The Basics of a Better Zoning Law
Our goal is to make changes in Cambridge's Zoning Ordinance to ensure that our city will remain as liveable, affordable, and prosperous in the future as it is today. The needed changes can only happen through the united action of Cambridge residents and businesspeople throughout the city.
The proposal consists of a number of major components designed to encourage beneficial development while protecting the quality of life in Cambridge. These proposed changes in zoning are based on the principles summarized below:
Fair reduction of allowed building sizes
from present limits:
The Zoning Gap: Many properties in Cambridge allow significantly
higher building density than currently exists - either on the
property now - or on the properties nearby. This zoning gap
allows "fast-buck teardowns," where developers place
potentially huge, out-of-scale buildings in the midst of stable
neighborhoods. The only method to combat this is to lower the
zoning maximum to "neighborhood average." Existing
buildings would not be affected by the reductions, only new
construction would need to comply. This would maintain and
preserve existing residential neighborhoods at their current
density, scale, and character. Exceptions to this policy would be
made when residents are supportive of change, and have evaluated
potential changes in neighborhood character through a planning
process.
Size Reductions - Density and Height:
In many districts, zoning rules permit construction that is much
bigger, taller, and denser than what is adjacent; than what the
road system can service; and than what the neighbors want. Even
if the building is significantly set back, it often casts a large
shadow over nearby buildings. Reductions in density and height as
we propose are consistent with recent zoning reforms accomplished
throughout the City (e.g., Cambridgeport and northern Mass Ave),
and also better reflect the size and bulk of pre-existing
buildings.
Increased Incentive for affordable housing:
One of the most important aspects of this proposal is that it
encourages new affordable housing. Our petition recommends that a
new building's size may be increased over what is allowed by the
"Table of Dimensional Requirements" -- if this
increased floor area is for new affordable housing.
Reduction in building heights in
high-density areas where they border lower ones (transition
zones):
Good transitions make good neighbors! Cambridge's large number of
zones also have a large number of boundaries. These trouble zones
can allow massive multi-storey buildings to be placed adjacent to
small 2- and 3-family buildings. Currently our zoning has some
scattered "transition" rules, but not enough to protect
vulnerable neighborhoods from the encroaching construction. Our
petition proposes to improve upon these rules by establishing a
simple requirement which says: Where two zones meet with
different height limits, there is a transition zone that starts
at the lot boundary. The height limit of this transition zone
starts at the lower height and goes up at a 45-degree angle to
the upper height. Furthermore, the zoning rules of the lower
density zone apply in the transition zone, even though it is
located within the high density zone."
Public review for all projects with
significant impacts:
The Planning Board, Historic Commission and neighborhood
conservation groups often make thorough reviews of the site plan
and design quality of proposed projects; indeed, most special
permits are obtained only when the developer meets the conditions
imposed by the these reviews. We suggest improving this practice
by extending it to project types and locations not currently
covered by design review. Additionally, we are proposing site
posting of major projects, so that anyone walking by the site can
see what construction is being proposed, and the dates and
locations of public meetings.
Improved business climate:
Retail districts should be recognized for their unique assets,
opportunities, and functions, and those aspects should be
encouraged, in part to assure that they can compete with regional
shopping centers and maintain their economic viability. Reducing
densities will encourage the preservation of existing buildings,
which will help stabilize area commercial rents. Rezoning
industrial areas will also preserve affordable spaces for
start-up companies, increasing opportunities for local jobs.
Existing retail districts should be strengthened: new retail
activity should be directed toward the city's existing retail
squares and corridors.
Increased protections of open space and
green space:
Cambridge zoning currently requires most lots and projects to
provide "usable open space" protections -- meaning lot
area open to the sky, and having no dimension smaller than 15
feet. We propose amending this requirement to increase the amount
of usable open space required, and to guarantee that at least
half of this open space be maintained as "greenspace":
unpaved surfaces supporting plants and trees. We also seek to
establish a requirement for replacement of large trees disrupted
by construction. The city should encourage the retention and
protection of useful, effective, attractive private open space
whether publicly accessible or not. The petition also calls for
the preservation of large public open spaces, by rezoning as Open
Space, which would prevent the city from later filling them with
buildings.
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