Somerville planning board unanimously backs raising POR floor-area ratio to 30%

The Somerville Planning Board voted unanimously Sept. 10 to recommend that borough council raise the floor‑area ratio (FAR) in the POR zoning district from 0.25 (25%) to 0.30 (30%). The board made the recommendation following a presentation that explained FAR as the ratio of a building’s floor area to its lot size.

"Floor area ratio...limits the size of the structure or the square footage in relation to the lot," said Mike, the planning presenter. He told the board the change is intended to allow owners of older, smaller‑lot properties more flexibility to rehabilitate and reuse existing space without triggering frequent variance requests.

Board members said they favor a modest increase that would allow homeowners and small commercial property owners to use existing square footage — for example, finishing attics or basements that meet applicable building‑code standards — while maintaining neighborhood scale. The presenter noted some technical definitions in the land‑use ordinance, such as how basement area is counted (the transcript references a 7‑foot threshold), may need separate clarification alongside any FAR change.

A motion to forward the recommendation to borough council carried on a roll‑call vote, with Andrea Dare, Chris Addicks, Art Akins, Larry Cleveland, Jason Krauska, John Manilio, Mayor Gallagher, Council member Vroom and Chairperson Warner recorded as voting yes; no no votes or abstentions were recorded (9–0). The board will transmit the recommendation and supporting materials to council for its consideration.

Next steps include council review and any required public hearings at the council level; the planning board said a broader land‑use ordinance review and definitions update (windowless stories, basements, attic counting) will follow later this year or early next year.