In this email you will find:

• Updates from within the Cambridge Zoning Universe and a featured project
• Upcoming meetings and events 
• Info on our NEW Zoning FAQ webpage
• Zoning Trivia
• The answer to last month's trivia question (and how many of you got it right!)

What's New

Multifamily Housing

In May, the City Council’s Housing Committee had meetings on allowing multifamily housing citywide. Why? Some neighborhoods in Cambridge are currently zoned to allow only single-family or two-family homes. This type of zoning has contributed to segregation in cities around the U.S. The Housing Committee talked about ways to make zoning more equitable and promote more multifamily housing in all Cambridge neighborhoods. 

Visit the Meeting Portal to see a schedule of future meetings Housing Committee meetings or the Public Video Link to watch video of past meetings (select “Housing Committee”). 

The Planning Board and the City Council’s Ordinance Committee also reviewed a zoning petition by a group of Cambridge residents (Ronayne, et al.). The petition proposed a specific way to allow multifamily housing citywide. The Ordinance Committee voted to send that proposal to the Housing Committee to be part of their discussion. 

Zoning for Central Square

CDD is leading a community process to update zoning for Central Square. Last year we worked with the community to identify goals for this area. Our recommendations are based on the goals of increasing housing, creating public spaces to build community, and supporting our diverse retail, cultural, and non-profit community.  

The first community meeting for Central Square Rezoning was held virtually on May 30. The purpose of the meeting was to introduce the process, recap community goals, talk about key issues, and get feedback from the community. You can find a full recap of the meeting on the project website. 

How Did It Get Built?

MIT Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing

Last month, construction finished on 51 Vassar Street (Planning Board Special Permit #370). The new 174,000 square-foot facility will house a new college at MIT focused on “…the opportunities and challenges of the computing age – from hardware to software to algorithms and artificial intelligence…” (Source: MIT).  

The building is eight stories with space for university and academic uses, and a café on Levels 1 and 2 that is accessible to the public. The project improved an existing 9-foot wide multi-use path along its side; this path is an important connection to the future Grand Junction Multi-Use Path. In front of the building along Vassar Street, the project includes a wider sidewalk, new cycle track, seating areas and 12 new street trees.

What's Coming Up

Featured at the Planning Board

The Planning Board is made up of Cambridge residents who make recommendations and decisions about urban development on behalf of the City. In June they will meet about the following issues:

June 11: The City’s Annual Utility Report: The Board will hear from utility providers (Eversource, Vicinity) and City representatives (Cambridge Department of Public Works, Cambridge Water Department) about current and planned utility projects.

June 18: A small amendment request to reduce required off-street parking at Cambridge Crossing, and a Planning Update on the Central Square Lots Study from the Division of Community Planning.

Other Meetings of Interest 

Central Square Rezoning, July 17 from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.: This meeting will focus on possible zoning scenarios and their pros and cons. 

There will be three community meetings to get public input and give updates throughout the summer. If you can’t attend the meetings, we have an online mapping platform to provide feedback on our website.

Mass Ave Planning Study, July (exact date TBD): This will be the final community meeting focusing on the area south of Porter Square. The next phase of the project, looking at Porter Square and north to the Arlington border, will begin in August. For more information, please visit the project website. 

Zoning FAQ

Explore Our NEW Zoning Resource

Does reading the Zoning Ordinance make your head spin? (Don’t worry, it makes ours spin, too.) We’re here to help you make sense of the basics of Cambridge Zoning with a brand-new Zoning FAQ! Check out our new site for answers to the most common questions we receive from the public.

Also, you can look at zoning amendments that have been adopted or are being considered on the CDD web page, and you can always reach out to our team at cddzoning@cambridgema.gov with questions.

Just for Fun

Zoning Trivia

Select your answer to the trivia question above. We'll give you the results in next month's newsletter!

Results from Last Month!

Many of you were brave enough to tackle the May Zoning Puzzle! A whopping 95% of you chose the right answer! Well done! Check below to see if you were correct:

Q: What is zoning, anyway?

Correct Answer: (B) A system of local laws for regulating the use of land, buildings and structures.

We hope you enjoyed this newsletter. We’ll be back next month!  

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