Meeting Minutes: Land Use Committee
Meeting Date: September 18, 2025 Governing Body: City Council, Land Use Committee Type of Meeting: Committee Meeting (Remote Participation) Attendees:
- Councillor Lance Davis
- Councillor Naima Sait
- Councillor Jake Wilson
- Councillor Ben Ewen-Campen
- Councillor Matt McLaughlin
- Yasmin Radassi, Legislative Liaison, IGA
- Gavin, Somerville YIMBY
- Samantha, Planning Department
Executive Summary: The Land Use Committee convened to discuss several key items, including the approval of previous meeting minutes, a presentation on Type IV heavy timber construction, and updates on bike facility standards and transit-oriented development in Gilman Square. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to understanding the implications of mass timber construction for Somerville's housing and sustainability goals, with a community member providing an informational presentation. The committee also addressed a registered voter petition for a zoning text amendment, ultimately placing it on file. Progress was reported on the transit-oriented development plans for Gilman Square, with a phased approach outlined for feasibility analysis and draft map development.
1. Approval of the Minutes of the Land Use Committee Meeting of September 4th, 2025 (25-1402)
- Discussion: No discussion occurred.
- Vote:
- Motion: To approve the minutes.
- Outcome: Approved.
- Roll Call Vote:
- Councillor Davis: Yes
- Councillor Sait: Yes
- Councillor Ewen-Campen: Yes
- Councillor McLaughlin: Yes
- Result: 4 in favor, 0 against, 1 absent.
3. Discussion on Type Four Heavy Timber Construction (25-0246)
- Description: Request for the Director of Inspectional Services and the Director of Planning, Preservation and Zoning to discuss Type Four heavy timber construction, now permitted in the 10th Edition of Massachusetts State Building Code 780, and its potential impacts on inspections, development, and the zoning ordinance.
- Presentation: Gavin from Somerville YIMBY provided a presentation on mass timber construction.
- Key Points:
- Type Four construction refers to a specific type of mass timber construction in the Massachusetts building code, distinct from zoning.
- Mass timber uses large engineered wood panels, beams, and columns, allowing for structures 8 to 18 stories tall as of the 2021 International Building Code.
- Sustainability: Mass timber is inherently sustainable, fast to construct, and has a low embodied carbon footprint. A case study showed a 52% reduction in global warming impact compared to steel construction.
- Housing: It offers a solution for the "missing middle" density, providing a viable option between typical 5-story stick-built construction (Type 3A) and high-rise concrete/steel (Type 1).
- Urban Infill: Well-suited for tight urban infill sites due to prefabrication and efficient assembly.
- Policy Implications: Could be incentivized through zoning overlay districts to allow additional stories, accelerated permitting, and require community benefits.
- Key Points:
- Discussion:
- Councillor Ewen-Campen expressed interest in the technology and its potential for zoning.
- Councillor Davis highlighted the potential for increased flexibility in development and the historical precedent of large timber structures. He requested the law department and local zoning experts to assess what zoning changes are permissible given state preemption on building materials.
- Councillor Sait inquired about fire codes for mass timber construction, to which Gavin confirmed stringent adherence to U.S. fire codes.
- Yasmin Radassi (IGA) stated that ISD would not recommend zoning based on construction materials due to state building code preemption issues.
- Councillor Wilson clarified that the intent was not to specify materials in zoning but to explore how zoning could recognize new possibilities unlocked by mass timber for different districts.
- Samantha (Planning Department) acknowledged the state preemption concerns but expressed willingness to explore how zoning districts could be adapted to leverage this typology, potentially by creating more nuanced categories beyond current high-rise classifications.
- Councillor Sait suggested that the new materials might allow for taller buildings due to cost efficiency, rather than requiring specific material zoning.
- Outcome: Item marked as work complete. Councillor Wilson will follow up with planning staff offline regarding potential zoning adjustments.
2. Standards and Materials for Outdoor Bike Facilities (25-0338)
- Description: Request for the Director of Planning, Preservation and Zoning to provide an opinion on whether the City Council may dictate standards and materials used for outdoor bike facilities.
- Update: Yasmin Radassi (IGA) provided a verbal update on behalf of ISD.
- Key Point: ISD found no state building code preemption that would prevent the city from specifying materials for outdoor bike racks.
- Discussion: No discussion occurred.
- Outcome: Item marked as work complete. Councillor Wilson will follow up with Director Rosson offline.
4. Registered Voters Requesting a Zoning Text Amendment (25-0200)
- Description: 15 registered voters requesting a zoning text amendment to amend zoning ordinances sections 3.1.8C, 3.1.9C, 3.1.10C, 3.1.13 K, 3.1.13 L, 3.2.12 L, and 3.2.12 M.
- Discussion:
- Yasmin Radassi (IGA) indicated the item had timed out and needed to be discharged to the full council.
- Maddie (Clerk) confirmed the procedure to discharge without a recommendation.
- Vote (to discharge without recommendation):
- Outcome: Approved.
- Roll Call Vote:
- Councillor Davis: Yes
- Councillor Sait: Yes
- Councillor Wilson: Yes
- Councillor Ewen-Campen: Yes
- Councillor McLaughlin: Yes
- Result: 5 in favor, 0 against.
- Reconsideration: Councillor McLaughlin moved to reconsider the previous vote and place the item on file instead of discharging it without recommendation.
- Outcome (Reconsideration): Item placed on file.
5. Transit-Oriented Height and Density Bonuses for Affordable Housing and Community Benefits (25-0085)
- Description: Request for Councillor Davis and Councillor Wilson to draft an amendment to the zoning ordinances for transit-oriented height and density bonuses for additional affordable housing and other enumerated community benefits.
- Update: Samantha (Planning Department) provided a progress update.
- Phase 1: Feasibility Analysis (Current Stage):
- Reviewing building permit data since 2019 to determine average lot dimensions feasible for UR and MR construction types. This aims to balance density growth with property tax increase impacts from upzoning.
- Awaiting response from the Assessor's Office on tax implications of upzoning. An update is expected at the next meeting.
- Evaluating the need for a more in-depth fiscal impact analysis using the planning staff's in-house model.
- Next Steps for Phase 1: Bring back permitting data results (summary table) and Assessor's Office memo in two weeks.
- Phase 2: Draft Map Development:
- Proposing two to three draft maps for committee review and discussion.
- Scenarios will respond to feedback from the Gilman Square Neighborhood Council's proposal and discussions on incremental upzoning within the quarter-mile walkshed of Gilman Square T-stop (including properties on School Street and zoning for the home and site as civic use).
- Alignment Check: Engineering will be consulted to determine the impact of proposals on combined infrastructure (sewer/wastewater system).
- Next Steps for Phase 2: Bring back draft maps and engineering update for public hearing and discussion.
- Phase 1: Feasibility Analysis (Current Stage):
- Discussion: No discussion occurred.
- Outcome: Item left in committee.
Adjournment:
- Motion: Councillor Sait moved to adjourn.
- Outcome: Approved.
- Roll Call Vote:
- Councillor Davis: Yes
- Councillor Sait: Yes
- Councillor Wilson: Yes
- Councillor Ewen-Campen: Yes
- Councillor McLaughlin: Yes
- Result: 5 in favor, 0 against.
- Time: The meeting was adjourned.