The Planning Board and the Select Board have collaborated to study the zoning and development opportunities in Belmont Center in order to encourage the economic revitalization of the heart of the town of Belmont.
Leonard Street and Concord Avenue are at the physical center of Belmont but also house the town offices, the farmer’s market, a commuter rail station, and many great businesses that provide the goods and services that Belmont residents and the metro region utilize.
Chris Ryan, director of the Office of Planning and Building, has engaged the architectural and urban design firm Able City to develop a form-based zoning code for Belmont Center. The form-based zoning will establish the size and massing preferred for new development in the area and will mesh with the MBTA Communities rezoning that was approved by Town Meeting in December 2024.
Reimagining the Center is important in achieving fiscal goals as well as an opportunity to establish an urban design framework that would make the Center more vibrant and attractive.
Belmont Center Planning Group’s 2008 Report on Belmont Center has been dusted off and will be reimagined for 2025. The 2008 report reflects over a year’s worth of public meetings including a Charrette held in the High School Cafeteria that provided many creative ideas for the center. Ultimately, that process, along with a lot of work by the Town Engineer, resulted in pedestrian crossings, widened sidewalks and street furniture on Leonard Street. These amenities made Belmont Center more pedestrian-friendly and more attractive for customers.
There will be a public Informational meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 7:30 pm at the Beech Street Center and via Zoom to provide a project background, answer questions, and lay out the goals and planning process going forward. In addition, the Office of Planning and Building has provided documents and other information regarding this effort on the Town Webpage. We hope to see you there!
Thayer Donham, Planning Board member