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Somerville begins re‑examination of East Central Business District; county parcel study to inform redevelopment standards
Summary
The Planning Board tasked staff to study county-owned parcels in the ECBD and to update redevelopment bulk standards and transfer-of-development-rights (TDR) tools; board members said the re-exam should consider subareas and current conditions rather than using a single, unchanged overlay.
The board continued a re-examination of the East Central Business District (ECBD) and asked staff to study whether county-owned parcels between Grove, Mechanic and East Main should be added to the ECBD re-examination. Mike briefed the board on the charge and recommended analyzing blocks and lots individually rather than treating the ECBD as a single, uniform overlay.
Board members said previous tools — including a transfer-of-development-rights (TDR) program designed to move density out of flood-prone areas — had not taken hold and that the current re-examination is a chance to refine bulk standards, incentives and the geographic extent of the redevelopment plan. One member recommended rolling the county parcel study into a broader ECBD review so the board can propose updated standards that reflect the last 15–20 years of development.
Staff will produce an area‑in‑need report and recommend whether to include or exclude specific parcels; if the county parcel qualifies, the board will discuss redevelopment standards for that block and consider how to deploy TDRs or other incentives to preserve green space, reduce flood exposure and spur desired development. The board plans to return to these topics at upcoming meetings as part of the master plan update effort.
