We’re postponing… but! In response to the Massachusetts’s Governor’s guidance in response to the outbreak of COVID-19, we’re postponing this event. In the meantime, however, we’re still thinking about these important issues, and know you are, too. We invite you to sign up here to receive occasional emails on this and related topics. We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to being in touch!

What can municipal staff working in the areas of planning, open space and recreation, and public arts do to address untold histories, engage with controversy, and leverage the power of public art and public memory in these discussions?

Join the Metropolitan Area Planning Council and New England Foundation for the Arts for a professional development workshop designed for municipal staff on new approaches to public memory and public art in Greater Boston.

In this workshop, you’ll learn about best practices for facilitating dialogue about controversial monuments and memorials in your community, and about inspiring examples of public art and public history projects that are transforming public memories of places around the country. You will also engage in small group discussions where you’ll have an opportunity to learn about lesser-known historic and cultural stories in our region and how those stories and experiences can be actively engaged in place-based planning and programming related to public art, creative placemaking/placekeeping initiatives, and more.

Facilitators and Speakers: To be announced

This event is part of a series organized by the MAPC’s Arts and Culture Department and NEFA’s Public Art Department in conjunction with MAPC’s MetroCommon 2050 planning process. This unique, cross-sector initiative brings together artists and creators, planners, and policymakers to discuss the evolving relationship among public art, public memory, and public policy and to explore how artists can envision and shape more inclusive, thriving spaces and communities in Greater Boston.

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. 

Visit the 3A webpage

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)

Join your fellow community leaders and members for this May meeting that will be focused on community engagement.

Read the Agenda

Note: this is an in-person meeting with the option to also dial into the meeting via Zoom if needed. Please see the agenda for more information.

Questions? Please contact Francelis Morillo Suarez (FMorilloSuarez@mapc.org).