A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Policy Order 2022 #181, regarding convening a North Mass Avenue Corridor District Zoning Proposal Working Group

C I T Y O F C A M B R I D G E Community Development Department 344 Broadway Cambridge, MA 02139 Voice: [phone removed] Fax: [phone removed] TTY: [phone removed] www.cambridgema.gov IRAM FAROOQ Assistant City Manager for Community Development SANDRA CLARKE Deputy Director Chief of Administration KHALIL MOGASSABI Deputy Director Chief Planner To: Yi-An Huang, City Manager From: Iram Farooq, Assistant City Manager for Community Development Date: March 02, 2023 Re: Policy Order-O-3, dated October 3, 2022, related to convening a North Mass Avenue Corridor District Zoning Proposal Working Group As requested by the above referenced Policy Order and recommended in Envision Cambridge, the Community Development Department will commence a planning study for the Massachusetts Avenue corridor from Cambridge Common to Alewife Brook Parkway in spring of 2023. The planning study will develop a vision for the future of North Mass Ave and result in zoning and non-zoning recommendations on topics of land use, urban design, housing, climate resiliency, small business support, mobility, and public space. The plan will aim to realize the following goals expressed by Envision Cambridge and the City Council: • Address housing supply shortage by allowing additional housing density along North Mass Ave. • Promote sustainable and safe transportation choices. • Focus on small business retention and growth. • Improve open space resources to better support the public realm. • Preserve the unique qualities of the area, including business and resident diversity. • Incorporate—and adjust for local context—the relevant recommendations from the City’s recent resilience focused planning efforts. Working Group CDD will lead a representative community engagement process to co-develop a shared vision for the future of the Mass Ave study area. As part of a multi-faceted engagement strategy, CDD will convene a working group to guide the planning process and recommend zoning and non-zoning recommendations. Additional engagement strategies will include focus groups, surveys, in-person and virtual workshops, and engagement with the CDD’s new Community Engagement Team to reach underheard communities in Cambridge.

2 The working group will be comprised of community stakeholders, including residents from the surrounding neighborhoods, representatives of the business community, local institutions and community organizations, property owners, and developers. A multidisciplinary staff and consultant team led by CDD will provide support to the group. Working Group Charge The charge of the working group will be to formulate zoning and non-zoning recommendations based on the community’s planning and urban design priorities. Additional analyses on the scale and type of development, urban design principles and guidelines, public open spaces, transportation infrastructure, and other community needs will be discussed. The planning study will provide zoning recommendations to City Council. It is expected the entire process will take approximately 18 months to complete. The work will build on past neighborhood studies, recent feedback into changes in the area, and recommendations from relevant citywide planning initiatives, including Envision Cambridge, Retail Strategic Plan, Resilient Cambridge, Urban Forest Master Plan, and the Bicycle Network Plan. The working group will not be explicitly planning for the roadway design of Mass. Ave. in this corridor but will be coordinating with the Mass Ave Partial Construction Working Group. https://www.cambridgema.gov/Departments/publicworks/news/2022/11/mem berssoughtfornewmassavepartialconstructionworkinggroupThe Mass Ave Partial Construction Working Group is currently being established and will be working on implementing separated bicycle lanes, improving crossing opportunities for pedestrians, evaluating curb use regulations, and analyzing options for bus priority for Mass. Ave. between Waterhouse St and Alewife Brook Parkway.