Arlington Select Board Unanimously Endorses Town Comprehensive Plan, Approves Water Bond

ARLINGTON -- May 18, 2026, Arlington Select Board endorses 212-page comprehensive plan and approves $1.3 million water bond. The board voted unanimously Monday to endorse the AMP-UP Comprehensive Plan, an 18-month update to the town's 2015 master plan covering land use, housing, transportation, and economic development, after the Arlington Redevelopment Board formally approved it on May 4. Planning and Community Development Director Claire Ricker said the effort drew more than 6,000 website visitors and over 1,000 online contributors, with key recommendations including a Vision Zero policy, expanded accessory dwelling units, and streamlined permitting. Board member Diane Mahan, who read all 212 pages, pressed for stronger business-development commitments and flagged resident complaints that workshop feedback was not accurately recorded. The board also unanimously approved a $1,307,000 no-interest MWRA loan for the final phase of Pleasant Street water system improvements, to be repaid in 10 annual installments of $130,700 starting May 2027, with construction expected to begin around June 1 and conclude in November.