Somerville Presents Zoning Amendments to Advance Local Arts, Climate Tech, and Innovation
Establishing an Arts and Innovation Subarea within the Master Plan Development Overlay District that would allow for growth and scale at Somernova.
On Thursday, March 20, 2025 the City of Somerville’s Land Use Committee held a joint Public Hearing with the Somerville Planning Board. The meeting was accessible both virtually and in-person at the Somerville City Hall.
At the meeting, Dan Bartman, Interim Director of the Department of Planning, Preservation and Zoning for Somerville, presented the following four proposed zoning amendments, based on the Central Somerville Ave. planning that took place during the Fall of 2024:
Amending the current Arts and Creative Enterprise (ACE) zoning to include art studios, arts education, art exhibition and sales, and artist housing, as well as recategorize co-working spaces and incubators to office uses.
Amending the research and development category by separating biomedical lab uses from general R&D and removing “lab building” designations.
Generating a new R&D zoning district that supports mid-scale commercial development for climate tech innovation, including Greentown Labs and MIT’s The Engine.
Establishing an Arts and Innovation Subarea within the Master Plan Development Overlay District that would allow for growth and scale at Somernova.
Following the presentation, the Land Use Committee and Planning Board heard public comment from 87 stakeholders on the proposed zoning amendments filed by Somerville’s Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development. These comments and voices offered a wide-range of diverse perspectives on the project that all shared in their alignment for a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) and Project Labor Agreement prior to the Zoning vote.
The Rafi team has signed a Project Labor Agreement with the Greater Boston Labor Council and is in the process of finalizing the community’s requested Community Benefits Agreement with the Union Square Neighborhood Council.
More information on the Arts & Innovation Subarea Zoning as put forth by the City of Somerville can be found in our previous blog post here.
