Traffic Commission

The purpose of this policy is to preclude the future residents of new development from creating additional traffic & parking problems, such as traffic congestion and on-street parking shortages, while helping to reduce air pollution and improve both pedestrian safety and emergency service response time.

Additionally, this policy will help implement multiple objectives of the City’s Comprehensive Plan, SomerVision.

The new policy only applies to the future residents of new development located within walking distance to a rapid transit station of the MBTA’s Red, Orange, or Green Line services as identified on the proposed map. Walking distance is considered to be a 10- minute walk and the area of a city within that distance is referred to as a “Transit Area.”

All properties located in the Neighborhood Residence district are excluded from the proposed restriction and all properties outside of walking distance to a rapid transit station are excluded. The Neighborhood Residence district in the proposed new zoning ordinance includes almost all of the single, 2-, and 3-family properties in Somerville, which will still be able to receive resident parking permits.

Existing resident parking permits remain valid and residents of all existing residential addresses, whether they already have a resident parking permit or not, remain eligible for on-street parking permits in the future.

New development includes the construction of entirely new buildings and the gut rehabilitation of existing structures that add new dwelling units in Transit Areas.

RPP Restriction Map A

The Inspectional Services Department (ISD) will provide a list of addresses to the Parking Department as Certificates of Occupancy are issued for new development.

No, the new policy proposes to restrict access to all permits, including guest permits.

Yes, the new policy exempts future residents that may be “choice limited,” including persons with disabilities, occupants of affordable dwelling units, and residents with extenuating circumstances.

The waiver can be found here.

The proposed policy does not apply to residents of existing housing in Somerville. Like all real estate decisions, households that do not yet live in Somerville will have to make a choice about whether to purchase or rent a home or apartment that is subject to this restriction based on their own personal needs.

The Parking Department will maintain a list of addresses subject to the restriction.

The new zoning ordinance requires developers to market new housing in a Transit Areas as ineligible for residential parking permits and to inform potential new residents of the restriction through mandated zoning permit conditions.

The City Charter requires the Traffic Commission to publish the new policy in the newspaper for three weeks, which would be on December 24, 2019, December 31, 2019, and January 7, 2020, making the new policy effective on January 15, 2020.

Because the proposed policy does not apply to residents of existing housing in Somerville, local businesses should expect no loss of customer base from what they have today due to the restriction and are likely to gain many additional customers that walk, bike, or take transit to their locations as a result of new development.