Medford adds neighborhood meetings, short videos and website overhaul for citywide zoning review

Medford City Council Planning and Permanent Committee members and consultants announced new public engagement steps for the citywide zoning update, including a Feb. 10 public Q&A on the Salem Street Neighborhood Corridor District and a planned overhaul of the city’s zoning webpage to host short explainer videos and accessible timelines.

The updates came during the committee’s Jan. 29 meeting when Emily Ennis of Ennis Associates summarized schedule adjustments, a new community meeting on Salem Street set for Feb. 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Roberts, and a plan to produce short (about two-minute) explainer videos on major zoning topics. “What we’d like to do is break down some of these topics into about 2 minute videos,” Ennis said, adding the videos will be posted on the city’s site for residents to view on their own time.

Why it matters: Committee members said clearer, simpler materials and meetings in neighborhood locations could reduce confusion that has surfaced during the rewrite. Vice President Collins said improved outreach is needed because “people aren’t … getting the information,” and noted the council is working with the mayor’s communications team to broaden outreach.

Ennis and committee members described the communications package as three parts: (1) additional in-person neighborhood meetings (the Salem Street Q&A on Feb. 10 is the first announced), (2) a redesigned zoning page on the city website with summaries, FAQs and links to videos, and (3) short videos and repeated, targeted notices through the city’s channels (e-alerts, social media, reverse 911). “One part of this that I think is really important is overhauling the zoning page on the city website,” Vice President Collins said, noting the council does not control the site and is coordinating with the mayor’s office on updates.

Ennis said the consulting team will group related topics for Community Development Board review (for example, grouping certain commercial topics) to make the sequence clearer to the public and to reduce confusion about whether this is a citywide process. She also noted that the Green Score item will be discussed at the Community Development Board on Feb. 5 and that the formal Salem Street hearing is being continued to March 5 to allow more time for public comment.

Councilors praised the move to more neighborhood-based meetings and better visual materials. Councilor Scarpelli urged more proactive outreach to avoid reactionary opposition: “there’s coalitions, neighborhood coalitions … already starting to talk about how they’re going to go in and battle the city because of lack of information.” President Bares said the work builds on the 2023 citywide comprehensive plan and that perfect information is unattainable but that improved messages can reduce confusion.

Next steps and scheduling: Ennis said the consultant team will post the meeting PDF and updated maps to the council’s public portal after the meeting, and the committee expects to continue refining both the outreach materials and the zoning drafts over the next several meetings. The committee also inserted the Feb. 10 public meeting into the project calendar and will return to residential and urban residential topics at future committee meetings.

Public comments during the meeting reinforced the call for clearer, centralized materials and easier access to the latest drafts. Several residents asked for a single place to find the most recent maps and supporting tables so neighbors can compare current conditions with proposed changes.

The committee adjourned by voice vote on a motion from President Bares, seconded by Councilor Callaghan.