Medford's Residential Zoning Proposal: Questions and Answers
- Kit Collins
- Jun 17
- 7 min read
I'm so proud of the work that the City has done over the past six months on a draft proposal for updated, modernized residential zoning. This week, Wednesday, 6/18, the Community Development Board will hold its fifth public hearing on the topic. That follows one Public Q&A (March 27th) and four public meetings in the Planning & Permitting Committee, where we drafted the proposal and workshopped it with the zoning consultant, City staff, and members of the public. If you missed any of those meetings, the materials and video recordings for all of them are on the zoning website and the standalone webpage for the Residential Zoning proposal.
Over these past six months, we've had a lot of constructive dialogue about the proposal. Unfortunately, in the run-up to Wednesday's public hearing, I've been seeing some misinformation about the proposal flourishing online. Here's some common questions I've been seeing pop up about the proposal, and the facts.
I hope you'll attend the public hearing on Wednesday, in person or on Zoom; lodge your thoughts through an email to Councilors, the Mayor, and the CDB; and stay engaged with the rest of our comprehensive zoning reform process!
Question: What building heights and number of units would be allowed under the proposed zoning?
Answer: By-right building heights allowed under the proposed zoning vary by district.
These are the number of stories and units that are allowed for each district if specific project proposals meet a number of other significant conditions – not in every case no matter what. These districts set the ceiling for development, but what is permitted to be built in practice is impacted and constrained by other factors and requirements from the state Building Code and from other requirements within Medford’s zoning code. These other requirements include: open space minimums, lot coverage requirements, frontage and setback requirements, parking requirements, and other dimensional requirements and performance standards.
NR1
Single-unit dwellings
Historic Conversion of up to 2 Units per historic building
ADUs
Three stories maximum
NR2
Single-unit dwellings
Two-unit dwellings
Historic Conversion of up to 3 units per historic building
ADUs
Three stories maximum
NR3
Single-unit dwellings
Two-unit dwellings
Three-unit dwellings
Townhouses
Historic Conversion of up to 4 units per historic building
ADUs
Three stories maximum
UR1
Two-unit dwellings.
Three-unit dwellings.
Historic Conversion of up to 5 units per historic building.
Townhouses.
Multiplexes of 4-6 units
Three stories maximum
UR2
Townhouses.
3-unit dwellings.
Multiplexes of 4-6 units.
Multiple unit dwellings of more than 6 units.
Three stories maximum*
*The CDB is also considering a recommendation to consider an additional 4th story in UR2 districts for developments where Incentive Zoning conditions are met.
If you’re not sure what district is proposed for your home or your neighborhood, please check out the proposed maps here. In addition, the City has also worked with the zoning consultant to create an interactive zoning viewer online tool, which is available here. Background on the tool, how to use it, what information it shows, and a tutorial are available on the City’s zoning website.
Question: What areas of the City does this zoning affect?
Answer: The residential zoning proposal proposed updated zoning for all of the City’s residential areas. To see a map of the proposed changes, please check out the proposed maps here on the City website, where downloadable/zoomable versions of this image are available.
Question: If the proposed zone for my neighborhood allows up to 3 units plus and ADU, does that mean that 3 units plus an ADU could definitely happen on all the parcels in my neighborhood?
Answer: No. Districts (NR1, NR2, N3, UR1, UR2) alone are not the final word on what may be built on any given parcel. Districts set the “ceiling” for what may be developed on a given lot, but what is permitted to be built there in practice is impacted and constrained by other factors and requirements from the state Building Code and from other requirements within Medford’s zoning code. These other requirements include: open space minimums, lot coverage requirements, frontage and setback requirements, parking requirements, and other dimensional requirements and performance standards.
For example, on a 4,000 square foot lot, the open space requirement, lot coverage requirement, and setbacks requirements in the proposed zoning mean that lot could not be permitted to have more than 3 units given current parking requirements.
What number of units a district says is "allowed" just means what's allowed under perfect conditions – it is the ceiling, rather than the possible or likely result, in most places.
Question: Does the proposed zoning endanger trees and green space on private property? Does it make it easier to remove green space and cut down trees?
Answer: No. The proposed zoning establishes much stronger environmental protections than what is in Medford’s current zoning. The proposed zoning would establish:
20% open space minimum in the proposed NR districts (NR-1, NR-2, NR-3),
15% open space minimum in the proposed UR districts (UR-1, UR-2, UR-3)
a cap on impermeable surfaces in residential districts, and a minimum pervious surface requirement
All larger developments are subject to the new Green Score zoning program (ordained in March 2025), which requires them to meet a minimum environmental grade which can be achieved through providing options from a menu of important environmental benefits (bioretention plantings; groundcover plants; new tree planting; tree preservation; vegetated or blue rods; green walls; permeable paving; native or adaptive planting; etc).
Under our current zoning, there are no open space minimums for new or existing single-family lots; developers and property owners are allowed to fully pave over backyards, and in recent years we have seen this happen. The new proposed zoning, in concert with our stormwater regulations, would make this impossible.
Question: Does the proposed zoning endanger public infrastructure such as roads, water and sewer, and utility lines?
Answer: No. The City is already working hard and committing resources every year to substantial road and sidewalk repairs and modernizing our water and sewer infrastructure.
Larger developments go through permit review processes when they are proposed to review potential community impacts, including on public infrastructure, and make mitigation plans where appropriate and needed.
In addition, larger developments are required to pay linkage fees to the City to offset their contribution to increased demand on public resources, which are earmarked for things like public safety and infrastructure.
Question: What is our current residential zoning?
Answer: Currently, broad swathes of North and West Medford are zoned for single-family only, along with pockets in Glenwood, Hillside and Wellington; two-family dwellings are common throughout Haines Square, Glenwood, Hillside, South Medford, and some areas of West Medford. Denser housing is concentrated in South Medford, Hillside, Medford Square, and near Tufts University. Nonconforming structures are scattered throughout all areas of the City. One of the main goals of the zoning update, apart from incrementally upzoning all areas of the City, is to reduce nonconforming structures.
You can use the interactive zoning viewer online tool to view current zoning.
Question: Why are we changing zoning?
Answer: All proposed zoning changes are based on the visions and goals that have been articulated in Medford’s Comprehensive Plan, as well as Medford’s Housing Production Plan and Climate Action & Adaptation Plan.
The 2023 Comprehensive Plan engaged thousands of residents over the course of two years through public workshops, meetings, focus groups, interviews, pop-ups at community events, an interactive website, and soliciting written feedback. Our Comprehensive Plan was based on all of that community feedback; and our proposed zoning, throughout the comprehensive zoning process which includes the Residential Zoning proposal, is based on the Comprehensive Plan.
The City has been working towards this comprehensive zoning overhaul for 5 years. That timespan includes not only the Comprehensive Planning process, but also an earlier zoning recodification process during the 2020-2021 term, which laid the groundwork for further zoning changes that are being proposed this term.
Question: How long has this proposal been worked on?
Answer: This zoning proposal has been workshopped in public meetings for six months, beginning in January. By law, all zoning amendments or changes go through a process that involves the City Council, then the planning board, and then the City Council again. Medford has gone beyond that structure and added Public Q&As for many zoning proposals, including the Residential Zoning proposal, which was held on March 27th at the City Council Chambers and via Zoom. All told, as of June 17th, there have been nine public meetings on the proposal. Meeting materials and/or video recordings of all of these meetings are available on the City’s zoning website and webpage on the proposed residential zoning.
By law, all public meetings are publicly noticed, and all public meetings are also listed on the City events calendar. Since the beginning of the year, the City Council has been working with the Mayor’s Office to secure additional communications about the zoning meetings to help spread the word as widely as possible in the community, which included the creation of the zoning website, and advocating for increased messaging through the Mayor’s communication channels.
The City’s zoning efforts received praise and recognition from the Mass Municipal Association as an extraordinarily well-communicated zoning reform effort. Since that coverage, the City has worked with the zoning consultant to add additional tools for public education and engagement, including the interactive zoning viewer.
Question: Where can I learn more about the zoning overhaul?
Answer: The City’s zoning website provides an overview of the entire zoning overhaul, including zoning changes workshopped and adopted earlier this term (the Mystic Avenue Corridor District; Salem Street Corridor District; Green Score; etc). This website includes meeting materials and video recordings from all zoning-related public meetings and hearings.
Question: What considerations go into what areas are what proposed district? (i.e., why are some areas proposed for one district and not another?)
Answer: The proposed zoning map took many factors into account, including:
Proximity to transit (i.e. train station; along a bus corridor)
Existing character and density; what kind of buildings current exist
Private way vs. public way
Road condition (do sidewalks exist; topography and steepness)
Question: How do ADUs fit in to this?
Answer: Under a new state law, ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units) under 900 square feet must be allowed by-right in all single-family zoning districts. The proposed Neighborhood Residential districts (NR1, NR2, and NR3) reflect this requirement because they allow single-unit dwellings by-right.
In addition to complying with those state requirements, the City Council has drafted a proposal to allow ADUs by-right in UR districts, but not on lots with multiplexes (4-6 units) or buildings with more than 6 units; and to allow a second ADU on lots by special permit only. That proposal will also be discussed by the CDB on June 18.
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