A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 18-79, regarding a report on the Grand Junction Overlay District

C I T Y O F C A M B R I D G E Community Development Department IRAM FAROOQ Assistant City Manager for Community Development SANDRA CLARKE Deputy Director Chief of Administration KHALIL MOGASSABI Deputy Director Chief of Planning 344 Broadway Cambridge, MA 02139 Voice: [phone removed] Fax: [phone removed] TTY: [phone removed] www.cambridgema.gov TO: Louis DePasquale, City Manager FROM: Iram Farooq, Assistant City Manager for Community Development SUBJECT: Policy Order #O-2 dated 7/30/18, regarding Grand Junction Overlay District DATE: November 28, 2018 In response to Policy Order O-2 dated July 30, 2018 requesting that the City provide an update on the Grand Junction Overlay District, we submit the following. Overview The Grand Junction Greenway is proposed to run in a shared-use Grand Junction corridor alongside the existing rail tracks from the Boston University Bridge to the Somerville Community Path at North Point. In the future, it can provide an important link to the envisioned regional pathway network. The vision of the Grand Junction corridor with a multi-use path alongside the existing track right of way (ROW) was first formally envisioned by the 2000 Cambridge Green Ribbon Open Space Committee and was identified as a top priority for new open space. The implementation of the multi-use path was also a key recommendation in the August 2017 Final Report from the Kendall Square Mobility Task Force (KSMTF), which included representatives from MassDOT, MBTA, the City, Cambridge Redevelopment Authority (CRA), MIT, Kendall Square Association, Volpe, Biogen, East Cambridge Planning Team, East Cambridge Business Association, Friends of the Grand Junction Path, Charles River TMA, and Boston Properties. In 2016 the City committed $10 million for the design and construction of a path that works with future transit options along the corridor north of Binney Street to the Somerville line. In addition, MIT has committed $8.5 million and right of way for the path primarily between Pacific Street and Main Street. The first segment of the Grand Junction Greenway multi-use path opened in 2016 as part of the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority’s (CRA) Grand Junction Park between Main and Broadway, funded by CRA and MIT. The path was built at an off- set that would allow a second track to be constructed in the future without impacting the path. The second section of the path is under design between Broadway and Binney as part of the Binney Street Park on land transferred from the CRA to the City and funded with $2 million from Boston Properties. The design of the City and MIT- funded portions of the path is getting underway and will be coordinated with MassDOT and MBTA which own and operate trains in the right of way. This portion of

2 the project is being financed through a $2 million bond sale scheduled for March 2019 based on a $10 million appropriation approved as part of the FY17 budget process. Zoning Overlay District The creation of a zoning overlay district was one of the implementation strategies identified in the City’s 2007 feasibility study for a Grand Junction “Rail-With-Trail” multi-use path. A zoning overlay district would not directly create a multiuse path, and cooperation from property owners will be necessary whether or not an overlay district is created. A zoning strategy could support this process by establishing standards for new construction and by providing incentives in exchange for enabling sections of the path to be created, such as greater density or height on adjacent land. As discussions continue, input from property owners will be crucial to make sure that these controls and incentives would have the desired effect. As it has been discussed with large property owners, the neighborhood association, and business association thus far, a zoning overlay district strategy has three main components: • Designate a corridor that would accommodate a future multi-use (pedestrian/bicycle) path, providing for its safe operation along either side of the existing active rail line and not precluding potential future two-track transit service (see diagram below that was developed for the Kendall Square Mobility Task Force in collaboration with MassDOT). As currently envisioned, the typical corridor would extend roughly 40 feet from either side of the rail centerline, with some variation, to account for uncertainty in future plans. • Establish development controls to ensure that future buildings do not preclude the creation of a pathway in this corridor; existing buildings would not be affected. This type of control would be similar to a “setback” requirement where a property abuts the railroad corridor. On many parcels the setback would be roughly 20 feet from the property line, similar to the rear yard setback required in many zoning districts, but could vary based on the conditions of particular lots. • Provide development incentives to encourage property owners to dedicate portions of the corridor to the City for use as a pathway. For example, in similar overlay districts such as the Pathway Overlay District for the Watertown Branch rail line near Fresh Pond, a property owner would receive a density bonus equal to twice the normal development rights on land that is conveyed to the City for public use.

3 Desired Cross Section for Two-track Transit and Multi-Use Path developed with MassDOT and MBTA during the Kendall Square Mobility Task Force Recent Efforts The initiative to create a multi-use path alongside the Grand Junction Right of Way (ROW) has seen much progress in the last few years. For example: Developer/rezoning related commitments • MIT committed to provide right of way for the path primarily between Pacific Street and Main Street, along with funding of up to $8.5 million. This accounts for the longest privately-owned portion of the path right-of- way through Cambridge and supplements the $10 million committed by the City for the section of the corridor north of Binney Street. With the MIT and other developer commitments received to date, all but a small section of ROW north of Thorndike and the section owned by MassDOT west of Pacific are now secured for constructing the multi-use path (see map below).

4 Grand Junction Corridor ROW Issues Map City discussions with property owners about the overlay • In 2016 and 2017, City staff engaged stakeholders and property owners adjacent to the MassDOT Grand Junction ROW to explain the plans for the future pathway, potential zoning strategies, and opportunities for future collaboration. This included meetings with the following: o East Cambridge Planning Team o East Cambridge Business Association o Cambridge Housing Authority o Draper Laboratory o Amgen o Alexandria (following acquisition of One Kendall Square from DivcoWest) Other City work • The City design of “Binney Street Park,” is underway and includes a section of the path between Broadway and Binney Street. • City staff have continued to coordinate with MassDOT to reach an agreement on how to construct a path in a way that would not preclude potential future Grand Junction transit service.

5 • In August 2018, the City issued a Grand Junction Multi-Use Path and Conceptual Transit Design RFP for the full design of the multi-use path as well as conceptual design for transit along the entire corridor. The first phase consists of development of a conceptual design for the multi-use path and two-track transit service in the corridor to confirm that such service, along with a multi-use path, would be feasible in the future. This phase will inform MassDOT’s determination to allow the multi-use pathway to be constructed within the MassDOT ROW if needed on any portion. The second phase consists of development of full design documents for the multi-use path. Next Steps The scope of the Grand Junction Multi-Use Path and Conceptual Transit Design contract, which is expected to be awarded in fall 2018, includes the entire Grand Junction corridor within Cambridge. Because construction of the multi-use path is not funded on the MassDOT-owned portion of the corridor (see the blue dotted line in the map below), construction is assumed to be phased and designs will include interim access points to the path as appropriate. During this design process, CDD staff will continue to work actively with property owners, stakeholders, and the public to ensure the successful construction of the multi-use path. Grand Junction Corridor Ownership and Funding Overview