City of Boston releases recommendations to improve development review
Sep 25, 2024
Draft recommendations propose changes to engagement, mitigation, internal operations
Mayor Wu today announced the release of the Article 80 Modernization Action Plan during her speech to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce. The Action Plan includes draft recommendations for how to improve the Planning Department’s development review process in Boston. These draft recommendations focus on predictability, transparency, and timeliness, and identify specific actions to promote inclusive growth. The recommendations are the product of months of engagement with the community and developers about what within the process is currently working and what needs improvement. A series of public reports detail the data resulting from that engagement.
“I’m thankful to the members of our Steering Committee and all stakeholders who shared feedback and insights on how to make Boston’s growth more predictable, sustainable, and connected to community needs,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “To make Boston a home for everyone, our city must be green and growing, with opportunities for every generation. These recommendations to reform Article 80 for the first time will ensure our processes are more effective, more consistent, and more coordinated.”
“I am proud of the draft recommendations announced today to reform the development review process through Article 80. This is one part of the Planning Department’s mission to overhaul the outdated zoning code and create a more predictable system for thoughtfully and inclusively growing our City,” said Interim Chief of Planning Devin Quirk. “I want to thank those in the community who have been involved in the process thus far and look forward to hearing their feedback on these recommendations.”
The recommendations include: expanding community participation by creating new ways for engagement besides public meetings, and getting feedback earlier in the process; clearly defining what mitigation and community benefits are, including standards for contribution amounts; and creating a more holistic and coordinated review process among city departments. These recommendations will help to create a new culture around development that is rooted in predictability, consistency, transparency and timeliness.
By diversifying engagement methods and creating new Community Advisory Teams, staff will be intentional about including industry experts, neighborhood leaders, and new voices to be part of the development review process, and providing them the training, resources, and support to be effective. Standardizing mitigation and community benefits will ensure that communities know the benefits and developers know the costs up front and will help us deliver on priorities identified through the planning process. Better coordinating the review process among departments, aligning our steps to the development industry’s design process, and providing clear and consistent direction for when decisions are made will make the process more predictable for community members and developers alike.
“The deliberative approach my colleagues and I have taken on the Article 80 Steering Committee to Improving our development review process, speaks volumes as to the urgency of restoring stakeholder confidence that delivers more resilient, affordable, and equitable development across the city,” said President of the Allston Civic Association Anthony D’Isidoro. “I will continue to focus on addressing inequality by ensuring that all residents are able to participate in decisions that impact their lives.”
“The process behind updating Boston’s zoning code to create a system that meets today’s needs has been incredibly in-depth,” said Chairman & Principal of Samuels & Associates Steve Samuels. “By including a wide variety of stakeholder voices and evaluating best practices from leading cities across the globe, the City has made a good faith effort to address many complex, interconnected issues and is establishing a strong foundation for the future.”
The development review process, known as Article 80, has not been comprehensively analyzed or updated since its adoption in 1996. Through the modernization project, staff studied the existing development review process, engaged residents of all different neighborhoods and demographics on what is working and what is not, and are now recommending improvements for how communities, developers, and City staff can work together to more predictably shape development in Boston.
The release of this action plan begins a 60 day comment period during which the project team will gather feedback. There will be multiple ways to learn more including two virtual public meetings, or meeting with Planning Department staff at community events. People can submit their feedback on the Action Plan through an online survey, comment form, or by emailing the project team. These comments will inform the final recommendations and eventual zoning changes, which the Planning Department will release in 2025.