APP 2017 #68 · Agenda item attachment · Oct 2 2017

16 Linnaean St Cambridge, MA 02138 2017 SEP 28 AMII: 48 OFFICE Or THE CiT CLEA Date: September 25, 2017 CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS Subject: Harvard Square Development Guidelines To the Honorable Cambridge City Council: The undersigned registered Cambridge voters respectfully request that the City Council ordain the zoning ordinance language set forth below relative to the Harvard Square Overlay District: Amend Section 20.53.2 to add the following additional Criteria for Development Consultation Review and Review of Applications for Special Permits and Variances: 2. The additional policy goal of preserving and enhancing the retail ecosystem. including the pedestrian retail window-shopping experience, the extent and density of contiguous storefront openings, and the pedestrian streetscape vitality generally. Amend Section 20.54.1 Harvard Square Advisory Committee as follows: In Section 1 (Purpose) revise paragraph b as follows: b. To provide a forum for the purpose of hearing and representing community input on development actions. In Section 4 (Membership and Terms) replace the entire section as follows: 4. Membership and Terms a. Membership. Membership shall be as follows: (1) Five residents of the five abutting Cambridge residential neighborhoods. (2) One additional Cambridge resident that shall serve at large. (3) Two members that own or manage retail or service businesses within the Harvard Square Overlay District. (4) One member who is a practicing or retired architect or urban planner with pertinent experience in historical areas like Harvard Square. (5) One owner, or representative of a corporate owner, of commercial real estate within the Harvard Square Overlay District. (6) One member representing the Cambridge Historical Commission. (7) One member representing Harvard University. b. Maximum representation. Each seat shal! be filled separately, such that the committee shall be comprised of twelve members fully representing the surrounding neighborhoods and other important constituencies. September 25, 2017 Harvard Square Re-zoning Petition Page 1

c. Ex-Officio Members. The members representing the Cambridge Historical Commission and Harvard University shall be ex-officio members, shall serve at the discretion of their respective employers, and shall be entitled to send a delegate in their stead to any given meeting. d. Rotating Members. The other members shall be appointed for terms of three years each, and they may be re-appointed for a second consecutive three-year term. They shall thereafter be required to step down as committee members but shall be eligible to re-apply after a one-year gap. e. Board Chair. The members shall elect a chairperson at the first meeting of each calendar year. The Chairperson shall serve until replaced, not to exceed one year, shall thereafter be required to step down as Chair, and shall be eligible for re-election after a one-year gap. Amend Section 20.54.2 (Building Height Limitations) as follows: In Section 2 (Special Permit for Additional Height) add a new paragraph b as follows: a. All newly constructed GFA above 60' in height, or an equivalent percentage of the building, shall be residential dwelling units, and to make this feasible, a residential FAR bonus of an additional 1.0 shall be granted for such space. Amend Section 20.54.4 (Parking and Loading Requirements) revise paragraph four as follows: The Harvard Square Advisory Committee in public session shall hear and make recommendations on all proposals for the expenditure of such cash contributions. The City of Cambridge shall publish annually a report stating the sources and uses of funds for the year then ended together with the ending balance in the account. Add a new Section 20.56 as follows: 20.56 Formula Business regulations A Formula Business as defined in this Ordinance may be established in the Harvard Square Overlay District, or move to new premises, only after the issuance of a special permit from the Planning Board. In reviewing an application, the Planning Board shall find as follows: a. The proposed storefront design (including specifically the exterior signage and the interior décor that is visible from the street) reflects, amplifies and strengthens the established historical character of existing buildings and storefronts in the proposed location. September 25, 2017 Harvard Square Re-zoning Petition Page 2

b. The proposed storefront design is sufficiently varied from the Formula Business's standard designs so as to make the Harvard Square location unique and distinct from all other locations of the Formula Business. Add a new Section 20.57 as follows: Small Store regulations 20.57. Io promote the policy goal of preserving and enhancing the retail ecosystem, any building or development project that requires a special permit and that has a frontage of sixty (60) linear feet or more shall be required to designate half (50%) of its frontage (excluding building entrances) as Small Store space, defined as less than 1,250 rentable square feet, excluding spaces below grade or on upper floors, that may be included in the leasehold. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a tenant in a Small Store space wants to expand into an adjacent Small Store space, they may do so provided the total building frontage of Small Store space remains above the 50% requirement following such expansion. Add a new Section 20.58 as follows: 20.58 Frontage Limitations. To promote the policy goal of preserving and enhancing the retail ecosystem by enhancing the pedestrian window shopping experience, no bank, trust company, real estate or other agency, or administrative office may occupy a pedestrian-level frontage of more than twenty-five (25) feet. Special permits may be granted to relax this maximum frontage limitation but only provided the Planning Board finds (a) that the building architecture prevents strict adherence to the twenty-five foot limit and (b) that the landlord or tenant in question will make a permanent and commensurate contribution to street and community vitality, such as free rotating community window displays or dedicated community meeting room without the requirement of having an account. Add a new Section 20.59 as follows: 20.59 Creative use of Below-Grade Spaces. Io promote the policy goal of encouraging density of retail and service businesses serving the public, GFA that is entirely below-grade shall be exempt from the FAR calculation provided it is (a) designed to be part of a publicly accessible leasehold or (b) it will serve as retail support (e.g. kitchen or storage spaces) to active street-leve! uses. September 25, 2017 Harvard Square Re-zoning Petition Page 3

And make such other clarifications, simplifications and re-numberings as the City Council shall deem useful. Respectfully submitted by the undersigned registered Cambridge voters, /PAMB. Krom PEtER KROON 16 Linnaean St. 02138 I A Meyer FREAK A METER SHANNOND ST. RISS Frank a fant trame This ar 12 LINNAEAN ST. , MachaBageleno NICHAEL BOGGANOW 0Z138 V Doninick Jone, DomiNica JONES, G HURLBUT ST. 02138 Ruth 4. Ryale Ruth A. RyAts 115 Upland Pl 54 Wendl/sh 41 02138 V Has m Am Kathryn M. Mess 14 Halbut st. 02138 Charbie men Charletore 9 Rutlandst 02138 LodiLt JDIL SLATER 3Z LINNAEAN ST: 02138 September 25, 2017 Harvard Square Re-zoning Petition Page 4

BB-1 C-1 Green St 750 Harvard St C-1 375 Feet Cambridge, Massachusetts Zoning Districts C-2B OS SD-14 District Boundary Mt Auburn St Harvard Square Overlay C-3 0-3 Grant Cowperthwaite Bow St OS Mill St Massachusetts Ave 1s Apocat C-2 OS Garden St Palmer St Charles River Memorial Dr rap st Map prepared by Brendan Monroe on March 30, 2017. CDD GIS C:Projects Zoning|Petitions|HarvardSquareRooftop|HarvardSquareZoning.mxd BA Brattle 7S 10117 C-3 BB C-2 PUD-1 IS MOIS Business-1 Business B Business A Office-3 Open Space Special District-14 OS BB BA OS 0-3 BB-1 SD-14 C-3 C-2 PUD-1 Hilliard PL C-3 Residence C-1 Residence B Office-2 Residence C-2 Residence C-2B Residence A-2 Residence C-3 ME Auburn St C-2 A-2 A-2 C-1 C-2 C-3 Zoning Districts C-2B CAMBRIDGE BOSTON