Build on the Vision for Downtown Lynn

Team of Advisors Meeting 2

8:00-10:00am, Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Grand Army of the Republic Hall and Museum Building

56-60 Andrew Street, Lynn, Massachusetts 01901

Agenda 8:00-8:10: Introductions and updates

8:10-8:35: Review of downtown zoning

8:35-8:55: What will spur equitable downtown development?

8:55-9:15: Reaching out

9:15-9:30: Open discussion and next steps

Downtown Zoning Overview Preliminary Analysis

• Recent planning efforts • Market Street Vision Plan 2009

• Washington Street Gateway District Plan, 2008

• Waterfront Master Plan, 2007

• Downtown Workshop, 2004

• Key Recommendations • Live/Work/Play environment

• Mixed-use and residential

• Improved retail environment

• Improved public realm

• Transit oriented

• Recommendations for zoning mentioned, but not specific

Recent planning for Downtown

• Zone ordinance is old

• Many amendments

• Little design criteria

• Very restrictive, particularly downtown

• Many uses require a special permit

• Impediment to business and development?

• Ordinance is difficult to follow

• Many footnotes, poor organization

• Use categories are too broad

• Use definitions can be contradictory

The Lynn Zone Ordinance

Downtown Zoning Districts

• Four Base Districts

• Central Business District (CBD)

• Business (B)

• Light Industrial (LI)

• High Rise Residential (R5)

• Three Overlay Districts

• Residential Reuse Overlay District

• Sagamore Hill Corridor Overlay District

• Washington Street Overlay District

Lynn

Zoning Downtown

Study Area

Central Business District (CBD) • Allows for many typical

downtown uses as of right • Office, retail, institutional, parks

• Special Permit required for other common downtown uses • Residential (except reuse)

• Food Service of any kind

• Hotels

• Recent improvements a step in right direction • Removed industrial and auto

related uses in CBD

• More changes needed • Residential is a key component to

live/work/ play environments

Residential Reuse Overlay District

• Only as of right residential

within CBD

• Parcels within 1,500 feet of

MBTA station

• Successful

• Over 200 new residential units

created

• Few opportunities left

Light Industrial District

• Remnant from industrial past

• Not compatible with CBD

• Further isolates downtown from

waterfront

• Rezone to maximize potential

• Connection to waterfront and

CBD

• MBTA Commuter Rail

R5 District and Overlays

• R5 residential as of right • Single family to high rise

• Overlays allow for mixed-use • Most progressive zoning in study

area • Pedestrian oriented

• Washington Overlay = Downtown Gateway • Promotes multifamily

• No single family

• Improved use allowances

• Sagamore Hill = Residential Transition • All residential types

• Limited retail

Next steps in review of zoning…

• Explore strategies to allow residential in the CBD as of right

• Review uses in each district

• Expand or revise what is and is not allowed

• Example: More than one food service establishment type

• Affordability strategies

• Inclusionary zoning

• 40R district

• Density bonuses

• Create Zone District Summary Sheets

What will spur equitable

downtown development? See handout for sample questions to ask community members

Reaching out See handout for proposed outreach strategies

Open discussion and next steps