That the Order Establishing the Harvard Square Conservation District, adopted by the City Council on December 18, 2000 is hereby amended

CRT-B Calendar Item # FIRST IN COUNCIL December 21, 2020 City of Cambridge COUNCILLOR CARLONE WHEREAS: The Ordinance Committee met on October 21, 2020 to conduct a public hearing on the 2020 Harvard Square Conservation District Study Committee Report, and WHEREAS: The report made several recommendations, and WHEREAS: The Committee voted to refer a policy order to the full city council to amend an “Order establishing the Harvard Square Conservation District” adopted December 18, 2000 by substitution with the language in appendix B of the report; Now therefore be it ORDERED: That the Order Establishing the Harvard Square Conservation District, adopted by the City Council on December 18, 2000 is hereby amended as follows: Article III, “Statement of Goals and Guidelines and Standards for Review,” is struck in its entirety and replaced by the following: III. Statement of Goals and Guidelines and Standards for Review The Goal of the District and of this Order is to protect the Harvard Square Conservation District’s distinctive physical and experiential characteristics and to enhance the livability and vital- ity of the District. The Historical Commission should seek to enhance the unique physical environment and visual form of the District; preserve its architecturally and historically significant structures and their settings; encourage creative design that contributes to the richness of its environment; mitigate character-diminishing impacts of new development; and discourage homogeneity by encouraging diversity of development and open space patterns and building scales and ages. The District must remain a pedestrian- friendly, accessible, human-scale, quirky, mixed-use environment that supports dynamic urban experiences, complements nearby neighborhoods, and respects the history and traditions of its location. The following Secondary Goals for the District are intended to provide general guidance in a wide variety of situations, and are not intended to be applied to every project. They are statements of policy, not prescriptive measures that must be applied equally in each situation. 1. Significant Buildings. Preserve historically or architecturally significant buildings and structures as well as those that contribute to the distinctive visual character or historical significance of the District. 2. Sustain the vitality of the commercial environment. Sustain the vitality of the commercial environment while preserving architecturally-significant or original building fabric at street level and above. Encourage the restoration of missing features where these have been documented. Except for protected storefronts, encourage creative contemporary commercial design inside the restored framework of storefront openings. Encourage creative signage. Support below-grade commercial spaces where appropriate. Regardless of use, encourage architectural solutions that preserve storefront fabric, transparency, and utility.

3. Contemporary Design. Where context allows, support creative, contemporary design for new construction that complements the context of abutting buildings and enhances the character of the subdistrict. Recognize and respect well- reasoned contemporary design during the review process. Support innovative approaches to enhancing the unique character of Harvard Square while mitigating the detrimental impacts of development on proximate areas. 4. Diversity of Form. Build on and sustain the diversity of existing building form, scale and material. Preserve and encourage appropriate green spaces, scale- appropriate open spaces, and new buildings that support the prevailing character of the subdistrict. Pre- serve the remaining wood frame buildings throughout the District. Maintain a consistent setback or streetwall condition where that character has been set. Support small-scale storefronts to preserve the vitality and character of the streetscape. 5. Public Environment. Create a high-quality public environment in the District with compatible materials, lighting, signage, and street furniture such as bollards, benches, move- able seating, and the like. Provide adequate facilities for trash and recycling and surfaces that can be cleaned and maintained. Encourage planted greenspaces and accommodate trees where possible. 6. Pedestrian Experience. Protect and enhance the pedestrian experience. Expand the net- work of pedestrian walkways and paths wherever they can conveniently provide alternate routes through the District. Increase public access to alleys and interior spaces where appropriate and upgrade the paving and landscaping of such spaces. Enhance accessibility and safety for pedestrians throughout the District. 7. Residential Development. Enhance the all-hours neighborhood quality of Harvard Square by supporting existing residential uses and encouraging additional residential units in mixed-use buildings. 8. Compatible Design. Encourage compatible design that supports a wide diversity of uses serving the needs of surrounding neighborhoods, students, workers and visitors from around the world. 9. Transportation. Encourage creative solutions to the District’s transportation issues by providing balanced accommodations for through and local traffic, cyclists, and pedestri- ans. Promote smooth movement of traffic on through streets and seek creative design and management solutions for side streets where traffic volume and speeds can be regulated to give highest priority to pedestrians. Provide adequate bicycle parking throughout the District. Protect pedestrian safety and experience through careful design and place- ment of features such as loading docks, curb cuts, and receptacles for trash and recy- cling. Encourage replacement of surface parking lots with compatible new structures. Discourage provision of on-site parking for new construction. 10. Environmental Sustainability. Encourage environmentally sustainable development that takes into consideration the embodied energy of the existing built environment, material life cycles, passive design, energy conservation, and current standards for best energy conservation practices. Alterations to existing buildings that seek to promote energy conservation should be accomplished in a manner that respects character-defining mate- rials and designs.

11. Architectural lighting. Architectural (building façade) lighting, streetscape lighting, and signage lighting, when allowed by a Certificate of Appropriateness, should reinforce definitive characteristics of historic and contemporary architecture as well as create high quality 24-hour streetscapes. To achieve these goals, projects should minimize bright- ness, and light trespass, monitor light color (temperature Kelvin), and focus lighting on significant features. The foregoing goals also recite the standards for preservation and change within the District. In addition to the factors specified in Section 2.78.220, and subject to any specific provisions of this Order, in exercising its authority with respect to the District and in considering applications for certificates of appropriateness, hardship, or nonapplicability, the Historical Commission shall be guided by the preceding general goal for the District as a whole and by such of the pre- ceding secondary goals as it determines to be applicable to the project or situation before it. The Historical Commission shall also be guided by the standards and guidelines described in the “Final Report of the Harvard Square Neighborhood Conservation District Study Committee,” dated November 29, 2000, as amended by the “Final Report of the 2017-19 Harvard Square Conservation District Study Committee,” which after public hearing the Historical Commission may adopt as regulations and thereafter amend from time to time. In addition, the Historical Commission and project proponents shall consider the amended goals and guidelines specific to each of the seven subdistricts that make up the Harvard Square Conservation District. The subdistrict goals and guidelines describe the physical and historical development of each area over time, identify notable buildings and spaces, and set forth preservation priorities and recommendations for each sub-district. As permitted by Chapter 2.78.190.B, the Historical Commission may determine from time to time after public hearing that certain categories of exterior architectural features, structures, or signs may be altered without review by the Commission; provided, however, that every such alteration shall be determined by the Executive Director of the Historical Commission to con- form to the regulations adopted by the Commission for the administration of the District. In City Council December 21, 2020. Order Adopted by a yea and nay vote:- Yeas 9; Nays 0; Absent 0. Attest:- Anthony I. Wilson, City Clerk A true copy; ATTEST:- Anthony I. Wilson, City Clerk