Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC)

01/08/2026

We'd like to take a moment to welcome the new mayors in the MAPC region, who were officially sworn in on January 1!

Robert Van Campen, City of Everett
Paul Lundberg, City of Gloucester, MA
Marc Laredo, City of Newton MA - Mayor's Office
and Jake Wilson, City of Somerville

Everett, Newton, and Somerville are part of the Metropolitan Mayors Coalition and fall in our Inner Core Committee subregion; Gloucester is a member of our North Shore Task Force subregion: mapc.org/get-involved/subregions

Robert Van Campen, Paul Lundberg for Gloucester Mayor, Marc Laredo for Mayor, Jake Wilson for Somerville

01/07/2026

MAPC and the Neponset River Watershed Association invite community members to learn about design options for the Blue Hills Parkway corridor, extending from Mattapan and Milton Upper Mills to Canton Ave in Town of Milton.

The meeting on January 15 will include an open house, presentation, and workshop during which attendees can provide input. Registration is encouraged but not required: mapc.ma/blue-hills-pkwy-meeting-registration

This meeting is part of a larger process to determine if community members are interested in a walking, biking, and/or rolling connection from the Neponset River area to the Blue Hills Reservation.

11/18/2025

MAPC's Emma Battaglia shared a look at her home's accessory dwelling unit (ADU) with Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll!

Now allowed by right in Massachusetts, ADUs are an important tool in addressing local housing needs by providing smaller, more affordable housing choices. See additional examples of ADUs, learn more, and find resources for municipalities at:
mapc.org/resource-library/adu-massachusetts 🏘.

10/03/2025

It's not too late to register for the MARPA and DLS Statewide Municipal Partnerships Conference next week! Did you know that Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll will give the keynote address, AND that you can receive AICP CM Credits from attending sessions?

2025 MARPA and DLS Statewide Municipal Partnerships Conference
Tuesday, Oct. 7, 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
College of the Holy Cross, Worcester
➡ Register today at: mapc.ma/marpa-2025

The Conference brings together municipal and regional leaders from across the Commonwealth for a half day of networking, conversations on pressing issues, and the sharing of best practices.

10/02/2025

We love seeing projects come to fruition! 👏

Yesterday our Executive Director Lizzi Weyant and Director of Environmental Planning Van Du attended the opening of the City of Everett's Main Street Meadow. What was once a heat island has been transformed into an oasis for native birds, butterflies, bees, and neighbors. The project will help cool one of the city’s hottest heat islands with shade from gardens and trees.

Everett received a $20,000 Accelerating Climate Resilience (ACR) grant from MAPC in 2024 for the project; additional funding was provided by Mystic River Watershed Association and U.S. Forestry Service.

Learn more about the project's development at https://cityofeverett.com/mainstmeadow/.

09/23/2025

Making it Public for Massachusetts Municipalities accepts applications for the 2026 Cohort through September 29.

The public art training program aims to support municipal staff in commissioning temporary public art with more inclusive and equitable processes that focus on principles of fairness, transparency, and accountability in public procurement. In addition to the training, participating municipalities receive a $15,000 grant to conduct a Call for Temporary Public Art.

Learn more: www.nefa.org/makingitpublic

08/27/2025

MAPC, the City of Quincy, and the Quincy Housing Authority celebrated the launch of a local “Apartment Wi-Fi” program to increase access to affordable and reliable high-speed internet for residents of Quincy. 👏

The organizations worked together to procure, contract, and implement a solution that provides free internet access to all residents in O’Brien Towers - 274 apartments for seniors and people with disabilities.

“Digital access is vital for every member of our community, and I’m exceptionally grateful to partners at MAPC and Quincy Housing for working so hard over many months to make this project a reality,” said Quincy Mayor Tom Koch.

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), the City of Quincy, and the Quincy Housing Authority celebrated the launch of a local “Apartment Wi-Fi” program to increase access to affordable and reliable high-speed internet for residents of Quincy.

07/15/2025

A team from MAPC recently toured the beautiful Town of Hull as part of the Hull Master Plan planning process! We're excited to support the community in shaping a shared vision for the next 10-15 years, focused on land use, housing, transportation, climate resilience, and more. Visit the project webpage at: mapc.ma/hull-master-plan.

The Master Plan will guide decisions around how Hull grows and preserves what matters most, with goals and strategies that reflect local priorities. We're looking forward to working together toward a more resilient and connected Hull. 🏡 🌿 🌊

07/14/2025

Our Director of Arts and Culture will join MASSCreative for this important conversation! MAPC has worked with local communities to establish policies and strategies that expand and protect the region’s cultural infrastructure - the physical spaces used across creative disciplines for making and experiencing arts and culture.

Our conversation with Ami Bennitt from the Artstayshere Coalition, Annis Sengupta from Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), and Jim Grace from Arts & Business Council of Greater Boston about their efforts to disrupt cultural displacement and build coalitions to expand creative maker spaces is this Wednesday, July 16th at 1:30 PM. If you haven't registered yet, register today to be a part of this urgent and insightful conversation. https://www.mass-creative.org/events/july-2025-artivist-town-hall

07/11/2025

We were proud to join State Representative Dan Sena in support of H.101, "An Act establishing free broadband internet access in public housing." This bill would require that broadband internet be available in all public housing units. It also asserts that this service should be offered at no charge to residents and considered a requirement of a decent, safe, and sanitary dwelling.

The COVID-19 pandemic displayed how crucial internet access is to our daily lives, and Legislation like this will ensure that the most vulnerable among us are not left behind.

Pictured top: MAPC Digital Services Manager Stephen Larrick testifying with Rep. Sena. Pictured bottom: Stephen, Rep. Sena, and MAPC Digital Equity Planner II Anagha Devanarayanan.

07/09/2025

By updating local land use regulations through a climate resilient lens, communities can harness development to reduce flooding, expand tree cover, and make neighborhoods cooler, greener, and more livable. Recognizing this potential, MAPC partnered with the Town of Norwood MA to review the Town’s Subdivision Rules and Regulations and Site Plan Review Regulations.

Head to our Planning 101 Blog for an overview of Norwood’s approach, which illustrates how even incremental changes to local regulations can have a big impact.

If your community is interested in strengthening local development regulations to support climate resilience, municipalities with local funding can contract directly with MAPC for technical assistance. If funding is a barrier, consider applying to our Technical Assistance Program (TAP).

MAPC partnered with the Town of Norwood to review the Town’s Subdivision Rules and Regulations and Site Plan Review Regulations to ensure future development supports climate resilience.

07/09/2025

We see the artist and cultural displacement crisis all around us - it looks like vacant creation and rehearsal spaces that used to house vibrant artists studios, and the dispersal of creative communities. We see it happening and it's not always clear how to reverse the course we're on.

Join us next week at this month's Artivist Town Hall for a discussion with Ami Bennitt from the Artstayshere Coalition, Annis Sengupta from Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), and Jim Grace from Arts & Business Council of Greater Boston, who are leading efforts to protect and expand creative maker spaces.

Register today to receive the Zoom link. https://www.mass-creative.org/events/july-2025-artivist-town-hall