Audio Version

Meeting Minutes: Land Use Committee

Meeting Date: June 24, 2025 Governing Body: Land Use Committee, City of Somerville Type of Meeting: Remote Participation Meeting Attendees: Councilor Jesse Clingan, Councilor Naima Sait, Councilor Jake Wilson, Councilor Ben Ewen-Campen, Councilor Matt McLaughlin. Absent: Councilor Lance Davis (pitch-hitting by Councilor Clingan).

Executive Summary

The Land Use Committee convened to discuss potential amendments to the zoning ordinances for transit-oriented height and density bonuses, specifically focusing on the Gilman Square area. The primary discussion revolved around a proposal from the Gilman Square Neighborhood Council for upzoning parcels along Medford and Pearl Street, including increasing density from Mid-Rise 4 to Mid-Rise 6, converting the Holman site to Mid-Rise 6, and expanding pedestrian street designations. Key concerns raised included the tax implications of upzoning for existing residents, the economic viability of new developments, and the potential for shadow and wind impacts from taller buildings. The committee requested further information from the Assessor's Office regarding tax implications and from the Inspectional Services Department (ISD) regarding readiness for Type 4 (mass timber) construction.

Official Meeting Agenda

1. Approval of Minutes

• Agenda Item: 125-1150, Approval of the minutes of the Land Use Committee meeting of June 17th, 2025.
• Discussion: No discussion.
• Vote: Roll Call Vote
  • Councilor Clingan: Yes
  • Councilor Sait: Yes
  • Councilor Wilson: Yes
  • Councilor Ewen-Campen: Yes
  • Councilor McLaughlin: Yes
• Outcome: Approved (5-0-0).

2. Communications (Items 2 and 3)

• Action: Moved to place items 2 and 3 on file.
• Discussion: No objections.
• Outcome: Items placed on file.

3. Items Held in Committee (Items 4, 5, and 6)

• Action: Moved to keep items 4, 5, and 6 in committee for future discussion.
• Discussion: Anticipated updates in a couple of weeks.
• Outcome: Items remain in committee.

4. Discussion: Transit-Oriented Height and Density Bonuses for Affordable Housing and Community Benefits

• Agenda Item: 725-0085 by Councilor McLaughlin, Councilor Davis, and Councilor Wilson: That the Director of Planning, Preservation, and Zoning draft an amendment to the zoning ordinances for transit-oriented height and density bonuses for additional affordable housing and other enumerated community benefits.
• Presentation by Samantha Carr, Land Use Analyst:
  • Focus: Upzoning in Gilman Square in the context of transit-oriented development.
  • Current Zoning: Mid-Rise 4 along Medford and Pearl Street; Mid-Rise 5 and Mid-Rise 6 along Broadway Street.
  • Gilman Square Neighborhood Council Proposal:
    • Designation of one additional fabrication district parcel (currently Mid-Rise 4).
    • Incremental upzoning from Mid-Rise 4 to Mid-Rise 6 along Medford and Pearl Street.
    • Conversion of the Holman site (currently Civic Space) to Mid-Rise 6.
    • Expanded pedestrian street designation along Medford and Pearl Street.
    • Proposed setbacks for Mid-Rise lots abutting Neighborhood Residential (NR) buildings: 10-foot front and side setbacks, 10-20 foot rear setback.
  • Contextualization with Past Work:
    • Pre-2019 Zoning Proposals: Gilman Square saw significant upzoning, including over 100 urban residential parcels and 48 parcels from Mid-Rise 4 to Mid-Rise 5.
    • Alignment with SomerVision:
      • Transform, Enhance, Conserve: Focus on enhancing parcels along Medford and Pearl Street near the Gilman Square T stop.
      • Values Alignment: Community (neighborhood-by-neighborhood approach), Growth (resilient economic base around transit), Sustainable (varied and affordable housing options).
      • Implementation Priorities: Reduce vehicle miles traveled, maximize Green Line infrastructure investment, promote mixed-use development.
      • Topic Areas: Environment, Commercial Development, Business and the Arts, Housing (increasing supply).
    • Alignment with Gilman Square Station Area Plan (2014):
      • Fill in gaps and encourage redevelopment of underutilized sites.
      • Promote attainable housing (20% affordable housing requirement remains).
      • Reform zoning regulations for economic growth.
  • Recommendations for Exploration:
    • Potential to upzone select parcels adjacent to the train station to High-Rise designation (e.g., Holman site massing study).
    • Expanding incremental upzoning (e.g., Urban Residential (UR) designation for NR parcels adjacent to Mid-Rise, or phasing from Mid-Rise 6 to Mid-Rise 4 along Pearl, Walnut, and Medford Streets).
    • Judicious approach to expanding pedestrian street designation due to ground-floor commercial requirements and potential for vacant storefronts.
    • Consideration of trade-offs between upzoning and tax increases on naturally occurring affordable housing units.
    • Mechanisms to incentivize public assets (furniture, lighting, pedestrian infrastructure).
• Discussion:
  • Councilor McLaughlin clarified that the current discussion is theoretical, and any formal proposal would involve public hearings.
  • The focus on Gilman Square is due to existing appetite for upzoning and to complement the city's work on the Broadway corridor.
  • Councilor Wilson expressed support for starting with Gilman Square and favored height around T stations, Mid-Rise 6 in the general area, and Urban Residential (UR) around that. He requested information from the Assessor's Office on tax implications of upzoning.
  • Councilor Ewen-Campen noted that the Holman site redevelopment is not solely a zoning issue but also involves city ownership and ongoing challenges. He emphasized the need for a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood and questioned why previous upzonings haven't led to groundbreaking, suggesting market factors are at play. He seconded the request for information from the Assessor's Office regarding tax increases, especially for NR parcels upzoned to UR. He also suggested considering UR for NR parcels on School Street across from the field.
  • Director Dan Bartman (Planning, Preservation and Zoning Division) expressed encouragement for discussing upzoning neighborhood parcels not directly on main streets, particularly using the UR zoning district to avoid non-conforming issues for existing buildings. He highlighted the need to consider current economic conditions when drafting proposals to ensure buildable projects. He mentioned upcoming housing needs assessment studies that will provide economic insights.
  • Director Bartman also noted that the original board order from Councilor McLaughlin discussed additional affordable housing and community benefits for higher buildings and density.
  • Councilor Sait inquired about potential downsides to upzoning beyond tax increases. Director Bartman identified:
    • Shadowing: Taller buildings can cast shadows on adjacent properties, requiring modeling.
    • Wind: High-rise buildings can create unpleasant pedestrian experiences due to redirected wind, requiring wind tunnel analysis.
    • Reflectivity: Exterior materials of buildings near train stations must not cause glare for train operators, as seen with the D2.3 building in Union Square.
  • Ms. Carr asked for thoughts on the pedestrian street designation, but no immediate feedback was provided.
  • Councilor Wilson noted that Type 4 (mass timber) construction could unlock financial viability for 8-15 story buildings, filling a "donut hole" between 6-story and 20-story high-rises. He suggested this could necessitate new high-rise zoning districts or more precise coding for specific heights.
  • Councilor McLaughlin requested a staff memo from ISD confirming readiness for Type 4 construction.
• Requests for Next Steps:
  • Liaison to inquire with the Assessor's Office for a presentation or memo on tax implications of upzoning for the next meeting.
  • Liaison to inquire with ISD for a memo on readiness for Type 4 (mass timber) construction and its implications for zoning.
  • Consider keeping the Holman site zoned Civic Space.
  • Explore upzoning NR parcels on School Street to UR.
  • Begin drafting a formal proposal for upzoning in Gilman Square.
  • Director Bartman to share information from a mass timber presentation.
  • Director Bartman announced a community event on September 23rd with Councilor Sait to review the Broadway corridor upzoning study.

5. Adjournment

• Action: Councilor Wilson moved to adjourn.
• Discussion: Clarification that items 2 and 3 (communications) are marked as "worked completed." Remaining items stay in committee.
• Vote: Roll Call Vote
  • Councilor Clingan: Yes
  • Councilor Sait: Yes
  • Councilor Wilson: Yes
  • Councilor Ewen-Campen: Absent
  • Councilor McLaughlin: Yes
• Outcome: Adjourned (4-0-1).