Somerville by Design

The City of Somerville’s “Somerville by Design” community planning series continues this month with Visioning Sessions for the East Somerville and Davis Square neighborhoods. The Visioning sessions will be the second of four events in each process to help the City create a roadmap for future development based on community needs and wishes in these areas. Somerville by Design series were conducted for Station Area Planning surrounding the proposed Green Line Extension in 2012. Upcoming meetings in each neighborhood are as follows:

• East Somerville: (choose one of two nights, sessions are the same) Tuesday, July 16^th, OR Monday, July 29^th. 6:30 p.m. at the Capuano School, 150 Glen St.
• Davis Square:  choose one of two nights, sessions are the same) Wednesday, July 17^th, OR Tuesday, July 30^th. 6:30 p.m. @ First Church Somerville UCC, 89 College Ave.

Somerville by Design is a cutting-edge approach to community planning that uses resident know-how to solve challenging physical planning and urban design issues. It makes planning fun, using highly visual, interactive techniques such as “Open Studio” design sessions, neighborhood meetings, block walking and online surveys. Most important, it provides multiple ways for the public to get involved in generating and refining physical design plans for sites and neighborhoods that are driven by community member’s preferences and creative ideas. In 2012, hundreds of residents and businesspersons participated in the Somerville by Design “Station Area Planning Series” for Gilman Square, Lowell Street / Magoun Square, and Ball Square neighborhoods that will soon be served by the Green Line Extension.

Two additional meetings in each series will take place in September and October 2013.

Additional information is available on the City of Somerville website at www.somervillebydesign.com.