CDD Presents Zoning Suggestions

As developers line up with large-scale building projects for the city's approval, the Cambridge City Council yesterday heard a series of preliminary suggestions aiming to overhaul some of Cambridge's troublesome zoning regulations.

With the October 1999 expiration of the city's Interim Planning Overlay Petition (IPOP) amendment looming, the council met in a special round table discussion to consider ways to integrate commercial zones and residential housing better. The IPOP amendment governs much of the city's approach to large scale commercial development.

The city's Community Development Department (CDD), in conjunction with a committee created by the council itself, presented a series of preliminary proposals to the council-essentially a timetable of suggestions that will receive further attention later this year.

The department hopes the council will consider facilitating housing development in areas that are currently zoned for commercial usage, as well as cutting red tape for developers who wish to build residential-commercial structures.

With the lack of affordable housing in Cambridge, the city needs to free up more space in commercial sites for residential use to create a "higher ratio of housing units to jobs," the CDD reported.

In addition, the plan calls on the city to encourage developers to reduce the amount of parking they provide in new projects, in the hope of discouraging commuting by car and reducing traffic.

Beth Rubenstein, acting assistant city manager of community development, told the council that the suggestions reflect a goal of changing the zoning system to better reflect the "desired Cambridge of the future."

The proposals took shape after the CDD analyzed input that was compiled from community workshops and questionnaires begun in February. The council will consider revised versions of the CDD's proposals in the summer months and beyond.

City council members offered initially positive reaction to the preliminary sug- gestions, but voiced some concern that theregulations may try to tackle too much, tooquickly.

"Too often we take giant steps when we shouldbe taking baby steps," said Councillor HenriettaDavis.

The council's discussion focused less on thespecifics of the proposals and more on thosepersistent problems the plan attempts to address,including alleviating traffic and creating moreaffordable housing.

The council will formally vote on the first setof recommendations this fall as the IPOP amendmentexpires

"Too often we take giant steps when we shouldbe taking baby steps," said Councillor HenriettaDavis.

The council's discussion focused less on thespecifics of the proposals and more on thosepersistent problems the plan attempts to address,including alleviating traffic and creating moreaffordable housing.

The council will formally vote on the first setof recommendations this fall as the IPOP amendmentexpires