Cambridge to update zoning for future of YMCA Building lot

CAMBRIDGE, Md – The town of Cambridge is updating the zoning for the lot that currently houses the YMCA building. The organization announced that in the coming years, they will be shifting away from that location which is creating a challenge for the town.

Officials say that’s because the lot was zoned for institutional use, opening it up for all kinds of land use residents say would not fit the community, including possibly a hospital or government offices.

The city says they are adding additional language to make sure whatever replaces the Y MCA  is not out of place.

“We’re going to continue to allow institutional uses like the YMCA, they will be legal in the zoning district, but we are also going to limit some of the institutional uses that could go there so that the neighborhood doesn’t have to worry about, say, a hospital or institutional care facility going there that would be pretty incompatible with the adjacent residential nature of the neighborhood,” said Cambridge Town Manager Tom Caroll.

Caroll tells us he expects at least a 5-year period before the YMCA is ready to move to their new location, but says they wanted to address the zoning before issues arose.