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Eastern Cambridge Planning Study
Study Description
A comprehensive planning study of Eastern Cambridge, conducted during an 18-month development moratorium, created a vision for the study area, addressed concerns about the impacts of excessive development, and identified strategies to realize the vision. The study area was 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.
To guide this planning process, the City Manager appointed an eighteen-member committee including neighborhood residents, representatives of Eastern Cambridge businesses and institutions, and City staff. This committee worked closely with a team of professional planning consultants led by Goody, Clancy & Associates to address a variety of planning concerns. Issues addressed included urban design, open space, land use, zoning, transportation, economic development and employment.
The zoning recommendations the Committee forwarded to the Planning Board in April 2001 serve as the basis for the Eastern Cambridge Rezoning adopted by the City Council in October 2001. The resulting zoning changes are incorporated into the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance. Also adopted by the Council are the Eastern Cambridge Design Guidelines, which provide information about the desired character of future development in this area and will be referenced by the Planning Board when reviewing future projects within the study area.
Eastern Cambridge Planning Study Report
The report of the Eastern Cambridge Planning Study, issued in October 2001, is a collaborative effort of the Eastern Cambridge Planning Study Committee, City staff, and a team of consultants led by Goody Clancy Associates. The report includes the Eastern Cambridge Planning Study Committee’s zoning and non-zoning recommendations for the Study Area, as well as visions for specific focus areas: North Point, the Volpe Center area, the transition areas, and the residential neighborhoods. The Report serves as a reference for developers, property owners, and the Planning Board to guide future development in the eastern part of the City. Printed copies of the report are available for $40 each.
These files are in PDF format and require use of the free Adobe Acrobat viewer.
- Entire Planning Study Report (5 MB)
- Download report in sections:
Eastern Cambridge Design Guidelines
Eastern Cambridge Design Guidelines were 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 and is used by the Planning Board in its evaluation of special permit applications within the area.
- Eastern Cambridge Design Guidelines.This file is in PDF format and requires use of the free Adobe Acrobat viewer.
- Presentation to the Planning Board of the Eastern Cambridge Design guidelines
North Point Guidelines
The North Point Design Guidelines comprise 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 the character of development 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. These files are in PDF format and require use of the free Adobe Acrobat viewer.
- Full version of North Point Guidelines, including graphics (15 MB)
- Text only version of North Point Guidelines (102 KB)
Eastern Cambridge Rezoning Petition from Planning Board to City Council
On June 18, 2001 the Planning Board submitted the Eastern Cambridge Rezoning Petition to the City Council. This petition derives from the zoning proposals developed by the Committee and forwarded to the Planning Board in April 2001. The text of the petition is available below. Zoning changes based on these recommendations were adopted in October 2001. For the final zoning language as passed by the City Council, please refer to the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance.
These files are in PDF format and require use of the free Adobe Acrobat viewer.
- Full text of petition and all maps in a single file (6.3 MB)
- Text only version (no maps) (318 KB)
- Download petition in sections:
Review
the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance
Committee Working Materials
These files are in PDF format and require use of the free Adobe Acrobat viewer.
- Draft Vision Statement - December 1, 2000
- Draft Goals for Study - January 15, 2001
- Map of Study Area (521 KB)
- Committee Members (HTML)
- Background Maps
- Analysis Maps
Comprehensive Planning Award
The Eastern Cambridge Planning Study was awarded the Comprehensive Planning Award for 2001 by the American Planning Association's Massachusetts Chapter. The award was given to the Cambridge Community Development Department, Eastern Cambridge Planning Study Committee, Cambridge Planning Board and Goody, Clancy & Associates.
For More Information
For more information about the Eastern Cambridge Planning Study please contact Iram Farooq, ifarooq@cambridgema.gov, at 617/349-4606. The Community Development Department TTY line is 617/349-4621.
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