Somerville Planning Board Continues 32 Webster Avenue, Demands Revised Unit Mix

Planning Board · Meeting of June 4, 2026

Somerville Planning Board continues 32 Webster Avenue condo project, citing unresolved unit mix and accessibility questions. The board voted unanimously at its June 4 meeting to push the 29-unit condominium application by Ryan Wittig of 32 Webster Holdings to June 18, after members declined to vote on a project they said fell short on family-sized housing. Chair Michael A.

Capuano challenged Wittig directly on the decision to cap the project at 29 units, one below the threshold triggering a mandatory three-bedroom requirement: "As a lawyer, that makes me say, you're not acting in good faith when it comes to that part of the discussion." Vice Chair Amelia Aboff offered a compromise, asking the applicant to designate at least one affordable unit as group-two accessible rather than add three-bedrooms, and Wittig said the development team was "completely open" to that approach. The board also reached informal consensus to leave the final choice of building exterior — between two new design options from architect Bill Seema of Balance Architects featuring angled corner balconies — to planning staff's discretion. Earlier in the evening, the board held a joint session with three Urban Design Commission members to discuss revisions to the arts and innovation district design framework, with no vote taken and staff directed to redraft the document for a future adoption hearing.

In the full story:

• Background and stakes
• The question before the body
• Participants and introductions
• Substantive content of the framework discussion
• Outcome and next steps
• Background and stakes
• The complete report — 3,262 words

Source: the Planning Board meeting of June 4, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.