This document provides an overview of Public Meeting #4 of the Mystic Valley Parkway Green Line Community Visioning Process. The meeting will involve a small group exercise to identify preferred land use scenarios for four focus areas near the proposed Green Line station. Participants will consider the benefits and impacts of different development options. Input from previous meetings on community preferences will be reflected in the scenarios. The goal is to understand public preferences to inform land use recommendations for the station area.

1. Mystic Valley Parkway Green Line
Community Visioning Process
Pre-Meeting
June 23, 2011
1

2. Overview
Presentation Will Cover:
• Overview of the Green Line project
• Potential station area for Mystic Valley Parkway
• Purpose of this study
• Recap of previous meetings
2

3. Green Line Extension Project Area
3

4. Mystic Valley Parkway Project Area
4

5. Mystic Valley Parkway Visioning Process
Scope of Visioning Process:
Analyze potential land use changes and associated benefits and
impacts of the proposed extension to MVP.
• What land use changes are possible within ½ mile of the
potential station location
• Quantify the benefits from a station and associated transit-
oriented development
• Assess negative impacts and mitigation measures
• Develop recommendations for the two Cities and MassDOT
5

6. Public Involvement Process
Stakeholder Interviews Outcome
Public Meeting #1
List of Topics to be
Kick-Off and Topic
Explored in Meeting #2
Meetings with Cities Identification
Public Meeting #2 Outcome
Questions Answered
Topics from Meeting 1 Community Questions and Concerns
Responded To
Information on Transit
Public Meeting #3 Outcome
Oriented Development
Community Assets Understand Key
and Preferences Community Assets and
Preference Survey Visual Preferences
Public Meeting #4 Outcome
Assets and Preferences Series of land
from Meeting 3 Community Visioning use/development
scenarios
Public Meeting #5 Outcome
Scenarios from
Meeting 4 Recommendations Set of Recommendations
to Cities and MassDOT
6

7. Questions?
7

8. Mystic Valley Parkway Green Line
Community Visioning Process
Public Meeting #4
June 23, 2011
8

9. Public Involvement Process
Stakeholder Interviews Outcome
Public Meeting #1
List of Topics to be
Kick-Off and Topic
Explored in Meeting #2
Meetings with Cities Identification
Public Meeting #2 Outcome
Questions Answered
Topics from Meeting 1 Community Questions and Concerns
Responded To
Information on Transit
Public Meeting #3 Outcome
Oriented Development
Community Assets Understand Key
and Preferences Community Assets and
Preference Survey Visual Preferences
Public Meeting #4 Outcome
Assets and Preferences Series of land
from Meeting 3 Community Visioning use/development
scenarios
Public Meeting #5 Outcome
Scenarios from
Meeting 4 Recommendations Set of Recommendations
to Cities and MassDOT
9

10. Agenda and Meeting Packet
Tonight’s Agenda
• Recap of previous meeting and introduction to tonight’s exercises
• Small group exercise focused on land use/development
alternatives
• Report outs from a few groups
• Meeting evaluation and next steps
Meeting Packet Materials
• Meeting Agenda
• Guide to Land Use Scenarios
• Comment Sheet for Small Group Exercise
10

11. Websites and Materials
MassDOT Green Line Website:
www.mass.gov/greenlineextension
Look under “Project Documents”,
then look under “MAPC Community
Visioning Process”
11

12. Websites and Materials
MAPC Green Line Website:
www.mapc.org
Under Transportation Heading
12

13. Meeting #4 Overview
Presentation Will Cover:
• Recap input gathered at Meeting #3
• Review how this input is reflected in tonight’s exercise
• Review table exercises
• What sites will you be looking at?
• What are you being asked to do?
• What assumptions were made?
• Short video/fly through of the 3-D site model
13

14. Meeting #3 Recap
Visual Preference Poll Results:
• Housing Types
• Single family homes, townhomes, and apartment/condo development
no more than 4 stories rated higher.
• Commercial/Office Development
• Single story linear buildings that meet the street rated higher
• Mixed Use Development
• Mixed-use buildings between 2-4 stories rated higher
• Parking associated with new development
• Surface lots with landscaping rater higher, as did structured parking
in general
• Public Spaces/Pedestrian Environment
• Natural areas and landscape plazas, sidewalk cafes, and well
marked crosswalks rated higher
14

15. Meeting #3 Recap
Asset Mapping Top Results:
• Key Assets for Preservation
• Mystic River and Associated Green Space/Pathways
• Walkling Court
• Whole Foods
• 200 Boston Avenue Building
• Neighborhood Character (housing stock, affordability, character)
• Key Assets for Change/Improvement
• Improve Pedestrian/Bicycle Connectivity
• Improve Pedestrian/Bicycle Safety
• Whole Foods, infill potential
• Development along Boston Avenue, mixed-use
15

16. Meeting #4
How did MAPC use input from Meeting #3?
Visual Preference Asset Mapping
Poll Results Feedback
4 Focus Areas for Modeling
and Alternative Choices
Outcome
Preferences From the Additional Comments
Public on Future Land Use
Next Steps
Develop Draft Land Use Recommendations
Based on Meeting 4 Outcomes
16

17. Meeting #4 – Focus Area Sites
4
T
1 3
2

18. Meeting #4 – Tonight’s Exercise
Purposes of Tonight’s Exercise:
1. Identify a preferred land use scenario for each table
2. Understand the benefits and impacts associated with land use
and development choices
3. Inform MAPC’s understanding of your preferences for land use
and development changes in the immediate station area
Exercise Logistics:
• Work in small groups, each group has a table and technical
facilitator
• Work through each of the four focus areas and determine the
preference at each table
• Review benefits and impacts associated with the scenario
compared to the “keep it the same” option
18

19. Meeting #4 – Tonight’s Exercise
When Working in Your Group:
1. Assume a station will be constructed
2. Assume 20-25 year time horizon
3. Assume zoning can be modified to reflect the community’s
vision
4. Assume developments are financially feasible
Model Considerations:
1. Focus on bigger picture alternative choices
2. Models are not predictions of the future, they are a tool
for comparing different scenarios against each other.
19

20. Meeting #4 – Model Screen
20

21. Thank you!
21

22. Thank you for your participation!
Next Meeting: Fall 2011, Stay Tuned!
If you have further questions or comments please contact us at:
glx@mapc.org
Additional information on previous and future meetings can be found at:
www.mass.gov/greenlineextension
www.mapc.org
22