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Somerville Planning Board forwards sidewalk-cafe, inclusionary and land-use checklist amendments and agrees ECBD addendum with 70-foot cap
Summary
The board recommended sending revised sidewalk-cafe rules, an amendment clarifying redeveloper designation for projects ≥5,000 sq ft, and an inclusionary-housing overlay to council. It also directed staff to draft an ECBD addendum for specific lots with a 70-foot maximum overall building height for that peeled-off area.
At its Nov. 12 meeting the Somerville Planning Board voted to forward several ordinance recommendations to borough council and discussed a targeted amendment to the Eastern Central Business District (ECBD) redevelopment plan.
Planner Mike reviewed ordinance 2774, intended to tighten sidewalk-cafe permitting in the Special Improvement District. The ordinance would increase the minimum clear travel width on sidewalks from three to four feet, set clearer application windows for seasonal cafes, and require that furniture and storage not be left in the public cafe area. The board suggested language edits to remove double negatives and to make explicit that curb-adjacent seating cannot involve waiter service or alcohol sales; members voted to forward the recommended changes to council for introduction.
The board endorsed a small wording change to ordinance 2777 (chapter 10269 land-use checklist) so that projects of 5,000 square feet or more "shall require a redeveloper designation by borough council," clarifying the council’s role in redevelopment designations. The board also found ordinance 2779 — an inclusionary overlay requiring affordable housing obligations for developments of five or more units across the borough — to be consistent with the master plan and recommended it to council.
On zoning policy, the board discussed amendments to the B5 highway strip-center zone to permit certain education-related uses (computer training, fine-arts instruction, professional development) but recommended excluding elementary and secondary schools in that district; staff will forward recommended SIC/NIC classifications to council.
A major policy discussion focused on the ECBD redevelopment re-examination. Board members agreed to 'peel off' a specific area tied to a developer concept and to prepare a short addendum amending bulk standards for those lots (rather than finalize the entire ECBD at once). Key points the board directed staff to include in the addendum: a maximum overall building height of 70 feet inclusive of parapet and decorative finishes for the peeled-off area, safeguards for setbacks and sightlines (especially at the Veterans Memorial Drive/East Main Street curve), and explicit language that any development on those lots must comply with the borough’s affordable-housing/fair-share obligations. The board asked staff to return a final addendum and map for review at the Dec. 10 meeting so the planning board can make a formal recommendation to council.
Planner Mike also reminded the board that the borough must update its stormwater ordinance to align with the Department of Environmental Protection model; the board agreed to prioritize stormwater policy review and to delay full discussion of the tree ordinance until after the new year to manage workload.
The board closed business with a brief ARB report (a sign at 181 West Main was acceptable) and no public comments.
