A communication from the Planning Board with no recommendation on the Shared Mobility Zoning Petition

Shared Mobility Zoning Petition

Recommendation: The Planning Board makes the following report with no positive or negative recommendation. To the Honorable, the City Council, On November 19, 2019, the Planning Board (the "Board"') held a public hearing on a City Council zoning petition (the "Petition") to amend Article 2.000 of the Zoning Ordinance to create definitions for Shared Mobility Device and Shared Mobility Platform, and to amend Article 4.32 to add Shared Mobility Platform as an allowed use in all base zoning districts. There was no presentation on behalf of the Petitioner, but the Board heard testimony from Community Development Department (CDD) staff. There was no public comment. Following deliberation, the Board chose to draft a communication to the City Council with no recommendation. The Board endorses the information provided and comments made in the CDD staff memo dated September 17, 2019. Board members were unclear on what issue the Petition attempts to address and were therefore hesitant to provide a positive recommendation. Board members also expressed concern that the language in the Petition would create a conflict with the existing provisions for Public Bicycle-Sharing that are currently in the Zoning Ordinance. In addition, the Board acknowledges the work being undertaken by the City's New Mobility Blueprint technical advisory group and believes that it is premature to act in advance of that group's recommendations. Respectfully submitted for the Planning Board, Catherine Preston Conmolly. (55) Catherine Preston Connolly, Chair. Page 1 of 1