Copper Mill, ADUs, and Dormers

We strongly encourage all eligible readers to join the Davis Square Neighborhood Council and contribute to the ongoing Copper Mill discussion. The Council is moving swiftly toward full recognition from the city, and will have a major role in shaping the evolution of Davis Square over the next few years.

To participate:

Big changes and big projects may get more headlines, but we’d like to highlight two initiatives intended to make it easier to build dormers and backyard cottages in Somerville.

Councilor Strezo, along with Councilors Mbah, Davis, and Sait have submitted a resolution to simplify the creation of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), also known as backyard cottages. We’re especially supportive of the changes that will make it simpler to repurpose existing structures as housing, given the sheer number of carriage houses and garages that can’t be used as housing because of our zoning rules.

The proposal will reach the Land Use Committee some time in the next few weeks, and we look forward to learning more about the goals and details at that time.

Way back in the 2010s, when almost no building in Somerville matched its zoning, every person who wanted to add a dormer to their roof had to get special permits from the city, which meant neighbors got veto power over almost every new window in the city. As a result, city planning staff spent a shocking amount of time mediating between neighbors in what they called “the dormer wars.” The overhauled 2019 zoning code attempted to end those wars with very detailed rules on what was allowed.

Unfortunately, the new rules were far too strict. Not only did they make it difficult to create useful space in attics, but they were different from rules in nearby cities and many industry standards, making the process of building dormers expensive, confusing, and slow.

A little over a year ago, Somerville YIMBY members wrote and submitted a zoning amendment to simplify dormer regulation. We got some positive feedback from city staff, but it died in committee, so we’re trying again this year. We submitted our revised petition to the City Clerk on February 17, and expect it to reach the Land Use Committee by April.

February 23: Davis Square Neighborhood Council — Copper Mill is on the agenda. 6:00 pm, Online only due to snow.

February 26: City Council — Agenda TBA. 7:00 pm, online and in person at City Hall.

March 4: Zoning Board of Appeals — A former City Council member asks the city to rescind a neighbor’s building permits. 6:00 pm, online.

March 5: Planning Board — Details will be released at least 48 hours prior to meeting. 6:00 pm, online.

March 5: Land Use Committee — Agenda TBA. 6:30 pm, online.

March 6: Somerville YIMBY Monthly Social — We’d love to meet you in person! 6:00 pm, at Remnant Brewing in Bow Market.

March 9: Apply to join the 90 Washington Civic Advisory Committee — The city is recruiting members of the East Somerville business and nonprofit community to help guide the redevelopment of 90 Washington Street. This is a great opportunity to support the city’s goals of creating more vibrant mixed-use spaces in the city.

Bike Lane Research Survey — Tufts graduate student Marcella Cannatti is researching bike lane use in the Boston area. If you use bike lanes, even occasionally, fill out her survey.

Tracking Progress to 2030 Housing Production Goal — Even in the most generous light, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council dashboard for regional housing targets shows that our region is woefully slow to build new homes.

Exit interviews: Why these people left Mass. behind — MassLive interviews people leaving the state, many of them driven by high housing costs.

Condo crash pushes down Toronto asking rents — The Toronto Star covers a condo glut in Toronto that’s driving down prices in a place some had claimed was immune to the laws of supply and demand. (Archive version)

Governor Healey Signs Executive Order to Explore Single Stair Construction — An official announcement of plans to form a group to study building code alternatives that are already popular in Europe.

How to Solve Housing: Grow More Cities? Oh The Urbanity video explores the obstacles to building new cities or revitalizing old ones, focusing on NYC.