Arlington Heights Business District Open House - Apr 14, 2026
Meeting held at 27 Maple St. Materials were available from https://www.arlingtonma.gov/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/39319/. There were approximately 17 attendees at the start of the meeting.
Economic Development Coordinator Katie Luczai starts with a presentation on the Heights Business District. The district is being proposed to replace the patchwork of districts in Arlington heights and came out of the Arlington Heights Neighborhood Action plan. The goals are to simplify zoning and strategically look at needs to address.
The process started with the Arlington Heights Neighborhood action plan, which was produced in 2019. The pandemic happened the next year and led to a pause in the project. Engagement restarted in 2024 with a survey that drew 1200 responses. The Arlington Heights Neighborhood Action Plan Committee developed a vision statement and started to look at potential zoning changes.
We held an Arlington Heights business district forum in November 2025. There were good discussions there, but not a lot put to paper. The Arlington Heights Business District Committee continues to meet monthly.
The purpose of tonight's meeting is to think about design and form. Next steps will include parcel selection and draft zoning language. This should be available in the early fall.
(?, attendee): What about parking?
(Katie Luczai) Arlington is doing parking studies to see if it would be beneficial to establish parking benefits districts in East Arlington and the Heights, similar to the one we have in Arlington Center. A parking benefits district uses parking meters to encourage turnover, and the parking fees are used for beautification and streetscape projects within the district.
(Ann Elhert, attendee) Ms. Elhert says the 2018 study didn't ask for mixed use. I'm concerned about the size of mixed use buildings and the fact that mixed use is being considered here.
The rest of the meeting consists of table exercises and poster boards with preference exercises.