[Massplanners] Uses on the first floor of a Mixed-use building

[Schreiber, Gideon]

Watertown has a requirement that no more than 15% of the first floor be used for access to the residential in a mixed-use in the CBD.  We have another zone that has a percent commercial required in the development.  That one does not require it to all be on the first floor.  That is at 15% of the gross area in the PSCD -2 zone and then there are guidelines about street activation, etc.

A work around with percentage of the first floor is that a developer can make the first floor smaller and still provide access.  The percent of overall relates to the whole project.  But, it may be overprescribing the use and get you vacant storefronts, office, or other not so useful spaces.

Gideon Schreiber,  AICP, Senior Planner
617.972.6417 press 1 then 3

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From: MassPlanners <massplanners-bounces at masscptc.org> On Behalf Of Pollock, Maureen
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2021 3:40 PM
To: MassPlanners at masscptc.org
Subject: [Massplanners] Uses on the first floor of a Mixed-use building

Fellow Planners:

Do any communities regulate through their Zoning Bylaw the ratio of permitted residential and non-residential uses allowed on the first floor to a mixed-use building? If so, what is that ratio?

Thanks in advance!

Maureen

Maureen Pollock
Planner
Town of Amherst
4 Boltwood Avenue
Amherst, MA 01002-2351
Direct Line: (413) 259-3120
www.amherstma.gov<https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2fwww.amherstma.gov%2f&c=E,1,2z1_HFju78baMZU_qsplb4QdqiatXDvEnoZD0QOHJWSEM_yqdiyXuAELkA8BxX570PXYg0izLgvJO6ETjpSGvtkgCa6K1NkteVUeTPkmQ0weGw,,&typo=1>
pollockm at amherstma.gov<mailto:pollockm at amherstma.gov>
Pronouns: she/her/hers
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