Government

JP/Rox Transportation Action Plan Meeting on Sept. 19th

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There will be a public meeting on Sept. 19th to discuss the Washington Street and Columbus Avenue corridor as it relates to the upcoming Transportation Action Plan that builds on Go Boston 2030 and PLAN: JP/ROX. This is a kickoff meeting during which the scope of the project, an overall update and summary of the transportation component of the PLAN: JP/ROX, will be discussed. There will be future meetings, too. PLAN: JP/ROX is a set of guidelines that will direct future development and improvements to the corridor that connects Jamaica Plain and Roxbury.

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Government

BPDA, City Staff Asking Board Members to Approve Plan: JP/Rox

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The city released an updated version of the Plan: JP/Rox, including a summary of recent changes, and the Boston Planning & Redevelopment Authority staff will be asking its board to approve the Plan to make it a guiding document for the area. BPDA and city staff are expected to brief BPDA board members at their meeting on Feb. 9th and seek their approval for the plan. This is not a public hearing, but it is open to the public and is being held at City Hall (9th Floor, Room 900). The BPDA board meeting starts at 3:30 pm and the agenda will be posted Tuesday.

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Government

PLAN: JP/ROX Public Event on Wednesday Night

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The Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) will host a public event for residents to learn about the priorities of PLAN: JP/ROX, and for the community to provide comments about the PLAN's recommendations. PLAN: JP/ROX is a study to actively engage the community to create a new vision and plan for the area between Forest Hills, Egleston Square and Jackson Square, generally bounded by Washington Street, Columbus Avenue, and Amory Street, according to the BPDA's website. The plan encompasses approximately 250 acres and more than 6,000 residents. Since July 2015 there have been nine community events, 12 public advisory group meetings and more than 25 small group and stakeholder meetings, according to the BPDA website. The goal of the PLAN is to create recommendations that will be adopted in a subsequent zoning phase that will involve the community.

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From the Community

Stonybrook Neighborhood Group Urges Members to Speak Up About PLAN: JP/ROX

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Editor's note: Author Susan Cibulsky is a member of the Stonybrook Neighborhood Association's Washington Street Corridor Subcommittee. PLAN: JP/ROX is about the future of the Washington Street corridor. The Boston Planning and Development Agency’s (BPDA) PLAN: JP/ROX proposes vastly increased density between Forest Hills, Egleston Square, and Jackson Square, which threatens the character, diversity, and quality of life of neighborhoods along Washington Street and Columbus Avenue. Current infrastructure cannot sustain such increased density, yet infrastructure expansion is not accounted for. Moreover, PLAN: JP/ROX does not provide for the creation of enough truly affordable housing. The Stonybrook Neighborhood Association (SNA) agrees that Boston needs more housing.

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Opinion

Opinion: Get PLAN JP/Rox Back on Track

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Editor's Note: Author Tim Reardon is on the Board of Directors of Egleston Square Main Street and a member of the PLAN JP/Rox Advisory Group. Since before Mayor Walsh’s inauguration, community organizations in Jamaica Plain have been asking him to create a plan to guide development and expand housing opportunities along the corridor from Jackson Square to Forest Hills. Unfortunately, after an extended 18-month process, the city is on the verge of adopting a plan that may turn out to be worse than the status quo. The draft of the plan released in October had its shortcomings, but it represented a reasonable, rational balance of our community’s diverse views about housing and neighborhood change. Since then, city staff have been subject to intense, private lobbying by a small group of insiders and protesters intent on discouraging development.

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Business
JP Local First Logo

Breakfast Meeting Set for Biz Owners at Risk of Eviction

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Several local community and business groups will hold a meeting Wednesday morning to encourage the city to "even the playing field" for small business owners. The meeting was called by leaders from JP Local First, Egleston Square Main Street, City Life/Vida Urbana and the JP Neighborhood Development Corp. It will be at 10 a.m. at the Egleston Square YMCA, 3134 Washington St. Business owners are encouraged to attend. The meeting will be with Karilyn Crockett of the city's Main Streets program and Lydia Edwards of the Office of Housing Stability.

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Development

PLAN: JP/Rox: Final Draft Expo This Wednesday — What’s In The Plan?

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The Boston Redevelopment Authority is hosting an expo this Wednesday, Sept. 21, to update the public on the final draft of PLAN: JP/Rox. PLAN: JP/Rox is an ongoing planning study of the area spanning Forest Hills, Egleston Square and Jackson Square. The boundaries are generally Washington Street, Columbus Avenue and Amory Street, so the plan mostly encompasses Jamaica Plain, but does include Roxbury as well. The goal of the study is to engage with the community to determine future development uses of the area. The plan, which Jamaica Plain News has covered extensively during the past year, has its supporters, who appreciate efforts to plan for inevitable development in the neighborhood, but it has also drawn feedback from vocal opponents who do not think it goes far enough in protecting affordable housing or neighborhood character, among other concerns.

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Development

Community Meetings to Discuss Holding State & MBTA to Promise of Affordable Housing at Arborway Bus Yard

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The Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council is leading two community meetings this week to discuss the future of the Arborway Bus Yard. Specifically, community input and ideas are being sought for the future of the site, and for how to get the state and MBTA to keep their promise of putting affordable housing on the site. For almost 20 years, the MBTA has "temporarily" kept buses at the location at the corner of Washington Street and the Arborway. State Rep. Liz Malia, D-Jamaica Plain, has continually worked on redeveloping the Arboway Bus Yard, "The reality is acres on the Arboway Yard are abandoned and underutilized since around 1986 and we can’t get the city and state to partner to do something substantial," said Malia earlier this year in an interview with Jamaica Plain News. The first meeting on Tuesday, Aug.

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Plan JP/Rox

Stonybrook Neighborhood Meeting About Plan JP/Rox on Thursday

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The Boston Redevelopment Authority will be hosting a special meeting for the Stonybrook neighborhood on Thursday to discuss the Plan JP/Rox. BRA representatives will provide an overview of their draft plan with an emphasis on portions that will have the most impact on neighbors. The Plan JP/Rox planning process is entering its final phase and this is an opportunity to learn about the proposed zoning recommendations, discuss, ask questions and provide input. This public meeting will be held at Doyle's back room at 3484 Washington St. at 7 to 8:30 pm.

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