The quest to connect Milton residents to the Blue Hills Reservation without relying on a car moved forward Thursday night as the Planning Board endorsed a redesign of the Blue Hills Parkway. Data presented by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) revealed a stark reality for the scenic corridor: while 90 percent of surveyed residents want better access to the reservation, 91 percent currently reach it by car because 67 percent of visitors feel biking is unsafe.

Andre Surley, Greenway Program Director for the Neponset River Watershed Association, told the board that current infrastructure makes non-vehicular travel nearly impossible. To address this, planners highlighted Alternative 4, a center-running path that would transform the parkway’s safety profile. Mara Holland, a Senior Transportation Planner with MAPC, explained that the design is a massive improvement over current conditions. Holland noted that the center running path will go from 110 conflict points down to 11 conflict points throughout the entire corridor.

The board expressed enthusiasm for the project while grappling with the technical challenges of the “Figure 8” intersection at Brook Road, a site previously marked by a fatality. Member Sean Fahy threw his support behind the safety-first approach, stating, I'm an advocate for figuring out how we can create as many safe crossings as possible so we limit the risk that people take. I think it's a great project. Even if we only get a mile of that done, we've created a beautiful park and sanctuary.

However, the environmental impact of the extension deeper into the reservation drew caution from Member Margaret Oldfield. She raised concerns about extending paths onto Unquity Road and Chicatawbut Road, noting, I have a big concern once you cross Canton Ave and you're into the Blue Hills. I would not support any project that would increase impervious surfaces in that area. Local resident Dan Cararsski praised the outreach efforts for the project, noting that recent postcard mailings led to high neighborhood engagement. Postcards were sent to people who live along Blue Hills Parkway. That was really great because these are people who will be saying in a couple years, 'I didn't even know that was happening,' Cararsski said.

Beyond infrastructure, the board assessed several funding priorities and grant opportunities. Assistant Director Avanti Grady reported that the town is pursuing a $50,000 Eco One-Stop planning grant for the draft Climate Action Plan, with a deadline of March 20. Planning Director Liz Manning also updated the board on the Housing Production Plan, which requires a $22,000 investment for a six-month update process. Additionally, the board is eyeing its FY27 budget needs, which include a significant request of $40,000 to $100,000 to fund a long-overdue zoning codification project. Building Commissioner Michael White has previously identified conflicting zoning pages as a primary hurdle for local permitting and enforcement.

Financial discussions also touched on the town’s Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI). Manning is currently working to ensure units at 440 Granite Avenue and 71-73 Warren Avenue are properly documented to maintain the town’s housing compliance. Meanwhile, Member Cheryl Tougias urged for greater transparency in how these zoning layers are shared with the public. She advocated for adding MBTA zoning overlays and district data for Milton Village and East Milton Square directly to the town’s GIS mapper. Tougias remarked that you should be able to go there, click on it, and not just see what the underlying zoning is, but see what your overlay options are right there.

A significant portion of the meeting centered on a technical overhaul of the town’s sign bylaws, an effort to modernize regulations before the Spring Town Meeting. Town Counsel Carolyn Murray and Sign Review Committee Chair John Sichowitz led a deep dive into the language surrounding illuminated signs and digital displays. Sichowitz pointed out a potential pitfall in the draft’s treatment of modern lighting. 99% of lights used nowadays are LED. If we prohibit LED lights, we won't have any lights at all. We should just prohibit LED price signs and digital displays, Sichowitz cautioned.

The board reached a consensus to prohibit LED price signs generally, with a specific exception for fuel service stations via special permit. The updated bylaw also seeks to protect residential neighborhoods by reclassifying uses like memory care facilities and daycares as “non-residential,” and moving Dover Amendment-protected uses, such as churches and schools, to site plan review. Chair Meredith Hall emphasized the need for clarity to ensure fair treatment of businesses. We're not encouraging illuminated signs in this bylaw. We're discouraging them, but there are times when it's appropriate. We want to be as clear and consistent as possible, Hall said.

Zoning Board of Appeals Chair Kathleen O’Donnell raised concerns about the administrative burden of these changes, questioning why the ZBA would be asked to make aesthetic findings better suited for specialists. Those are not decisions that zoning boards ever make—aesthetics, design, neighborhood context. Why wouldn't the zoning board just be relying on the report that is done by the people that know what they're doing, the sign review committee? O’Donnell asked. Counsel was directed to finalize the draft, which will also explicitly prohibit “use variances” for signs to prevent the proliferation of out-of-character displays via hardship claims.

To conclude the transportation discussion, the board formalized its stance on the parkway project. Motion Made by C. Tougias to submit the comment letter for the Blue Hills Parkway project as drafted and edited. Motion Passed (5-0). The letter specifically asks the state to address the dangerous “Figure 8” intersection as part of the feasibility study.