The Somerville land use committee reviewed agenda item ID 24‑1584, a zoning map amendment petition from Horse Ward LLC, Beam Realty, Gully Properties and Deli Properties seeking to change the zoning districts for multiple parcels—11 Horse Street; 5, 7, 9, 13 and 15 Ward Street; and 15 and 21 South Street—from Mid Rise 4 (MR4) to Mid Rise 6 (MR6). The committee did not vote on the request and left the item in committee to allow further outreach to Ward 2 stakeholders.

At the start of the item the clerk read the petition language. Chair Jared asked planning staff whether the Planning Board had forwarded a recommendation. Dan Bartman indicated the Planning Board “is meeting right now,” and later clarified that the Planning Board had issued a positive recommendation for the Horace Street parcel. Several councilors, including Councilor Ewing Kampen, said they preferred not to vote that night because Neighborhood Council members and abutters continue to negotiate potential mitigation or remediation measures. Kampen said he wanted an update from the ward councilor before the committee advanced the item.

Councilor Wilson said conversations with negotiating parties identified green‑space and open‑space concerns among abutters. After brief discussion, the committee agreed to leave the item in committee and to seek the Ward 2 councilor’s input and updates from planning staff and neighborhood groups. No formal motion to approve or deny the map amendment occurred.

The item will return to committee after staff and the Ward 2 councilor provide updates and any proposed mitigations for abutters; no date for a return vote was set during the meeting.