The City of Somerville is seeking applicants to serve on the newly formed Vision Zero Working Group to help advance the City’s Vision Zero commitment of eliminating vehicle crashes that result in death or serious injury.

The Somerville Community Preservation Committee is holding its annual Community Preservation Plan public hearing on Wednesday, April 28, at 7 p.m.  

The Community Preservation Plan establishes how $2 million in Fiscal Year 2022 Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds will be allocated across affordable housing, historic resources, and open space categories. The draft plan is available at somervillema.gov/CPA. 

Somerville, along with the 19 other communities that make up the Resilient Mystic Collaborative (RMC), was recently awarded the Environmental Business Council of New England’s Award for Leadership by a Non-Profit Organization. The Environmental Business Council of New England presents annual awards to recognize companies, organizations, and individuals for outstanding accomplishments in environmental management, energy resources and management, and climate change. 

Following months of speculation and uncertainty, yesterday’s guilty verdict in Derek Chauvin’s trial for the murder of George Floyd last May brought with it long-awaited accountability for Derek Chauvin’s actions. But while accountability is the first step toward justice, the full achievement of justice is measured through transformation. It is about repair, dedication, and actions. Our thoughts continue to be with Mr. Floyd’s family and loved ones, who have had to endure unspeakable pain.

The City of Somerville has expanded eligibility requirements for its Residential Rodent Control Assistance Program, nearly doubling the number of residences that qualify and extending access to free rodent control services to more than 90% of residential properties in the city. 

The City of Somerville will resume booting and towing vehicles with five or more overdue, unpaid parking tickets starting Monday, May 3. Booting and towing operations were suspended last year at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Weather permitting, City contractors will mill and pave the following streets as part of the City’s Pavement Management Program:

• Medford St. (Somerville Ave. to Lambert St.)
• Ward St.

Anticipated Schedule

• Milling: Overnight Sunday to Monday, May 2 to 3, 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
• Paving: Overnight Sunday to Monday, May 9 to 10, 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Anticipated Traffic Impacts

Road closures and detours in effect during work hours.

The City of Somerville will be joining the State in relaxing outdoor face covering guidelines. Starting Friday, April 30, residents will not have to wear a face covering when outdoors if they can socially distance. Masks will still be required in public indoor spaces, outdoor spaces where social distancing is not possible, at large events, and at any City-permitted activities, including outdoor fitness and yoga classes. At smaller gatherings in private homes face coverings are recommended but not required.

Somerville has passed a Native Planting Ordinance that establishes minimum requirements for native plants and trees to be planted in City-owned parks, open spaces, and streets. The legislation, which applies to new plantings carried out by the City or on behalf of the City, grew out of discussions between the Administration, the City Council, and community advocates and passed unanimously in March.