The Manager's report back on recommendations for amendments to the Parking and Transportation Demand Management (PTDM) and Zoning Ordinances

As the City changes how streets are used, there will be reductions in on-street parking on some streets through changes such as the installation of a separated bike lane network and bus priority travel lanes. Awaiting Report 24-20 requests recommendations for amendments to municipal ordinances to allow flexibility for property owners to share off-site parking with nearby properties to mitigate the loss of parking resulting from the implementation of the Cycling Safety Ordinance.

This memo proposes amendments that would be applicable in corridors where separated bike lanes or bus lanes are expected to be installed. We propose applying the same approach to all corridors on the 2020 Bike Plan Network for ‘Greater Separation’ and bus priority corridors. The proposal aims to optimize the use and simplify the rules for off-street parking facilities along these streets.

Because the City has already removed or is likely to remove some on-street parking along all of these corridors, applying the same mitigation to these corridors will: Make the changes more uniform and simpler to understand, and Reduce concerns about on-street parking removal along the entire separated bike lane and bus priority networks. The following material is prepared by CDD staff in consultation with the Law

Department and the Traffic, Parking, and Transportation Department, and includes

recommendations for changes to three ordinances. Zoning amendments related to off-site parking regulations, including a new Section 6.25 for Flexible Parking Corridor Regulations. This would allow existing off-street parking facilities to be used for commercial parking or shared parking when abutting certain streets

Amendments to the Parking and Transportation Demand Management (PTDM)

Ordinance to reduce some of the requirements applicable to parking facilities that abut certain streets. Amendments to the Commercial Parking Space Permits Ordinance (10.16) for consistency with the proposed changes to the PTDM Ordinance.

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Council can adopt the zoning text amendments as a City Council zoning petition if it wishes, and can refer the zoning petition, the PTDM amendments, and the Commercial Parking Space Permits Ordinance amendments to the Ordinance Committee.

Goals The goals of the near-term revisions to the Zoning and PTDM Ordinances are to: 1. Mitigate parking impacts from building out Cambridge’s bike and bus networks, 2. Respond to business and resident needs, 3. Make it easier for owners of off-street parking to use their existing parking more efficiently, and 4. Avoid inducing new driving trips, undermining the City’s transportation goals, or limiting the effectiveness of the PTDM Ordinance in other areas of the city.

The following pages provide a rationale for these recommendations along with some examples of shared parking scenarios. In addition to proposals for text changes to the Zoning, PTDM, and Commercial Parking Space Permits Ordinance, attachments to this memo include a map of proposed corridors and a table of street segments. The map shows parcels and parking facilities that would be affected by the proposed changes.

Background In 2022, after an extensive community engagement process, the City published “City of Cambridge 2022 Parking Engagement Study Final Report.” A priority identified in the report is to use existing parking better by developing a “detailed zoning amendment recommendation to allow and encourage the use of existing underused accessory and principal use parking spaces where a loss of metered on-street spaces is anticipated” (Strategy 1/Action 2). The Parking Engagement Study also includes a recommendation to “evaluate the PTDM Ordinance for changes” (Strategy 4/Action 12).

Other Regulations

The Zoning and PTDM Ordinances are not the only City regulations governing off-street parking. The proposed changes to these ordinances do not change other City requirements, including requirements under the Commercial Parking Space Permits Ordinance (10.16) or Cambridge License Commission requirements. However, a small change to the Commercial Parking Space Permits Ordinance is necessary for consistency with the proposed PTDM changes. The last section of this memo provides information about this amendment and the Commercial Parking Control Committee.

Proposed Changes: Zoning

We propose creating a new set of flexible zoning standards for off-street parking spaces along street and street segments that have been identified as “Flexible Parking Corridors.” This new zoning will allow any property that directly abuts these street segments to use its parking more flexibly and to provide more options for residents and businesses in the area.

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These standards are included in the newly proposed zoning section 6.25 “Flexible Parking Corridor Regulations” and will allow for the as-of-right use of existing parking facilities and for the conversion of existing vacant lots for use as new parking facilities, regardless of the underlying base zoning district. These facilities may be converted to “commercial parking” to be used by members of the general public, subject to the Commercial Parking Space Permits Ordinance.

Alternatively, they could be shared with residents, employees, patrons, or visitors to other uses located along a Flexible Parking Corridor. Where existing vacant lots are used for new commercial and shared parking, such spaces may conform with temporary design standards for two years. These temporary standards emphasize safety, while providing some flexibility on aesthetic concerns like landscaping and screening.

The temporary design standards include: a. Signage containing the following information must be visibly displayed on the lot: i. Name and contact information of either the owner of the lot or the lessee (if the lot is leased to no more than one entity). ii. Contact Information for any contracted tow company. iii. An indication of who is allowed to park in the lot. For example, “Parking allowed only by permission of the owner” or “Parking for customers of [Business Name] only.” b.

Only the existing curb cut access may be used and may not be enlarged. c. A barrier or barriers (such as a curb stop or fence) must be installed along the perimeter sufficient to prevent parked vehicles from encroaching into the street or sidewalk and to prevent vehicles from entering or exiting the lot anywhere other than via the existing curb cut.