The City Council and the Planning Board are discussing adding a new section to the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance that would require projects of 25,000 square feet or larger to meet requirements that would make the project certifiable under the United States Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design (LEED) rating system. The Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee has held two meetings to discuss this proposal.

The Planning Board held a hearing on this proposal in September and voted to recommend that the City Council convene a task force to evaluate the many issues surrounding the proposed action.  The Council’s Ordinance Committee met and reported that discussion was needed but that a task force may not be necessary.  The two bodies held a joint meeting in October and agreed that more study is necessary.  The Planning Board's recommednation was sent to the Council on September 24th and is City Manager Agenda Item 8 on that agenda.

The LEED rating system grants points for design choices in the areas of siting, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality and innovation and design process.  Developers use the rating system to evaluate various design options and can earn up to 69 points. The USGBC certifies projects at the certifiable, Silver, Gold and Platinum level. Under the proposed amendment projects of 25,000 to 50,000 square feet would be required to be certifiable using the LEED rating systems.  Projects greater than 50,000 square feet would be required to meet the LEED Silver level.  Developers would not be required to go through the USGBC process but would have to demonstrate that, had they project been brought to the USGBC, it would have been granted sufficient points to be certifiable or Silver.

The Council will continue to review this proposal. The City Solicitor has written an opinion, in response to a request from the Planning Board regarding legal issues around the proposal, finding that certain aspects of the proposal would be in conflict with the State Building Code. The Chamber has offered to provide any assistance it can in the evaluation process and a number of Chamber members with LEED experience have provided information to the Chamber and to the City.
 

Recent Rezoning: Alewife Planning Study
In January 2003, the Concord-Alewife Study Committee, appointed by the City Manager, began its work. This committee performed a comprehensive study of the Alewife area and made zoning recommendations. The Council and the Planning Board then went through an 18 mo nth process to review the recommendations and receive additional public comment. The Chamber worked with property owners in the area to understand the recommendations and to suggest changes that would best serve to maintain this area as a business center. For more information, go to the Concord-Alewife Planning Study page on the City of Cambridge website at http://www.cambridgema.gov/~CDD/commplan/zoning/concalew/index.html