A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the transmission of the Massachusetts Avenue Zoning Petition

To: Yi-An Huang, City Manager From: Melissa Peters, Assistant City Manager for Community Development Date: September 11, 2025 Re: Cambridge Street and Massachusetts Avenue Zoning Petitions Melissa Peters | Assistant City Manager for Community Development 344 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02139 Ph. [phone removed] Email. cddat344@cambridgema.gov Visit. Cambridge.gov/CDD We are pleased to transmit the attached Cambridge Street and Massachusetts Avenue Zoning Petitions for the Council’s consideration. These zoning petitions are based on the recommendations of the Our Cambridge Street Study and the Mass Ave Planning Study, which were developed with extensive community input and discussed previously with the Planning Board and City Council. CDD staff have worked with the Law Department, Inspectional Services Department, the Department of Transportation, and others to transform the initial zoning concepts into the attached zoning text. To move these proposals to the public hearing phase that must occur before the Council can vote on possible ordination, we recommend that the City Council take separate votes to adopt each of the two proposed rezoning amendments as zoning petitions and refer each of them to the Planning Board and Ordinance Committee for hearing and report. They can be considered as separate zoning petitions but follow the same public hearing schedule. Background Cambridge Street and Mass Ave were identified in Envision Cambridge as major mixed use corridors, which have the potential to help the city achieve its planning goals related to small businesses, housing, mobility, and public space. As significant mixed-use main streets, Cambridge Street and Mass Ave are areas where sustainable growth could provide opportunities for additional housing; support local retail and service providers; enhance opportunities for walking and bicycling; and improve the public realm, among other community interests and benefits. From October 2021 to January 2023, Community Development Department (CDD) staff conducted Our Cambridge Street, a planning study for the communities along Cambridge Street between Inman Square and Lechmere Station. CDD staff then conducted the Mass Ave Planning Study, which was developed over the course of 18 months from November 2023 to May 2025, and focused on the area between Cambridge Common and the Arlington border. In both plans, CDD worked with the community to craft a shared vision for each corridor based on an inclusive and transparent engagement process and developed goals and strategies to achieve

City of Cambridge Community Development Department Response to Policy Order 2025 #104 Re: Permit Data 2/2 those visions. These two zoning petitions are based on the recommendations established in each planning study, many of which are shared across the two corridors. Those goals include: • More housing development through increased height and density; • Encouraging active ground floor uses that contribute to a vibrant streetscape; and • Enhancing the public realm through good building and site design. On June 17, 2025, CDD staff presented our preliminary zoning concept to members of the City Council’s Housing and Neighborhood and Long Term Planning Committees. Members of both Committees expressed support for the initial concept and suggested a few changes that we have incorporated into these zoning petitions. Major Updates to Zoning Proposals On Cambridge Street, residential heights are generally allowed up to 8 stories for projects with ground story active uses. As requested by City Council members, we have also identified three areas along the corridor that can accommodate additional height. Parts of Inman Square will have a height limit of 10 stories, the Webster Street/Windsor Street area is increased to 12 stories, and Lechmere will have a residential height limit of 15 stories. Residential heights throughout Mass Ave are allowed up to 12 stories with active ground floor uses. This is an increase from 11 stories as presented to the Neighborhood and Long Term Planning Committee. Up to 18 stories of residential development is allowed in Porter Square through a Planned Unit Development (PUD) process, which will include public open space and a minimum amount of retail uses to ensure Porter Square remains a retail destination. We want to thank all members of the public who participated in the Our Cambridge Street and Mass Ave Planning Studies, the MAPS Working Group, and other critical stakeholders who made this vision come to life. We look forward to continuing the conversation with the public, the Planning Board, and the City Council through the hearing process.