Boston Zoning Commission Meetings

Said amendment would:  1) remove all outdated and overly restrictive text from Article 2 of the Code and replace it with updated text and definitions for childcare facilities drawn from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts General Laws and Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (“MA EEC”);  2) replace the terms “day care center” and “accessory family day care home” to the terms used by MA EEC: “child care center” and “accessory family child care home;”  3) replace all instances of “day care” in the entirety of the Code that related specifically to child care uses, to say “child care”;   4) in the underlying citywide code (Article 8) and each neighborhood article (Articles 38 through 73 and Article 90), change all instances when “child care center” and “accessory family child care home” are designated as Forbidden or Conditional, to now be designated as Allowed; and 5)  remove all instances of footnotes assigned to land use designations for “child care center” and “accessory family child care home” in the underlying citywide code (Article 8) and each neighborhood article (Articles 38 through 73 and Article 90). These footnotes are related to restrictions on dimensions and ground floor or basement limitations for childcare land uses that reduce the flexibility to create childcare facilities in several neighborhood subdistricts, further burdening potential childcare facility providers.

Said text amendment would amend Article 2(Definitions), Article 42B (Harborpark District:  Charlestown Waterfront), Article 58 (City Square Neighborhood District) and Article 62 (Charlestown Neighborhood District to codify the land use, design and dimensional regulations proposed in PLAN: Charlestown, and simplify and streamline the amended articles.  Said map amendment would “Map 2B/2C; Harborpark District:  Charlestown Waterfront,” “Map 2D, City Square Neighborhood District,” and “Map 2E, Charlestown Neighborhood District,” to consolidate the City Square Neighborhood District and the southern portion of the Charlestown General Industrial Subdistrict into the Charlestown Neighborhood District and establish new zoning subdistricts within the Charlestown Neighborhood District.   

Said amendment would amend “Map 2B/2C; Harborpark District:  Charlestown Waterfront,” by adding the designation “D,” indicating a Planned Development Area overlay to approximately 73,348 square feet (approximately 1.68 acres) of area known and numbered as 1 Mystic Avenue and bounded generally by Sherman Street to the west, the 3 Sherman Street lot and Temple Street (a private way) to the north, Dorrance Street to the East, and Mystic Avenue to the south.  Said Development Plan would allow for would allow for the construction of an up to 280-foot-high, 22-story multifamily residential building containing (i) approximately Five-Hundred and Three (503) dwelling units; (ii) ground-floor retail/restaurant and community space; (iii) accessory below-grade parking for approximately One-Hundred and Eleven (111) cars; and (iv) other typical supporting uses and facilities for a multifamily residential apartment project, such as off-street loading for building service and trash removal. In total, the Project will include up to 360,534 square feet of gross floor area, including approximately 8,900 square feet of supporting ground-floor lobby, retail / service / restaurant space, and shared-use amenity space distributed throughout the building.