Somerville Planning Board Approves 32 Webster Avenue Condos, Rules on Assembly Square Remand

Planning Board · Meeting of June 18, 2026

Somerville Planning Board approves 32 Webster Avenue condos 7-0, rules in court remand, and continues hotel hearing. The board unanimously approved site plan and special permit applications for a 29-unit residential condominium building at 32 Webster Avenue, a decision that came after the applicant team agreed to designate three Group 2A-accessible units as affordable — a proposal Vice Chair Amelia Aboff called a meaningful contribution to the city's deficit of affordable, accessible housing. Chair Michael A.

Capuano said he was "not at a position where I'm not going to support this project" despite disappointment that the applicant could not add a three-bedroom unit without eliminating an existing one. In a separate 7-0 vote, the board answered a Superior Court remand question by finding that the Stella Moon Assembly Square project does not violate Zoning Ordinance Section 7.4.7.D.9 and therefore required no additional special permit waiver, with Interim Planning Director Dan Bartman emphasizing that design guidelines using the word "should" are permissive, not mandatory. The board continued the 145-key Moxie-branded hotel at 1 McGrath Highway to July 16, with public commenters from the Friends of the Community Path flagging that no committed funding exists to build the planned pedestrian and bicycle ramp the developer has reserved space for on the contaminated, long-vacant site.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 3,176 words

Source: the Planning Board meeting of June 18, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.