a memorandum from Vice Mayor Devereux, regarding proposed amendments to the New Street Overlay District zoning petition

CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL Jan Devereux Vice Mayor Craig Kelley City Councillor CITY HALL, CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS 02139 [phone removed] FAX: [phone removed] TTY/TDD: [phone removed] EMAIL: jdevereux@cambridgema.gov; ckelley@cambridgema.gov To: Anthony I. Wilson City Clerk From: Jan Devereux, Vice Mayor Craig Kelley, City Councillor Date: September 9, 2019 Subject: Communication Submission Please place the attached communication on the City Council agenda under “Communications and Reports from City Officers” for the September 9, 2019 meeting. Thank you.

CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL Jan Devereux Vice Mayor Craig Kelley City Councillor CITY HALL, CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS 02139 [phone removed] FAX: [phone removed] TTY/TDD: [phone removed] EMAIL: jdevereux@cambridgema.gov; ckelley@cambridgema.gov September 9, 2019 To our colleagues: We would like to introduce proposed amendments to the New Street Overlay District zoning petition and have included the proposed language below. We believe that these proposed changes will help clarify the intent of the zoning language and will help provide for more affordable housing to be produced. We hope for a fruitful discussion. Sincerely, Jan Devereux Craig Kelley Vice Mayor City Councillor

New Street Overlay District Proposed amendments: Our objective in suggesting these amendments is: 1) To ensure that if any site included in the New Street Overlay District is redeveloped as self storage it would be required to devote a minimum of 20% of its gross floor area to affordable housing, rather than only a minimum of 20,000 sf and, 2) To ensure that more affordable housing is produced by stipulating that if any site in the New Street Overlay District is redeveloped as housing without self storage, the greater density (up to 3.0 FAR), increased height (up to 65’), reduced lot area per dwelling unit (300 sf), and lower parking requirements would only be available for a 100% affordable project. Additions are in bold red. Strikethroughs also are bolded. 20.95 Special Gross Floor Area Provision. The Floor Area Ratio for a self storage facility (Section 4.37.n) may be increased in the New Street Overlay District to 3.0 of the lot area by issuance of a Special Permit from the Planning Board. The additional area is intended to allow for the construction of a commercially viable self storage facility and may be used only on lots that are greater than 300 feet in depth, but do not have street frontage of 150 feet. 20.95.1 Criteria for Granting Special Permit. In granting the Special Permit for increases in Floor Area and height for a self storage facility pursuant to this section, the Planning Board shall find that the additional GFA proposed can be reasonably accommodated on the site without generating significant traffic that will have an adverse effect of surrounding uses. In addition to the foregoing, the Planning Board shall find that such development has met all of the following criteria in addition to the other criteria specified in Section 10.43: 1. The development contains at least 20,000 sf twenty percent (20%) of gross floor area devoted to affordable housing which shall comply with and be subject to the provisions of the Inclusionary Housing requirements provisions of Article 11.200. The square footage devoted to affordable housing shall be excluded from the Gross Floor Area for the purpose of calculating Floor Area Ratio (FAR). 2. Public benefits that will enhance and benefit the use of the adjoining Danehy Park and/or the adjacent residential neighborhood.

3. The project contains sustainability elements such as solar energy systems, stormwater management systems, and net zero energy standards. The project is designed to be “net zero ready” or as close as feasible and meets or exceeds all municipal stormwater management and sustainability requirements. 4. The project makes Pprovisions for affordable short-term storage for low-income Cambridge residents households. 5. The project provides adequate space for loading and bicycle parking as determined by the Traffic Parking & Transportation Department. 20.96 Special Dimensional Requirements for Residential Uses. In order to enhance the mixed use character of New Street and to encourage the construction of additional affordable housing to replace existing automobile related and light industrial uses, the dimensional requirements for housing uses in the base zoning district shall be may be modified for projects offering 100% permanently affordable housing that complies with and is subject to the provisions of the Inclusionary Housing requirements of Article 11.200. The square footage devoted to affordable housing shall be excluded from the Gross Floor Area for the purpose of calculating Floor Area Ratio (FAR). The dimensional requirements of the base district may be modified upon issuance of a Special Permit by the Planning Board as follows: 20.96.1 Maximum Height. The maximum height for affordable residential uses shall be may be increased to sixty-five feet (65’), provided however that no building shall exceed 55 feet (55’) without complying with a 45-degree bulk plane setback. 20.96.2 Gross Floor Area. The gross floor area for affordable residential uses shall be may be increased up to 3.0. 20.96.3 Lot Area per Dwelling Unit. The Lot Area per Dwelling Unit shall be may be reduced to 300 sf for affordable residential uses. 20.96.4 Parking Requirements. The parking requirements for residential uses shall be may be no greater than .75 .5 per dwelling unit, provided however that parking for affordable units, including such dwelling units constructed as part of a self storage facility, shall be may be reduced to .5 .4 per dwelling unit. 20.96.5 Criteria for Granting Special Permit. The additional criteria for a self storage facility in Section 20.95.1.2, 20.95.1.3 and 20.95.1.5 above shall apply to residential uses to the extent possible and at the discretion of the Planning Board. In evaluating a residential project, the Planning Board shall follow the

Article 19 criteria and design guidelines for the base district and any other overlay districts that may apply to New Street.