Index of Design Guidelines

• Cambridgeport Blue Ribbon Committee Report - 1986. Final report from the Blue Ribbon Committee on Cambridgeport Revitalization. Report focuses on land use, housing and urban design issues, with additional attention to open space, traffic and employment opportunities. Reference in Zoning Ordinance: Article 15.12.
• Draft Central Square Development Guidelines and Central Square Action Plan - 1989. Criteria for the review of proposed development projects within the Central Square area by the Central Square Advisory Committee. To be used with the Central Square Action Plan. Reference in Zoning Ordinance: Article 20.300.
• Concord Alewife Design Guidelines - 2006. Criteria intended to guide character of future development in the Concord-Alewife Study Area developed by the Concord Alewife Study Committee and adopted by the City Council.
• East Cambridge Development Review Process and Guidelines - 1985. Specific urban design principles and land use plans for the former industrial area of East Cambridge, covering the triangle from the First and Second Streets to the Charles River. Reference in Zoning Ordinance: Articles 13.30, 13.40 and 13.50.
• Eastern Cambridge Design Guidelines - 2003. Adopted by the City Council in October 2001 as part of the Eastern Cambridge rezoning. This document guides the character of future development in Eastern Cambridge. The Planning Board uses these guidelines to evaluate special permit applications within the area bounded by Windsor Street on the west, the Cambridge/Somerville boundary on the north, the Charles River, O'Brien Highway, Cambridge Street, and First Street on the east and Main Street on the south. Reference in Zoning Ordinance: Article 19.25.2.
• Draft Harvard Square Development Guidelines - 2002. Guidance for future, incremental growth and change in the Harvard Square Overlay District, pertaining to new construction and renovation. Reference in Zoning Ordinance: Article 20.50.
• Harvard University Letter of Commitment for Ordinance No. 1269 - 2004. Agreement by Harvard University to implement the provisions of Ordinance 1269 as they pertain to Special Districts 12, 13 and 14. Reference in Zoning Ordinance: Articles 17.305, 17.505 and 17.506.
  • Cambridge Ordinance Number 1269
• North Massachusetts Avenue Urban Design Guidelines Handbook - 1986. Guidelines for the business zoning district along Massachusetts Avenue from Harvard Square to the Arlington border. Used by the Planning Board to evaluate proposals for renovations, new construction and other changes to the area. Reference in Zoning Ordinance: Article 20.100.
• North Point Guidelines - 2004. The North Point Design Guidelines compose an area-specific refinement of the Eastern Cambridge Design Guidelines, developed as part of the Article 19 and Planned Unit Development (PUD) special permits for the Spaulding & Slye/North Point project. The PUD for the project, granted in April 2003, envisions a long-term build out for the approximately 5 million square foot project. The North Point Design Guidelines will guide redevelopment in the PUD. The Planning Board and the Community Development Department will use the guidelines to help evaluate individual buildings as they receive design review.
  • Full version of North Point Guidelines, including graphics (very large file, 15 MB)
  • Text only version of North Point Guidelines (102 KB)
  • Copies of the full set of guidelines are available for review in the Community Development Department offices.
• South Cambridgeport Development Guidelines - 1992. Supplement provisions of the Zoning Ordinance for Planning Board special permit projects granted south of Pacific Street and west of Albany Street. Reference in Zoning Ordinance: Articles 17.50 through 17.200.
• University Park at MIT: Urban Design Guidelines - 1987. Agreed upon guidelines between the developer and the City for development in the Cambridgeport Revitalization Development District. Guidelines lay out overall objectives for the districts, as well as building heights, locations and uses at specific locations. Reference in Zoning Ordinance: Article 15.00. Only print copy available at this time.

Other Citywide Guidelines

• Design Guidelines for Dormers - 1996. Prepared by the Board of Zoning Appeals to help property owners, and the design and building professionals working them, create dormers that increase the living space of an attic story while retaining the basic design integrity of building and roof lines.
• Institutional Growth Management Plan - 1981. Assesses the relative impact on residential neighborhoods of a wide range of institutional uses and serves as a guide to the Board of Zoning Appeal when it is considering the issuance of a special permit under the provisions of the Institutional Use Regulations contained in Section 4.50.