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CRT 2017 #45 · Communication to the City Council · Sep 11 2017

a report from Councillor Dennis J. Carlone and Councillor Leland Cheung, Co-Chairs of the Ordinance Committee, for a public hearing held on August 2, 2017 to discuss a zoning petition by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to create a new Planning Unit Development Overlay District (PUD-7) over the area known as the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center site in Kendall Square

CRT 2017 #45·From Donna P. Lopez, City Clerk·Council meeting Sep 11, 2017·52 pages·📄 Original PDF (city portal)
Cambridge Ordinance Committee Zoning Submission Overview 8/2/2017
Agenda 1. Introduction and Process to Date 2. Zoning Petition Overview 3. Conceptual Site Plans and Renderings 2
Ordinance Committee Hearings 3 Hearing 3 Responses to Feedback Hearing 2 Model and Feedback from Community Hearing 1 Process to date and Overview of Zoning
Development Site MIT controlled land: 10 acres 4
2011 K2 Study 20 person advisory committee Multi-disciplinary consultants – Goody Clancy 18 Community Meetings, 5 public meetings/working sessions/site tours City Council round table 2012 2013 K2 Final Report published 2014 PUD-KS (Volpe) Planning Board hearings Connect Kendall Open Space Competition 2015 PUD-KS (Volpe) Petition Petition filed by Planning Board City Council Ordinance Committee hearings 2016 Volpe Working Group Members appointed Meetings begin 5 Community Planning Process 2017 50+ community, MIT, and City Meetings and Workshops Ongoing outreach Zoning Petition Filed in June
Next Community Workshop Join us September 7th for another community workshop: • Incorporating feedback of the retail, open space, community space workshop into the site plans • Getting specific feedback on all 4 site plans 6
Innovation Catalysts: • Opportunity to strengthen unique mixed-use district • Creation of vibrant connections and sense of place • Space for housing that brings life and vitality to the area • Industry and academia collaboration to advance science • Solutions for global challenges Kendall Square and Volpe 7
Zoning Petition Overview
Master Plan Requirements (13.91.2) • Development parcel of at least 5 acres may be designated as master plan area for PUD special permit approval with: • Site Development Plan • Site Massing Plan • Parking and Loading Plan • Connectivity Plan • Open Space Plan • Ground Floor Plan • Housing Plan • Phasing Plan 9
Allowed Uses (13.92) • Residential: Townhouses, multifamily, hotel/motel (one up to 250,000 SF) • Transportation, Communication, and Utility: per base zoning • Office and Laboratory: office, medical practice, research and development • Retail Business and Consumer Service Establishments: stores, personal and business services, dining, bar, entertainment, etc. • Open Air or Drive in Retail Services: garden supply sales, open air theater/entertainment • Institutional uses: educational, research, community center, government facilities, dormitories • Light Industry, Wholesale Business and Storage • Other Uses: as allowed in Business B District with Planning Board approval 10
Dimensional Regulations (13.93.1) • Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 5.2 for the district • Gross Floor Area (GFA) exemptions: • Other Government Facility on a Government Owned Lot in excess of 400,000 SF • Retail Business and Consumer Service Establishments and Open Air or Drive in Retail & Services • 50% of Innovation Office Space, up to 5% of total non-residential GFA allowed in the district • Private outdoor decks or balconies in multi-family residential buildings, up to 8% of GFA per building • Community Space 11
Dimensional Regulations (13.93.1.1) • Non-Residential development limitations: • Limited to 60% of the total authorized district GFA – approximately 1.7 million SF • Calculation does not include structured parking • Substantial construction of residential uses must commence before more than 60% of non-residential uses can be permitted • Does not include community space, Other Government Facility, and institutional dormitory 12
Dimensional Regulations (13.93.1.2) • Residential use provisions: • 40% residential required - approximately 1.1 million SF • In accordance with section 11.200 as of June 30, 2017 • 20% affordable commitment, 20% of which must be 3 bedroom or family units • One building within the district may include a hotel • affordable units equivalent to 20% of total hotel GFA (excluding lobbies and common areas) must first be constructed within the district 13
Dimensional Regulations (13.93.2) • Minimum development parcel size of 25,000 SF • A development parcel may contain non-contiguous lots 14
Dimensional Regulations (13.93.4) Baseline maximum building height: 250 feet Area 1: 170’-250’ zone • Maximum height for non-residential buildings is 170 feet Area 2: 250’-500’ zone • Only residential/dormitory uses, or publicly accessible space, with floor plates less than 15,000 SF above 300 feet • Floor plates above 250 feet cannot occupy more than 10% of land area • One building may be above 350 feet, but less than 500 feet 15 1 2
Dimensional Regulations (13.93.4) 16 Planning Board considerations: • A building above 350 feet in height is expected to be iconic or a distinctive architectural landmark. • Buildings above 250 feet should: • Limit impact on shadows, wind, obstruction of light and views – particularly residential buildings and public space • Limit environmental impacts • Be sensitive to scale of neighboring buildings • Be located and oriented to protect health and safety in and around the building
Open Space (13.94) • Minimum of 25% of total land area will be Publicly Beneficial Open Space, equivalent to approximately 3.5 acres • Publicly Beneficial Open Space may include community space, whether inside or outside • Open Space on Government owned land may satisfy no more than 20% of open space requirement • Criteria: • Must be part of an integrated connective system • Must include at least 2 acres that may be used for recreation, pedestrian and bicycle connections, spill-out from retail, enjoyment of nature, public performances, or public programming • Adjacent buildings should be physically and functionally integrated 17
Perimeter and Transition (13.95) • Development should complement and harmonize with adjacent uses, with respect to: • Scale • Density • Setback • Bulk • Height • Landscaping • Screening • Provide integrated pedestrian circulation systems 18
Parking and Loading (13.96) • In compliance with Cambridge Ordinance: • Residential Parking Minimum: 0.4 spaces per unit • Parking Maximums: Office: 0.8 spaces per 1,000 SF of GFA Lab and Technical Offices: 0.8 spaces per 1,000 SF of GFA Residential: 0.75 spaces per dwelling unit Retail: 0.5 spaces per 1,000 SF of retail Hotel: 1 space per 4 sleeping rooms • Development Proposal will include a shared parking study to find opportunities to reduce the total number of spaces 19
Traffic Mitigation (13.97) • A Transportation Demand Management Program will be required as part of a Development Proposal 20 Future Transportation Plans (13.98) • Plans will indicate how the proposed development relates to future transportation options identified in the K2 plan, including a bus rapid transit service
Special Requirements – Retail and Active Uses (13.910.1) • A minimum of 65% of the first floors of buildings fronting Third Street and Broadway must have retail and active uses • At least 25% of the required retail and active use space will be for independent operators occupying less than 5,000 SF • Banks and financial services must be less than 10% of aggregate ground floor GFA in the District 21
Special Requirements – Noise (13.910.2) • Complies with Cambridge Noise Ordinance • Rooftop mechanical equipment noise must be minimized using the best available and feasible practices • Noise or vibration from mechanicals shall not be normally perceptible at ground level without instruments at a distance of 100 feet from the lot line 22
Special Requirements – Innovation Space (13.910.3) • Any development proposal for over 200,000 SF of Office use must include a plan for innovation space equal to 5% of the proposed GFA • Innovation space requirement may be met within or outside the PUD area 23
Special Requirements – Sustainability (13.910.4) • Will comply with City Ordinance, including LEED Gold or better for new commercial development • Integrated design approach must incorporate best practices in: • Energy and Emissions – including evaluation of co-gen and steam • Urban Site and Landscaping – water management, heat gain reduction • Cool Roofs • Monitoring 24
Special Requirements – Kendall Fund (13.910.5.1) Contribution of $10/SF of non-residential GFA a) 50% to Transit Improvements b) 50% to Community Fund 25 Community Space (13.910.5.2) • Up to $15 million for design and construction of a community space within PUD-7 • An advisory committee will be created to oversee design and construction of the space
Community Center • A mix of community uses that would attract an economically diverse population • $15 million commitment towards design and construction on site • Design process to begin upon passage of zoning • Working on plan for operations and continuing affordability 26
Affordable Housing Opportunity • Approximately 280 units at value of $500K+ per unit total = $140 million 27 • Linkage payment $15/SF non-residential to the affordable housing trust total = $26 million
Components of FAR Commercial 2.73 Residential 1.82 GSA 0.64 28 Total non-exempt FAR of 5.2
Zoning FAR History Original zoning: 4.0 ECAPS city-wide zoning: 3.0/3.9 residential (with1998 inclusionary bonus) MIT proposal: 5.2 (with government land and building) 29
Volpe Conceptual Site Plan and Open Space
existing conditions and building footprints the new Volpe facility will be located in the northwest corner of the site Volpe Facility Site 31
Community Connectivity 32 opportunity to bring community together north-south connections from the neighborhood, to the T, and to the river
Community Connectivity 33 opportunity to bring community together east-west connections to extend Broad Canal Way with active uses
Design Principles Diverse Active Open Space 34
Design Principles Wide Mix of Uses 35
Design Principles Urban Streets With Continuous Ground Floor Uses 36
Design Principles Sustainability and Resiliency 37
Design Principles Make a Place Where Everyone Feels Welcome 38
39 EXAMPLE 1 EXAMPLE 2 EXAMPLE 4 EXAMPLE 3
40 EXAMPLE 1 SITE PLAN
Conceptual Rendering 41
Conceptual Rendering 42
Conceptual Rendering 43
44 EXAMPLE 2 SITE PLAN
Conceptual Rendering 45
46 EXAMPLE 3 SITE PLAN
47 EXAMPLE 4 SITE PLAN
Conceptual Rendering 48
49 ORIGINAL PLAN NEW EXAMPLES Site Plan Evolution • Moved a commercial site to Binney Street • Created a variety of options for open space configuration
50 EXAMPLE 1 EXAMPLE 2 EXAMPLE 4 EXAMPLE 3 Site Plan Examples
Continued Work Issues that we’ve heard, and are working on: • Location of open space • Family friendly and demographically diverse retail, active uses, and open space • Graduate student housing (likely outside of the Volpe site) • Family housing • Preservation of trees • Completion of Urban Design Guidelines / Principles Hosting Community Workshop on September 7 51
Q&A contact us: [email removed] regular updates and presentations will be available on our website: https://volpe.mit.edu/ 52