Brookline's Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee meets Wednesday, Sept. 23, to review a new standalone chapter on the town's long-term financial health.

The 16-member committee, chaired by Select Board representative Paul Warren, will discuss and refine draft actions for a Fiscal Wellbeing chapter during a virtual session at 2 p.m. No vote is scheduled.

The chapter gives fiscal policy its own section in the plan for the first time, according to the meeting agenda. It joins six other topic areas already under development: Expanded Housing Options, Thriving Commercial Areas, Mobility & Accessibility, Climate Action & Resiliency, Community Wellbeing and Livable Neighborhoods.

Fiscal-related goals had previously appeared under other chapters. A June 29 revision of the plan's draft goals included a "Fiscal Sustainability" goal under Community Wellbeing. That goal called for the town's revenue sources to "grow and diversify to maintain and improve the quality of public services and facilities." A separate "Fiscal Contribution" goal under Thriving Commercial Areas called for commercial growth supported by public investment to bolster long-term fiscal health.

The committee worked through Mobility & Accessibility and Community Wellbeing drafts, among other topics, at its Aug. 17 meeting. In July, committee member Carol Gladstone delivered a "Smaller is Better" presentation as part of a broader review of plan goals.

The plan is Brookline's first comprehensive update since 2005. It grew out of a Dec. 1, 2021, Town Meeting resolution directing the Select Board to launch a new planning process. Project manager Jacob Collins, a community planner for the town, said in a January 2025 town newsletter that the effort aims to "establish the community's vision for the next 15 years." Collins reported at that time that the visioning phase had drawn more than 10,000 individual comments.

The Planning Board and Select Board will ultimately vote to adopt the finished plan, according to the town's Comprehensive Plan page.

Residents can speak during a public comment period at the start of Wednesday's meeting. Speakers are limited to three minutes. Written comments can be sent to Jacob Collins at [email protected]. The meeting runs via Zoom (Meeting ID: 165 933 4847; call-in: 646-828-7666) and is scheduled to adjourn at 3 p.m.