Affordable Housing Overlay Zoning Petition CDD staff follow-up on items requested by the Ordinance Committee at its hearing on August 19, 2020

Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) Zoning Petition Follow-Up Items

At its hearing on August 19, 2020, the Ordinance Committee voted to request that CDD staff prepare diagrammatic illustrations of step-down requirements in current zoning for buildings in taller-height zoning districts abutting lower-height zoning districts. Although there is no universal step-down requirement in current zoning, there are four instances where such regulations exist.

In cases where there is at least a 20-foot difference in height limits between adjoining districts, large developments (≥ 25,000 square feet) are subject to requirements in Section 19.52. Also, in specific Business zoning districts (Business A-2, Business A-4, and Business C/C-1) there are step-down requirements where buildings are adjacent to residential zoning districts. Illustrations of these requirements are appended hereto.

In addition, after receiving the full text of the AHO Zoning Petition as recommended by the Ordinance Committee, CDD staff reviewed the zoning text and identified some typographical, grammatical, or similar errors that should be corrected. The attached petition text draft includes a set of suggested corrections.

Height Transition Requirements under Existing Zoning

#2:

Business A-4 District

#3:

Business C/C-1 District

#1:

Section 19.52 Building & Site Plan Requirements

(development ≥ 25,000 sf) 65’ Max Height District The principal cornice line facing the lower height district must be no taller than 20’ above the max height in the abutting district. Anything taller than this cornice line must be set back behind a 45-degree bulk control plane, measured from the ground at the district boundary line (Section 19.52). 55’ Max Height District In Business C/C-1 districts, when abutting a lower height residential district, buildings must step down to no more than 35’ (or height permitted in adjacent residential district not to exceed 55’) within 50’ of the residential district boundary line (Section 5.33(2)(g)). #4:

Business A-2 District

In Business A-2 districts, buildings abutting a residential district with a maximum height of 35’ must step down to 35’ within 50’ of the zoning district boundary line (Section 5.33(2)(k)). 44’ Max Height District In Business A-4 districts, for residential or mixed-use structures, any portion which abuts a residential lot must not exceed 35’ within 15’ of the lot line (Section 5.33(2)(p)(iii)). 45’ Max Height District Below is the text of the Affordable Housing Overlay Zoning Petition as recommended by the Ordinance Committee on August 19, 2020. Community Development Department staff have indicated where

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That the attached proposed zoning ordinance establishing an Affordable Housing Overlay be submitted by the City Council, and that it be referred to the Committee on Ordinances and the Planning Board for public hearings, as provided in Chapter 40A, Section 5 of the

Massachusetts General Laws, to wit:

That the Cambridge City Council amend Section 2.000, DEFINITIONS, of the Zoning

Ordinance of the City of Cambridge amended to insert the following definitions alphabetically: Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO). A set of modified development standards set forth in Section 11.207.3 of this Zoning Ordinance intended to allow incremental increases in density, limited increases in height, and relaxation of certain other zoning limitations for residential developments in which all units are made permanently affordable to households earning up to 100% of area median income.

Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) Dwelling Unit. A dwelling unit within an AHO Project for which occupancy is restricted to an AHO Eligible Household and whose rent or initial sale price is established by the provisions of Section 11.207.3 of this Zoning Ordinance. Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) Eligible Household. A household whose gross household income does not exceed the amounts set forth in Section 11.207.3 of this Zoning Ordinance. Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) Project.

The construction of a new building or buildings and/or the modification of an existing building or buildings resulting in single-family, two-family, townhouse, or multifamily dwellings within which each dwelling unit is an AHO Dwelling Unit subject to the standards and restrictions set forth in Section 11.207 of this Zoning Ordinance. Grade.

The mean finished ground elevation of a lot measured either around the entire perimeter of the building or along any existing wall facing a public street, which ground elevation is maintained naturally without any structural support. Ground Story or Ground Floor. The lowest Story Above Grade within a building. Story. That portion of a building included between the upper surface of a floor and the upper surface of the floor or roof next above. Story Above Grade.

A Story whose highest point is more than 4 feet above the Grade. Story Below Grade. Any Story that is lower than the Ground Story of a

That the Cambridge City Council amend of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Cambridge, by inserting a new section 11.207, AFFORDABLE HOUSING OVERLAY, to read as follows: 11.207.1 Purpose and Intent The purpose of this Section is to promote the public good by supporting the development of housing that is affordable to households earning up to 100% of area median income. The intent A paragraph break should be added before “Story” because it is a new definition.

Corrected reference

number. Below is the text of the Affordable Housing Overlay Zoning Petition as recommended by the Ordinance Committee on August 19, 2020. Community Development Department staff have indicated where