making residents aware of resources.
Attend this webinar to hear from CHAPA, TBF, United Way of Massachusetts Bay, MAPC, and CBO representatives about this program and recommendations forward.
Register here!
Please join the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) for an information session and Q&A for artists interested in the Boston Urban Agriculture Community Events Activation Call for Artists.
Target Audience: Artists in the Roxbury, Mattapan, Dorchester, and East Boston areas.
The Boston Urban Agriculture Strategy is a project in partnership between MAPC, GrowBoston (the City of Boston’s urban agriculture initiative), and the Urban Farming Institute (UFI). The project aims to increase food production in the City with a particular focus on the neighborhoods of Roxbury, Dorchester, Mattapan, and East Boston. Learn more. . .
The Town of Belmont MBTA Communities Advisory Committee invites you to a hybrid public forum to get your input on the future of multifamily housing in Belmont.
Whether you will be joining us in person at the Beech Street Center or virtually via Zoom, please register through this page so we know how many people to expect.
What to Expect at the Forum:
Members of the Advisory Committee, staff from the Town of Belmont, and planners from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council will present information about how Belmont is planning to comply with the Multifamily Zoning Requirement for MBTA Communities law (often called “Section 3A”). They will also ask for your ideas on where you think that multifamily housing should go in Belmont and what it should look like.
In-Person Location:
Beech Street Center, 266 Beech Street, Belmont On-site parking is available, and the Center is 0.3 miles from the intersection of Trapelo Road and Beech Street on MBTA Bus Route 73. Registration is not required to attend in person, though it is preferred.
Zoom Option:
Everyone who registers will receive a link to the Zoom meeting, even if you plan to attend in person.
The Metropolitan Area Planning Council’s (MAPC) Clean Energy Department is hosting its final webinar for its Equity in Clean Energy webinar series. This event will focus on equitable access to clean energy technologies, specifically models for EV (electric vehicle) equity.
Join us to learn about a local equity-focused EV Carsharing model, EV charging infrastructure at multi-unit dwellings, and to hear about the MAPC Transportation Department’s work in this area.
There will then be an opportunity for Q&A.
Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMpduCtrT0iHdNkvPrPTrrA5iwB6kwdbEUT#/registration
Please join us for this webinar to learn more about a new MAPC Section 3A decision-making support tool!
Background
In 2021, the Massachusetts Legislature added a new section to the state’s Zoning Act (MGL Chapter 40A) — MBTA Communities Multifamily Zoning Requirement (Section 3A) — that requires each municipality in the MBTA district to zone for by-right multifamily housing near transit stations or smart growth locations.
MAPC has developed an interactive MBTA Communities Multifamily Zoning Requirement (Section 3A) District Suitability Analysis Tool to help municipalities within the MAPC region identify locations for 3A zoning districts that also advance regional and local goals.
This Webinar
MAPC staff will provide an overview of the tool’s use and showcase how it may be applied, in tandem with stakeholder-driven processes, to facilitate conversations around areas suitable for new housing production.
Register to join us for this event
Questions? Please contact:
Emma Battaglia (ebattaglia@mapc.org)
In collaboration with MAPC’s Public Health Department, the Equitable Engagement with Community Liaisons webinar will explore how cities are using community-led planning to broaden and deepen engagement with residents. You will hear about projects in three Massachusetts cities leading with equitable community engagement:
- Shawn Luz, Sustainability Coordinator, City of Framingham
- Emily Sullivan, Climate Change Program Manager, City of Somerville
- Richard Harding, Manager, BIPOC Men’s Health and Community Engagement Cambridge Public Health Department