Land Use Committee

October 2, 2025
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Meeting Minutes: Land Use Committee

Meeting Date: October 5, 2025 Governing Body: City Council Land Use Committee Type of Meeting: Committee Meeting (Remote Participation) Attendees:

  • Councilor Lance Davis
  • Councilor Naima Sait
  • Councilor Jake Wilson
  • Councilor Ben Ewen-Campen
  • Councilor Matt McLaughlin
  • Sarah Silver (Clerk)
  • Samantha Carr (Land Use Analyst)
  • Dan Bartman (Director of Planning Preservation and Zoning)

Executive Summary: The Land Use Committee convened to approve previous meeting minutes and receive an update on the feasibility analysis for an amendment to the zoning ordinances concerning transit-oriented height and density bonuses for affordable housing and other community benefits. The update focused on Phase 1 findings regarding urban residential and mid-rise permitting data, lot dimensions, and the ongoing fiscal impact analysis. Discussions included the impact of lot depth on development potential and the concept of adjacency bonuses for zoning.

1. Approval of Minutes of the Land Use Committee Meeting of September 18, 2025

  • Discussion: The committee reviewed the minutes from the previous meeting.
  • Motion: Councilor Davis moved for approval of the minutes.
  • Vote:
    • Councilor Davis: Yes
    • Councilor Wilson: Yes
    • Councilor Ewen-Campen: Yes
    • Councilor Sait: Yes
    • Councilor McLaughlin: Yes
  • Outcome: The minutes were approved unanimously (5-0-0).

2. 225-0085: That the Director of Planning Preservation and Zoning draft an amendment to the zoning ordinances for transit-oriented height and density bonuses for additional affordable housing and other enumerated Community benefits.

  • Presenter: Samantha Carr, Land Use Analyst

  • Status Update - Phase 1 Feasibility Analysis:

    • Review of Permitting Data:
      • Completed review of urban residential and mid-rise permitting data since 2019.
      • Analyzed approximately 20 urban residential projects and 25 mid-rise projects.
      • Data points included unit count, floor plate, building width, and lot coverage.
      • Key Findings:
        • Urban residential buildings yielded an average of 29 units.
        • Mid-rise 3 buildings yielded an average of 14-15 units.
        • Mid-rise 4 buildings yielded an average of 21 units.
        • Mid-rise 5 buildings showed a range of 18 to 59 units, with significant variance between mixed-use and solely residential typologies.
        • Mid-rise 6 buildings yielded the highest average of 81 units.
        • Denser projects (Mid-rise 4, 5, 6) require larger lot sizes:
          • Mid-rise 4 and 5: Minimum building widths of 48 feet to 117 feet.
          • Mid-rise 6: Larger lot sizes, around 200 feet per project.
        • A fair amount of observed projects occurred on corner lots.
    • Assessor's Office Memo:
      • An attachment was provided with a status update.
      • The Assessor's Office is undergoing revaluations and will have more capacity for committee questions by late October/early November.
    • Fiscal Impact Analysis:
      • Currently in process.
      • Focusing on a scenario comparing fiscal impacts of neighborhood residential lots versus conversion to urban residential on those parcels.
    • Next Steps:
      • Begin Phase 2 of the analysis.
      • Targeting draft maps for discussion at the next meeting.

  • Committee Discussion and Questions:

    • Councilor Wilson: Suggested considering school catchment areas and enrollment numbers in the analysis to account for potential impacts on K-8 schools, especially regarding family retention in Somerville.
    • Chair (Councilor McLaughlin):
      • Lot Depth and Upzoning: Recalled previous discussions regarding East Broadway upzoning, where shallow lots required adjacent properties for effective development. Asked if this remains the best policy and if "adjacency bonuses" (where an NR property next to an MR6 property could become MR6 if acquired by the same developer) could be explored.
      • Samantha Carr's Response: Will research "adjacency bonuses" and peer comparators.
      • Dan Bartman's Response:
        • Confirmed the importance of lot depth for efficient apartment building development (typically requiring 65-70 feet for a double-loaded corridor).
        • Acknowledged that shallow lots fronting main streets often necessitate including properties behind them for viable redevelopment.
        • Cited the Lindell's site in Ball Square as a real-world example where including adjacent lots facilitated redevelopment.
        • Stated that the Planning Department is actively asking these questions for potential upzoning in Gilman Square and the Broadway Corridor zoning study.
        • Expressed caution regarding "adjacency bonuses" due to Massachusetts legal constructs, where the City Council must retain control over zoning map changes. Will investigate further.

  • Outcome: The item remains in committee for further discussion and updates. The committee plans to continue meeting bi-weekly until a public hearing is warranted.

Adjournment:

  • Motion: Councilor Wilson moved to adjourn.
  • Vote:
    • Councilor Davis: Yes
    • Councilor Sait: Yes
    • Councilor Wilson: Yes
    • Councilor Ewen-Campen: Yes
    • Councilor McLaughlin: Yes
  • Outcome: The meeting was adjourned unanimously (5-0-0).

Last updated: Oct 6, 2025

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