Matters ▸ Attachment
Attachment-26225 — File 22-0668
CONTENTS
1
1. POLICY OVERVIEW
2
I. PURPOSE AND INTENT
2
II. DEFINITIONS
3
III. ACRONYMS
5
2. REQUIREMENTS
6
I. EV POLICY OVERVIEW
6
II. EVSE-Installed REQUIREMENTS & EQUIVALENCE
6
III. EV-Ready REQUIREMENTS
9
3. OPERATION AND DESIGN
11
I. OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
11
II. REQUIRED NOTICES
11
III. SIGNAGE
11
IV. DESIGN AND ACCESSIBILITY
12
V. REQUIRED CONNECTOR TYPES
13
Level 1 Connectors
13
Level 2 Connectors
13
DCFC Connectors
14
VI. SAFE IMPLEMENTATION AND PERMITTING
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1. POLICY OVERVIEW
I. PURPOSE AND INTENT
Electric vehicle sales in Massachusetts have grown rapidly, nearly doubling between 2017 and 2018
alone. This growth is expected to continue as new makes and models come to market, offering
increasingly affordable options to consumers. This growth is fueled by state and federal incentives as
well as ongoing reductions in battery costs. As the number of electric vehicles on the road increases,
the demand for electric vehicle charging infrastructure will grow.
The City of Boston has a goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. Transportation accounts for
nearly a third of Boston’s total GHG emissions, 65 percent of which comes from personal vehicles.
The City of Boston’s comprehensive transportation plan, Go Boston 2030, aims to address this by
shifting travelers away from personal vehicle modes to public transit, walking and biking, and shared
trips. To reach carbon neutrality, in addition to massive mode shift away from driving alone, any
remaining vehicles on the
road will need to be
zero-emission vehicles.
This document provides
guidance on the
requirement that new
developments that trigger
the Transportation Access
Plan Agreement (TAPA)
process or that are located
within a Parking Freeze
zone, shall have 25% of
parking spaces be
EVSE-Installed; and the
remaining 75% of parking
spaces shall be EV-Ready
for future installation, to
the maximum extent
practicable. This policy applies to any Article 80 development that receives Boston Planning and
Development Agency Board approval after March 7, 2019 and to any development that submits a
parking freeze permit application to the Air Pollution Control Commission after March 20, 2019.
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II. DEFINITIONS
Electric Vehicle (EV): Any vehicle that is licensed and registered for operation on public and private
highways, roads, and streets and that operates exclusively on electrical energy from an off-board
source that is stored in the vehicle’s batteries, producing zero tailpipe emissions or pollution when
stationary or operating.
Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV): A hybrid electric vehicle whose battery can be recharged by
plugging it into an external source of electric power, as well as by its on-board engine and generator.
Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE): Equipment for the purpose of transferring electric
energy to a battery or other energy storage device in an electric vehicle. There are 3 different
standardized indicators of electrical power and voltage, at which an electric vehicle’s battery is
recharged. The terms Level 1, Level 2, and Direct Current Fast Charging are the most common
charging levels. The charging levels include the following specifications:
1.
Level 1 is considered slow charging and operates on a 15 to 20 amp breaker. The voltage is a
single phase 120 volt AC branch circuit. Approved Level 1 connectors include standard 120V
grounded outlets (NEMA 5-15, 5-20, or 5-30) and SAE J1772.
a.
Should developers choose to install Level 1 Chargers to meet the EVSE-Installed
requirements, the chargers must be assigned and have restricted access to specific
persons, unless in Office Zoning.
b.
Level 1 EVSE are only permitted in Residential and Office Zoning.
2.
Level 2 is considered medium charging and operates on a 40 to 50 amp breaker on a single
phase 208/240 volt AC circuit. Approved Level 2 connectors include SAE J1772 EV plug.
However, the installation of other connector types in addition to the required 25%
EVSE-Installed requirement is not restricted.
a.
Parking spaces equipped with Level 2 chargers in order to meet the 25%
EVSE-Installed requirement, or in excess to the requirement, do not have to be
designated and restricted for EV Charging purposes.
b.
Level 2 EVSE shall be equipped with cellular phone service, wired or wireless
communications.
c.
Level 2 EVSE are permitted in any zoning district.
d.
Level 2 EVSE can have multiple connectors. It is permissible to serve up to two spaces
with one Level 2 EVSE, but each associated connector must be able to reach the
individual parking space.
3.
DCFC is considered fast or rapid charging. DCFC operates on a 100 amp or higher breaker on
a 480 volt three phase AC with special grounding equipment. DCFC stations are typically
characterized by industrial grade electrical outlets that allow for faster recharging of electric
vehicles. For fast charging, the CHAdeMO and SAE Combo (also called CCS for “Combo
Charging System”) are the approved connector types. Other DCFC connector types will not be
considered for meeting the 25% EVSE-Installed requirement. However, the installation of
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other connector types in addition to the required 25% EVSE-Installed requirement is not
restricted.
a.
Where parking spaces are designated and equipped with DCFC, to meet the 25%
EVSE-Installed requirements, such spaces should be for the exclusive purpose of
electric vehicle charging. DCFC installed to meet the EVSE-Installed requirements
must have a system in place to ensure turnover rates of one (1) hour.
b.
DCFC EVSE shall be equipped with cellular phone service, wired or wireless
communications.
c.
DCFC EVSE can have multiple connectors. It is permissible to serve up to two parking
spaces with one DCFC EVSE, but each associated connector must be able to reach the
individual parking space.
EV Inlet: The EV inlet is located on the EV and consists of an electrical connection port that, when
combined with the connector, can provide conductive charging and information exchange.
Connector: A connector is a device that, by insertion into an EV inlet, establishes an electrical
connection to the EV for the purpose of information exchange and charging.
EV-Ready EV-Ready shall mean providing raceway to every parking space, adequate space in the
electrical panel and space for additional transformer capacity to accommodate the future installation
of the transformer, if necessary, and the associated Level 2 EVSE. The City approved EV Requirement
Equivalent Calculator must be used if chargers other than Level 2 Chargers are planned to be
installed in the future to meet with EV-Ready Requirements.
EVSE-Installed: "EVSE-Installed" shall mean an installed Level 2 EVSE. The City approved EV
Requirement Equivalent Calculator must be used if chargers other than Level 2 Chargers are installed
to meet the EVSE-Installed Requirement.
Non-Electric Vehicle: Any vehicle that does not meet the definition of a Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle, or
Electric Vehicle.
III. ACRONYMS
ADA: Americans with Disabilities Act
CSO: Car Share Operator
CCS: Combo Charging System
DCFC: Direct Current Fast Charging
EV: Electric Vehicle
EVSE: Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment
FEMA: Federal Emergency Management Association
PHEV: Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle
NEMA: National Electrical Manufacturers Association
NFPA: National Fire Protection Agency
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SAE: Society of Automotive Engineers
TAPA: Transportation Access Plan Agreement
UL: Underwriters Laboratories
2. REQUIREMENTS
I. EV POLICY OVERVIEW
All new development projects that require the Boston Transportation Department’s TAPA approval
and/or the Article 80 Large Project Review must equip 25% of their total parking spaces to be
EVSE-Installed and the remaining 75% of the total spaces to be EV-Ready. Calculated spaces shall be
rounded up to the nearest whole number. Parking spots required to meet this policy are those that
are associated with the development, even if those spaces are in a common garage that shares
parking spaces with an unassociated development. To meet these requirements a development
project must be designed to meet the standards detailed below.
The City of Boston will release an electric vehicle adoption threshold by the end of 2020 that will
determine when additional EVSE will be required beyond the 25% to utilize the EV-Ready spaces.
The threshold will rely on industry standard local EV adoption data, and federal guidance on ratios of
EV infrastructure to vehicles. If local data is not available, state data will be utilized. The City will
release an annual update on the market threshold.
A detailed strategy plan must be submitted with the TAPA to explain how the developer will convert
EV-Ready Spaces to be EVSE-Installed when notified by the City that adoption rates have passed the
threshold. The strategy plan must detail the type, location, and electrical plan for EVSE that will be
installed to meet future EVSE requirements, up to 100% EVSE-Installed.
II. EVSE-INSTALLED REQUIREMENTS & EQUIVALENCE
EVSE-Installed requirements are as detailed:
(a) For all new developments requiring TAPA or Article 80 review, 25% of all parking spaces in
parking areas shall be EVSE-Installed, meaning each parking space must be equipped with
functioning Level 2 Chargers, or the equivalent thereof must be provided. The City approved
EV Requirement Equivalent Calculator must be used if chargers other than Level 2 Chargers
are installed.
All required chargers must have the approved connector types, as determined by Section 3.
Chargers with unapproved connector types will not count towards the 25% EVSE-Installed
requirement.
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The policy allows for flexibility by allowing an EVSE-Installed Requirement Equivalence. Each
parking spot is equal to one point and may be offset by Level 1 Chargers, Level 2 Chargers, DCFC
- 50kw, DCFC - 125-150kw, EV Carshare, and Electric Bike Parking amenities. Level 2 EVSE is the
baseline charger for this weighted ratio, and is equal to one point per connector, which is
consistent with existing EV Ordinances in other jurisdictions. This policy and point system
weights various charger types to ensure that the same number of EVs are served per unit of time
as Level 2 EVSE. The points awarded to different levels of EVSE are based on nominal power delivery
ratings. The EV Car Share and Electric Bike Parking weight is given based off of emissions
reduced, and the reduced need for car ownership.
Level 2 EVSE and DCFC can have more than one connector. It is possible to serve more than one
parking spaces with a Level 2 EVSE or DCFC EVSE that has more than one connector. For example, if
a developer installs one Level 2 EVSE with two connectors, and so long as the connectors can
adequately reach 1 parking space each, the number of points earned is 2.
If the development includes residential or office space, the equivalence for Level 1 Chargers must be
applied for residential on a one-to-one ratio to the number of units in the development or by a ratio
of square footage of office space that proportionally offsets the 25% requirement. For example, if a
development is 100,000 square feet, and 50,000 square feet is dedicated to office space, the
development may offset half of their 25% EVSE-Installed required points, or 12.5%.
The chart below details the equivalence options and their associated weighted points to support
developers in determining the EVSE-Installed Requirement Equivalence. As technology changes
additional equivalence options may be considered and potentially added to the options available.
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EVSE-Installed Equivalence Chart
CATEGORY / NAME /
OPTIONS
WEIGHTED
POINTS (PER
MITIGATION
MEASURE)
RESTRICTION/RANGE
LEVEL 1 CHARGER
1
Only land uses classified as
Residential and/or Office may
offset with this option. Parking
spaces must be assigned for
residential.
LEVEL 2 CHARGER
1
DCFC - 50KW
8
DCFC - 125-150KW
24
EV CARSHARE
19
ELECTRIC BIKE
PARKING
0.50
Maximum of 5 points.
A.
Electric Bike Parking Requirements
If the developer chooses to install EV bike parking as an equivalence option, the developer must
provide an easily accessible electrical outlet at a ratio of one (1) standard wall outlet for two (2) bike
parking spaces.
To claim .50 equivalence points, two (2) bikes must be served by one (1) standard wall outlet and with
secure bike parking amenities. This option is available to all permit types. Outlets in excess of the
requirement are permitted.
All provided bike parking must comply with City of Boston Bike Parking Guidelines. Outlets must be
sited no more than 4 feet from the center of the bike space the outlet is intended to serve. Approved
outlet types include standard 120V grounded outlets NEMA 5-15, 5-20, or 5-30.
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B.
EV Car Share Requirements
Developers are permitted to install EV Car Share as an equivalence option.
The baseline requirements for both the TDM Point System and EV Car Share requirements are one (1)
Car Share vehicle each. Baseline required EV Car Share installed to meet the EVSE-Installed
requirements are independent of the baseline TDM Point System Car Share requirements and cannot
be double counted. EV Car Share vehicles in excess of the baseline may support further TDM Point
System requirements. Non-electric Car Share vehicles in excess of the baseline TDM Point System
requirement do not fulfill EV Car Share requirements.
Car Share is defined by a vehicle that is only available to members by reservation on an hourly basis,
or in smaller intervals, and at rates that vary by time or by time and distance. Car Share vehicles are
available to members at an unstaffed self-service location and available for pick-up by members on a
twenty-four hour, seven-days per week basis without assistance or key exchanges or hand-offs with
owner, operator, lot, stations or garage or any other paid or contracted personnel. Car Share
Operators (CSOs) shall be available by phone to the City to resolve inquiries from 8am-6pm Monday
through Friday.
To claim nineteen (19) equivalence points, one parking spot must be designated with one (1) EV Car
Share available for reservation. The parking space must be equipped with a Level 2 Charger or higher.
Each additional EV Car Share space is worth 19 equivalence points.
A charger must be installed to support the EV Car Share vehicle. If the charger is a dual connector
Level 2 unit, there are two points associated with the charger: one point is associated with the
nineteen (19) points received for the car share and the other point may offset the total EVSE-Installed
point requirements.
Personal vehicles, privately owned, or privately leased vehicles are acceptable for the EV Car Share
fleet so long as they meet the definition of Car Share as detailed above.
The EV Car Share vehicle and service must be operational for at least 75% of the year. Third party
reporting is required annually. EV Car Share that is not operational for at least 75% of the year shall
be considered to have been removed from service and will not count towards the 25% EVSE-Installed
requirement. The failure to maintain the required number of EV Car Share vehicles shall be cause for
additional installation of EVSE or replacement of EV Car Share vehicles in order to meet the
requirements.
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III. EV-READY REQUIREMENTS
EV-Ready requirements are as detailed:
(a) For all new developments requiring TAPA or Article 80 review 75% of their parking spaces
must be EV-Ready for the installation of Level 2 Chargers or equivalent service. The City
approved EV Requirement Equivalent Calculator must be used if chargers other than Level 2
Chargers are planned to be installed in the future.
(b) EV-Ready requires raceways, adequate space in the electrical panel, and sufficient space
within the electrical equipment room to accommodate future additional electrical capacity to
install EVSE in 100% of parking spaces or equivalence thereof.
(c) Raceways must be continuous from the branch circuit/feeder panel location and end at a
point allowing convenient future installation of and access to EVSE. The raceway shall be
sized and installed per the National Electrical Code; however, in no case shall the EVSE
infrastructure be less than 1” (one inch) in size. The EVSE infrastructure raceway shall include
a pull rope or line installed for future conductor installation, with the raceway sealed and
labeled as “EV-Ready” for future use.
(d) The electrical equipment room must have a dedicated space for the future installation of
electrical equipment to serve the EVSE. This space shall be identified on all construction
documents submitted for review, and must be in compliance with the National Electrical Code
prescriptive requirements. The space shall not be used for any other permanent purpose, so
as not to restrict future installation of electrical equipment.
(e) Site design and plans must include the location(s) and type of raceway method(s), wiring
schematics (if any), and electrical calculations to verify that the electrical system has
sufficient capacity to simultaneously support all future EVSE.
(f) Raceway shall be wired through the ceiling if the site is located within the flood zone. Evaluate
flood risk using Boston Planning and Development Agency’s “Climate Resilience Layer” in the
Zoning Viewer.
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The following chart details the weighted points of each mitigation measure to support developers in
determining the EV-Ready Requirement Equivalence.
EV-Ready Equivalence Chart
CATEGORY /
NAME OPTIONS
WEIGHTED POINTS
(PER MITIGATION
MEASURE)
RESTRICTION/RANGE
LEVEL 1
CHARGER
1
Only residential and/or Office may offset with
this option. Parking spaces must be assigned if
Residential.
LEVEL 2
CHARGER
1
DCFC - 50KW
8
DCFC -125-
150KW
24
EV Car Share and Electric Bike Parking are not options for the EV Ready Requirement. However, planning for EV
Car Share and/or Electric Bike Parking can be accomplished by indicating the associated charger type.
3. OPERATION AND DESIGN
I. OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
Developers are not restricted from collecting a service fee for the use of an EVSE.
Any EVSE must be operational for at least 75% of the year. Annual reporting by a third party is
required. Any EVSE that is non operational for at least 75% of the year shall be considered to have
been removed from service. The failure to maintain the required number of EVSE shall be cause for
additional installation or replacement of EVSE in order to meet the requirements.
II. REQUIRED NOTICES
The following information shall be posted at all EVSE:
1.
Voltage and amperage levels;
2.
Hour of operations if time limits or tow away provisions are to be enforced;
3.
Usage fees;
4.
Safety information;
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5.
Contact information for reporting when the equipment is not operating or other problems.
Contact information must contain a service phone number.
III. SIGNAGE
Approved General Service Signs
General Service signs are intended to provide guidance to the location of the charging station and
should be installed at a suitable distance in advance of the turn‐off or intersecting roadway, and at
the charging station.
Signage shall be placed at the parking entrance notifying the presence of EVSE. The City of Boston’s
Wayfinding Logo sign shall be used for General Service EVSE signage. A link to a high resolution
graphic can be found at www.boston.gov/recharge-boston
Figure 1: City of Boston’s Wayfinding Logo for General Service EVSE Signage.
Approved Regulatory Signs
Regulatory Signs help to enforce what vehicles park in EVSE parking spots, as well as the time
duration that EVs are permitted to park and/or charge at charging stations. If time limits or vehicle
removal provisions are to be applied, regulatory signage including parking restrictions, hours and
days of operations, towing, and contact information may be installed immediately adjacent to, and
visible from, the electric vehicle parking or charging station.
Regulatory signs should be no smaller than 12” x 18” and placed immediately adjacent to the EVSE at a
height of 7 feet.
Figure 2: (Labeled Left to Right A-D) Example EVSE regulatory signs.
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Sign A indicates the number of hours an EV is permitted to park if a dwelling restriction is in place
and if the parking space is reserved exclusively for EVs.
Sign B indicates that the space is reserved exclusively for EV charging, though the EV does not need
to be actively charging. This sign can be used when there is no dwell restriction, but if the space is
restricted for EV parking.
Sign C shall be coupled with Sign A or B if the building requires that the EV must be actively charging.
Sign D shall be coupled with Sign A or B to indicate that the EV must be actively plugged in, and must
vacate the parking space when charging is complete.
Parking Spot Stencils
Parking spot stencils are not required, but painting an EVSE symbol on the parking surface can help
to identify EVSE spaces. Parking space stencils should not be substituted for EVSE signage
requirements. For the City of Boston approved stencil, refer to Figure 1 on the previous page.
IV. DESIGN AND ACCESSIBILITY
All EVSE placed and proposed shall be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. All EVSE
placed must comply with the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board and the City of Boston
Disabilities Commission rules and regulations.
EVSE may be installed in standard parking spaces or accessible parking spaces. The installation of a
charging station should not reduce the size of the parking space to below minimum local zoning
requirements for off-street parking spaces.
An EVSE should have all relevant parts located within accessible reach, and in a barrier-free access
aisle for the user to move freely between the EVSE and the electric vehicle. Charging station outlets
and connectors shall be no less than 36 inches and no higher than 48 inches from the surface of the
floor. Level 1 outlets may be 12 inches and no higher than 48 inches from the surface of the floor.
Where EVSE is provided or proposed within an adjacent pedestrian circulation area, such as a
sidewalk or accessible route to the building entrance, the charging equipment must be located so as
to not interfere with accessibility requirements; it should not interfere with the minimum pedestrian
clearance widths as defined in Chapter 11B of the American Disability Act Standard. Cords, cables, and
connector equipment should not extend across the path of travel within the sidewalk or walkway. The
National Electric Code states that cords can be no longer than 25 feet, unless equipped with a retraction
or other control device. Retraction devices or a place to hang permanent cords and connectors should
be provided even if the cord is shorter than 25 feet. Adequate EVSE protection, such as
concrete-filled steel bollards, should be used where warranted.
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The City of Boston requires at minimum 5% of the provided electric vehicle charging station parking
spaces, but not less than one (1), shall be accessible and in compliance with the accessible parking
space requirements per 521 CMR 23.
(a) This requirement is per site.
(b) The accessible parking spaces for charging stations shall be above and beyond the
requirements for the number of accessible parking spaces required in 521 CMR 23.2. The
accessible electric vehicle charging parking space shall not be reserved for persons with
disabilities. The parking space may be reserved for electric vehicle charging.
V. REQUIRED CONNECTOR TYPES
Level 1 Connectors
Approved Level 1 connectors include standard 120V grounded outlets (NEMA 5-15, 5-20, or 5-30) and
SAE J1772.
Level 2 Connectors
Approved Level 2 connectors include SAE J1772 EV plug. Other Level 2 connector types will not be
considered for meeting the 25% EVSE-Installed requirement. However, the installation of other
connector types in addition to the required 25% EVSE-Installed requirement is not restricted. It may
be necessary to remove unapproved connector types in the future in order to install approved
connector types to fulfill future EVSE-Installed Requirements.
DCFC Connectors
For fast charging, the CHAdeMO and/or SAE Combo (also called CCS for “Combo Charging System”)
are the approved connector types. Other DCFC connector types will not be considered for meeting
the 25% EVSE-Installed requirement. However, the installation of other connector types in addition
to the required 25% EVSE-Installed requirement is not restricted.
VI. SAFE IMPLEMENTATION AND PERMITTING
Installation of a charging station associated with the new development project of a new residential or
non-residential property shall be processed in association with the underlying permit(s).
Installation of selected charger models must be:
I.
UL certified.
II.
Installed by a Massachusetts licensed electrician.
III.
Installed in compliance with NFPA 70, National Electric Code article 625 and applicable
Massachusetts electrical code adopted and enforced within the jurisdiction of installation.
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