Cambridge works to create best ways to revitalize Pine Street

CAMBRIDGE, Md. – Cambridge is well into their revitalization efforts in a neighborhood that desperately needs it.

Houses on Pine Street in Cambridge are old, actually so old they are included in the city’s historic district, but many of them are in disrepair and need help.

So for years, the city has been working to redevelop ones that desperately need to be, teaming up with Habitat for Humanity to do so.

But since many of these properties are only 25 to 30 feet in width, the setback requirements are a bit of a challenge. So they were changed from eight feet to just three, but after residents raised some concerns, it’s back to the drawing board.

“We will decide if the three foot setback is too narrow or if we want to widen it part of the problem is if you start making them too big then you are reducing the amount of properties that can get developed in the neighborhood,” explain Cambridge City Planner Pat Esher.

The planning commission is discussing the issue on Tuesday during their meeting and will have a work session on it in May,  but the city is also hosting a community meeting on Saturday to get even more people interested and invested in the efforts being made to revitalize Pine Street and the neighboring areas.