Thanks to your action earlier this month, the City Council Ordinance Committee heard a clear message: Cambridge residents support zoning that will bring more affordable housing and transit-oriented development to Central Square.
Now it's the Planning Board's turn to consider the proposal from Normandy Partners/Twining Properties to build a mixed residential and commercial development that would add more affordable housing just steps from the Central Square T.
HOW CAN YOU TAKE ACTION?
We need you to send the Planning Board a strong message by:
1. Attending next week's Planning Board meeting to publicly testify in support of the Normandy/Twining proposal:
- Tuesday, 2/24 at 7:00 P.M. in the Second Floor Meeting room at 344 Broadway
2. If you cannot attend the meeting, email the Planning Board by Tuesday to register your support for this proposal. Even if you can attend, consider sending an email to reinforce your support:
- Address to Chairman Theodore Cohen and send it to [email protected] who will pass it along to the Chairman and other Planning Board members.
3. Still haven't sent a letter to the City Council? It's not too late:
- Address to Vice Mayor Benzan and Councilor Carlone, Co-Chairmen of the Ordinance Committee - be sure to email [email protected] AND City Clerk [email protected] to get your message on the official record.
A Better Cambridge has urged the City Council and Planning Board to pass zoning to create more housing along Mass. Ave, other major corridors, and transit centers in the city. We believe that zoning changes proposed by Normandy/Twining are a productive step towards address the challenges we face as a city -- encouraging our dynamic economy while creating enough housing to give families of all income levels the opportunity to live here.
ABC is especially supportive of the following elements of the Normandy/Twining Proposal:
- A commitment to affordable housing, with no less than 17% of the housing units set aside for low- and moderate-income residents, though we continue to advocate for additional affordable housing in Central Square;
- A commitment to family housing, including 10% of all new housing units with three bedrooms;
- A commitment to transit-oriented development, by building new residential units close to amenities, only feet from the entrance to the Red Line and the #1 bus;
- A commitment to local and independent retailers, with a public market, 25% of retail space reserved for local businesses, and a promise of no banks;
- A responsible strategy for parking, that will limit the number of cars associated with the project.