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Requesting approval of an Ordinance amending the Zoning Ordinance and revising the review process for Special Permits, Special Permits with Site Plan Review, and Variances.
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Official Text
To the Honorable Board of Aldermen:
Staff from the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD) have prepared a proposed amendment to the Somerville Zoning Ordinance (SZO) to amend the process for permits granted by the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA).
The proposed ordinance will improve review procedures by eliminating the Planning Board’s current role as advising the ZBA on cases before the ZBA. This will reduce confusion for abutters and applicants, increase transparency in review by ensuring that the first meeting on a permit application is the public hearing, and eliminate the potential confusion generated when the boards may have differing opinions on an application. The amendment recognizes Somerville’s commitment to transparency and public engagement in the planning and development review process. This amendment will reduce the time to process a non-controversial application by seven days while also providing sufficient time for City staff to prepare thorough analyses and recommendations on applications and provide those recommendations to the boards and post them on the City website in advance of the meeting.
Staff from OSPCD will be available if you have any questions regarding these materials.
Respectfully submitted,