A Vision for Boston:
Questions for the 2009 Mayoral Candidates

Day 13: City Planning and Development

How would you organize planning and development in the City?

Response from Mayor Menino:

We have built strong neighborhoods, a vibrant downtown, and one of the country’s most livable, sustainable cities. Much of the credit goes to the people of Boston, who have guided this city’s growth through their participation in community planning sessions, design charrettes, and development reviews.

Overseeing much of this public process is the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA). With both a planning and development role, the BRA creates plans that have purpose and ensures that development follows a vision, engages the community and supports job growth.

While the BRA is always working to improve, it has a long record of creating jobs for Boston residents, improving our neighborhoods, and growing the tax base. In recent years, the BRA has:

› Implemented some of the country’s most progressive zoning and development policies, making Boston the first major City with green building standards in its zoning code and enacting an inclusionary zoning policy that is heralded by affordable housing advocates.

›Drafted, with extensive community input, many neighborhood plans including the reconstruction of Dorchester Avenue and the re-zoning of the Fenway, Roslindale and, soon, Hyde Park.

›Invested nearly $7.0 million in job training funds for Boston residents.