Porter Square and Lower Massachusetts Avenue Study

• Study Description
• Public Process Materials
• Resources
• For More Information

Study Description

In response to community interest, the Community Development Department held a series of meetings, inviting members of the community to discuss issues related to the part of the Massachusetts Avenue corridor extending from the Porter Square area southward to Everett Street. The Community Development Department developed a proposal to address two major issues discussed at the meetings: (1) zoning changes that would help to support Massachusetts Avenue as a vibrant retail corridor, and (2) working with the community and the MBTA to develop a vision for the potential air rights development above Porter Square Station.

At its July 19, 2005 meeting, the Cambridge Planning Board voted to submit to the City Council a zoning petition addressing retail use in residential districts and ground floor retail in commercial districts. The zoning petition that was submitted to the City Council can be downloaded below.

• Lower Mass Ave Zoning Petition - July 27, 2005 (358 KB)

The Planning Board held a public hearing for this petition on September 20, 2005. The Planning Board submitted its recommendation regarding the petition to the City Council on November 1, 2005. That recommendation can be downloaded below.

• Planning Board Recommendation on Zoning Petition - November 1, 2005

The City Council's Ordinance Committee held a public hearing on September 21, 2005. The zoning petition expired December 20, 2005.

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Public Process Materials

These files are in PDF format and require use of the free Adobe Acrobat viewer.

• Meeting 1. February 5, 2004
  • Meeting Agenda
• Meeting 2. April 8, 2004
  • Meeting Agenda
• Meeting 3. June 10, 2004
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Summary of Zoning Changes Under Consideration
  • MBTA Air Right Vision
• Zoning Discussion: Allowing Retail on Mass Ave Everett-to-Wendell: July 19, 2004
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Handout: Allowing Retail Use in Residential Districts
  • Map: Massachusetts Avenue Overlay District Everett St. to Wendell St. (181 KB)
• Cambridge Planning Board: October 19, 2004 Potential zoning changes intended to support retail along the "Lower Mass Ave" corridor were discussed at this meeting, but no formal petition has been submitted.
  • Handout to Planning Board
• Cambridge Planning Board: April 5, 2005

  • Summary Handout
  • Memo to Planning Board #1
  • Memo to Planning Board #2
• Rezoning Petition Submitted to City Council: April 20, 2005
• Cambridge Planning Board: May 3, 2005
  • Package of Handouts, including summary of recommendations, summary of existing Lower Mass Ave businesses, illustrative development examples, and listing of non-residential ground-floor uses (188 KB)
  • Map of Lower Mass Ave Retail Sites (457 KB)
• Cambridge Planning Board: June 7, 2005
  • Complete Handout, including summary of zoning recommendations, statement of objectives, illustrative zoning text, and a listing of ground-floor uses.
• Cambridge Planning Board: June 21, 2005
  • Summary Sheet of Zoning Options (updated)
  • Zoning Text with changes based on discussion from June 7
  • Illustrative Development Examples showing the effects of alternative zoning approaches
• Cambridge Planning Board: July 19, 2005
  • Cover Memo
  • Zoning Text with changes based on discussion from June 21
  • Locus Map of Massachusetts Avenue Overlay District highlighting "Lower Mass Ave" area
  • List of Ground Floor Non-residential Uses
• Rezoning Petition Submitted to City Council: July 27, 2005 (358 KB)
• City Council Ordinance #1286 (from April 20, 2005 Rezoning Petition): September 12, 2005
• Planning Board Recommendation on Zoning Petition: November 1, 2005

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Resources

These files are in PDF format and require use of the free Adobe Acrobat viewer.

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For More Information

For more information, please contact either Taha Jennings, Neighborhood Planner, tjennings@cambridgema.gov, at 617/349-4603, or Jeff Roberts, jroberts@cambridgema.gov, Neighborhood Planner at 617/349-4639. The Community Development Department TTY line is 617/349-4621.

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