Assembly Square Storage (Ordinance) 9-23-10 — File 190143

DRAFT 9-23-10 CITY OF SOMERVILLE ORDINANCE NO. _________ IN THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN: ______ AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE SOMERVILLE ZONING ORDINANCE TO MODIFY USES IN ARTICLE 7, DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS IN ARTICLE 6, AND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS IN ARTICLE 16 TO ALLOW SELF STORAGE USES IN THE ASSEMBLY SQUARE MIXED USE DISTRICT (ASMD) AND ESTABLISH SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR SUCH USES AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTS ALONG THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY IN THE ASMD WHEREAS, the development of the ASMD is important for the City of Somerville and its residents and business owners; and, WHEREAS, certain parcels of land in the ASMD are more conducive to uses other than office, retail, or residential uses due to their size, shape and location; and, WHEREAS, storage uses on these parcels can provide a benefit to the future residential and commercial uses within the remainder of the ASMD and the rest of the City of Somerville; and, Whereas, the current ASMD zoning requirements prohibit such other uses; and, WHEREAS, commercial development along the highway, including self-storage uses, that benefit from highway frontage should contribute to mitigating impacts of highway traffic on residential neighborhoods; now, THEREFORE, be it adopted by the Board of Aldermen, in session assembled, that the below listed sections of the Somerville Zoning Ordinance are hereby amended as identified. 1. Article 6 Establishment of Zoning Districts, Section 6.4 Assembly Square Mixed Use District is hereby amended to add Section 6.4.15 Development Standards and Design Guidelines for Self Storage and Wholesale Storage Facilities as follows (additions are underlined and deletions are crossed out): Article 6: Section 6.4 Assembly Square Mixed Use District 6.4.15 Development Standards and Design Guidelines for Self Storage and Wholesale Storage Facilities. Self Storage Facilities under Section 7.11.12.4 and Wholesale Storage under Section 7.11.13.1 of the Table of Permitted Uses shall only be permitted in the ASMD district, subject to applicable Special Permit, Site Plan Review and/or Planned Unit Development provisions of the Somerville Zoning Ordinance and subject to the following required findings and development standards. The development standards and design guidelines for the ASMD district under Section 6.4.7 of the SZO shall also apply, except that in cases where the

DRAFT 9-23-10 standards in this Section 6.4.15 contradict those standards or guidelines, the standards in Section 6.4.15 shall apply. A. Required Findings: 1) The subject property is located in an area that is not conducive in the near term to more desirable uses for the district, such as office, retail, or residential. To make findings that a site meets this provision, the following are required: 2) The lot size and shape is not easily conducive to a more desirable use; and, 3) The lot is located adjacent to the Interstate highway, thereby limiting the ability to be used for a more desirable use. 4) The development of the lot facilitates the development of the district by providing direct public benefits above and beyond those otherwise required by the ordinance. 5) The development of the lot improves conditions of the site as well as improving the public infrastructure within the district. 6) The development of the lot facilitates the development of the district by providing public pedestrian access through some portion of the lot. 7) The lot shall contain a second use in addition to Self Storage Facilities under Section 7.11.12.4 or Wholesale Storage under Section 7.11.13.1 of the Table of Permitted Uses. B. Development Standards: 1) Storage and warehouse uses shall be limited to a total FAR between 2.0 and 4.0. 2) All loading and parking areas are hidden from view from the public way located along the primary frontage of the Building or Buildings. 3) Curb cuts are limited to no more than two on the site, regardless of street frontage. 4) The Building or Buildings resemble Buildings designed for human occupancy: i. The Building or Buildings shall not have any uninterrupted or unfenestrated length of façade exceeding thirty-five (35) horizontal feet, within each vertical band that would appear to be a typical office or residential floor level, beginning with the Ground Floor of any Building or Buildings. Facades on the Ground Floor of any Building or Buildings greater than one hundred (100) feet in length, measured horizontally, shall incorporate wall plane projections or recesses having a depth of at least eight inches (8”) for every one hundred feet (100’) of facade length extending at least twenty (20) percent of the length of the façade. This standard shall not apply to facades of a Building or Buildings which face an Interstate highway or are otherwise covered by decorative elements approved by the SPGA; and, ii. The Building or Buildings shall have windows providing visual access to the interior of a space, arcades, display windows, entry areas, awnings, or other such features along no less than seventy (70) percent of their horizontal length on all Ground Floor facades that face Public Ways or the Mystic River. Forty percent (40%) of this activated facade area on the Ground Floor of Building walls along primary and secondary streets shall consist of windows, display windows, or doors meant for public entry and exit. This standard shall not apply to facades of a Building or Buildings which face an Interstate highway; and,

DRAFT 9-23-10 iii. Pedestrian entries to any Self Storage Facilities under Section 7.11.12.4 or Wholesale Storage under Section 7.11.13.1 of the Table of Permitted Uses shall be similar to the design expected from an office, retail or residential use; and, iv. The Building or Buildings shall have a roof colored white to reflect heat; and, v. Murals which are painted onto, or affixed to, the Building or Buildings shall not be considered Signage under this Ordinance; and vi. Trellises or other structures erected for the sole purpose of growing vines or other forms of vegetation on the lot shall not be considered Signage, and shall not be considered in the calculation of setbacks, under this Ordinance; and vii. Solar or wind power mechanical equipment shall not be considered in the calculation of Building height under this Ordinance. 5) The Building or Buildings are designed with floor heights and structural design to: i. Accommodate conversion of the ground floor to pedestrian oriented uses, and; ii. Conversion of upper floors to residential or commercial use. C. Design Guidelines: 1) Exterior building materials may include, but shall not be limited to, Architectural Metals, Architectural Concrete and Architectural Masonry. 2. Article 7 Permitted Uses, Section 7.11 Table of Permitted Uses is hereby amended to read as follows (additions are underlined and deletions are crossed out): Article 7: Section 7.11 Table of Permitted Uses PRINCIPAL USE (unless specified otherwise) DISTRICT 12. COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL SERVICES 4. Self-storage facility (18) a. less than 5,000 s.f. of gross floor area - b. 5,000 to 9,999 s.f. of gross floor area - c. 10,000 s.f. or more of gross floor area SPSR-A 3. Article 7 Permitted Uses, Section 7.12 Footnotes to Table of Permitted Uses is hereby amended to read as follows (additions are underlined and deletions are crossed out): 18. For Self Storage Uses in the ASMD district see Section 6.4.15. 4. Article 16 Planned Unit Development, Section 16.12 Denial Letters in the ASMD is hereby amended to read as follows (additions are underlined and deletions are crossed out): Article 16: Section 16.12 Denial Letters in the ASMD Section 16.12. Denial Letters in the ASMD. All applications for a preliminary Master Plan Approval shall be required to include a so-called ‘denial letter’ from the Insepctional Services Department indicating which

DRAFT 9-23-10 aspects of the proposed PUD require approvals form the SPGA. After submission of the initial Preliminary Master Plan application, no further denial letter shall be required for modifications to, or phases of, the Master Plan, or for any permit application (including an SPSR-A) related to the PUD.