We hope this FAQ helps you navigate the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance. If you have more questions, send an email to the Community Development Department at cddzoning@cambridgema.gov or call the office at 617-349-4600.
PLEASE NOTE: This Zoning FAQ provides general information about the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance. It is meant to explain concepts in a way that is understandable to the public. It does not provide legal advice or interpretation. It does not explain all of the regulations that might apply to any given property. The full Zoning Ordinance should be reviewed to determine if an existing or proposed lot or building conforms to zoning requirements. An online version of the Zoning Ordinance is available on the City of Cambridge web site. However, the print version of the Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map, together with any amendments adopted by the City Council after the most recent update to the print version, remain the official versions. Official print versions of the Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map are available at the City Clerk’s Office.
Zoning is a legal tool that sets standards for how land in a city can be used. It’s called “zoning” because it divides the city into zones that are called “zoning districts.”
Zoning regulates aspects of development such as:
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How land can be used (such as for housing, office space, retail, parks, etc.)
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Building size (including how big and tall the building can be, and how close it can be to other buildings)
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Car and bicycle parking regulations (including how many parking spaces are allowed, how parking must be designed, and where parking can be located)
The Cambridge Zoning Ordinance has two parts: the Zoning Ordinance Text and the Zoning Map. The Zoning Ordinance Text is a document where all the standards are written down. The Zoning Map shows the boundaries of the zoning districts.
See also: What is a zoning district?
See also: When was the zoning for my property adopted?
See also: Who enforces the Zoning Ordinance?
Overlay zoning districts change some of the base zoning standards in a specific area. Not all properties are in an overlay zoning district. It’s also possible for a property to be in more than one overlay zoning district. Overlay zoning districts are shown on a separate map from base zoning districts.
Overlay zoning districts have different purposes. Sometimes, the overlay zoning is stricter than the base zoning and sometimes it’s more flexible. You can find the rules for overlay zoning districts in a few different parts of the Zoning Ordinance, such as:
See also: What is a zoning district?
See also: How do I figure out my zoning district?
See also: How do I navigate the Zoning Ordinance online?
The best way to figure out your zoning district is to look at a Zoning Map. There are a few options for this:
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Search for an address using the “Find a property” search in the upper left.
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Click on the property name in the results list. If necessary, click the magnify glass to zoom the map to the address.
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Click on the parcel on the map to open the property details.
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Click the "next" button (located at the top of the property details, below the search box). This will show the details for the Zoning District for this property.
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Open the "Layers" list on the left side of the map.
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Scroll down to the Zoning section and click the plus button to expand the layer list.
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Check the box next to the Zoning Overlay Districts to turn on that layer in the map.
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Follow steps 1-4 listed in the previous bullet.
See also: What is a zoning district?
See also: What is an overlay zoning district?
See also: Does the City of Cambridge issue zoning verification letters?
There are three steps to answer this question:
1. Figure out your zoning district.
a. See: “How do I figure out my zoning district?”
2. Figure out what dimensional standards are required for that use in that district.
a. Once you know your Zoning District, you can find what land uses are allowed by checking the Zoning Ordinance. In zoning, “land use” refers to how land in particular areas can be used (such as for housing, schools, offices, retail, factories, etc.).
b. Section 4.30 of the Zoning Ordinance, the “Table of Use Regulations.” lists all the land uses that are allowed in Cambridge and says what districts those uses are allowed in.
c. Here’s how to read the Table of Use Regulations:
i. “Yes” = use is allowed in the district.
ii. “No” = use is not allowed in the district.
iii. “SP” = use needs a Special permit (“SP”) from the Board of Zoning Appeal.
iv. “PB” = use needs a Special permit from the Planning Board (“PB”).
d. If a use is not listed in the Zoning Ordinance, then it is not allowed.
3. Figure out what dimensional standards are required for that use in that district.
a. Once you know your zoning district, Article 5.000 will tell you what the building requirements are in that district.
b. Some things the Zoning Ordinance regulates include yard size (or “setbacks”), building height, open space requirements, density, and floor area ratio.
c. Article 2.000 defines each of these terms.
See also: How do I figure out my zoning district?
See also: What are the rules for the size and shape of buildings?
See also: What if I want to do something that’s not allowed by zoning?
rules for the size and shape of buildings are known as “dimensional standards.” Below are some examples of dimensional standards in the Zoning Ordinance and what they mean.
- Height: How tall buildings can be, measured in feet.
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Height is measured from the average elevation of the ground closest to the building, also known as the “mean grade.”
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Some features, like chimneys and mechanical equipment that are above the roof, are not counted. This is explained in Section 5.23.
- Yards (also called Setbacks): The distance between the building and the property line, measured in feet.
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Front yards separate buildings from streets.
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Side yards and rear yards separate buildings from abutting lots. (Abutting means immediately next to or touching.)
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Most properties abut a street on one side, so they have one front yard, two side yards, and one rear yard. If a property abuts more than one street, (for example if it’s on a corner) all the sides facing those streets are front yards; the remaining sides are side yards. This is explained in Section 5.24.3.
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Yard requirements differ depending on the zoning district. There are two types of yard standards:
- Numerical: In some zoning districts, there is a numerical standard (for example, 10 feet) which means the yard requirement is the same for all buildings in that zoning district.
- Formula: In some zoning districts, the yard requirement changes based on the height (H) and length (L) of a building. These requirements are written as a formula, such as (H+L)/4. This is explained in Section 5.24.4 of the Zoning Ordinance.
- Open Space Ratio:
The percentage of a lot used for open space. Definitions for different types of open space can be found in Article 2.000.
- For residential uses, most districts require a minimum percentage of:
- “Private Open Space,” which must be available to all occupants of the property, though not to the public; and
- “Permeable Open Space” that allows water to run through it, like lawns, planting beds, or porous hardscape.
- Automobile parking and driveways do not count as open space.
- Floor Area: The amount of floor space inside a building and on a lot.
- Gross Floor Area (GFA) is the amount of floor space within all stories of a building, all the way to the outer walls, measured in square feet. For example, a building with four stories, where each story is 11,000 square feet, has a GFA of 4 x 11,000 = 44,000 square feet.
- Floor Area Ratio (FAR) is the Gross Floor Area (GFA) of all buildings on a lot divided by the total land area of the lot. For example, if the GFA on a lot is 3,750 square feet and the lot area is 5,000 square feet, the FAR is 0.75 (3,750 / 5,000 = 0.75). Buildings with an FAR of 0.75 can have a very different look and feel.
- The Center for Urban Pedagogy has developed a fun tool, What is FAR?, that you can use to learn more about FAR.
- Housing Unit Density (also called “Lot Area per Dwelling Unit”): The number of housing units allowed on a lot relative to the size of the lot.
- The Zoning Ordinance sets the minimum lot area per dwelling unit in each district.
- For example, if the minimum lot area per dwelling unit is 1,200 square feet, a 6,000 square foot lot could have a maximum of 5 dwelling units (6,000 / 1,200 = 5).
- Housing unit density is based on the land area of the property (the “lot”), not the building’s Gross Floor Area.
See also: How do I figure out my zoning district?
See also: How do I navigate the Zoning Ordinance online?
A special permit is a type of zoning approval for a building or a use that includes public input and review by the Planning Board or Board of Zoning Appeal (BZA). A special permit is different from a variance. The Zoning Ordinance will say when a special permit is neededand which body issues it (Planning Board or BZA). The Planning Board can grant both kinds of special permits if a project requires both. Only the BZA can issue a variance.
Apply for a special permit from the BZA online through OpenGov.
The Board of Zoning Appeal (BZA) will hold a public hearing within 65 days of receiving a complete application for a variance. City staff will determine if an application is complete. The BZA will issue a final decision within 100 days of the application for a variance. The board and the applicant can agree to extend the time for a decision. Special permits follow a different timeline.
You can find sign regulations in Section 7.10 of the Zoning Ordinance.
Signs need a Sign Permit from the Inspectional Services Department. To apply for a sign permit, use the City’s Online Permit Portal.
Signs need a sign certification from the Community Development . Signs that extend more than six (6) inches into the public right-of-way require City Council approval.
“A-frame” or “sandwich board” signs that are placed on the sidewalk also need a Sidewalk Obstruction Permit from the Department of Public Works.
Home Occupations are allowed in certain situations. You can usually run a business out of your home if:
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You are using the space primarily as a residence; and
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The person running the business lives on the premises; and
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The type of business would not cause a disturbance to neighbors (such as excessive noise, vibrations, dust, heat, smoke, etc.).
Home Occupations are generally allowed for the following industries:
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Professional offices with up to 3 employees (physician, dentist, attorney, architect, engineer, event planner, etc.)
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Massage therapy
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Creative professionals (graphic designer, photographer, craftsperson, etc.)
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Cottage Food Operations
For more information about rules for Home Occupations, see Section 4.21 Paragraph (d) of the Zoning Ordinance.
See also: What can I do with my property?
See also: How do I navigate the Zoning Ordinance online?
See also: What if I want to do something that’s not allowed by zoning?
The Zoning Ordinance is available through an online platform called Municode. For more information about how to navigate Municode, see the General Overview video tutorial and the Basic Site Navigation video tutorial provided by the company. All the content on Municode is in an HTML format that is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The following features are available using Municode:
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Search by keyword
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Click “Show Changes” in the top right corner of the webpage to see which sections of the Zoning Ordinance have been modified or added, also highlights changed text within those sections
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Find links to adopted ordinances at the bottom of each section
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Translate the Zoning Ordinance into other languages by clicking “Select Language” in the top right corner of the webpage
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Share links with others to give them direct access to a specific section of the Zoning Ordinance;
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Download sections of the Zoning Ordinance as a Microsoft Word document
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Download sections of the Zoning Ordinance as a PDF document (note that this version may not include the most recent zoning amendments; you should also check the recently adopted zoning amendments webpage)
No, the City of Cambridge does not issue zoning verification letters or zoning opinion letters. The City does not provide advice about zoning rules for specific properties.
See also: How do I figure out my zoning district?
If you want to do something that’s not allowed by zoning, you can apply for a variance from the Board of Zoning Appeal (BZA). Property owners or groups of registered voters can also petition the City Council to amend the Zoning Ordinance.
There are a few places where projects under review are listed.
Planning Board special permits:
Board of Zoning Appeal (BZA) special permits and variances:
Some development projects are reviewed by advisory committees before they go to the Planning Board or BZA, including the following:
Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) projects:
Anyone can attend or comment on a proposal that is discussed at a public hearing held by the Planning Board, Board of Zoning Appeal (BZA), City Council, or City Council Ordinance Committee. You can either attend a meeting or send a written comment before the meeting. If you attend a meeting and would like to comment on a proposal, you are typically allowed up to two or three minutes to talk.
A project that is applying for a special permit from the Planning Board must hold at least one community meeting before applying. The community meeting is an opportunity for anyone to learn about the project and provide comments to the developer. It is meant to be less formal than a public hearing.
Some development projects are reviewed by advisory committees before they go to the Planning Board or BZA. Anyone can attend an advisory committee meeting to comment on a proposal.
For information on how to attend a meeting or provide comments in advance of a meeting, click the links below:
See also: Where do I find information about a development project that is under review?
The first step to amending the Zoning Ordinance is filing a zoning petition with the City Clerk. The following groups may file a zoning petition:
- City Council
- Planning Board
- Board of Zoning Appeal (BZA)
- Owner of land that would be affected by the proposed zoning amendment
- 10 or more registered Cambridge voters
- A regional planning agency
These groups can also meet with Zoning and Development staff of the Community Development Department to receive feedback on a petition before filing.
The Zoning Ordinance has two parts that can be amended:
- Zoning Map: The zoning map can be amended by changing the boundaries of a zoning district, changing the zoning designation of a zoning district, or creating a new overlay district.
- If you propose an amendment to the Zoning Map, you need to submit a map showing the exact boundaries of the area to be rezoned. If you propose to change district boundaries or create new boundaries, you need to write a description of what the boundaries are based on (such as street centerlines or lot lines). Printable Zoning Map sections can be created using Cambridge CityViewer.
- Zoning Text: The zoning text can be amended by changing the words in one or more articles of the Zoning Ordinance. This could include adding, removing, or modifying existing text.
- If you propose an amendment to the Zoning Text, you need to show the exact wording of all inserted, deleted, or amended sections. This helps everyone easily find revisions. You can export sections of the Zoning Ordinance as a Microsoft Word document from Municode. You may then edit the document to highlight proposed changes to the zoning text.
You can find more information about filing a zoning petition from the City Clerk’s office.
See also: What if I want to do something that’s not allowed by zoning?
See also: How do I provide input on a zoning or development decision?
See also: How does the Zoning Ordinance get amended?
The Cambridge City Council first passed a “Zoning Law and Building Code” in 1924. In 1943, the City Council passed a new “Zoning Ordinance” separate from the Building Code along with a “Zoning Map.” The Cambridge Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map have been changed almost 300 times, including major revisions in 1961, 1977, and 2001. Visit our Zoning Centennial page to view the very first Zoning Ordinance and Map from 1924, as well as many others from over the past 100 years.
You can look at a list of changes (called “amendments”) made to the Zoning Ordinance by clicking the following links:
If information about a zoning change is not available online, contact Zoning and Development staff in the Community Development Department to review historical records of zoning maps and ordinances going back to 1924.
See also: How do I navigate the Zoning Ordinance online?
See also: How does the Zoning Ordinance get amended?
In Cambridge, the Commissioner of Inspectional Services is in charge of interpreting and enforcing the Zoning Ordinance.
The Inspectional Services Department (ISD) reviews applications for building permits, certificates of occupancy, and other permit applications to determine if they meet the requirements of the Zoning Ordinance, the building code, and other regulations.
If you would like to report a zoning violation, you can make a written request for enforcement to ISD.
See also: What is zoning?