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Zoning

Our zoning code is the laws that govern what may be built where, for what purpose, and under what conditions. Through zoning, we direct the long-term look, feeling, and function of our community. 

The City Administration and City Council, together with zoning consultant Innes Associates, are comprehensively reviewing and updating Medford’s zoning ordinance. This process involves the whole City: squares, major corridors, and residential neighborhoods. 

This process has been years in the making. The zoning proposals to come out of this process are guided by the input from thousands of residents that became Medford’s Comprehensive Plan, Housing Production Plan, and Climate Action and Adaptation Plan over a multi-year community process. These documents and the goals within them – increasing our housing supply, reducing emissions, promoting vibrant and walkable neighborhoods, and more – form the basis for our work to update Medford’s zoning. 

All upcoming zoning meetings: 

  • 5/21/2025 Community Development Board Public Hearing on Neighborhood & Urban Residential zoning proposal. Zoom only, 6:30pm

  • 6/4/2025 Community Development Board Public Hearing on Medford Square and West Medford Square. Zoom only, 6:30pm

  • 5/28/2025 Planning & Permitting Committee Meeting on Corridor Proposals. Hybrid, 6:00pm

  • 5/29/2025 Public Q&A on Corridor Proposals. Tufts University Breed Hall, 6:30pm *hybrid accessibility to be confirmed

  • 6/9/2025 Public Q&A on Transportation Demand Management, Parking Strategies, and other Citywide Strategies. Bonsignore Hall (Medford Public Library), 6:30pm *hybrid accessibility to be confirmed

  • 6/11/2025 Planning & Permitting Committee Meeting on TDM, Parking, and other citywide strategies. Hybrid, 6:00pm

Upcoming zoning meetings by topic: 

Neighborhood Residential & Urban Residential 

  • 5/21/2025 Community Development Board Public Hearing, Zoom only, 6:30pm

  • This proposal will go back to the City Council after it has been referred out of the Community Development Board. City Council will public hearing date be posted when confirmed. 

Medford Square and West Medford Square 

  • 6/4/2025 Community Development Board Public Hearing, Zoom only, 6:30pm

  • This proposal will go back to the City Council after it has been referred out of the Community Development Board. City Council will public hearing date be posted when confirmed. 

ADU Updates

  • This proposal will be referred to the Community Development Board. CDB public hearing date will be posted when confirmed. 

  • This proposal will go back to the City Council after it has been referred out of the Community Development Board. City Council will public hearing date be posted when confirmed.

Corridors 

  • 5/28/2025 Planning & Permitting Committee Meeting. Hybrid, 6:00pm

  • 5/29/2025 Public Q&A, 6:30pm at Tufts University Breed Hall *hybrid accessibility to be confirmed

  • This proposal will be referred to the Community Development Board after it is developed in the Planning & Permitting Committee. CDB public hearing date will be posted when confirmed. 

  • This proposal will go back to the City Council after it has been referred out of the Community Development Board. City Council public hearing date be posted when confirmed.

TDM, Parking, and other citywide strategies

  • 6/9/2025 Public Q&A. Bonsignore Hall (Medford Public Library), 6:30pm *hybrid accessibility to be confirmed

  • 6/11/2025 Planning & Permitting Committee Meeting. Hybrid, 6:00pm

  • This proposal will be referred to the Community Development Board after it is developed in the Planning & Permitting Committee. CDB public hearing date will be posted when confirmed. 

  • This proposal will go back to the City Council after it has been referred out of the Community Development Board. City Council public hearing date be posted when confirmed. 

Meeting details, hybrid accessibility information, and agendas are published on medfordma.org/events when available.

Zoning Topics Timeline

Click here to download imageNote: For easier reading, the meetings that occurred before March 12 have been cropped out of this graphic. 

  • Blue text: Meetings of the Medford City Council Planning & Permitting Committee. This is the first step for every zoning topic. At these meetings, the zoning consultant presents the topic and answers questions; Committee members deliberate and workshop the proposal; City staff make suggestions; and the public may give comment. There are multiple Committee meetings for each zoning topic. 

  • Black text: Community Development Board (CDB) Public Hearings. These meetings are a legally-required part of the zoning process. Each zoning proposal must be reviewed by the CDB before it is voted on by the City Council. At these meetings, the zoning consultant presents the topic and answers questions, and Board members deliberate and make recommendations. By law, CDB Public Hearings always include designated time for public comment. 

  • Green text: Public, in-person Q&A sessions on a specific zoning topic or group of topics. City staff, the zoning consultant, and City Councilors present the topic, facilitate a question and answer session, and hear comment.

Do you have questions about zoning or a specific proposal? 

This project is collaboratively managed by City Council leadership and the Office of Planning, Development and Sustainability in collaboration with the City Administration and the City’s zoning consultant, Innes Associates. This page will be updated to share summaries, FAQs, diagrams, current statuses, and upcoming meetings for each zoning topic. With further questions, please contact the Planning Office at ocd@medford-ma.gov or contact City Council leadership

Interactive Zoning Viewer

Innes Associates has developed an exciting new online tool that residents may use to more deeply investigate the zoning changes being proposed for specific parcels in Medford. 

Please click here or paste the following link into your browser: https://arcg.is/yP0Se

Current Proposals

These are the zoning proposals currently making their way through the zoning process timeline. More information on each is below.

Other Corridor Proposals

Upcoming Meetings

The Committee has reviewed a preliminary draft framework for updated zoning for the corridor districts, and plans to discuss this zoning topic again on 5/28/2025.

Tufts University Institutional Zone

Upcoming Meetings

Following the Tufts University Institutional Zone Focus Group Meeting on 5/1/2025, the Planning & Permitting Committee will begin its discussion of a Tufts University Institutional Zone proposal. Meeting date will be posted when confirmed.

West Medford Square Zoning Proposal

Upcoming Meetings

On 5/14/2025, the City Council referred this zoning proposal to the Community Development Board. The CDB will begin their Public Hearing process on 6/4/2025.

Medford Square Zoning Proposal

Upcoming Meetings

On 5/14/2025, the City Council referred this zoning proposal to the Community Development Board. The CDB will begin their Public Hearing process on 6/4/2025.  

Updates to ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units)

Upcoming Meetings

On 4/30/2025, the City Council Planning & Permitting Committee referred this zoning proposal out of Committee. Next, the City Council will vote to refer it to the Community Development to begin their Public Hearing process.

Neighborhood and Urban Residential Zoning Proposal

Upcoming Meetings

The Community Development Board is continuing its Public Hearing on this proposal to Wednesday, May 21st at 6:30pm via Zoom.

Adopted Proposals

These zoning ordinances have gone through the zoning process and have been adopted. Scroll down for more information on each.

Salem Street Corridor District (SSCD)

Green Score

Mystic Avenue Corridor District (MACD)

About “Phase 1” Zoning Updates and Amendment

General Information on Zoning

In early 2024, the City, in partnership with Innes Associates, began to comprehensively overhaul its zoning ordinance to streamline and modernize the development process, which will encourage multimodal, mixed-use developments in squares and corridors throughout Medford.