Affordable Housing Overlay Amendment 2026 — File 26-0204

Somerville Zoning Ordinance Date Printed: 7/12/2023 1 8.1 AFFORDABLE HOUSING (AH) Contents: 8.1.1 Intent 8.1.2 Purpose 8.1.3 Applicability 8.1.4 Neighborhood Residence 8.1.5 Urban Residence 8.1.6 Mid-Rise Districts 8.1.1 Intent a. To implement recommendations of SomerVision for affordable housing. b. To increase the supply of affordable dwelling units in the City of Somerville. 8.1.2 Purpose a. To permit the development of buildings that provide all dwelling units as affordable dwelling units. b. To permit additional residential use intensity, additional building height, and additional tolerance for dimensional standards to incentivize the development of affordable dwelling units. 8.1.3 Applicability a. This Section is applicable to real property located in the Residential Districts (Article 3) and Mid-Rise Districts (Article 4), as specified for each zoning district. b. The provisions of this Section supplement or supersede the provisions of the districts upon which it is superimposed. c. Development may choose to comply with all of the applicable provisions of this Section in lieu of complying with those same provisions of the underlying zoning district. d. Where the provisions of this Section conflict with those found elsewhere in this Ordinance, the provisions of this Section apply. e. Development subject to this Section is exempt from Section 12.1 Affordable Housing. 8.1.4 Neighborhood Residence a. Building Types i. The following building types are permitted by right: a). Cottage (§3.1.7) b). Detached House (§3.1.8) c). Semi-Detached House (§3.1.9) d). Duplex (§3.1.10) e). Detached Triple Decker (§3.1.11) f). Backyard Cottage (§3.1.12) ii. Within the 1/2 Mile Transit Area, the following additional building types are permitted by right: a). Semi-Detached Triple Decker (§3.2.7) b). Multi-Plex (§3.2.8)

Somerville Zoning Ordinance Date Printed: 7/12/2023 2 c). Apartment House (§3.2.9) d). Row Houses (§3.2.11) b. Dimensional Compliance i. Development may deviate by up to five percent (5%) from any maximum lot coverage, minimum green score, minimum open space, front and side building setbacks, minimum facade build out, and maximum floor plate specified for each building type elsewhere in this Ordinance. c. Use Provisions i. Development is exempt from any maximum number of dwelling units and maximum number of dwelling units per lot specified elsewhere in this Ordinance. ii. All dwelling units must be affordable dwelling units. 8.1.5 Urban Residence a. Dimensional Compliance i. Development may deviate by up to five percent (5%) from any maximum lot coverage, minimum green score, minimum open space, front and side building setbacks, minimum facade build out, and maximum floor plate specified for each building type elsewhere in this Ordinance. b. Use Provisions i. Development is exempt from any maximum number of dwelling units, maximum number of dwelling units per lot, and minimum gross floor area per dwelling unit specified elsewhere in this Ordinance. ii. All dwelling units must be affordable dwelling units. (Ord. 2023-15, 06/22/2023) 8.1.6 Mid-Rise Districts a. Building Types i. The following building types are permitted by right: a). Apartment Building b). General Building ii. The standards of Table 8.1.6 supersede or supplement the dimensional standards for the specified building types permitted by the underlying zoning district. b. Dimensional Compliance i. Development is exempt from §2.4.5.b.ii. ii. Development of any Apartment Building or General Building may deviate by up to five percent (5%) from the numeric value of the following dimensional standards of the underlying zoning district:Table 8.1.6. a). Lot coverage (max) b). Green score (min) c). Open space (min) d). Front building setbacks (min & max) e). Side building setbacks for lots abutting any non-NR or LHD lot (min) f). Facade build outs (min) g). Floor plate (max) c. Use Provisions

Somerville Zoning Ordinance Date Printed: 7/12/2023 3 i. Uses from the following principal use categories are permitted by right: a). Residential Housing ii. Development is exempt from any minimum gross floor area per dwelling unit specified elsewhere in this Ordinance. ii.iii. Development is exempt from providing any required leasable floor area for uses from the Arts & Creative Enterprise use categories specified elsewhere in this Ordinance. iii.iv. The use of any upper story of a general building is limited to the following principal use categories and specific uses: a). Community Center b). Library c). Public Service d). Religious & Educational Uses Protected by M.G.L. 40A. Sec. 3 e). Day Care Services f). Health Care Services g). Residential Housing h). Institutional Housing iv.v. At least forty percent (40%) of the gross floor area of any general building must be occupied by uses from the Residential principal use categories. v.vi. All dwelling units must be affordable dwelling units. d. Parking & Mobility i. Development may deviate by up to five percent (5%) from the minimum number of bicycle parking spaces required per dwelling unit.

Somerville Zoning Ordinance Date Printed: 7/12/2023 4 Table 8.1.6 Superseding Dimensional Standards Apartment Building General Building Lot Development Lot Coverage (max) 100% 100% Green Score -- -- Minimum 0.20 0.20 Ideal 0.25 0.25 Open Space 10% 10% Building Setbacks Curb Setback (min) 12 ft 12 ft Primary Front Setback (min/max) 0 ft 15 ft 0 ft 15 ft Secondary Front Setback (min/max) 0 ft 15 ft 0 ft 15 ft Side Setback (min) -- -- Abutting an Alley or R-ROW 0 ft 0 ft Abutting any non-NR or LHD 0 ft 0 ft 1st-3rd Story abutting NR or LHD 10 ft 10 ft 4th - 8th Story abutting NR or LHD -- -- Lot Width < 100 ft 20 ft 20 ft Lot Depth > 100 ft 30 ft 30 ft Rear Setback (min) -- -- Abutting an Alley or R-ROW 0 ft 0 ft Abutting any non-NR or LHD 10 ft 10 ft 1st-3rd Story abutting NR or LHD 20 ft 20 ft 4th - 8th Story abutting NR or LHD -- -- Lot Depth < 100 ft 20 ft 20 ft Lot Depth > 100 ft 30 ft 30 ft Parking Setback Primary Front Setback 30 ft 30 ft Secondary Front Setback 30 ft 30 ft Main Massing Number of Stories (max) -- -- Mid-Rise 3 abutting NR 4 4 All other MR3-MR6 lots 8 8 Building Height, Feet (max) -- -- Mid-Rise 3 abutting NR 50 ft 52 ft All other MR3-MR6 lots 96 ft 100 ft Façade Composition Fenestration (min/max) 15% / 50% 15% / 50% Use & Occupancy Ground Story Commercial Units (min) n/a 1