That the City Council refer the zoning petition regarding lab use to the Ordinance Committee and Planning Board for a hearing and report. PLACED ON THE TABLE IN COUNCIL SEPTEMBER 19, 2022

O-10 Calendar Item # 3 FIRST IN COUNCIL September 12, 2022 October 3, 2022 City of Cambridge COUNCILLOR ZONDERVAN COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN WHEREAS: Cambridge is proud to be the innovation capital of the East Coast but a discussion is needed about where future lab growth is appropriate and where it could significantly impede other priorities, including the emergency need for more housing and the desire to have vibrant, active business districts and squares; and WHEREAS: The attached zoning amendments propose a technical definition of the lab use that is aligned with how other cities in the region have defined the use, allowing the use to be separately regulated from the general office use; and WHEREAS: The attached zoning amendments propose a restriction on new instances of the lab use in fragile districts including Central Square, Harvard Square, and Cambridge Street; and WHEREAS: The attached zoning amendments propose explicitly allowing any and all existing lab uses to continue in all districts without any barriers; and WHEREAS: There is plenty of room for discussion around which districts should and should not be included, but without a proactive conversation and something on the table it is conceivable that the lab use could take over in areas where it is unwanted; now therefore be it ORDERED: That the City Council refer the attached zoning petition to the Ordinance Committee and Planning Board for a hearing and report. 1. Define Lab use Insert into Article 2.000 - Definitions the following language: ARTICLE 2.000 - DEFINITIONS … Technical office for research and development, laboratory & research facility. Any laboratory engaged in research, experimental and testing, including but not limited to the fields of biology, chemistry, electronics, engineering, geology, medicine, and physics, including activities that requires additional air exchanges over and above a regular office use, or requires the use of chemical hoods, biosafety cabinets, regulated chemicals, or dangerous substances. This definition does not include innovation spaces, maker spaces, or other similar uses, or any purely software based activities. 2. Restrict the lab use in the following districts Amend the table of uses in Section 4.30 as follows: 4.30 - TABLE OF USE REGULATION

Ope n Spa ce Re s A 1& 2 Re s B Re s C, C- 1, C- 1A , 2, 2A , 2B , 3, 3A , 3B Off 1, 2A, 2, 3, 3A Bus A-1, A- 2, A-3 1 Bus A, A-4 Bus B, B-1, B- 2 Bus C In d A- 1, A- 2 In d A In d B- 1, B- 2 In d B … 4.34 Office and Laboratory Use … f. Technica l office for research and develop ment, laborator y & research facility, subject to the restrictio ns in Section 4.21m No N o N o N o9 No62,63 Yes No62,63 Yes No62,63 Yes No62,63 Yes 10 No62,63 Yes Y es Y es Y es Y es 3. Explicitly allow existing lab use to continue in all districts Insert footnotes 62 and 63 into Section 4.40 as follows: 4.40 - FOOTNOTES TO THE TABLE OF USE REGULATIONS … 62. Any pre-existing technical office for research and development, laboratory & research facility permitted prior to January 1, 2023 in a Business or Office District shall be considered a conforming use for the purposes of making modifications to the building, until January 1, 2050.

63. The technical office for research and development, laboratory & research facility use shall be allowed in any PUD, AOD, SD, MXD or other special zoning district that already effectively allowed this use prior to January 1, 2023, notwithstanding the base zoning restrictions. Specifically, this base zoning restriction shall not apply to any existing PUD, AOD, SD, MXD or other existing special zoning districts in or near Kendall Square, Alewife or Cambridge Port, but will apply in regular overlay districts including Harvard Square and Central Square. In City Council October 3, 2022. Adopted by a yea and nay vote:- Yeas 8; Nays 1; Absent 0. Attest:- Diane P. LeBlanc, City Clerk A true copy; ATTEST:- Diane P. LeBlanc, City Clerk

History: 09/12/22 City Council CHARTER RIGHT Next: 09/19/22 09/19/22 City Council PLACED ON THE TABLE Next: 10/03/22