Current and Upcoming Projects

The projects below are either about to commence in collaboration with DPCD or are currently in progress.

• MBTA Communities: Throughout 2023, the Town led a planning process with extensive community engagement to determine the location and details of a zoning district or districts in Arlington where multifamily housing is allowed by right, as required by the MGL Ch. 40A Section 3A. On October 25, 2023, Town Meeting adopted the MBTA Communities Overlay District proposed by the Redevelopment Board, enabling the Town's participation in the state's fossil fuel ban pilot program. Information about the planning process and the details of the approved plan are available at MBTA Communities Overlay District Information.

• Mass Ave / Appleton Safety and Accessibility Improvement Project: This project, as approved by the Select Board on September 27, 2023, will result in long-term improvements to the Mass Ave/Appleton Street/Appleton Place intersection between Richardson Ave and Quinn Rd, partially in response to the fatal vehicle crash that killed Charlie Proctor in 2020. The scope of the project includes traffic analysis of the nearby neighborhoods and to understand the impact of roadway changes on Ottoson Middle School arrival and dismissal patterns. More information is available on the project web page.

• Documentation of Town-Owned Historic Resources: This CPA-funded project will result in a specialized, detailed documentation of Town-owned historic buildings and landscapes, which will enable the Town to pursue grant funding to assist with preservation activities. Additional information about the project will be posted on the Historical and Cultural Resources Working Group page.

• Archaeological Reconnaissance Survey: This CPA-funded project will produce a comprehensive inventory of known archaeological resources in Arlington and identify areas of high potential for further planning and preservation. Additional information about the project will be posted on the Historical and Cultural Resources Working Group page.

• Public Land Management Plan: The goal of the project is to create a management plan for all open space, recreational land, and other natural resources in line with other Town plans. The plan is funded through a Community Preservation Act grant. The PLMP will detail a structure for maintaining and managing relevant lands, provide analysis of the policies that govern the lands in question, and advise on the treatment of such lands, including recommendations of best practices. For more information, visit the Public Land Management Working Group page.

Plans and Reports

The plans and reports below have been developed in collaboration with DPCD, and are used as resources for prioritizing projects and evaluating project proposals.

• Arlington Master Plan (2015): The Master Plan sets forth a planning and development vision for the Town and outlines implementation steps and goals resulting from that vision. The Master Plan Implementation Committee and its subcommittees were tasked with reviewing progress on the implementation of the plan.

• Arlington Arts and Culture Plan (2017): A framework of strategies and priorities to strengthen and grow arts and cultural opportunities in Arlington.

• Arlington Heights Neighborhood Action Plan (2019): A neighborhood-based plan for zoning, urban design, parking, wayfinding, streetscape improvements, and placemaking in Arlington Heights. Being implemented in collaboration with the Arlington Heights Neighborhood Action Plan Implementation Committee.

• Arlington Housing Plan: This update to the 2016 Housing Production Plan incorporates a community vision and strategies for providing housing that serves a range of needs, and in so doing work towards the Chapter 40B 10% statutory minimum. It also addresses diverse housing needs for a range of household and housing types, which includes housing for seniors and families. Implementation overseen by the Housing Plan Implementation Committee.

• Arlington Center Loading Zone Study (2023): A study conducted to establish a baseline understanding of the freight activity in Arlington Center and recommend new approaches to loading and service activity to better suit local needs.

• Broadway Corridor Report (2019): MIT Students studied the Broadway Corridor, between Rawson Road and the municipal boundary with Somerville, collected ideas to address its current and future needs, and formulated non-binding recommendations.

• Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Consolidated Plan (2020-2024): The 2020-2024 Consolidated Plan serves as the strategic plan for allocating federal CDBG funds to maximize positive impact for individuals and households earning a low- to moderate-income.

• Connect Arlington Sustainable Transportation Plan (2021): Connect Arlington provides a vision for the development of Arlington’s transportation system over the next 20 years. The plan is being implemented by the Master Plan Implementation Committee, with support by the Arlington Bicycle Advisory Committee, Transportation Advisory Committee, and the Clean Energy Future Committee. Find out more on the Transportation Planning page.

• Economic Analysis of Industrial Districts (2021): This planning process was designed to position Arlington to attract new businesses and jobs in emerging growth industries to the Industrial District, and create opportunities through which Arlington can realize greater revenue with strategic amendments to the Zoning Bylaw. Find more information on the Zoning Bylaw Working Group page.

• Electrification & Air Quality Master Plan (2023): This Plan provides options and cost estimates to remove fossil fuel-powered systems from six Arlington Public School buildings while enhancing air quality and comfort for all occupants.

• Fair Housing Action Plan (2021): This plan addresses equitable access to housing choice in the Town of Arlington, and describes concrete actions the Town can undertake to eliminate housing discrimination and segregation.

• Hazard Mitigation Plan (2020): Provides policymakers with information on the Town’s vulnerability to environmental hazards and identifies actions to help protect residents.

• Historic Preservation Survey Master Plan (2019): A prioritized survey of Arlington’s local historic buildings, places, cultural and archaeological elements, and other significant objects and structures for future inventory with the Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC). Implementation in collaboration with the Historic and Cultural Resources Working Group.

• Local Rapid Recovery Program: The towns of Arlington, Bedford and Lexington collaborated on a Local Rapid Recovery Program planning initiative to drive traffic from the Minuteman Bikeway into our business districts, with a focus on Arlington Heights, East Lexington, and Bedford Center.

• Mill Brook Corridor Report (2019): Recommends actions to create opportunities for conserving and protecting the Mill Brook Corridor.

• Minuteman Bikeway Planning Project(2022): This CPA-funded project identifies community goals, priorities, and an implementation plan for improvements to the Minuteman Bikeway. More information is available on the Arlington Bicycle Advisory Committee page.

• Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Plan (2018): Examines the Town's resiliency strengths and vulnerabilities and identifies priority resilience-building actions.

• Mystic River Path to Minuteman Bikeway Feasibility Study (2022): This project studied existing trails and feasibility of creating new trails along the Mystic River from Decatur Street in Arlington, along the Mystic Valley Parkway, to Summer Street in Arlington, over to the Minuteman Bikeway through Buzzell Field or via Mill Street. Download the Study or view the Appendices.

• Net Zero Action Plan (2021): A plan to guide Arlington toward achieving net zero greenhouse gas pollution by the year 2050. More information is available on the Clean Energy Future Committee page.

• Open Space and Recreation Plan Update (2022): The OSRP guides Town policy regarding open space issues, and is required by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA) Division of Conservation Services (DCS) to maintain eligibility for state funding programs. More information is available on the Open Space Committee page.

• Public Land Management Plan (2022): The PLMP is designed to create a management plan for Town-owned open space, recreational land, and other natural resources in line with other Town plans. The PLMP details a structure for maintaining and managing relevant lands, provides analysis of the policies that govern the lands in question, and advises on the treatment of such lands, including recommendations of best practices.

• Report on Demolitions and Replacement Homes (2019): Presents baseline data and trends related to replacement homes in Arlington, describes the current regulatory framework, spotlights best practices, and makes recommendations.

• Residential Design Guidelines (2020): Community-derived design recommendations for new construction and additions in Arlington’s low-density residential zoning districts. Created in collaboration with the Design Review Working Group.

• Whittemore Park Plan (2018) and Revitalization Project (Phases 1 and 2): A phased plan for design and accessibility improvements for this key community open space in Arlington Center. Construction on phases 1 and 2 is now complete and the park has reopened. Key elements included creating central gathering spaces and providing accessibility improvements. More information is available on the Whittemore Park project page.