Item Coversheet


Town of Arlington, Massachusetts


ARTICLE 30
Warrant Article Title:
ZONING BYLAW AMENDMENT/GROSS FLOOR AREA
Warrant Article Text:
To see if the Town will vote to amend the Zoning Bylaw to clarify how landscaped and usable open space is calculated relative to gross floor area by amending SECTION 5.3.22. GROSS FLOOR AREA to add subsection C; or take any action related thereto. 
Requested by:
(Inserted at the request of the Redevelopment Board) 
Report Excerpt:
The ARB believes that the amendments to the definitions of Landscaped Open Space and Usable Open Space will bring clarity to how users of the Zoning Bylaw need to calculate Landscaped Open Space and Usable Open Space. The amendment to Section 5.3.22, Gross Floor Area, provides additional clarification regarding the standard by which these two requirements are calculated. These amendments provide clarity to the Zoning Bylaw; they do not alter the substance of the Bylaw.
Vote Language:

The Redevelopment Board voted (5-0) to recommend Action on Article 30. That the Zoning Bylaw be and hereby is amended as follows:

 

Amend SECTION 2:____________________________________________

 

Open Space, Landscaped: Open space designed and developed for pleasant appearance in trees, shrubs, ground covers and grass, including other landscaped elements such as natural features of the site, walks and terraces, and also including open areas accessible to and developed for the use of the occupants of the building located upon a roof not more than 10 feet above the level of the lowest story used for dwelling purposes. Refer to Section 5.3.22.C. for how to calculate landscaped open space.

 

Open Space, Usable: The part or parts of a lot designed and developed for outdoor use by the occupants of the lot for recreation, including swimming pools, tennis courts, or similar facilities, or for garden or for household service activities such as clothes drying; which space is at least 75% open to the sky, free of automotive traffic and parking, and readily accessible by all those for whom it is required. Such space may include open area accessible to and developed for the use of the occupants of the building, and located upon a roof not more than 10 feet above the level of the lowest story used for dwelling purposes. Open space shall be deemed usable only if at least 75% of the area has a grade of less than 8%, and no horizontal dimension is less than 25 feet. For newly constructed single-, two-family, and duplex dwellings with surface parking, no horizontal dimension shall be less than 20 feet. Refer to Section 5.3.22.C. for how to calculate usable open space.

 

Amend SECTION 5.3.22:________________________________________

 

5.3.22. Gross Floor Area

A. For the purposes of this bylaw, the following areas of buildings are to be included in the calculation of Gross Floor Area: 

 

(1) Elevator shafts and stairwells on each floor;

(2) Attic areas with headroom, measured from subfloor to the bottom of the roof structure, of seven feet three inches or more, except as excluded in (4) below;

(3) Interior mezzanines;

(4) Penthouses;

(5) Basement areas except as excluded in (2) below;

(6) Cellars in residential uses;

(7) All-weather habitable porches and balconies; and

(8) Parking garages except as excluded in (1) below.

 

B. For the purposes of this bylaw, the following areas of buildings are to be excluded from the calculation of Gross Floor Area:

 

(1) Areas used for accessory parking, or off-street loading purposes;

(2) Basement areas devoted exclusively to mechanical uses accessory to the operation of the building;

(3) Open or lattice enclosed exterior fire escapes;

(4)  Attic and other areas used for elevator machinery or mechanical equipment accessory to the operation of the building; and

(5) Unenclosed porches, balconies, and decks.

 

C. For the purposes of this bylaw, the district dimensional requirements for Usable Open Space and Landscaped Open Space are calculated based on Gross Floor Area.