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The Zoning Guide:
A User Guide to the City of Cambridge Zoning Ordinance
Please note that the Zoning Guide does not in any way replace the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance. The Zoning Guide provides an overview of the Ordinance and seeks to explain some of the more technical concepts in language accessible to the layman.
V. How Zoning Affects Existing Buildings
When a use or structure does not conform to the regulations or requirements of the Zoning Ordinance for the district in which it is located, but was in existence and lawful at the time the applicable provisions of the Zoning Ordinance became effective, the use or structure is said to be nonconforming.
Any lawful structure or use that is made nonconforming by a change in the Zoning Ordinance will be allowed to continue indefinitely. However, any significant alteration, expansion, or change in that structure or use must first be approved by the Board of Zoning Appeal. Either a special permit or variance is required depending on the location of the property and the requested modification. If a portion of an existing nonconforming structure is damaged by fire or other accident, that structure may be rebuilt and the use restored, provided that the total damage is less than 50% of the replacement value of the building. If the damage is in excess of 50%, the building may only be replaced with a conforming structure and/or use. Any nonconforming use which has been abandoned or not used for a period of two years cannot later return.
There are many nonconforming uses and structures in Cambridge. One reason is that zoning was not established in the City until 1924 when many existing uses or structures then became nonconforming. Another reason is that a number of zoning amendments adopted since 1924 have made other uses and structures nonconforming.
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