Boston officially has a new department, controlled by City Hall, to help build and grow the city after Mayor Michelle Wu signed an ordinance replacing the Boston Planning and Development Agency in front of Boston’s last-remaining tenement building. Analyst Sue O’Connell discusses how the change could affect Boston’s future.
The Boston Planning and Development Agency is being retired, with a new agency taking its place.
Mayor Michelle Wu signed an ordinance Tuesday creating the Boston Planning Department, which will still perform some of the same roles the former Boston Planning and Development Agency had, but with expanded responsibilities and more direct oversight from City Hall.
"We are determined and taking action every day to be a city that is grounded affordability, in resiliency, and equity. In other words, we are here for people," Wu said at a ceremony in front of the city's last remaining tenement building.
The new department has four divisions: planning, design, development review and real estate. Each in their own way will be focused on affordability and equity.
Current employees will be transferred to the department, when the change takes place next fiscal year.
Despite passing at City Hall by an 8 to 3 vote last week, some members called the whole process contentious, saying the vote for this ordinance seemed rushed and undemocratic.
City Councilor Erin Murphy was one of the No votes, telling NBC10 Boston that she didn't think this would increase the people's say in city planning.
"What I was hearing loudly from many neighbors is this isn’t going to give us the effect we want," she said.
