Burlington economic development officials last week held the first public meeting for the redesign of parts of the Mall Road corridor. About 65 people attended the virtual gathering.
Melisa Tintocalis, Burlington economic development director, said the town has spent months developing a vision for the area that is more walkable and more dense, and the next step is to refine the vision to allow for changes in zoning policy.
About 65 people attended the virtual gathering.
“The meeting itself was a little bit of an education of where we’ve been and where we’re going, and talking about how to transform that vision into a regulatory framework,” Tintocalis said. “We had some good discussion about what that really looks like.”
Tintocalis said some meeting attendees were concerned about increased traffic, while some worried about environmental impacts and others wanted to make sure the new plans included additional housing units.
“Those are all part of it when you’re talking about the 15-minute city, the concept that you can go to one place and get to your essential functions within a 15-minute walk or bike ride,” she said.
Tintocalis said the town is planning more community meetings, as well as a weekend-long design event in April where residents can explore physical maps and plans for the site.
Town Meeting will need to approve zoning changes before redevelopment work begins.
Burlington Cable Access Television (BCAT) | 123 Cambridge Street, Burlington, MA (MAP)
781.273.5922