Table of Contents

Active Transportation

The city’s zoning code requires long-term bicycle parking for the development of a wide range of uses and define the facility as secure storage (§6.102.5). Cambridge sets long-term bicycle parking minimums for developments of residential uses above R-1 as well as non-residential uses, including parking garages. Thresholds vary by use, with offices and schools having the lowest threshold at 3,333 sq. ft. The long-term parking facility requirements are outlined in §6.102.5: Types of Bicycle Parking. Here, they define secure rooms, bike lockers, etc. as suitable.

Housing Supply Planning

The city's zoning ordinance encourages increasing housing supply and affordable options for all by enacting mandatory inclusionary housing. It applies mandatory inclusionary requirements to Inclusionary Housing Projects, defined as residential development of at least 10 dwelling units or 10,000 SF of residential gross floor area (Article 2.000).

Inclusionary Housing

The city’s zoning ordinance addresses inclusionary housing (§11.203). It applies mandatory inclusionary requirements to Inclusionary Housing Projects, defined as residential development of at least 10 dwelling units or 10,000 SF of residential gross floor area (Article 2.000).

Inclusionary Housing Projects are subject to an affordability requirement of 20 percent of total dwelling unit net floor area within the project. Standards for affordable dwelling units address on-site construction, similarity to market-rate units, access to common areas and amenities, unit dispersal, and ratios of bedroom mix and rental to owner-occupied units. The code addresses eligibility standards for unit rentals and sales. Offsets include increases in allowable gross floor area and number of units. The code also establishes an affordable housing trust fund.

The city’s Inclusionary Housing Program for Developers and Inclusionary Housing for Program Managers websites provide additional resources and documentation on this topic. 

Innovation Districts

The city’s zoning code includes a special-purpose zoning district for the Kendall Square innovation district (§14.10 et seq.). It explains requirements for innovation spaces (§14.32.5), active ground floors (§14.38), open space (§14.40), and pedestrian ways(§14.45). Additionally it incentivizes projects that activate public spaces along Main Street through increases in gross floor area for improvements that enhance public interaction (§14.72.3).