This week the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) announced an important milestone and update in the PLAN: Charlestown community planning process.
The BPDA officially released two draft scenarios for the future of Charlestown, focusing on the industrial area along Rutherford Avenue and Sullivan Square, and scheduled a series of listening sessions with the neighborhood.
According to the BPDA PLAN: Charlestown team, the draft scenarios are the continuation of a collaborative dialogue to create a framework for the future in this area.
The BPDA is now inviting and strongly encouraging Charlestown residents to share their opinion and feedback on the draft scenarios as part of the ongoing planning initiative.
Charlestown residents can view the scenarios released and submit comments at https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/fa48f4dacaa84144a854fa1808ad9902.
“The scenarios are presented using an ArcGIS StoryMap web page with integrated surveys throughout,” said the BPDA in a statement “Community feedback received over the next two months will guide the production of a single hybrid scenario for further public review. Please help the PLAN: Charlestown team create a plan that reflects your goals and vision for the neighborhood’s future by reviewing and answering the surveys throughout the StoryMap. You can also email members of the team with your feedback, which will be incorporated into the public record.”
According to the BPDA PLAN: Charlestown team the scenarios are best viewed on screens tablet size or larger. Residents may also request a paper copy of the draft scenarios by email or phone from Jay Ruggiero, BPDA, at [email protected] or (617) 722-4300.
“The BPDA will be collecting community feedback on these scenarios in several different places.The best opportunity to give your input will be to engage directly with the material and complete the surveys within the StoryMap,” the statement continued. “To supplement virtual engagement, you will also see our team attending, participating, and tabling at various neighborhood events, showing up at parks and other community socializings, and hosting a series of virtual listening session events. We invite you to engage with us in any way that is most convenient for you.”
As part of the release of the scenarios the BPDA has scheduled a series of virtual listening sessions.
The Listening Session events are intended to be opportunities for Charlestown residents to ask questions and share feedback directly with the BPDA team.
“These will be held virtually via Zoom from 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM on the following dates: August 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 16th, 17th, and 18th – we hope to see you drop by for one of these sessions,” said the statement. “We are also happy to meet with residents who cannot attend any of the listening sessions upon request.”
Through the PLAN: Charlestown initiative and planning process, by 2040 Charlestown will be transformed into a thriving, diverse, accessible, and resilient neighborhood where residents can safely and more easily walk, bike, or bus to new parks, plazas, neighborhood amenities, and active waterfront areas. These improvements will unite an enhanced historic residential fabric with new homes and jobs which support small businesses, as well as families of all types, sizes, and income levels.
The Listening Session events will be held from 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM on the following dates:
Thursday, August 4
Register at bit.ly/Aug4meet
Meeting ID: 161 461 8762
Tuesday, August 16
Register at bit.ly/Aug16meet
Meeting ID: 160 874 5313
Wednesday, August 17
Register at bit.ly/Aug17meet
Meeting ID: 161 291 2194
Thursday, August 18
Register at bit.ly/Aug18meet
Meeting ID: 160 674 6957