Rezoning Planned in Council

Two different petitions for the rezoning of the Cambridgeport industrial area--one calling for a comprehensive redevelopment scheme and the other asking for flexible site-by-site planning--were presented Wednesday night to the City Council's Committee on Ordinances.

In the first plan, a citizens' action group--the Simplex Group-recommended that the 160-acre area between MIT, Mass Ave and the Charles River be completely redeveloped around a core of new low to moderate-income housing--of which the area has little at the moment. William Candlini, a spokesman for the group, said yesterday. In addition, the plan recommends that the area's existing manufacturing concerns be preserved.

The second plan, proposed by MIT, a major landowner in the area, recommended that only 20 to 25 areas of Cambridgeport be rezoned to allow industry, office buildings and housing in the area, with new projects approved case-by-case.

Kathleen Donahar, an urban planner who helped draw up the MIT plan, said that although specific sites would not be zoned for specific purposes, developers would be required to submit their plans to the city planning board for approval.

Geneva Malenfont, a member of the planning board, said yesterday that a compromise between the two plans would "probably" have to be reached before the committee on ordinances votes on the redevelopment proposals.