The Alewife Overlay District: Quadrangle (AOD-Q) Zoning Petition and Design Guidelines. PASSED TO A SECOND READING IN …

AN ORDINANCE

That the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Cambridge be amended on a Zoning Petition by the Cambridge to amend Article 20.000 by inserting a new Section 20.1100 entitled, “Alewife Overlay District – Quadrangle”; and by amending Section 20.90 Alewife Overlay Districts 1-6 and Section 20.70 Flood Plain Overlay District to remove references to Alewife Overlay Districts 1 through 4 and insert, “AOD-Q District”, where applicable; and by amending the Transfer of Development Rights regulations in Section 21.40 Alewife Overlay Districts 1-6 to establish requirements that are applicable in the proposed Alewife Overlay District – Quadrangle District.

Insert the Following Section 20.1100: Alewife Overlay District – Quadrangle

20.1100.1 Establishment and Scope. 1.1. There is hereby established the Alewife Overlay District - Quadrangle (“AOD-Q”) District, which shall be governed by the regulations and procedures specified in this Section 20.1100. 1.2. The AOD-Q District shall be an Overlay District established on the Zoning Map of the City of Cambridge by Section 3.20. 20.1100.2 General Provisions. 2.1 Purpose.

It is the purpose of the AOD-Q District to promote a development pattern that implements the vision and goals of the Envision Alewife District Plan (2019) and the Principles of the Alewife Zoning Working Group (2023), referred to herein as the “AOD- Q Principles.” In summary, this Section is intended to achieve the following objectives: Support the creation of a mixed-use environment with a balance of residential and non-residential uses.

Incorporate a variety of neighborhood-supporting uses that provide retail, services, recreation, culture, and employment opportunities to residents, employees, and visitors to the area, and help to activate the ground stories of buildings. Promote the development of significant public infrastructure and open space in the District to improve physical access and connectivity, and to transform the area from an auto-oriented environment to one that prioritizes transit, biking and walking.

Address area-specific environmental concerns by promoting resilience to future flooding, reducing urban heat island effects, and managing stormwater with a focus on green infrastructure and mitigating impacts on public sewage and drainage systems. Maintain and preserve a regulated transition between larger-scale development in the district and nearby smaller-scale residential neighborhoods and communities.

(f) Review and permit redevelopment through a process that encourages comprehensive, long-range planning and urban design while providing sufficient flexibility to property owners to adapt to changing conditions over time. 20.1100.3 Applicability. 3.1 General Applicability. The requirements of the base zoning district shall apply to development in the AOD-Q District except as modified by this Section 20.1100.

Where this Section 20.1100 sets forth a provision that deviates from the provisions of the base zoning district, the provisions of this Section 20.1100 shall control. Specifically, the provisions of the Parkway Overlay District in Section 20.60 shall not apply to development under this Article. 3.2 Special Permits. The provisions of this Section 20.1100 shall apply as-of-right except where a special permit is indicated.

In the AOD-Q District, the Planning Board shall be the special permit granting authority for any special permit required by this Section 20.1100 or by other provisions in this Zoning Ordinance. A special permit shall be granted or denied pursuant to the procedures set forth in Section 20.1100.8 below, except in the case of a PUD special permit as set forth below.

3.3 Planned Unit Development (PUD) District. The AOD-Q District shall be considered a PUD district. Where indicated, some provisions of this Section 20.1100 are applicable only to a PUD Development Proposal, which may be permitted pursuant to the requirements and procedures of Article 12.000 of this Zoning Ordinance and the additional PUD provisions set forth in this Section 20.1100. The Planning Board may grant any special permits required for a PUD Development Proposal through a single PUD approval process.

3.3.1 Required PUD Special Permit Review. If a development proposal involves the construction of 250,000 or more square feet of Gross Floor Area (GFA) of non- residential uses, then a special permit may only be granted pursuant to the PUD procedures set forth herein. The aforementioned 250,000 square-foot threshold shall apply cumulatively to all development that occurs on contiguous or non-contiguous lots within the AOD-Q District that are in common ownership or under common control at any time within five (5) years following the first date of application for any special or building permit for development on the lot or lots, beginning on the date of adoption of this Section 20.1100.

3.3.2 Elective PUD Special Permit Review. Where the PUD procedures are not required by the preceding paragraph, a developer may choose to apply for a PUD special permit if the standards for a PUD set forth in this Section 20.1100 and in Article 12.000 are met. 3.4 Transfer of Development Rights. The transfer of permitted GFA from a Donating Lot to a Receiving Lot shall be permitted by special permit within the AOD-Q District, subject to the provisions set forth in Section 21.10. 3.5 Subdivision of Lots.

Where it is proposed to subdivide a lot (after approval by special permit has been granted by the Planning Board for development on that lot) in order to convey to the City of Cambridge an easement or fee interest in property for the purpose of creation of a city or private street, a pedestrian pathway, a pedestrian bridge, bicycle path, open space or park, or other public use as identified in the special permit per the provisions set forth below in Section 20.1100.5.1.4.4, such subdivision shall be permitted, notwithstanding any definition of lot or street in this Ordinance or any limitation in applicable base or overlay districts with regard to minimum lot size, required yards or other dimensional, open space or other regulatory requirement or limitation.

All dimensional requirements of the Zoning Ordinance and this Section 20.1100 shall be satisfied by the lot or development parcel as a whole as defined in the application for a special permit (the “Development Parcel”) and shall be waived with regard to any subsequent subdivided lots.

No development approved by special permit in this Section 20.1100 shall be subsequently rendered non-conforming with regard to the dimensional requirements applicable to it as a result of a subdivision of land to create an approved public or private street, park, or pedestrian, bicycle or other pathway, or other public use as indicated above. 20.1100.4

Use Regulations