Community Development > Central Square Rezoning

Central Square Rezoning

Image of people placing items on Study Area Map

The Community Development Department (CDD) is leading a community process to update zoning for Central Square to allow for and encourage the continued growth, redevelopment, and evolution of the district. Guided by community goals identified in prior planning efforts, zoning recommendations will focus on increasing housing, creating public spaces to build community, and supporting our diverse retail, cultural, and non-profit community.

The Latest

Information on the first Community Meeting is coming soon!

Please check back for information regarding the timing and format of our first Community Meeting, which will introduce the project process and timeline, the goals and expectations, and methods for sharing your thoughts and ideas. Meeting updates and information will also be shared via email with everyone who has signed up for the project-specific email list.

Community Engagement

An inclusive and wide-reaching engagement program offers many ways to have your voice heard.

Public meetings: Three public meetings will be held with the goals of gathering community insights, listening to ideas and concerns, and providing information and updates about the project and its progress. These will occur monthly throughout the spring on:

Community Meeting #1 Outlining the project background, process, goals, and timing
Community Meeting #2 Discussing possible scenarios and trade-offs
Community Meeting #3 Reviewing draft recommendations and next steps

Focus Groups with Key Stakeholders: Smaller meetings with key stakeholders will provide additional opportunities for public feedback.

Online Engagement: To reach people who cannot always attend in-person meetings, an online mapping platform will allow community members to provide spatially located feedback and insights.

Community Engagement Team (CET): CDD’s CET team works to reach underserved Cambridge residents through focus groups and surveys. The CET’s outreach workers are community members from the American-born Black, Bangladeshi, Chinese, Ethiopian, Haitian, Somali, Spanish, and Arabic speaking communities.

Project Schedule

The graphic schedule highlights key stages and timelines for the project. See the schedule larger here.

Project Schedule

Project Study Area

The study area map highlights the initial area of focus for this project. This boundary may change based on community and stakeholder feedback throughout the project. See the Map larger here.

Map of Central Square Rezoning Study Area