Meeting in a Box

The Meeting in a Box is a toolkit for community members to lead conversations about potential strategies to shape Brookline’s future and gather feedback from peers. These conversations will be a chance to brainstorm how Brookline evolves and what matters most to the community, from housing and transportation, to parks and public services. This method of engagement provides a chance to hear from people who may not have had a chance to engage in other public conversations.

The Meeting in a Box covers the same content and questions as the February 2026 in-person Public Workshop and includes:

  1. Background information

  2. Facilitator Guide and Discussion Questions

  3. Guided Survey

Community members who have already provided their feedback through the in-person Public Workshop or online survey can feel free to skip the Meeting in a Box. If community members don’t have the time to participate in a meeting, you can direct them to the online survey to provide feedback in their own time.

Interested in hosting a Meeting in a Box? Here’s how:

  1. Gather a group of people who care about Brookline and might have a range of perspectives about the Town’s future (friends, neighbors, coworkers, etc.).

  2. Schedule a meeting with them anytime before March 2, 2026. Allocate 1-2 hours for the meeting to allow sufficient time for the discussion and activities.

  3. Download the Meeting in a Box background materials below or collect them from Town Hall starting February 9, 2026.

  4. Facilitate a conversation using the Meeting in a Box materials. Ensure you and the participants complete the survey to capture feedback. Refer to the Facilitator Guide for questions to cover during the discussion.

  5. Send your notes and survey responses by March 2, 2026 back to the Planning Department via the online survey or by emailing them directly to Jacob Collins, Community Planner for the Town of Brookline: jcollins@brooklinema.gov

Background Information
Facilitator Guide and Discussion Questions
Meeting in a Box Online Survey
Meeting in a Box Paper Survey (Facilitators)
Meeting in a Box Paper Survey (Participants)

  • Brookline’s Comprehensive Plan is a 15-year roadmap for the Town’s future, focused on six key themes: Thriving Commercial Areas, Expanded Housing Options, Livable Neighborhoods, Mobility and Accessibility, Climate Action and Resiliency, and Community Wellbeing. The Comprehensive Plan will outline a vision, goals, policies and strategies, and an implementation plan to guide decisions about land uses, housing and commercial development, open space and recreation, transportation and mobility, and town facilities and services.

  • These conversations will help guide decisions about how Brookline grows and what matters most to the community, from transportation and housing, to parks and public services. This is also a chance to go deeper on topics in the Public Workshop and Online, here more perspectives on Brookline’s future, and to connect with others in the community.

    Your voice matters.

  • Anyone! If you live, work, or spend time in Brookline, you’re welcome to host.

  • No. These conversations can happen anywhere: at home, a local coffee shop or library, or even virtually!

  • No problem! There are other ways to get involved:

    • Take the community survey before Monday March 2, 2026

    • Encourage your friends, neighbors, and others to take the survey

    • Join us in person at Brookline Town Hall, Room 103, on Monday, February 9, 2026 between 7:00 P.M. and 9:00 P.M. Drop in at any time and share your thoughts!

  • The Comprehensive Planning team will analyze feedback from engagement (including public workshops, meeting in a box) and integrate key findings into preliminary recommendations for the Plan.

  • Sign up for updates and stay connected as the draft plan is shared: https://brooklinecompplan.com/stay-involved