06.26.25 CC Zoning 8.4 and 12.3 Arts and Innovation Subarea and Alternative Compliance — File 25-0131

Somerville Zoning Ordinance 1 8.4 MASTER PLANNED DEVELOPMENT (MPD) 8.4.8 Development Standards a. Sustainable Development i. Laboratory Commercial Buildings must be LEED Platinum certifiable. ii. All other building types must meet the following: a). No on-site combustion for HVAC system operation; b). No on-site combustion for cooking equipment, excluding Eating & Drinking Establishment principal uses; and c). Be certifiable as: i). Zero Carbon or higher from the International Living Future Institute; or ii). PHIUS+ from the Passive House Institute US or Passive House Institute. iii. All new principal building types must include a green roof, photovoltaic (PV) devices, or both for 100% of the roof area not occupied by building systems equipment or required outdoor amenity spaces.

Somerville Zoning Ordinance 2 8.4.19 Arts & Innovation (AI) Subarea a. Intent i. To implement the Arts & Innovation subarea urban design framework adopted by the Planning Board. ii. To redevelop a former industrial complex with primarily commercial development. iii. To support the arts & creative economy of Somerville by producing new space for the creation, display, exhibition, and production of the arts. iv. To support the climatetech-oriented research & development cluster of Union Square's urban employment center. b. Purpose i. To provide an efficient permitting process for multi-phased master planned development. ii. To permit denser development than would be otherwise permitted in an underlying district for master planned development. iii. To permit uses by right that are otherwise permitted by Special Permit in an underlying district for master planned development. iv. To permit residential uses for master planned development. v. To require a minimum percentage of developed floor space to be set aside for occupancy by non- residential principal uses. vi. To constrain the supply of motor vehicle parking spaces to encourage the use of public transit, bicycles, and walking in lieu of driving. vii. To establish a parking space performance standard that is connected to the results of transportation demand management programs and services. c. Applicability i. This Section is applicable to all real property shown on Map 8.4.19 (a). ii. Development blocks (“Blocks 1-4”) are established as shown on Map 8.4.19 (a). d. Development Review i. Development of real property as a contributing lot is prohibited. ii. Any pre-application meetings required for development identified in phase one (1) of any master plan subject to this section may be conducted concurrently with any pre-application meetings required for the Master Plan Special Permit application. iii. Site Plan Approval and Special Permit applications for development identified in phase one (1) of any master plan subject to this section may be submitted simultaneously with the application for the Master Plan Special Permit. iv. In addition to the review criteria for all Site Plan Approval specified in §15.3.2.e. Review Criteria, the review board shall make findings considering the following: a). Consistence with the approved Urban Design Framework for the sub-area where the subject property is located. b). Conformance with any approved Master Plan Special Permit and any other Special Permits applicable to the subject lot.

Somerville Zoning Ordinance 3 Map 8.4.19 (a) Subarea Boundary and Development Blocks e. Master Plan Standards i. Master plans must include a development site with a minimum land area of two-hundred and fifty thousand (250,000) square feet. ii. At least ten percent (10%) of the development site, excluding thoroughfares, must be provided as two (2) or more civic spaces. iii. At least twenty-five percent (25%) of any motor vehicle parking spaces must be provided with electric vehicle charging stations and the remaining seventy-five percent (75%) of any motor vehicle parking spaces must be ready for the installation of electric vehicle charging stations. iv. At least eighty-five percent (85%) of the total proposed gross floor area must be provided to non- residential uses. a). Lodging uses are calculated as a residential use. b). At least two percent (2%) or forty thousand (40,000) square feet, whichever is more, must be provided as leasable floor area for Business Incubator principal uses. c). At least ten thousand (10,000) square feet must be provided as leasable floor area for Community Center principal uses. d). At least eight percent (8%) of the total proposed non-residential gross floor area must be provided as leasable floor area for principal uses from the Arts & Creative Enterprise use categories. i). At least forty thousand (40,000) square feet must be provided as leasable floor area for Arts Exhibition principal uses. ii). At least twenty thousand (20,000) square feet must be provided as leasable floor area for Artist Studios & Creative Incubators principal uses.

Somerville Zoning Ordinance 4 e). The Planning Board may permit up to thirty-seven and one-half percent (37.5%) of the total required Arts & Creative Enterprise floor area to be provided as an in-kind off-site contribution or an in-lieu payment by Special Permit in accordance with Section 12.3 Buyouts & Payments. i). Required floor area for Arts Exhibition and Artist Studio & Creative Incubator uses is exempt. f). In addition to the review criteria for all Special Permits specified in §. Review Criteria, the review board shall make findings considering the following in its discretion to approve or deny a Special Permit authorizing an in-kind off-site contribution or payment in lieu of floor space required for Arts & Creative Enterprise uses: i). If the in-kind contribution of floor space is a net benefit to the public or if receipt if an in-lieu payment is advantageous in creating or preserving floor space for Arts & Creative Enterprise uses as compared to the floor space that would have otherwise been provided. g). The total proposed non-residential gross floor area must equal at least three hundred and seventy- five (375) square feet of non-residential gross floor area for each proposed dwelling unit, rooming unit, or live/work studio. v. Master plans must include at least one hundred and fifty (150) dwelling units. a). No more than fifteen percent (15%) of the total proposed gross floor area may be provided to residential uses. f. Thoroughfare Network i. Required or recommended thoroughfares are shown on Map 8.4.19 (b). ii. The center line of any thoroughfare may be moved up to twenty (25) feet from that indicated. g. Civic Space i. Required or recommended civic spaces are shown on Map 8.4.19 (b). ii. A through block plaza connecting Tyler Street/Properzi Way to Park Street must be provided within the required civic space area shown on Map 8.4.19 (b). Map 8.4.19 (b) Thoroughfares & Civic Spaces

Somerville Zoning Ordinance 5 h. Building Standards i. More than one (1) principal building is permitted on each lot. ii. In addition to the building types permitted by any underlying zoning district, the following building types are permitted for Block 2, 3, and 4: a). General Building, in accordance with the standards of the High-Rise district. iii. The standards of Table 8.4.19 (a) supersede the standards for permitted building types. iv. Buildings may deviate by up to five percent (5%) from the numeric value of the following standards by Special Permit. a). Green Score b). Front Setback (min/max) c). Blank Wall (max) d). Commercial Space Depth (min) e). Upper Story Step-Back (min)

Somerville Zoning Ordinance 6 Table 8.4.19 (a) Superseding Building Standards General Building Commercial Building Building Setbacks Curb Setback (min) No min No min Primary & Secondary Front (min) Fronting Tyler Street No min No min Fronting Properzi Way No min No min Fronting Dane Street Block 3, above 75 feet 30 ft 30 ft Side No min No min Rear No min No min Massing & Height Floor Plate (max) No max No max Ground Story Height (min) 15 ft 15 ft Upper Story Height (max) No max No max Number of Stories (max) No max No max Upper Story Step-Back (min) Block 1 4th Story or 75 ft (whichever is less) N/A 10 ft 5th Story and above fronting Tyler Street N/A 6 ft 5th Story and above fronting Dane Street N/A 10 ft Block 2 4th Story or 75 ft (whichever is less) 10 ft 10 ft 5th Story and above 10 ft 10 ft Block 4 3rd & 4th Story or 75 ft (whichever is less) 10 ft 10 ft 5th Story and above 10 ft 10 ft Number of Stories (max) Block 1 N/A 7 Block 2 9 9 Block 3 12 12 Block 4 17 12 Building Height, Feet (max) Block 1 N/A 130 ft Block 2 165 ft 165 ft Block 3 200 ft 200 ft Block 4 200 ft 200 ft Use & Features Commercial Space Depth (min) 20 ft 20 ft

Somerville Zoning Ordinance 7 i. Use Provisions i. Unless otherwise specified, uses that are not permitted by the underlying zoning district remain prohibited. ii. Upon the approval of a Master Plan Special Permit: a). Uses permitted by Special Permit in any underlying zoning district are permitted by-right. b). Residential Housing uses including, but not limited to, Artist Housing are permitted by-right. iii. Non-residential uses are prohibited for the upper stories of any General Building. a). Principal uses from the Arts & Creative Enterprise use categories, Community Center principal uses, and principal uses from the Food & Beverage Services use categories are exempt. j. Development Standards i. Outdoor loading facilities are exempt from Section 10.7.2 Loading Facilities. k. Parking & Mobility i. The maximum number of off-street parking spaces in the AI sub-area may not exceed seven hundred and fifty (750) motor vehicle parking spaces. a). The Planning Board shall regulate the number of off-street parking spaces included in any individual building using a parking demand model established by the Director of Mobility to determine the appropriate number of parking spaces as a condition of each Site Plan Approval. b). The Planning Board shall attach conditions or limitations it deems necessary to mitigate any individual or cumulative on-site or off-site transportation impacts from development subject to an approved Master Plan as a condition of each Site Plan Approval including, but not limited to, restricting the amount of parking provided in any phase of development, regulating the pricing or other operations of a Commercial Parking Facility use, or restricting the means or time of pick-ups, drop-offs, and deliveries. ii. Mobility management planning and implementation is required for master plans, buildings, and uses as specified in §11.3 Mobility Management. a). Mobility management plans for Block 1 buildings or uses must include demand management programs and services to control the percentage of trips made to the site by motor vehicles at forty percent (40%) or less initially and at twenty-five percent (25%) after two (2) years of occupancy. b). Mobility management plans for Block 2, Block 3, or Block 4 buildings and uses must include demand management programs and services to control the percentage of trips made to the site by motor vehicles at twenty-five percent (25%) or less. c). Mobility management plans must propose specific adjustments to existing programs and services or specific additional programs and services if monitoring and reporting identifies a shortfall in achieving the plans stated transportation mode objectives. d). The Planning Board shall require property owners and employers to implement any additional mobility management programs and services or adjustments to existing programs and services necessary to achieve established transportation mode objectives as a condition of each Site Plan Approval. e). Commercial parking facility operators shall provide monthly reporting of parking utilization. f). Property owners shall provide monthly reporting of pickup, drop-off, and delivery trips. g). Property owners and employers shall provide quarterly reporting of the travel behavior of residents and employees. l. Development Benefits

Somerville Zoning Ordinance 8 i. The leasable floor area of a Community Center principal use is deducted from the calculation of gross floor area for development subject to Section 12.2 Linkage. m. Public Realm i. For any lot abutting a sidewalk that is less than twelve (12) feet in width, the frontage area must be paved to provide a sidewalk that is at least twelve (12) feet in total width. a). This sidewalk may be provided as the pedestrian walkway of an arcade building component.

Somerville Zoning Ordinance 9 12.3 BUYOUTS & PAYMENTS 12.3.1 General a. The in-lieu payments and other buyouts methods of alternative compliance of this Section are prohibited unless specifically authorized elsewhere in this Ordinance. a.b. In-lieu payments and other methods of alternative compliance authorized elsewhere in this Ordinance are prohibited unless corresponding criteria are established in this Section. 12.3.2 Compliance a. The Building Official may not issue any Certificate of Occupancy for development until any authorized fractional buyout or, in-lieu payment, in-kind contribution, or other form of alternative compliance has been made in accordance with this Section.