The amend Articles and of the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance. PASSED TO A SECOND READING ON COUNCIL MAY 12, 2025 ELIGIBLE TO BE ORDAINED JUNE 2, 2025

AN ORDINANCE

That the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Cambridge be amended on a Zoning Petition by the Cambridge City Council to amend the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance in Articles 5.000 and 20.000 as follows with the intent of: (1) replacing the Floodplain Overlay and Planning Board Special Permit with the Massachusetts model ordinance structure for permitting development in the floodplain through administrative review; (2) updating references to the most recent FEMA maps to maintain compliance with the National Flood Insurance Program; (3) revising other parts of the Zoning Ordinance for internal consistency.

Amendments to Article 5.000.

Amend Section 5.24.1 to read as follows: 5.24.1 Every part of a required yard shall be open to the sky and unobstructed, except that the following features may be located within a required yard: (a) Awnings, arbors, fences, flagpoles, recreational, and laundry drying equipment and similar objects; (b) Objects or structures intended exclusively for bicycle parking meeting the requirements of Article 6.000, which may be uncovered, partially covered or fully enclosed, provided that such objects or structures are not used for motor vehicle parking, general storage or any other use, and further provided that any such structure exceeding six feet (6') in height conforms to the requirements for an accessory building in Section 4.21; (c) Beehives, apiaries, henhouses, and hen runs conforming to the Standards for Urban Agriculture in Article 23.000 of this Zoning Ordinance; (d) Objects or equipment located in a required yard that are necessary for or appurtenant to a Public Bicycle- Sharing Station; (e) Open or lattice-enclosed fire escapes for emergency use only; (f) Projecting eaves, chimneys, bay windows, balconies, open fire escapes and like projections which do not project more than three and one-half (3½') feet and which are part of a building not more than thirty-five (35') feet in height; (g) Shade Canopies as defined in this Zoning Ordinance, provided that any Shade Canopy exceeding seven feet (7') in height shall be set back at least five feet (5') from a side or rear lot line in a residential district; and (h) Exterior steps, ramps, elevated walkways, porches, window wells, flood barriers, and other elevated features that provide protection or resilience from flooding on the lot, provided such features do not project more than twelve (12') feet beyond the line of the foundation wall of a building, are open to the air and are either

Page 2 of 7 unroofed or covered only by a Shade Canopy, and are not elevated higher than four (4') feet above Grade or the 1%-Probability Long Term Flood Elevation as determined by the Flood Resilience Standards in Section 22.80 of this Zoning Ordinance, whichever is higher. (i) Any required flood water retention systems or related facilities for lots subject to Floodplain Overlay District regulations in Section 20.70 of this Zoning Ordinance. Amend Section 5.25.3.42 to read as follows: 5.25.3.42 Where an above ground parking facility in a structure is proposed to be constructed (a) in the 100-year floodplain, identified as the Zone A flood hazard area (See Section 20.70), or as determined by credible evidence and calculations from a registered professional engineer or (b) on a contaminated site that is listed by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection under the Massachusetts Contingency Plan (310 CMR 40.00) with a Release Tracking Number and has been tier classified, the Planning Board may grant a special permit to waive the limitations of this Section 5.25.3 so that the parking facility is not subject to the requirements in this Ordinance as to Floor Area Ratio provided only the minimum number of parking spaces required for the uses on the site are provided. In granting such a special permit, the Planning Board shall find the following: (1) Where in a flood hazard area, the construction of a parking facility underground is (a) not technically feasible due to the requirements of the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act (M.G.L. ch. 131, s.40, (b) would require construction that would violate requirements or limitations of the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act, (c) would, in the view of the Cambridge Conservation Commission, seriously compromise the wetlands protection objectives of the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act), and (d) would result in costs of construction that are significantly greater than would otherwise be typical for the location were it not in a flood hazard area; or (2) Where the site is contaminated, the construction of a parking facility underground (a) would, in the opinion of a Licensed Site Professional, pose significant risks to public health or the environment through disturbance of hazardous materials and could not be reasonably mitigated in accordance with state and federal regulations, (b) require construction that is prohibited by state or federal regulations related to hazardous wastes, and (c) would result in costs of construction that would render the project financially unfeasible; and (3) The above ground facility is designed so as to reduce its actual or perceived bulk through, among other possible techniques, limiting the number of parking spaces it contains, placement of portions of the facility below grade where feasible, or its location relative to actively occupied portions of the construction. Construction above grade is discouraged that would increase the amount of impervious area on the lot.

Amendments to Article 11.000. Amend Section 11.207.7.6, Paragraph (b) to read as follows: (b) Where the provisions of the Floodplain Overlay District apply to an AHO Project, the performance standards set forth in Section 20.70 of this Zoning Ordinance shall apply; however, a special permit shall not be required.

Amendments to Article 20.000. Amend Section 20.70 and subsequent subsections to read as follows: 20.70

FLOODPLAIN OVERLAY DISTRICT