Agenda Text
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Proposing an updated Article 16B in the city's Zoning Ordinances, with attendant Zoning Map changes, to establish a minimum mixed use ratio in designated areas.
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Official Text
That the Somerville Zoning Ordinance be amended by adding a new Article 16B as follows, with attendant zoning map amendments. (Language updated through 2/14/17).
ARTICLE 16B. - MANDATORY MIXED USE RATIO FOR AREAS CRITICAL FOR THE CITY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Section 16B.1. - Purpose.
The purpose of instituting a minimum mixed use ratio for areas critical for the City's economic development is to provide for a mixture of land usage in designated areas of the City that promotes commercial economic development in the preferred uses of office, research and development, and biotechnology in order to bring good jobs and tax revenue to the City of Somerville.
Section 16B.2. - Applicability.
The Mandatory Mixed Use Ratio ("MMUR") for areas critical for the City's economic development shall be an overlay requirement imposed on those areas of the City's Zoning Map designated as Areas Critical for the City's Economic Development ("Critical Economic Development District or CEDD"). Any proposed development that contains more than three residential units on a lot of 10,000 square feet or more in a CEED shall be required to meet the MMUR. All land included in the development to which the MMUR applies must be contiguous and/or separated only by streets, public or private ways. More than one property owner may submit a joint development proposal under this section to meet the MMUR. To the extent that a property owner is proceeding under a PUD, the PUD must meet the MMUR. If a PUD has already been approved, any buildings that were not yet permitted at the time of the publication of this proposed zoning amendment must meet the MMUR.
Section 16B.3. - The MMUR
For those developments for which the MMUR applies, no less than 68% of the occupied square footage of the building or buildings as the case may be must be used for a) office uses; b) research and development uses; c) biotechnology uses; d) hotel use; e) arts and creative enterprise uses. The remaining portion of the building or buildings may be residential or retail or any other use permitted by the underlying zoning.
Section 16B.4. - Special Permit Granting Authority Findings.
In addition to all of the other findings that the special permit granting authority shall be required to make under the provisions of the underlying zoning, the special permit granting authority must also find that the proposed development meets or exceeds the MMUR.