Latest Updates
On Wednesday, March 8, 2023, BPDA planning staff hosted a virtual public meeting to discuss proposed changes to zoning in West Fenway. The team reviewed the established neighborhood planning context and community feedback received to date, and introduced draft recommendations for revisions to Article 66.
At the request of the Fenway community, the comment period deadline for these materials has been extended and will conclude March 31, 2023. Please submit any written comments via the form below or to [email protected].
Summary & Goals
Fenway-Kenmore, including East Fenway, West Fenway, and Kenmore Square, is a vibrant mixed use neighborhood—host to several renowned cultural, educational, medical and sports institutions, and home to approximately 38,000 residents.
Since the most recent neighborhood planning efforts in 2004, the Fenway landscape has changed considerably. Between 2004 and 2022 in West Fenway & Kenmore alone, over 2.3 million square feet of residential and 4.3 million square feet of commercial space has been approved and/or completed throughout the neighborhood. An additional 4.5 million square feet of mixed-use development has been proposed for the area and is currently under review by the BPDA.
Long-range planning efforts are needed to:
- Revisit Land Use and Urban Design Guidelines (adopted in 2002)
- Guide investment in the neighborhood’s open space and transportation infrastructure.
Current planning efforts will result in:
- Zoning Updates to Article 66 (Fenway Zoning Article)
- Fenway-Kenmore Transportation Action Plan (TAP)
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Zoning Updates to Article 66 (Fenway Zoning Article)
Fenway’s zoning (Article 66) was adopted in 2004 following a community planning process initiated in 1999. The 2004 zoning update addressed land use policy and dimensional regulations focused on height, FAR, parking requirements, and PDA eligibility.
The effort drew from local area studies, including:
Several small amendments to the zoning article were undertaken in years following. These efforts largely focused on further regulating Fenway’s business districts and realigning mobility goals with a new neighborhood context and industry best practices.
New guidance is needed to
- Confront evolving land uses
- Address existing height and use limitations
Fenway-Kenmore Transportation Action Plan (TAP)
The Fenway-Kenmore TAP is a holistic planning and design initiative that will guide the transformation of the Fenway transportation networks through public projects and private development. The Fenway TAP team will work to align work with existing and adjacent studies/projects, including:
- Boston: Kenmore Block Redesign, Green Links, & citywide plans/initiatives
- Brookline: Brookline Ave bus priority
- DCR: Charlesgate Revitalization, Parkways Master Plan
- MBTA: Bus Network Redesign, Kenmore Station Accessibility, Rail Vision
- MassDOT: Storrow Drive ramps, Bowker Overpass, LMA Transportation Action Plan
- Developers: Kenmore Square
The BPDA issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for consultant services to support this effort in August 2022. Public engagement is expected to launch in early Spring 2023.
Past Engagement
Wednesday, March 8, 2023 | 6:00 PM–8:00 PM
BPDA planning staff hosted a virtual public meeting focused on zoning in West Fenway. The team reviewed the established neighborhood planning context and community feedback received to date, and introduced draft recommendations for revisions to Article 66.
Presentation (English) | Presentation (Simplified Chinese) | Presentation (Traditional Chinese) | Recording | Article 66 - Fenway Neighborhood District: DRAFT Amendments
Monday, February 13, 2023 | 6:00 PM–8:00 PM
Location: Fenway Community Center, 1282 Boylston Street
Councilor Bok and Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) planning staff hosted an in-person public meeting at the Fenway Community Center focused on zoning in the West Fenway. The team reviewed the established neighborhood planning context and community feedback received to date and introduced draft recommendations for revisions to Article 66.
Monday, December 5, 2022 | 6:00 PM–8:00 PM
The BPDA team, with Chief Arthur Jeminson, hosted a virtual public meeting to discuss and gather input on past and present planning and zoning efforts in the Fenway.
Presentation (English) | Presentation (Simplified Chinese) | Presentation (Traditional Chinese) | Recording
Tuesday, November 1, 2022 | 6:00 PM–8:00 PM
This session included basic information about how zoning works to regulate development and a more detailed analysis of existing zoning in the West Fenway district.
Presentation | Recording
Tuesday, October 25, 2022 | 6:00 PM–8:00 PM
The BPDA team, with the Office of Councilor Kenzie Bok, joined the Fenway Community Advisory Committee (CAC) to discuss the start of the Fenway-Kenmore Transportation Action Plan. The meeting took a look into the Fenway transportation context and introduced the scope, partners, and anticipated timeline for the Action Plan project.
Presentation | Recording