A joint public hearing opened Feb. 24 on a proposed zoning map amendment that would rezone several parcels near Boynton Yards from Mid‑Rise 4 (MR4) to Mid‑Rise 6 (MR6).

The applicants — identified in the hearing as Horace Ward LLC, Beam Realty LLC, Deli Properties LLC and Deli Properties 2 LLC — are seeking the change for properties listed roughly as 11 Horace Street; 5, 7, 9, 13 and 15 Ward Street; and 15 and 21 South Street. Attorney Adam Dash represented the applicants during the public hearing and presented conceptual plans.

The proposal, as presented, would allow larger buildings intended to support research-and‑development and advanced‑technology uses. Architect Brian Slozak of SGA described a conceptual MR6 building with a roughly 30,000‑square‑foot floor plate, a minimum of 5 percent arts and creative space (about 7,500–9,000 square feet), open space located to the east of the building and a proposed sidewalk width of 12 feet along building edges in the primary concept. Slozak also presented alternate site diagrams that widen the South Street sidewalk to 25 feet, shift the building footprint to preserve frontage and increase upper‑floor setbacks; those alternatives still showed a 30,000‑square‑foot floor plate.

Adam Dash told the committee the applicants have owned most of the properties for about 40 years and that keeping MR‑zoned parcels at a higher capacity would “minimize displacement of the businesses that are currently in the property” and allow existing tech and R&D tenants to stay. Dash said the applicants would convey land if necessary to allow the city to widen and straighten South Street for a protected bike lane.

During public comment, Michelle Hanson, co‑chair of the Union Square Neighborhood Council, said the neighborhood council has met with the applicant and is working toward a community benefits agreement. Resident Tori Antonino urged the developer to avoid anticoagulant rodenticides during construction and to follow the city’s green roof guidance. Crystal Huff, a Ward 5 resident, expressed support for the additional open space and engagement process.

Planning Board Chair Mike Capuano declared the public hearing open and accepted written testimony through 9 a.m. Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, to planningboard@somervillema.gov; the Land Use Committee said it would accept public comments at publiccomments@somervillema.gov under the same deadline. The Planning Board and Land Use Committee did not take a final vote on the rezoning at this meeting; the Planning Board adjourned the joint hearing and the Land Use Committee returned to its separate meeting.

The materials presented were explicitly conceptual; presenters said a rezoning would not itself approve any specific building design, which would require later site plan review and permitting.