02.23.23 CC - Zoning Amendment Section 15.1.3 Neighborhood Meeting — File 22-1645

CITY OF SOMERVILLE ORDINANCE NO. 2023- IN CITY COUNCIL: ________, 2023 Be it ordained by the City Council, in session assembled, that section 15.1.3 of the Zoning Ordinances of the City of Somerville is amended as follows by deleting the struckthrough text and adding the underlined text. Approved: President Approved: Mayor

3. Neighborhood Meeting a. Purpose i. To provide the public with an opportunity to review a conceptual design proposal and identify and discuss issues and potential impacts with the applicant prior to the development of more detailed schematic design proposals. ii. To provide the public with an opportunity to review a chosen schematic design plan and identify and discuss issues and potential impacts with the applicant prior to the submittal of a development review application. iii. Neighborhood meetings are required during the schematic design process to promote the submittal of a development review application that is more responsive to community concerns, expedite the review process, and to lessen the cost of development review by reducing continuances and appeals. b. Procedure i. When a neighborhood meeting is required by this Ordinance, development review applications are not considered complete until the neighborhood meeting has been held. ii. Development review applications must be submitted within one hundred and twenty (120) days of the neighborhood meeting. If an application is not submitted in this time frame, the applicant is required to hold a new neighborhood meeting. iii. Unless otherwise specified, a neighborhood meeting must occur at least fourteen (14) days prior to any required design review and at least fourteen (14) days prior to formal submittal of a development review application. iv. Neighborhood meetings must be open to the public. v. Neighborhood meetings should be held virtually or at a location in close proximity to the subject property on a weekday evening after 6:00 p.m. or on weekends at any reasonable time. vi. Neighborhood meetings may not occur on a local, state, or national holiday or election day. vii. Applicants or their representatives, along with the designers, are required to attend a neighborhood meeting. viii. The applicant is responsible for scheduling a neighborhood meeting in consultation with the Ward representative from the City Council, the Director of Planning & Zoning, and any neighborhood council for the area where the development site is located. ix. The format and agenda of a neighborhood meeting is at the discretion of the Applicant, in consultation with the Ward representative from the City Council and any neighborhood council for the area where the development site is located, subject to the following: a) Only one (1) development proposal may be presented to the public at a neighborhood meeting. b) Attendees must be able to hear and discuss each other’s feedback at the neighborhood meeting and opportunity must be provided for substantive engagement between attendees and the applicant, including designers, regarding the proposed development. c) Applicants are required to bring all information and materials required by the building official Review Board’s submittal requirements to a neighborhood meeting. x. Multiple neighborhood meetings may be held on the same day, one after another, at the discretion of the Ward representative from the City Council. xi. Because neighborhood meetings are required as part of the Site Plan Approval process, and because Ward Councilors must be consulted during the scheduling of any neighborhood meeting, if the Ward Councilor is unable or unwilling to participate in the neighborhood meeting process, the applicant shall request that the President of the City Council designate a councilor-at-large or Ward Councilor from an abutting ward who will take on the role and responsibilities of the Ward Councilor for the duration of the neighborhood meeting process. xii. The Director of Planning & Zoning shall keep a public record of the neighborhood meeting that includes, but may not be limited to, the following: a) A list of those persons and organizations contacted about the meeting, and the manner and date of contact. b) The date, time, and location of the meeting;

c) A roster or signature sheet of attendees at the meeting. d) Copies of all materials provided by the applicant at the meeting. xiii. The Director of Planning & Zoning or their designee shall record minutes of the neighborhood meeting and provide a summary of the comments, questions, and concerns discussed at the meeting to the review boards. xiv. The building official and review boards shall require applicants to submit a detailed response to concerns raised at the neighborhood meeting and a description of any changes to the proposed development feedback.