FY27 Planning Department Budget Hearing - Boston City Council Ways and Means - May 6, 2026
FY27 Planning Department Budget Hearing - Boston City Council Ways and Means - May 6, 2026
On May 6, 2026, the Boston City Council Ways and Means Committee, chaired by Councillor Ben Weber, held a hearing to review the Fiscal Year 2027 operating budget for the Planning Department (Docket #0733-0740). The hearing began at 10:00 AM and was live-streamed. The panel included Chief of Planning Kyro Shan, Deputy Chief Devin Quirk, and Executive Director Teresa Paulinas. The budget is proposed at $29.4 million, slightly lower than the previous year. The discussion covered the department's mission, achievements, and challenges, followed by questions from councillors and public testimony.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Gregory Maynard (Co-founder and Executive Director, Boston Policy Institute): Criticized the Planning Department as a "set of half-done reforms," stating that the creation of the department lacked a proper study and that the department has failed to accomplish key zoning and process changes, particularly regarding accessory dwelling units (ADUs). He argued that the lack of follow-through is damaging development and the city's budget, and that Boston is the only city in Massachusetts not allowing ADUs as of right despite a state law passed in August 2024.
- Marjorie Skillman: Raised concerns about the city's hiring demographics, particularly for people of color, and requested the department provide workforce demographic data. She also expressed frustration with the lack of community engagement in hiring practices.
- Clifton Braithwaite: Spoke as a private citizen seeking help to save his family property, citing deception and betrayal. He asked for assistance in navigating the system and protecting his legacy.
Discussion Items
- Presentation by Chief Kyro Shan: Outlined the department's mission to transform planning and development culture, focusing on affordability, equity, and resilience. Key accomplishments included adopted plans (Harvard Enterprise Research Campus, Downtown Zoning, Chinatown Zoning), ongoing work on Squares and Streets (Cleary Square, Fields Corner), the Allston-Brighton Community Plan, and a citywide needs assessment. He highlighted the new Planning Academy to educate citizens on planning processes.
- Presentation by Deputy Chief Devin Quirk: Reported on the real estate market: in the last year, the BPDA approved 63 new projects and 21 alterations, totaling 3,809 housing units (35% income-restricted), 6.3 million square feet of development, and $4.8 billion in investment. Since 2023, nearly 20,000 housing units have been approved. He discussed the Office-to-Residential Conversion program (24 projects, 1,730 units), the Housing Accelerator Fund ($110 million), and real estate projects including the Chinatown library, Nubian Square residences, and climate resilience infrastructure (deployable seawalls).
- Budget Overview by Teresa Paulinas: The FY27 budget is $29.4 million, a decrease from the previous year due to reductions in contractual services, software, and equipment, while protecting personnel costs.
- Councillor Questions and Responses:
- Councillor Flynn: Asked about flexibility in the Inclusionary Development Policy (IDP) and concerns about rent control ballot initiative affecting investment. Chief Shan noted flexibility in IDP compliance and that long-term developers remain committed to Boston.
- Councillor Fitzgerald: Questioned budget cuts and whether the department could help other city departments. Chief Shan explained the department cannot transfer funds but emphasized the importance of continued planning work. Discussion on neighborhood character versus growth, with Chief Shan advocating for balanced conversations.
- Councillor Durkin: Pressed on eliminating parking minimums and reducing regulatory barriers. Chief Shan said the city will eventually eliminate parking minimums but with community input. Councillor Durkin expressed disagreement, citing data and staff support.
- Councillor Murphy: Raised concerns about abutters’ rights in Article 80 reform and displacement of immigrant businesses in Roslindale. Chief Shan defended the process, noting broader community engagement. Also discussed ADUs and neighborhood housing zoning reform.
- Councillor Cole Pepper: Focused on anti-displacement measures, specifically in Roxbury. Chief Shan and Devin Quirk explained the anti-displacement action plan, which requires early disclosure of development impacts and coordination with tenants. Discussed Nubian Square projects, including the Nuba residences and the former police station development.
- Councillor Pepin: Thanked staff for work on Squares and Streets, asked about commercial displacement protections, and coordination with the transportation department. Chief Shan confirmed interdepartmental collaboration and noted the challenges of market cycles.
- Councillor Braden: Asked about the Allston-Brighton Community Plan cost and timeline, the Planning Advisory Council budget cut (38%), and the Western Ave Transit Way study. Chief Shan explained the plan is ongoing with community input, and the Planning Advisory Council functions are being integrated into the department. He acknowledged the need to address the transit way study.
- Councillor Coletta Zapata (questions read by Chair): Inquired about revenues from Charlestown Navy Yard, variance guidance in East Boston, net-zero carbon zoning, and Article 80 outreach to immigrant communities. The panel committed to providing data on these topics.
- Chair Weber: Asked about linkage fees, budget mechanics (transfer from BPDA), and position counts. The panel clarified that the $46 million transfer includes centrally budgeted benefits, and there are 192 active employees with 44 vacancies.
- Councillor Flynn (second round): Commended the panel for honest answers, discussed Flynn Marine Park status and cruise tourism. Devin Quirk highlighted ongoing developments and challenges.
- Councillor Fitzgerald (second round): Discussed the role of planners in pre-file meetings and community engagement, cautioning against planners dictating project designs. Chief Shan emphasized the department's role as mediators, not proponents.
- Councillor Durkin (second round): Asked about the public land audit and contracts. The panel clarified that the audit is available online and that contracts for capital projects are separate from the operating transfer.
- Councillor Murphy (second round): Raised concerns about young families leaving the city and the affordability of new units. Chief Shan discussed incremental planning and the need for comprehensive approaches including jobs.
- Councillor Cole Pepper (second round): Discussed Nubian Square as a starting point for Roxbury development, asking about the pipeline and connection to the strategic master plan. Devin Quirk noted upcoming groundbreaking and the need for tenant recruitment. Also discussed Black Market and IDP.
- Councillor Worrell: Asked about tracking where residents move, neighborhood visions, and the role of the Boston Interagency Fair Housing Council (BIFTC). The panel discussed data limitations and the importance of community planning.
- Councillor Fitzgerald (third round): Asked about Article 80 modernization implementation. Chief Shan described new templates and staff coordination structures. Also asked about Fields Corner Squares and Streets status (not yet started).
- Councillor Cole Pepper (third round): Raised historical harm in Roxbury and asked how the department accounts for it. Chief Shan noted efforts to diversify development teams and partner with community organizations. Also discussed Richard Taylor's Nubian Square project and the need for a tenant (e.g., Dana-Farber).
- Councillor Worrell (second round): Asked about homeownership vs. rental, tax value, and parking minimums. The panel explained they do not regulate tenure on private land but promote homeownership on public land. Parking removal is often to reduce costs and increase capacity, but not applied uniformly.
Key Outcomes
- No formal votes were taken. The hearing was informational as part of the FY27 budget review process.
- The panel committed to providing additional data requested by councillors, including: breakdown of linkage fees by neighborhood, demographics of the workforce, vacancy data, details on the Allston-Brighton Community Plan costs, and information on Article 80 outreach to immigrant communities.
- The department will continue to work on neighborhood housing zoning reform, with a mailing to 17,000 homeowners in the coming month.
- The department will follow up on Councillor Cole Pepper's request to engage Dana-Farber Cancer Institute as a potential tenant in Nubian Square.
- The hearing concluded with a promise to revisit the department's work in future meetings.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. My name's Ben Weber. I'm the district six city counselor and the chair of the Boston City Council on Ways and Means. Today is May 5th, 2026, and the exact time is ten AM. We did send out a notice that this hearing is going to start at ten fifteen. My apologies. But this hearing is being recorded, it's also being live streamed at Boston.gov/slash city dash council dash TV and broadcast on Xfinity Channel 8, RCN, Channel 82, and FIOS Channel 964. The council's budget review process will encompass a series of public hearings that began in April and will run through June.gov slash council-budget. So you can give testimony in person or by Zoom, in person testimony. For that, you need to sign up on the sign-in sheet near the entrance.gov, or by emailing Chris Machohan at K-A-R-I-S-H-M-A.CHOUHAM at Boston.gov. When you are called to testify, please state your name and affiliation or your residence and limit your comments to a few minutes. We'll give you two minutes to testify. In lieu of showing up at a hearing virtually or in person, you can email written testimony to the committee, which can be sent to our web or email address at ccc.wm at Boston.gov. Lastly, you can submit a two-minute video of your testimony through the forum on our website. For more information on the council budget process and how to testify, please visit the city council's budget website at Boston.gov/slash council dash budget. In-person public testimony will be taken following the first round of counselor questions. Individuals will be called on the order in which they've signed up and will have two minutes to testify. Again, if you uh need to uh sign up for public testimony online and haven't done so, you can email our director of legislative budget analysis, Karishma at K-A-R-I-S-H-M-A.CHOUHAN at Boston.gov for the zoom link and your name will be added to the list. Today's hearing is on docket number 0733 to 0740, an overview of the FY27 operating budget for the planning department. Okay. This uh is one of a series of hearings to review the fiscal year 2027 budget. These matters were sponsored by Mayor Michelle Wu and were referred to the committee on April 8th, 2026. I'm joined by my colleagues in order of arrival, Councillor Flynn. Um, uh generally we waive opening statements uh at these budget hearings. So I'm just gonna introduce the panel. We're joined by Chief of Planning Kyro Shan, uh Deputy Chief Devin Quirk and Executive Director Teresa here. Paul Polinus. Paulinas, okay. Um, okay, so we are gonna if you have a presentation, we'll hear your presentation and then we'll go to counselor questions. Thank you. Good morning uh Chair Weber and Counselor Flynn. Uh we do have a brief presentation to give you some general orientation and um the presentation will be divided into a few sessions. I will briefly go over the mission of the planning department and the org chart, and then um talk briefly a little bit about our work, and then I will pass it on to uh Devin to go over specifically some of the accomplishments in in terms of development and transformation that the planning department has um implemented over the last year, and then we'll finish with a budget overview that would be led by Teresa. Um, so you know, our mission statement is quite straightforward. Um in this moment of need, we have an opportunity and an obligation to change how we plan for Boston's future. We're charting a new course for growth with people as our compass. This is a direct quote from Mayor Wu on January 25th, 200 uh 2023. Um, our mission, as you can uh, is quite direct. Uh we are organize um, our work is organized around taking on some of the key challenges that the city faces today, and we summarized it in three brief categories affordability, equity, and resilience. Now, the larger mission of the planning department um that has been charted by Mayor Wu is to really transform the planning and development culture that our city has been um structured in for almost 70 years since open renewal, and there are a few sort of key components of that. Uh central to that in the first term of Mayor Wu's administration was to actually remake a new city planning department with a few key objectives. Number one, to build uh greater trust and accountability for the planning activity of our department. Number two, to enlarge the table where these kinds of discussions on planning and development were occurring, and then three, to elevate the dialogue and knowledge that is uh used in these forums. Now, to that extent, there are a few direct um applications of these principles. Number one, that our planning department always puts planning first. Second, um, we actually systematically look at modernizing the city's zoning regular zoning and other planning regulations, and then finally, um, to reform the development review and permitting process that is uh central to the planning department's work. So in that, within that general framework, we have spent a lot of time working with the community on long and short-term plans. We have really modernized our zoning code to be much more predictable and accountable. And then we have spent time working on a much more inclusive design standard. And with the Article 80 reform, we have actually created a much more predictable and transparent development review procedures.
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