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The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) is the regional planning and economic development district representing 101 cities and towns in metropolitan Boston. In addition, MAPC shares oversight responsibility for the region’s federally funded transportation program as one of 14 members of the Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization. The Council’s legislative mandate is to provide technical and professional resources to improve the physical, social and economic condition of its district, and to develop sound responses to issues of regional significance. MAPC provides research, studies, facilitation and technical assistance in the areas of land
use and the environment, housing, transportation, water resources management, economic development, demographic and socioeconomic data, legislative policy and interlocal partnerships – all to strengthen the operation of local governments. Funding for MAPC activities is derived from contracts with government agencies and private entities, foundation grants, and a per-capita assessment charged to municipalities within the district.
In the past year, MAPC focused on initiatives that respond to regional challenges, some of which include:
· Municipal planning: working with more than 25 communities under the Executive Order 418 program. EO 418 provides communities with up to $30,000 in state funding to undertake overall visioning for local housing, economic development, natural resources, and transportation issues.
· Bringing advanced technology to cities and towns in the region: a contract with Pictometry International will provide aerial photographic images that municipal departments, including police and fire, can utilize to improve service delivery.
· Adoption of smart growth principles: MAPC developed and adopted principles of good planning practice that will encourage sustainable patterns of growth throughout the metro Boston region. MAPC is also a founding member of the Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance.
· Metro Data Center: The Center is an official US Census affiliate, helping to distribute demographic data throughout the region, including profiles of all 101 communities.
· Transportation planning: MAPC worked to develop the 25-year Regional Transportation Plan as well as the annual Transportation Improvement Program, including transportation spending priorities for the region. Spearheaded development of transportation spending criteria, taking into account environmental, economic, and equity considerations.
· Metropolitan Highway System Advisory Board: MAPC provides staff support. This board advises the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority on issues relative to land use, air rights, zoning, and environmental impacts associated with development of land owned by the authority.
· Regional Services Consortiums: The four regional consortiums, consisting of 31 municipalities, collectively purchased~$18 million in office supplies and~highway maintenance~services for its members.~ The project also facilitates forums focused on collaborative problem solving and resource sharing. MAPC recently became the purchasing and administrative agent for the Greater Boston Police Council, which assists over 300 units of local government in the purchasing public safety supplies.
· Metro Mayors Coalition: Working with the mayors and city managers of 10 municipalities in the urban core on issues such as group purchasing, employee health insurance, security and emergency coordination, and municipal relief legislation.
Please visit our website, www.mapc.org, for more details about these and other activities.
Metrofuture: Making A Greater Boston Region
MAPC has launched a new civic process, called MetroFuture, to create an updated regional vision and growth strategy for metropolitan Boston. MetroFuture engages city and town governments, state agencies, non-profits, business, labor and academic groups in this planning process. The outcome will be a vision and growth strategy that puts the region on a sustainable path in terms of land use, economic, environmental and social issues. MAPC will need the support of a broad range of organizations in the region to help plan, fund and implement this new framework for addressing the challenges facing metropolitan Boston.
Inner Core Committee (Arlington, Belmont, Boston, Braintree, Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Holbrook, Lynn, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Milton, Nahant, Newton, Quincy, Randolph, Revere, Saugus, Somerville, Waltham, Watertown, Winthrop)
In 2004 the Inner Core Committee (ICC) recommended projects to the MPO for inclusion on the UPWP and commented to the EOEA on a Final Environmental Impact Report for the BioSquare Project in Boston. The ICC also provided feedback to MAPC on the new Smart Growth Zoning District program and determined its legislative priorities for the upcoming legislative session. The ICC engaged in discussions on: the new TIP criteria, chain stores on urban main streets, transit oriented development, the Commonwealth Capital Fund, affordable housing strategies, and CTPS Intersection Study results, among other items. Lastly, the Committee held its own visioning session to provide input to the MetroFuture project.
Respectfully submitted,
Marc D. Draisen, Executive Director, Metropolitan Area Planning Council.
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