Agenda Text
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Presenting the final draft of the SomerVision Comprehensive Plan.
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Official Text
To the Honorable Board,
I am pleased to present to you the draft of the SomerVision comprehensive plan. As you are aware, this plan is the result of three years of healthy and productive dialogue about the kind of future we want to build. It was created from conversations between residents, the business community, nonprofit groups and public officials from every neighborhood of our City. It was led by a sixty-member steering committee that was nominated by my office, members of this Board, and key stakeholders from the business and non-profit community. Furthermore, it was informed by a series of public meetings and sessions held in many venues over the past three years.
SomerVision has created citywide consensus about our development agenda and raised our aspiration about the future of our city. It encourages us to think big, and to plan and invest for the long-term. It calls upon us to promote a sustainable, transit-oriented economy that generates a wide variety of job opportunities, fosters a dynamic business scene while preserving and enhancing the unique character of our neighborhoods and squares.
SomerVision is based upon a shared set of values that reflect the way the City approaches diversity, community, economy accessibility, sustainability and innovation. These shared values, and the action agenda they have inspired, come down to one overarching purpose: to make Somerville an even more exceptional place to live, work, play and raise a family.
The Steering Committee’s final draft is attached. This document includes the core chapters of the plan, including the values, vision and goals. The proposed action steps, implementation plan and appendixes will also be submitted to the Board on Thursday.
My staff and the members of the Steering Committee will be answer any questions that you may have.
Respectfully submitted.