Medford officials review draft rezoning for Medford Square, call for further study on height, shadows and traffic

Medford City Council Planning and Permanent Committee members reviewed a draft rezoning map for Medford Square on March 26, as consultants from Innis Associates walked the committee through proposed mixed‑use subdistricts, building heights and cross‑section studies intended to implement goals from the city's comprehensive plan and Climate Action and Adaptation Plan.

The proposal creates a graduated set of mixed‑use districts for the square (labeled in the draft as "mixed use 1," "2a," "2b" and "3") where allowable building heights and incentive zoning vary by subdistrict. Paola (Pablo) Ramos Martinez, senior urban planner and designer with Innis Associates, described the rationale for the changes and presented street sections that show how topography could be used to hide parking and reduce perceived building bulk.

Why it matters: the draft would make additional height and density possible near Medford Square and along connecting corridors. That could provide new housing and commercial space while changing the square's street profile and potentially its relationship to adjacent residential neighborhoods. Committee members said the maps are a first draft and stressed the need for more targeted study before zoning text is…