CITY MANAGER’S AGENDA
1. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to the appointment of the following persons as Constables for a term of three years, effective the first day of Jan, 2007: Ronald M. DiGiorgio (With Power); Robert J. Ciampi (Without Power); Alyssa Roderick (Without Power)

2. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to a request of the Board of Assessors for a Home Rule Petition for exemption from real estate taxes for the property location at 62 Gore Street.
[Note: The property in question is now owned by Cambridge Family & Children’s Services (CFCS), a tax-exempt charitable organization.]

3. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 07-31, regarding a review the response to the Feb 14th storm with the intention of determining if the follow-up clearing of streets and sidewalks was done as effectively as possible.

4. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to a recommendation on the Planning Board rezoning petition to establish a Prospect Street Zoning Overlay District.
[Note: The Planning Board recommends adoption of the petition as filed.]

5. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to the appointment of the following persons as members of the Planning Board:
NAME - TERM EXPIRES
Amy Finlayson - 8/31/2009
Barbara Shaw - 3/31/2011
Pamela Winters - 7/31/2011
Patricia E. Singer (Associate Member) - 3/31/2012
H. Theodore Cohen (Associate Member) - 10/31/2011

6. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to the appointment of Robert C. Haas as the Cambridge Police Commissioner effective Apr 9, 2007.

7. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to the appointment of Ethridge King as an Election Commissioner for a term of four years, effective Apr 1, 2007.

8. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to the appointment of Paul Robillard as a member of the Cambridge Water Board for a five year term to expire on Apr 3, 2012.

9. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of a donation from the Alexander W. Kemp Playground Foundation in the amount of $1,800.00 to the Public Investment Fund Public Works Extraordinary Expenditures account to be used for improvements to the Alexander W. Kemp playground at the Cambridge Common in accordance with the plan developed by the City’s Open Space Committee.

10. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $2,340,792.00 to the Grant Fund Human Service Programs Salary and Wages account ($85,497.00) and to the Department of Human Service Programs Other Ordinary Maintenance account ($2,255,295.00) to be used to cover the costs related to serving homeless persons in Cambridge. Funds will also be used to cover grant administrative costs.

11. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to the appointment of Claude-Alix Jacob as the new Chief Public Health Officer. This appointment was made by CEO of the Cambridge Health Alliance Dennis Keefe.

12. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 07-40, regarding a report on the status of the pocket-park at the corner of Lopez and Charles Streets.

13. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to the Planning Board findings with regard to the annual Town Gown reporting.

14. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to the appointment of Nadia Chamblin-Foster, as a member of the Cambridge Retirement Board effective Mar 30, 2007 with a term to expire Dec 31, 2008. This appointment was made by the Cambridge Retirement Board.

CHARTER RIGHT
1. That the City Manager is requested to investigate banning trans-fats to food offered in the schools and after-school programs. Charter Right exercised by Councillor Decker on Order Number Ten of Mar 19, 2007. Adopted

2. That the City Manager is requested to confer with relevant Department heads to determine both the formal City policy towards employees who have been called to active duty and the actual current practices followed by City departments. Charter Right exercised by Councillor Decker on Order Number Fourteen of Mar 19, 2007. Adopted

ON THE TABLE
3. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 06-06 of Feb 27, 2006, regarding a report on the legality of the banners in front of the Dunkin’ Donuts at 2480 Massachusetts Avenue and at other location in the City. [Placed on Table on the motion of Councillor Kelley on Feb 27, 2006.]

4. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to a recommendation from the License Commission to deny the Jitney License application of Star Shuttle, Inc. [Placed on Table City Manager Agenda Number Six of Nov 6, 2006 on the motion of Councillor Davis on Nov 6, 2006.]

5. A communication was received from D. Margaret Drury, City Clerk transmitting a report from Councillor Brian Murphy and Councillor Michael A. Sullivan, Co-Chairs of the Ordinance Committee, for a meeting held on Dec 13, 2006 for the purpose of considering the Historical Commission’s recommendation for the consolidation of the Half Crown and Marsh Neighborhood Conservation Districts. [Placed on Table Committee Report Number Two of Jan 22, 2007 on the motion of Mayor Reeves on Jan 22, 2007. On Feb 12, 2007 Agenda Item Number Eight was referred to the Ordinance Committee and Calendar Item Number Seven and Eight.]

6. A communication was received from D. Margaret Drury, City Clerk transmitting a report from Councillor Brian Murphy and Councillor Michael A. Sullivan, Co-Chairs of the Ordinance Committee, for a meeting held on Dec 13, 2006 for the purpose of considering the recommendations for changes to the Neighborhood Conservation District Ordinance and the Avon Hill Neighborhood Conservation District Order, submitted by the Avon Hill Neighborhood Conservation District Boundary Study Committee and endorsed by the Historical Commission. [Placed on Table Committee Report Number Three of Jan 22, 2007 on the motion of Councillor Sullivan on Jan 22, 2007. On Feb 12, 2007 Agenda Item Number Eight was referred to the Ordinance Committee and Calendar Item Number Seven and Eight.]

7. That the matter of the relocation of the Cambridge School Administration and the Cambridge Community Learning Center be referred to the Public Facilities Committee for the purpose of holding a meeting this spring. Charter Right exercised by Councillor Davis on Order Number Eleven of Mar 5, 2007. [Placed on Table on the motion of Councillor Davis on Mar 19, 2007.] Adopted

8. That the City Council go on record in opposition to House Bill 847 An Act to Streamline Chapter 91 License Applications and Coastal Planning. [Charter Right exercised by Councillor Sullivan on Order Number Sixteen of Mar 5, 2007. Placed on Table on motion of Councillor Davis on Mar 19, 2007.]

UNFINISHED BUSINESS
9. A communication was received from D. Margaret Drury, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor Timothy J. Toomey, Jr., Co-Chair of the Ordinance Committee, for a meeting held on Nov 18, 2004 for the purpose of considering proposed amendments to Chapter 2.74 of the Cambridge Municipal Code, the Police Review and Advisory Board Ordinance. The question comes on passing to be ordained on or after Feb 14, 2005. [Four sections of the proposed amendment were passed to be ordained as amended. Ordinance #1284. The remaining proposed amendments to chapter 2.74 remain on unfinished business.]

10. A communication was received from D. Margaret Drury, City Clerk transmitting a report from Councillor Brian Murphy and Councillor Michael A. Sullivan, Co-Chairs of the Ordinance Committee, for two public hearings held on Dec 13, 2006 and Feb 7, 2007 to consider a proposal for the Inspectional Services Commission to use a more protective affidavit of compliance with the Noise Ordinance as part of the application for building and plumbing permits. Adopted - See Order #40

11. A communication was received from D. Margaret Drury, City Clerk transmitting a report from Councillor Brian Murphy and Councillor Michael A. Sullivan, Co-Chairs of the Ordinance Committee, for a public meeting held on Feb 13, 2007 to consider a petition from the Planning Board to amend the Zoning Map by creating a Prospect Street Overlay District and to amend the Zoning Ordinance by creating a new Section 20.200-Prospect Street Overlay District along Prospect Street from Bishop Allen Drive to the Somerville boundary line. The question comes on passing to be ordained on or after Apr 2, 2007. Petition expires May 14, 2007. Ordained 9-0. Ordinance #1305

APPLICATIONS AND PETITIONS
1. An application was received from Cross, requesting permission for a sandwich board sign in front of premises numbered Zero Brattle Street.

2. An application was received from Hidden Sweets, requesting permission for a sandwich board sign and a display of merchandise in front of premises numbered 25 Brattle Street.

3. Approval of constable bond surety received from Douglas P. Moran.

4. An application was received from Mount Auburn Cemetery requesting permission for forty-four temporary banners to be hung on existing streetlight poles along Mount Auburn Street from the cemetery to Harvard Square from Apr 1 to Oct 31, 2007.

5. Approval of constable bond surety received from Louis C. Micciche.

6. A zoning petition has been received from Craig H. Appel, the owner of property at 11-11½ Gerry Street, requesting to amend the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Cambridge in Section 4.34 Office and Laboratory Use and Section 4.40 Footnotes.
Reconsideration filed by Councillors Sullivan and Murphy on the vote to refer to Ordinance Committee and Planning Board for hearing and report

7. An application was received from Kaplan Test Prep, requesting permission for a table in front of premises numbered Zero Harvard Square.

8. An application was received from Robert and Elizabeth Camacho, requesting a curb cut at the premises numbered 24-26 Corporal Burns Road; said petition has received approval from Inspectional Services, Traffic, Parking and Transportation, Historical and Public Works. No response has been received from neighborhood association.

9. An application was received from Harvard Square Business Association requesting permission for a temporary banner across Mount Auburn Street at JFK Street announcing May Fair.

10. An application was received from Harvard Square Business Association requesting permission for a temporary banner across Massachusetts Avenue at City Hall announcing May Fair.

COMMUNICATIONS
1. A communication was received from Jan Botkin, mother of SSG John Cooper, transmitting thanks for all your kindness.

2. A communication was received from Jean and Eldon Grimm, transmitting thanks for honoring their son Corporal Matthew Grimm at a council meeting.

3. A communication was received from the family of Robert I. Lawler, transmitting thanks to the City Council for extending sympathy to the Lawler family.

4. A communication was received from Drew Gilpin Faust, transmitting thanks for the City Council congratulatory resolution.

5. A communication was received from Lesli P. Johnson, transmitting thanks for the resolution on the death of her mother, Ann L. Stephenson.

6. A communication was received from the Cardillo family, transmitting thanks for the expression of sympathy.

7. A communication was received from Gaylen Morgan and Paul Guglietti, transmitting opposition to prohibiting dogs on grassy areas at Fresh Pond.

8. A communication was received from Anita D. McClellan, regarding dogs at Fresh Pond.

9. A communication was received from Representative William N. Brownsberger, transmitting thanks for the resolution supporting H1295, An Act Enabling Cities and Towns to Preserve Publicly Assisted Affordable Housing.

10. A communication was received from Bill Ferguson, transmitting thanks for the resolution on behalf of his brother Edward H. Ferguson.

11. A communication was received from Carol Collura, transmitting opposition to prohibiting dogs on grassy areas at Fresh Pond.

12. A communication was received from Doug Myers, transmitting support for Councillor Kelley’s order to add public representatives to the CAP Policy Working Group.

13. A communication was received from Elvie Reyes, regarding the order opposing the Urban Ring Bus Route.

14. A communication was received from Roy Bercaw, regarding the City Manager making policy.

15. A communication was received from Roy Bercaw, regarding institutionalized unlawful bias.

16. A communication was received from Al Hinde, transmitting opposition to prohibiting dogs on grassy areas at Fresh Pond.

17. A communication was received from Kathy Podgers, regarding energy efficient city.

18. A communication was received from Monica Strauss, transmitting opposition to prohibiting dogs on grassy areas at Fresh Pond.

19. A communication was received from Mark G. Vangel, transmitting opposition to prohibiting dogs on grassy areas at Fresh Pond.

20. A communication was received from Marilyn Wellons, regarding policy order on the Urban Ring.

21. A communication was received from Doane Perry, President, Mid Cambridge Neighborhood Association, regarding CAP Policy Working Group.

22. A communication was received from Helen Fairman, transmitting concern to proposed changes to Chapter 6 of the city ordinances regarding off-leash dogs.

RESOLUTIONS
1. Congratulations to Theresa Murray on her new position as Senate President.   Councillor Sullivan, Vice Mayor Toomey, Councillor Simmons

2. Thanks to Senate President Robert E. Travaglini for his service to the citizens of Cambridge.   Councillor Sullivan, Vice Mayor Toomey

3. Happy 85th Birthday wishes to Marion A. Sullivan.   Councillor Sullivan

4. Resolution on the death of retired Judge James R. Lawton.   Councillor Sullivan

5. Resolution on the death of Paul A. DePierro.   Councillor Sullivan

6. Resolution on the death of John Frank Ferolito.   Councillor Sullivan

7. Congratulations to the Central Square Theater on its Ground Breaking Ceremonies on May 1, 2007.   Mayor Reeves

8. Resolution on the death of William P. Gurry.   Councillor Sullivan

9. Happy 100th Birthday wishes to Frances Giarratana.   Councillor Sullivan

10. Resolution on the death of Gloria L. (Morris) Coppola.   Councillor Sullivan

11. Resolution on the death of Paul W. White.   Councillor Sullivan

12. Resolution on the death of Paul F. Meier.   Councillor Sullivan

13. Resolution on the death of Leonard F. "Lennie" Delaney.   Councillor Sullivan, Councillor Galluccio

14. Resolution on the death of Rita E. (Ring) Waldron.   Councillor Sullivan, Councillor Galluccio

15. Congratulations to the Garment District on the occasion of its 21st birthday.   Councillor Murphy

16. Best wishes to the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce on its annual Excellence in Business Awards on May 24, 2007.   Councillor Sullivan

17. Urge residents to take part in the kickoff celebration of the Boston Portuguese Festival 2007 on Apr 5, 2007 at Boston University.   Vice Mayor Toomey

18. Support of the ReNee Leahy and The Huntington’s Disease Society of America’s "Crawl for A Cure" benefit on May 5, 2007.   Vice Mayor Toomey

19. Congratulations to John Lenicheck on his new position as Chief of Staff to Representative Michael Capuano.   Vice Mayor Toomey

20. Congratulations to Robert J. McCarthy on being named the new President of North Cambridge Catholic High School.   Councillor Sullivan

21. Congratulations to Ethridge King on his appointment as an Election Commissioner of Cambridge.   Councillor Sullivan, Councillor Galluccio

22. Urge residents to be cognizant of the Catholic Charities Spring Celebration on May 10, 2007 at the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum.   Councillor Sullivan

23. Congratulations to Sal and Tricia DiDomenico on receiving the Legionnaire Award at the 2007 Renaissance Lodge Black Tie Installation Ball on May 5, 2007.   Councillor Galluccio

24. Speedy recovery wishes to Manny Martins.   Vice Mayor Toomey

25. Congratulations to CitySprouts and its volunteers for their work with the children of Cambridge.   Councillor Davis

26. Resolution on the death of Angelo Raffaele Muraca.   Councillor Sullivan, Vice Mayor Toomey

27. Resolution on the death of William G. Flynn.   Councillor Galluccio

28. Resolution on the death of John M. Mugar.   Councillor Sullivan

29. Congratulations to the newly promoted Lieutenants of the Cambridge Fire Department.   Mayor Reeves

30. Congratulations to the newly promoted Captains of the Cambridge Fire Department.   Mayor Reeves

31. Congratulations to City Councillor Marjorie Decker and Bahij Bandar on their recent engagement.   Mayor Reeves, Vice Mayor Toomey, Councillor Sullivan, Councillor Davis, Councillor Galluccio, Councillor Kelley, Councillor Murphy and Councillor Simmons

32. Congratulations to Chuck Colbert on his Bar Mitzvah.   Councillor Davis

33. Congratulations to Ryan and Patricia Epps on the birth of their son, Leo James Epps on Feb 28, 2007.   Councillor Sullivan

34. Resolution on the death of Alice J. (Morazzi) Bessone.   Councillor Sullivan

35. Resolution on the death of Catherine J. (Reardon) Boyle.   Councillor Sullivan

36. Resolution on the death of Maria Angelina (Correia) Carvalho.   Vice Mayor Toomey

37. Resolution on the death of Robert J. DeGiacomo.   Councillor Sullivan

38. Resolution on the death of Nathaniel F. "Honey" Greenidge.   Councillor Galluccio

39. Resolution on the death of George W. Lanced.   Councillor Galluccio

40. Resolution on the death of Elizabeth D. (Nauffts) Leary.   Councillor Galluccio

41. Resolution on the death of Joseph P. Mello.   Councillor Sullivan

42. Resolution on the death of Thomas Cram O’Sullivan.   Councillor Sullivan

43. Resolution on the death of James E. Rutledge.   Councillor Galluccio

44. Resolution on the death of Frances (Carelli) Shimkas.   Councillor Sullivan

45. Resolution on the death of Beverly C. "Tina" Sands.   Councillor Galluccio

46. Congratulations to the CambridgeSide Galleria on receiving the Special Citizenship Award for their roll in operation Poseidon.   Mayor Reeves

47. Congratulations to Cambridge Landscaping on receiving the Special Citizenship Award for assisting the Fire Department with a traffic accident.   Mayor Reeves

48. Recognition of Firefighters who have served in the Armed Forces.   Mayor Reeves

49. Resolution on the death of Lance Corporal Raymond Holzhauer.   Councillor Decker

50. Resolution on the death of Specialist Jonathan Smith.   Councillor Decker

51. Resolution on the death of Lance Corporal Steven Chavez.   Councillor Decker

52. Resolution on the death of Private First Class John Landry Jr.   Councillor Decker

53. Resolution on the death of Corporal Dustin Lee.   Councillor Decker

54. Resolution on the death of Lance Corporal Harry Timberman.   Councillor Decker

55. Resolution on the death of Lance Corporal Nathanial Windsor.   Councillor Decker

56. Resolution on the death of Private First Class James Arnold.   Councillor Decker

57. Resolution on the death of Corporal Henry Bogrette.   Councillor Decker

58. Resolution on the death of Corporal Brian Chevalier.   Councillor Decker

59. Resolution on the death of Private First Class Orlando Gonzalez.   Councillor Decker

60. Resolution on the death of Specialist Sean McDonald.   Councillor Decker

61. Resolution on the death of Lance Corporal Trevor Roberts.   Councillor Decker

62. Resolution on the death of Private First Class Anthony White.   Councillor Decker

63. Resolution on the death of Sergeant Robert Carr.   Councillor Decker

64. Resolution on the death of Private First Class Stephen Richardson.   Councillor Decker

65. Resolution on the death of Private First Class Alberto Garcia Jr.   Councillor Decker

66. Resolution on the death of Sergeant Thomas Latham.   Councillor Decker

67. Resolution on the death of Specialist Lance Springer II.   Councillor Decker

68. Resolution on the death of Sergeant Ryan Green.   Councillor Decker

69. Resolution on the death of Specialist Curtis Glawson Jr.   Councillor Decker

70. Resolution on the death of Sergeant Jason Swiger.   Councillor Decker

71. Resolution on the death of Sergeant John Allen.   Councillor Decker

72. Resolution on the death of Staff Sergeant Terry Prater.   Councillor Decker

73. Resolution on the death of Specialist Forrest Waterbury.   Councillor Decker

74. Resolution on the death of Sergeant Daniel Woodcock.   Councillor Decker

75. Resolution on the death of Sergeant Wayne Cornell.   Councillor Decker

76. Resolution on the death of Private First Class William Davis.   Councillor Decker

77. Resolution on the death of Sergeant Freeman Gardner Jr.   Councillor Decker

78. Resolution on the death of Staff Sergeant Blake Harris.   Councillor Decker

79. Resolution on the death of Specialist Adam Rosema.   Councillor Decker

80. Resolution on the death of Sergeant Emerson Brand.   Councillor Decker

81. Resolution on the death of Sergeant Nicholas Lightner.   Councillor Decker

82. Resolution on the death of Sergeant First Class Benjamin Sebban.   Councillor Decker

83. Resolution on the death of Sergeant Nimo Tauala.   Councillor Decker

84. Resolution on the death of Specialist Joshua Boyd.   Councillor Decker

85. Resolution on the death of Staff Sergeant Marcus Golczynski.   Councillor Decker

86. Resolution on the death of Specialist Marieo Guerrero.   Councillor Decker

87. Resolution on the death of Sergeant Adrian Lewis.   Councillor Decker

88. Resolution on the death of Sergeant Greg Riewer.   Councillor Decker

89. Resolution on the death of Sergeant First Class Christopher Brevard.   Councillor Decker

90. Resolution on the death of Specialist Stephen Kowalczyk.   Councillor Decker

91. Resolution on the death of Master Sergeant Sean Thomas.   Councillor Decker

92. Resolution on the death of Staff Sergeant Darrell Griffin Jr.   Councillor Decker

93. Resolution on the death of Sergeant First Class John Stephens.   Councillor Decker

94. Resolution on the death of Sergeant First Class Douglas Stone.   Councillor Decker

95. Best wishes to Charlie Winchester on his retirement.   Councillor Sullivan

96. Congratulations to Vincent Piro on being named Acting Chief Probation Officer for Woburn District Court.   Councillor Sullivan

97. Happy 77th Birthday wishes to Aldo Tambellini and congratulations on the retrospective of his film which will take place on Apr 19, 2007.   Mayor Reeves

98. Proclaim May 6-12, 2007 as Drinking Water Week in the City of Cambridge.   Mayor Reeves

99. Resolution on the death of Dorothy I. Noyes.   Councillor Sullivan

100. Urge all Cantabrigians to be cognizant of the Cambridge Performance Project and Morse Community School "Spring Forward 2007" 22nd Annual Showcase on Apr 12, 2007 at 7:00pm at the Morse School Auditorium.   Councillor Sullivan

101. Welcome to Robert C. Haas as the new Cambridge Police Commissioner.   Councillor Sullivan, Vice Mayor Toomey

102. Best wishes to John Morgan.   Councillor Sullivan

103. Congratulations to Paul Ryder for his coordination of the 2007 Cambridge Run/Walk on Apr 1, 2007.   Councillor Davis

104. Congratulations to City staff for their development of the Cambridge Energy Alliance.   Councillor Davis

105. Retirement of Priscilla Beck from the Cambridge Public Library.   Mayor Reeves

106. Resolution on the death of Noemia A. "Mena" (Alves) Nunes.   Councillor Galluccio

107. Congratulations to Jeff Walker of the Cambridge Health Alliance and the Andrea Harvey Memorial Fund Advisory Board for their wonderful job organizing the Cambridge Run/Walk event along with Paul Ryder.   Councillor Davis

108. Congratulations to Sean Bukowski on his acceptance into the Agathos chapter of the National Honor Society for Secondary Schools.   Councillor Decker

109. Congratulations to Joan Green on the presentation of her artwork in the 10th Annual North Cambridge All Arts Open Studios on Apr 28-29, 2007.   Councillor Decker

110. Retirement of Richard Zielinski from the Water Department.   Mayor Reeves

111. Congratulations to Professor Charles Ogletree and the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute on hosting the conference on the 100th Anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dred Scott decision.   Mayor Reeves

112. Resolution commending the Cambridge Fire Department, the Cambridge Auxiliary Police, the Red Cross and the neighbors for their outstanding response to the fire at 7th and Otis Street.   Vice Mayor Toomey

113. Urge all residents to be cognizant of the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School Visual & Performing Arts Department presentation of the Advanced Placement Portfolio Art Exhibit which will take place from Apr 26, 2007 through May 7, 2007 at the University Lutheran Church, 66 Winthrop Street, Cambridge.   Councillor Sullivan

114. Resolution on the death of Ruth E. (Smith) Glynn.   Councillor Sullivan, Councillor Galluccio

115. Welcome to Nadje Al-Ali as she comes to Cambridge to speak about "Iraqui Women between Dictatorships, War, Sanctions and Occupation" on Sunday, April 15, 2007 from 3:00pm to 5:00pm at MIT.   Mayor Reeves

116. Congratulations to the Rush AME Zion Church on its 130th Anniversary.   Councillor Simmons, Councillor Sullivan

117. Congratulations to Kelly Writer on his promotion to Superintendent of Parks and Forestry for the City of Cambridge.   Councillor Sullivan

118. Resolution on the death of Stanley M. Hwidziewicz.   Vice Mayor Toomey, Councillor Galluccio

119. Resolution on the death of John "Jack" Marckini.   Councillor Galluccio

120. Congratulations to Phil Wilson, Executive Director of the Black AIDS Institute, for being chosen to be the 2007 Bayard Rustin Community Breakfast Speaker on April 28, 2007 at the JFK Library.   Councillor Simmons

121. Resolution on the death of William E. Cooke.   Mayor Reeves

122. Congratulations to the Knights of Columbus, Cambridge Council #74, on the Second Annual Family Communion Breakfast on April 14, 2007.   Councillor Sullivan

123. Congratulations to the Justinian Law Society and the National Italian American Bar Association on their annual Law Day Dinner and Installation of National Officers.   Councillor Sullivan

124. Speedy recovery wishes to Molly Murphy.   Councillor Sullivan, Councillor Simmons

125. Congratulations to Shirley Jobe on being honored by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women as Cambridge's 2007 Unsung Heroine.   Councillor Decker

126. Congratulations to the students of the Fall Light workshop on their photo exhibit on April 13, 2007.   Councillor Decker

127. Congratulations to Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius on receiving Harvard University's Democrats annual Leader of the Year Award.   Councillor Decker

128. Resolution on the death of Mary L. (Cobino) Minuno.   Vice Mayor Toomey

ORDERS
1. Support of increasing the FY08 state budget for environmental health services (line item 4510-0600) to $8.3 million to ensure adequate protection of the health and safety of our communities, workplaces and environment.   Councillor Sullivan

2. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Police Commissioner, the Director of the Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department and the Assistant City Manager for Community Development to review the functioning of the traffic redesign at the intersection of Normandy Avenue and Blanchard Road and also to review any available accident statistics for that intersection with the view of determining whether the traffic calming measures instituted there are causing accidents because it has become more difficult to negotiate the intersection.   Councillor Simmons

3. Dedication of an appropriate site in the vicinity of Putnam Avenue and River Street in honor of Perry Copitas.   Councillor Galluccio

4. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Assistant City Manager for Community Development and the Director of the Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department to provide the City Council with a report evaluating the traffic and parking burden created by housing development in Cambridge in close proximity to mass transit.   Councillor Galluccio

5. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the School Committee and the Superintendent of Schools to report back to the City Council on what resources Cambridge Rindge and Latin School offers to CRLS post-graduates for post high school educational programs, placements and transfers.   Councillor Galluccio

6. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Superintendent of Schools with the view that the Cambridge School Department arrange for snow removal for Cambridge School Department buildings, sidewalks and walkways regardless of whether school buildings are open.   Councillor Galluccio

7. That the City Manager is requested to ensure that all school properties comply with snow removal laws and be ticketed for non-compliance.   Councillor Galluccio

8. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Assistant City Manager for Community Development to provide the City Council with a report on the impact of sub-prime lending in Cambridge.   Councillor Galluccio  Amended

9. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Director of Information Technology to improve the directions for searching the Municipal Code on line, as several people have misunderstood the wording and concluded that no search feature exist.   Councillor Davis

10. That the proposal to amend the Zoning Ordinance regarding fences be referred to the City Solicitor for final language and be returned to the City Council for referral to the Ordinance Committee and Planning Board no later than May 7, 2007.   Councillor Davis

11. Urge the Massachusetts Legislature, in the strongest possible manner, to oppose any effort to eliminate the municipal consent process for competitive providers of cable television service until, at a minimum, a thorough evaluation is completed of the current system and the effect of any proposed changes on local governments, residents, competitors and incumbents is analyzed.   Councillor Davis

12. That the City Manager is requested to contact the MBTA about the electric buses making noise in the early morning hours at the north Massachusetts Avenue station by announcing their route and destination and thereby disturbing the quiet time of the neighborhood.   Councillor Sullivan

13. That the Assistant to the City Council be and hereby is requested to add Michael Sarchioni to the sign on the corner of Plymouth Street and Webster Avenue.   Vice Mayor Toomey

14. That the City Manager is requested to arrange for a time for the Executive Director of the Housing Authority appear at a meeting of the Cambridge City Council to provide an update on the settlement of the Cambridge, Boston and Brookline CHA’s lawsuit against the Commonwealth for failure to maintain the state-owned units of public housing.   Councillor Galluccio

15. That the City Manager is requested to report back to the City Council on the status of the park at Sacramento and Oxford Streets, to include how the raised platform needed removal before it was even a year old and how City staff members are monitoring equipment at all City playgrounds to ensure that equipment installation is proper and that damaged equipment is removed and replaced very quickly.   Councillor Kelley

16. That the City Manager is requested to ensure that the working group on liquor licenses consist of at least two members of the public who have no financial or bureaucratic interest in the current policy or any changes to it   Councillor Kelley

17. That the City Manager is requested to report back to the City Council on the status of putting enforcement statistics on the City’s website.   Councillor Kelley

18. That the City Manager is requested to report back to the City Council on how the Police Department plans to enforce the motorcycle noise ordinance so that Cambridge residents, businesses and visitors can have as quiet a summer as possible.   Councillor Kelley

19. Opposition to the Urban Ring Phase II bus system unless the whole route is grade separated to ensure that the buses would not have to compete with general traffic   Councillor Kelley  Tabled - Davis

20. That the City Manager is requested to confer with relevant Department heads on the feasibility of developing a map of the City or some other method of indicating the safer, less vehicle-dense cross-town routes for cyclists.   Councillor Kelley

21. That the City Manager is requested to report back to the City Council with an explanation of the City’s responsibilities, powers and limitations regarding abandoned or neglected properties.   Councillor Kelley

22. That issues involving Safe Routes to School be referred to the Transportation, Traffic and Parking subcommittee.   Councillor Kelley

23. Dedication of the corner of Lincoln and Elm Streets as Cappucci Square.   Councillor Galluccio

24. Support of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and endorsing equality of opportunity, and encouraging governments to be responsive to and inclusive of people with disabilities   Councillor Kelley

25. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the head of the Electrical Department to repair or improve the condition of the lighting in the parking lot on Norfolk Street behind the Department of Public Works to improve safety and deter loitering.   Vice Mayor Toomey

26. That the City Manager is requested to provide the City Council with an update on the actions of and the status of the leaf blower task force by Apr 23, 2007.   Councillor Kelley

27. That the City Manager is requested to ensure that the City provides all possible support for the families who were victims of the Soden Street fire on Apr 4, 2007.   Councillor Simmons

28. That the City Council go on record naming the new park in Area Four the "Janet Rose Heritage Park."   Councillor Simmons

29. That the proposed ordinance regarding the structure and function of the Cambridge Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT) Commission be referred to the Ordinance Committee.   Councillor Sullivan, Councillor Murphy, and Councillor Simmons  Amended

30. That the City Manager is requested to investigate and recommend remedies regarding rodents at 56 Churchill Avenue and in the walk/driveway between that lot and the Daniel F. Burns Apartments.   Councillor Davis

31. That the City Manager is requested to confer with relevant Department heads, housing developers, transportation specialists and other interested parties to help determine what type of programs, if any, that limit parking rights might be feasible and how such programs might impact housing development and confer with relevant City staff to determine the legality of restricting on-street parking permits and visitor passes to residential units based on zoning incentives, special permit requirements or any other transportation and land use tool that may be at the City’s disposal.   Councillor Kelley and Councillor Galluccio
Charter Right - Galluccio

32. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the City Solicitor and the Commissioner of Inspectional Services to report back to the City Council on the feasibility of requiring a renewal fee for building permits when the construction goes on much longer than contemplated at the beginning or than is reasonably necessary in light of inconvenience to city infrastructure and neighborhood.   Councillor Decker  Amended

33. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the appropriate department in order to reorganize the signs for the Central Square Branch library so the large sign faces up Pearl Street so people can see it and the additional signs be moved or removed if appropriate.   Councillor Davis

34. Dedication an appropriate site on the corner of Massachusetts Avenue and Linnaean Street in honor of William J. and Catherine A. Walsh.   Mayor Reeves

35. That the City Manager is requested to cease all discussions and accommodations with Clear Channel with regard to the advertising boards that Clear Channel owns, including cutting or pruning trees and urge Clear Channel to resume negotiations with Painter’s Union #35 and cancel the contract with out-of-state workers.   Councillor Decker, Vice Mayor Toomey and Councillor Murphy  Amended

36. Support of the concept of the proposed Area IV Community Café and Art Gallery.   Councillor Decker, Councillor Galluccio, Mayor Reeves and Councillor Simmons

37. That the City Manager is requested to aggressively pursue the purchase of 55 Magazine Street or to aggressively pursue a partner that would allow the city the rare opportunity to secure a significant number of affordable units.   Councillor Decker and Mayor Reeves

38. City Manager to confer with the Chairman of the License Commission and the Assistant City Manager of Community Development with the view of the Chair of the License Commission and the Director of Economic Development reporting back to the Economic Development, Training and Employment Committee with a draft of potential changes to the Cap Policy that would better support the City’s economic development goals, as discussed at the January 30, 2007 Committee meeting.   Councillor Decker

39. City Manager is requested to appoint a committee, as described in the report of the January 30, 2007 Economic Development, Training and Employment Committee, to discuss a draft policy revising the current Cap Policy for Liquor Licenses.   Councillor Decker

40. City Manager is requested to direct the Commissioner of Inspectional Services to utilize the attached revised Noise Affidavit which has been reviewed by City staff. (This order refers to Calendar Item Number Ten adopting the recommendations in the Committee Report.)   Councillor Sullivan and Councillor Murphy

COMMITTEE REPORTS
1. A communication was received from D. Margaret Drury, City Clerk transmitting a report from Councillor Marjorie C. Decker, Chair of the Economic Development, Training and Employment Committee, for a meeting held on Jan 30, 2007 for the purpose of continuing discussion of the License Commission’s "cap policy" relative to licenses to serve alcoholic beverages.

2. A communication was received from D. Margaret Drury, City Clerk transmitting a report from Councillor Michael A. Sullivan and Councillor Brian Murphy, Co-Chairs of the Ordinance Committee, for a meeting held on Feb 13, 2007 to consider proposed amendments to the Cambridge Municipal Ordinance Chapter 6 entitled Animal Control Regulations, to provide rules for off-leash areas.  Passed to 2nd Reading

3. A communication was received from Donna P. Lopez, Deputy City Clerk transmitting a report from Councillor Michael A. Sullivan and Vice Mayor Timothy J. Toomey, Co-Chairs of the Public Safety Committee and Councillor Craig Kelley, Chair of Transportation, Traffic and Parking Committee, for a meeting held on Mar 8, 2007 to discuss public safety issues regarding the relocation of the Lechmere Station and the benefits of a Lechmere Square underpass.

COMMUNICATIONS AND REPORTS FROM CITY OFFICERS
1. A communication was received from Marilyn Y. Bradshaw, Executive Secretary to the School Department transmitting a copy of an order from the School Committee that the FY2007-08 General Fund Budget of the Cambridge Public Schools be adopted in the sum or $127,690,960.

HEARING SCHEDULE
Mon, Apr 9
5:30pm   City Council Meeting  (Sullivan Chamber)

Wed, Apr 11
10:00am   The Economic Development, Training and Employment Committee will conduct a public meeting to discuss a broad policy regarding the state of workers in Cambridge and an update on organized labor.  (Sullivan Chamber)

Mon, Apr 23
5:30pm   City Council Meeting  (Sullivan Chamber)

Tues, Apr 24
5:30pm   The Transportation, Traffic and Parking Committee will conduct a public meeting to discuss the topic of a "clean" hybrid cab program as implemented in Boston.  (Sullivan Chamber)

Sat, Apr 28
10:00am   The Finance Committee will conduct a public meeting to discuss FY08 City Budget.  (Sullivan Chamber)

Mon, Apr 30
5:30pm   City Council Meeting  (Sullivan Chamber)

Thurs, May 3
6:00pm   The Human Services Committee will conduct a public meeting to discuss youth centers. Time may change.  (Location to be announced)

Mon, May 7
5:30pm   City Council Meeting  (Sullivan Chamber)

Wed, May 9
4:45pm   The Finance Committee will conduct a public meeting to discuss FY08 Capital Budget.  (Sullivan Chamber)
6:00pm   The Finance Committee will conduct a public meeting to discuss FY08 School Department Budget.  (Sullivan Chamber)

Sat, May 12
10:00am   The Finance Committee will conduct a public meeting to discuss FY08 City Budget.  (Sullivan Chamber)

Mon, May 14
5:30pm   City Council Meeting  (Sullivan Chamber)

Tues, May 15
5:30pm   The Transportation, Traffic and Parking Committee will conduct a public meeting to discuss the issues including speed bumps, raised intersections and other devices intended to slow traffic speeds, and the limits of employing these devices and the criteria for selection of the placement of these devices.  (Sullivan Chamber)

Wed, May 16
5:00pm   The Finance Committee will conduct a public meeting to discuss FY08 City Budget. (IF NECESSARY)  (Sullivan Chamber)

Mon, May 21
4:00pm   2007 Scholarship Award Ceremony  (Sullivan Chamber)
5:30pm   City Council Meeting  (Sullivan Chamber)

Mon, June 4
5:30pm   City Council Meeting  (Sullivan Chamber)

Mon, June 11
5:30pm   City Council Meeting  (Sullivan Chamber)

Mon, June 18
5:30pm   City Council Meeting  (Sullivan Chamber)

Mon, June 25
5:30pm   City Council Meeting  (Sullivan Chamber)

Mon, July 30
5:30pm   Special City Council Meeting  (Sullivan Chamber)

Mon, Sept 10
5:30pm   City Council Meeting  (Sullivan Chamber)

Mon, Sept 17
5:30pm   City Council Meeting  (Sullivan Chamber)

Mon, Sept 24
5:30pm   City Council Meeting  (Sullivan Chamber)

TEXT OF ORDERS
O-1     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR SULLIVAN
RESOLVED: That the Cambridge City Council go on record in support of increasing the FY08 state budget for environmental health services (line item 4510-0600) to $8.3 million to ensure adequate protection of the health and safety of our communities, workplaces and environment; and be it further
RESOLVED: That the City Clerk be and hereby is requested to forward a suitably engrossed copy of this resolution to the Cambridge legislative delegation to the Great and General Court of Massachusetts, Governor Deval Patrick and the Massachusetts Public Health Association.

O-2     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Police Commissioner, the Director of the Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department and the Assistant City Manager for Community Development to review the functioning of the traffic redesign at the intersection of Normandy Avenue and Blanchard Road and also to review any available accident statistics for that intersection with the view of determining whether the traffic calming measures instituted there are causing accidents because it has become more difficult to negotiate the intersection.

O-3     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR GALLUCCIO
ORDERED: That the City Council dedicate an appropriate site in the vicinity of Putnam Avenue and River Street in honor of Perry Copitas; and be it further
ORDERED: That the Assistant to the City Council be directed to confer with the family regarding a suitable dedication ceremony and communicate with the Department of Public Works to arrange for the sign.

O-4     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR GALLUCCIO
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Assistant City Manager for Community Development and the Director of the Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department to provide the City Council with a report evaluating the recent traffic and parking burden created by housing development in Cambridge in close proximity to mass transit; and be it further
ORDERED: That said report include a recommendation as to what the appropriate parking space requirement should be for housing developments in close proximity to mass transit.

O-5     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR GALLUCCIO
|ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the School Committee and the Superintendent of Schools to report back to the City Council on what resources Cambridge Rindge and Latin School offers to CRLS post-graduates for post high school educational programs, placements and transfers.

O-6     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR GALLUCCIO
WHEREAS: Snow often falls on the weekend or during school vacation; and
WHEREAS: Residents use the public sidewalks that surround school buildings; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Superintendent of Schools with the view that the Cambridge School Department arrange for snow removal for Cambridge School Department buildings, sidewalks and walkways regardless of whether school buildings are open.

O-7     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR GALLUCCIO
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to ensure that all school properties comply with snow removal laws and be ticketed for non-compliance.

O-8     Apr 9, 2007  Amended
COUNCILLOR GALLUCCIO
WHEREAS: It is reported that widespread sub-prime lending could lead to widespread foreclosures; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Assistant City Manager for Community Development to provide the City Council with a report on the impact of sub-prime lending in Cambridge; and be it further
ORDERED: That the report include information about what other local jurisdictions have done in this area by way of ordinances, regulations, programs, etc; and be it further
ORDERED: That a copy of this order be forwarded to Massachusetts State Senator Jarrett Barrios who is currently working on this issue with a request that he inform the Cambridge City Council and City Manager of any state action in this area.

O-9     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR DAVIS
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Director of Information Technology to improve the directions for searching the Municipal Code on line, as several people have misunderstood the wording and concluded that no search feature exist.

O-10     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR DAVIS
WHEREAS: Several members of the Pedestrian Committee have prepared the attached proposal for further zoning regulation of fences; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the proposal to amend the Zoning Ordinance be referred to the City Solicitor with the request that language be finalized for referral to the Planning Board and Ordinance Committee for a hearing and report; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to ensure that final language for the proposed amendment is returned to the City Council for referral no later than the City Council meeting of May 7, 2007.

O-11     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR DAVIS
WHEREAS: The Commonwealth provides a primary role for local governments to negotiate the terms and conditions under which a wireline cable television company may provide cable television service to its residents pursuant to a municipal consent ordinance, and this requirement of law is consistent with the long-standing principle of ascertaining and addressing community cable-related needs at the local level; and
WHEREAS: The Commonwealth’s wireline cable television companies constructed and now operate cable television systems under municipal consents that address the specific needs of local communities with specific agreed upon terms; and
WHEREAS: Competition in the provision of cable television service is desirable and has the potential for producing consumer benefits through increased choice and the City of Cambridge supports competition; and
WHEREAS: Verizon Communications is seeking state legislation that would exempt it from the municipal consent process to which all cable television companies now operate and, if such legislation were enacted, would be permitted to offer competitive cable services under a state-issued franchise that would bypass municipal authorization and approval; and
WHEREAS: The process for award of such a state-issued franchise would have the effect of eliminating any meaningful opportunity for the City of Cambridge to address the specific cable-related needs that otherwise might be fulfilled by Verizon Communications and deprive the City of Cambridge the ability to ensure competition is offered on equal terms; and
WHEREAS: Municipalities and their residents have a significant and specific interest in the terms and conditions attendant to the award of a cable television franchise; now therefore be it
RESOLVED: That the Cambridge City Council hereby urges the Massachusetts Legislature, in the strongest possible manner, to oppose any effort to eliminate the municipal consent process for competitive providers of cable television service until, at a minimum, a thorough evaluation is completed of the current system and the effect of any proposed changes on local governments, residents, competitors and incumbents is analyzed; and be it further
RESOLVED: That a suitably engrossed copy of this resolution shall be forwarded to Governor Patrick, Lieutenant Governor Murray, Senate President Murray, House Speaker DiMasi and Attorney General Coakley, members of the legislative Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy, and the Cambridge delegation to the Great and General Court.

O-12     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR SULLIVAN
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to contact the MBTA about the electric buses making noise at the north Massachusetts Avenue bus station in the early morning hours by announcing their route and destination starting at 5:00am and thereby disturbing the quiet time of the neighborhood.

O-13     Apr 9, 2007
VICE MAYOR TOOMEY
ORDERED: That the Assistant to the City Council be and hereby is requested to add Michael Sarchioni to the sign on the corner of Plymouth Street and Webster Avenue.

O-14     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR GALLUCCIO
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to arrange for a time for the Executive Director of the Cambridge Housing Authority to appear at a meeting of the Cambridge City Council to update the Council on the settlement of the Cambridge, Boston and Brookline CHA’s lawsuit against the Commonwealth for failure to maintain the state-owned units of public housing.

O-15     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR KELLEY
WHEREAS: The Alden playground at the junction of Sacramento and Oxford Street was recently renovated; and
WHEREAS: This playground needed renovations shortly after opening due to children being injured while using the equipment; and
WHEREAS: The City ensured that these safety renovations were carried out; and
WHEREAS: Notwithstanding these safety renovations and the main structure’s comparative youth, the raised platform of the structure recently broke and was removed by the City; and
WHEREAS: The playground’s main structure has been without the raised platform for a considerable time; and
WHEREAS: This playground is the primary recess area for students from the neighboring Baldwin School; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council on the status of this park, to include how the raised platform needed removal before it was even a year old; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council on how City staff members are monitoring equipment at all City playgrounds to ensure that equipment installation is proper and that damaged equipment is removed and replaced very quickly.

O-16     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR KELLEY
WHEREAS: The development and implementation of new liquor license policies are important matters for all residents and businesses in Cambridge; and
WHEREAS: The City Manager has appointed a working group to study various liquor license policy options; and
WHEREAS: It is important that the general public be represented in all decision-making and policy-development processes in the City; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to ensure that the working group on liquor licenses consist of at least two members of the public who have no financial or bureaucratic interest in the current policy or any changes to it; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council on this issue.

O-17     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR KELLEY
WHEREAS: It is important for the City Council to have accurate data in order to best review the City Manager’s budget submission and other appropriation requests throughout the year; and
WHEREAS: The City Manager stated that various enforcement statistics, which the City Council could use to determine how effective various expenditures have been, should be posted on the City website in early 2007; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council on the status of putting enforcement statistics on the City’s website.

O-18     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR KELLEY
WHEREAS: Loud motorcycles create unnecessary disturbances to the general public; and
WHEREAS: Loud motorcycles tend to be a larger problem in warmer months; and
WHEREAS: The noise emitted by motorcycles is limited by state law that is enforceable by Cambridge Police; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council on how the Police Department plans to enforce the motorcycle noise ordinance so that Cambridge residents, businesses and visitors can have as quiet a summer as possible.

O-19     Apr 9, 2007  Tabled - Davis
COUNCILLOR KELLEY
WHEREAS: The Urban Ring Phase II is a proposed bus/rapid transit project that will pass through a variety of neighborhoods throughout Greater Boston; and
WHEREAS: The Urban Ring Phase II bus routes will pass through parts of Cambridge to include East Cambridge and Cambridgeport, with probable negative impacts on local traffic and air quality while at the same time not providing effective Mass Transit for these neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS: Cambridge is located in an air quality non-attainment zone which is likely to become even worse as a result of the Urban Ring Phase II’s roadway development project; and
WHEREAS: Recent research indicates that smaller particles emitted by engines of new, "clean burning" buses may present much greater danger to human health due to their ability to move deep into the human lung; and
WHEREAS: Much of the Urban Ring Phase II’s route will not be on grade-separated roadway, forcing the buses to mix with already congested general traffic; and
WHEREAS: When buses mix with general traffic, they are no longer rapid, create more pollution due to the stop and start nature of the traffic and become less attractive to would-be commuters; and
WHEREAS: New roadways being built or improved for use by Urban Ring Phase II buses in Cambridge are likely to be used by a variety of other vehicles as well, further increasing local traffic and congestion issues; and
WHEREAS: Scarce mass transit money is being used to fund the Urban Ring Phase II bus routes that could be better spent on extending the green line, assisting with the Red/Blue line connector and improving existing cross-town bus capacity; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the Cambridge City Council go on record as opposing the Urban Ring Phase II bus system unless the whole route is grade separated to ensure that the buses would not have to compete with general traffic; and be it further
ORDERED: That the Cambridge City Council go on record encouraging money that would have been spent on the Urban Ring Phase II to be redirected to improving existing cross-town bus capacity, extending the Green Line, connecting the Red and Blue lines and other similar improvements to existing mass transit programs; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Clerk be and hereby is requested to transmit a copy of this order to Cambridge’s elected officials in the State House, Governor Deval Patrick, the Director of the MBTA and the Director of the Executive Office of Transportation on behalf of the entire City Council.

O-20     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR KELLEY
WHEREAS: Bicycling in Cambridge is very dangerous, especially on main routes such as Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge Street and Prospect Street; and
WHEREAS: Recent accidents on North Mass Avenue indicate the limits of protection offered to cyclists by bike lanes and pavement markings; and
WHEREAS: There are many side streets, campuses and parks via which cyclists could traverse much of Cambridge without exposing themselves to the dangers posed by routes more heavily used by cars; and
WHEREAS: It is difficult for many people to discover these alternative routes on their own; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with relevant Department heads on the feasibility of developing a map of the City or some other method of indicating the safer, less vehicle-dense cross-town routes for cyclists; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council on this issue.

O-21     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR KELLEY
WHEREAS: There are abandoned or neglected properties scattered throughout Cambridge; and
WHEREAS: There are limits to the City’s jurisdiction in addressing these abandoned or neglected properties; and
WHEREAS: The general public might be better able to help City staff in redeveloping or otherwise managing these abandoned or neglected properties if the City’s responsibilities, powers and limitations concerning these properties were better understood; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council with an explanation of the City’s responsibilities, powers and limitations regarding abandoned or neglected properties.

O-22     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR KELLEY
ORDERED: That issues involving Safe Routes to School be referred to the Transportation, Traffic and Parking subcommittee.

O-23     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR GALLUCCIO
ORDERED: That the City Council dedicate the corner of Lincoln and Elm Streets as Cappucci Square; and be it further
ORDERED: That the Assistant to the City Council be directed to confer with the family regarding a suitable dedication ceremony and communicate with the Department of Public Works to arrange for the sign.

O-24     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR KELLEY
WHEREAS: Historically, persons with disabilities have been marginalized, stigmatized and deprived of opportunities and freedoms afforded to individual without disabilities; and
WHEREAS: On Dec 13, 2006, the United Nations General Assembly adopted by consensus a landmark treaty, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, to promote and protect the rights of the world’s 650 million disabled people; and
WHEREAS: The Convention was the most rapidly negotiated human rights treaty in the history of international law; and
WHEREAS: The Convention is the first human rights treaty of the 21st century; and
WHEREAS: The Convention will require ratifying nations "to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity" and promote awareness of the capabilities of those who are disabled; and
WHEREAS: The Convention also requires governments to fight stereotypes of people with disabilities; and
WHEREAS: The Convention also recognizes that attitudes need to change if disabled people are to achieve equality; and
WHEREAS: The City of Cambridge was one of the first cities in Massachusetts to establish a local commission on persons with disabilities; and
WHEREAS: In March 2006, the National Organization on Disability selected the City of Cambridge as the "Accessible America 2005" grand prize winner, which recognizes Cambridge as a national model for its focus on disability issues; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Council of the City of Cambridge go on record as supporting this Convention, endorsing equality of opportunity, and encouraging governments to be responsive to and inclusive of people with disabilities; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Clerk be and hereby is requested to communicate the City’s support of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and the Acting U.S. Representative to the United Nations, Alejandro D. Wolff and urge ratification of the Convention by the United States; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Clerk be and hereby is requested to forward a suitably engrossed copy of this resolution to the Acting U.S. Representative to the United Nations, Alejandro D. Wolff on behalf of the entire City Council.

O-25     Apr 9, 2007
VICE MAYOR TOOMEY
WHEREAS: The parking lot on Norfolk Street behind the Department of Public Works is poorly lit, which encourages loitering on the dead end street; and
WHEREAS: Neighbors have concerns about vandalism and safety in this area due to presence of loiterers in the evening hours; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the head of the Electrical Department to repair or improve the condition of the lighting in the parking lot to improve safety and deter loitering.

O-26     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR KELLEY
WHEREAS: The garden, park and lawn maintenance season is beginning; and
WHEREAS: Leaf blowers and other similar devices are often used in such maintenance; and
WHEREAS The use of these devices can be very noisy and result in higher levels of suspended particulate matter that may pose a threat to human health; and
WHEREAS: The City convened a leaf blower task force to discuss issues pertaining to the use of leaf blowers in Cambridge; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to provide the City Council with an update on the actions of and the status of the leaf blower task force by Apr 23, 2007.

O-27     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to ensure that the City provides all possible support for the families who were victims of the Soden Street fire on Apr 4, 2007.

O-28     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS
ORDERED: That the City Council go on record naming the new park in Area Four the "Janet Rose Heritage Park;" and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to forward a copy of this order to the Recreation Department.

O-29     Apr 9, 2007  Amended
COUNCILLOR SULLIVAN
COUNCILLOR MURPHY
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS (added late)
ORDERED: That the proposed amendment to the Municipal Code (listed below) on the structure and function of the Cambridge Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT) Commission, prepared by members of the Commission, be referred to the Ordinance Committee be referred to the City Solicitor to prepare appropriate language for a final draft for the Ordinance Committee to consider and to highlight legal issues for the Ordinance Committee to address and that the draft be returned to the City Council for referral to the Ordinance Committee:

Cambridge GLBT Commission Ordinance Draft

Section x.1 Established.

The GLBT Commission was created as a result of a City Council Order that was adopted on Feb 22, 2004 and became operational with regularly scheduled meetings in 2005.

Section x.2 Function and Purpose.

It shall be the function of the Commission to:

A. Advocate for a culture of respect and monitor progress toward equality of all persons with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity;

B. Promote policies and practices that have a positive effect on the health, welfare, and safety of all persons who live, visit or work in the City with respect to sexual orientation and gender identity.

Section x.3 Membership – Appointment – Term.

A. The Commission shall consist of 15 members, each appointed by the City Manager.

B. The term of service is three years. Commissioners may be reappointed for additional three-year terms.

C. Upon the enactment of this ordinance the existing active Commissioners who have been previously appointed by the City Manager shall have the length of their remaining respective terms determined based on a lottery. Five commissioners will have one remaining year on their term, five will have two remaining years, and the remainder if any will have their terms expire. By this means there will be five appointments made each year.

D. If any Commissioner is absent from three unexcused meetings of the Commission during a calendar year, that position of the Commissioner shall be automatically vacated upon certification to the City Manager by the Commission.

E. After the initial appointments, subsequent members of the Commission shall be appointed by the City Manager, recruited by way of any and all means available to the City Manger, including recommendations provided by the Commission. The Commission shall consult with recognized groups working for the equal status and protection of the rights and well-being of GLBT individuals to obtain names of qualified candidates. Vacancies on the Commission shall be filled not later than thirty days after the vacancy occurs; and if a vacancy occurs prior to the expiration of the member’s term, an appointment shall be made for the remainder of the term.

F. The Commission at all times shall make every effort to be representative of all socio-economic, age, racial and gender-identifying segments of the City as well as different neighborhoods.

Section x.4 Membership – Qualifications.

A. All prospective Commissioners shall have belief in and support the equal status and protection of the rights and well-being of GLBT individuals.

B. Commissioners shall be either residents or individuals whose place of work is in the City at the time of appointment and throughout the term of their appointment.

C. Elected officials in Municipal, State, or Federal government are not eligible to be Commissioners.

Section x.5 Executive Director – Appointment – Term.

A. There shall be an Executive Director of the GLBT Commission whose selection and length of employment shall be determined by the City Manager with the advice of the Commission.

B. The prospective Executive Director of the Commission shall have demonstrated administrative expertise, a background of direct participation in the advancement of GLBT interests as well as the promotion of issues surrounding general concern for issues of social justice, and the ability to work with GLBT individuals of various socio-economic backgrounds, races, national origins, gender identities, and ages.

C. The Executive Director shall have adequate and appropriate staff assistance.

D. The Executive Director shall make every effort to attend all Commission meetings and participate according to meeting by-laws when recognized by the chair. The Executive Director will not serve as a voting member of the Commission’s regularly scheduled meetings.

Section x.6 Election of Chairperson(s) – Adoption of bylaws.

The members of the Commission shall elect two Co-Chairpersons from among its members, and shall adopt operational bylaws for the Commission. Elected Co-Chairpersons shall each serve for a term of one year.

Section x.7 Powers and duties.

The powers and duties of the Commission shall include the following:

A. To hold at least six regular meetings throughout the calendar year and to conduct additional meetings as necessary;

B. To obtain from City departments, divisions and agencies any and all information necessary to carry out the functions, purposes, programs and activities of the Commission;

C. To insure the equal status and protection of the rights and well-being of all GLBT individuals residing or working in the City in educational, economic, political, health, legal, social and public safety spheres;

D. To design and implement programs that promote and sustain equality for all GLBT individuals residing or working in the City;

E. To assist in public awareness of GLBT issues and concerns through participation in public and media events sponsored by the administrative and/or legislative bodies of the City including but not limited to City-sponsored recreational, education and development activities;

F. To develop recommendations and recommend policy to all departments, divisions and agencies of the City, including the City Manager and the City Council;

G. To coordinate activities of all departments and divisions of City government on issues affecting all GLBT individuals residing or working in the City;

H. To initiate, coordinate and monitor the enactment or proposal of legislation which promotes the equal status and protection of rights and well-being of all GLBT individuals on the City, State and Federal levels, and to assure that appropriate regulations are adopted and enforced pursuant to such legislation;

I. Such other tasks that may be agreed upon by the City Manager and the Commission.

Section x.8 Amendments.

Amendments to this ordinance may be considered without recreation of this ordinance by way of:

A. A proposed amendment approved by a majority of Commissioners submitted in writing to the City Council, approved by a majority of the City Council by the standard process for amending Ordinances;

B. A proposed amendment initiated by the City Council and submitted to the Commission for comments and advice prior to approval by a majority of the City Council by the standard process for amending Ordinances.

O-30     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR DAVIS
WHEREAS: Many rats have been sighted at 56 Churchill Avenue and in the walk/driveway between that lot and the Daniel F. Burns Apartments at 50 Churchill Avenue; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to investigate and recommend remedies in coordination with the Cambridge Housing Authority.

O-31     Apr 9, 2007  Charter Right - Galluccio
COUNCILLOR KELLEY
COUNCILLOR GALLUCCIO
WHEREAS: On-street parking is a community resource that is in great demand; and
WHEREAS: New residential developments can put extra strain on a resource that is already close to its limit in many places; and
WHEREAS: Cambridge’s economic and cultural vitality rest on having a density of residents and visitors that provides enough consumers to keep local businesses and services solvent; and
WHEREAS: Many people in Cambridge do not own a car and could save money by purchasing or renting units that did not have the option of getting an on-street parking sticker; and
WHEREAS: The City’s Transportation Demand Reduction ordinance has not sufficiently reduced parking and traffic problems in Cambridge; and
WHEREAS: The density of residents needed to support Cambridge’s web of businesses and services is not necessarily dependent on every resident having a car that can park on City streets; and
WHEREAS: The ability of developers and land owners to build and market properties might be impacted by parking sticker and visitor pass restrictions; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with relevant Department heads, housing developers, transportation specialists and other interested parties to help determine what type of programs, if any, that limit parking rights might be feasible and how such programs might impact housing development; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with relevant City staff to determine the legality of restricting on-street parking permits and visitor passes to residential units based on zoning incentives, special permit requirements or any other transportation and land use tool that may be at the City’s disposal; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council on these issues.

O-32     Apr 9, 2007  Amended
COUNCILLOR DECKER
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the City Solicitor and the Commissioner of Inspectional Services to report back to the City Council on the feasibility of requiring a renewal fee for building permits when the construction goes on much longer than contemplated at the beginning or than is reasonably necessary in light of inconvenience to city infrastructure and neighborhood; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Solicitor report on whether the City Ordinance may contain a charge per day to the developer for the time for completion in excess of the original expected completion date.

O-33     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR DAVIS
WHEREAS: The signs for the Central Square Branch library are placed in such a way that it is confusing for people to find the library; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the appropriate department in order to reorganize the signs for the Central Square Branch library so the large sign faces up Pearl Street so people can see it and the additional signs be moved or removed if appropriate.

O-34     Apr 9, 2007
MAYOR REEVES
ORDERED: That the City Council go on record dedicating an appropriate site on the corner of Massachusetts Avenue and Linnaean Street in honor of William J. and Catherine A. Walsh; and be it further
ORDERED: That the Assistant to the City Council be directed to confer with the family regarding a suitable dedication ceremony and communicate with the Department of Public Works to arrange for the sign.

O-35     Apr 9, 2007  Amended
COUNCILLOR DECKER
VICE MAYOR TOOMEY
COUNCILLOR MURPHY
WHEREAS: Clear Channel is the world’s largest outdoor advertiser with over 800,000 out-of-home displays, including 25 in Cambridge; and
WHEREAS: Recently, twenty-five union members of Sign & Pictorial Local #391 voted to strike after the company imposed wage and benefit cuts, along with significant changes in hours and working conditions; and
WHEREAS: Members of the union had been working without a contract for 18 months; and
WHEREAS: Out-of-state replacement workers have been brought in to do the union’s work; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to cease all discussions and accommodations with Clear Channel with regard to the advertising boards that Clear Channel owns, including cutting or pruning trees; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the Inspectional Services Department to inspect the structural integrity of all billboards; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the Law Department to draft an amendment to the Municipal Code to provide that failure to adequately maintain billboards after notice will result in permanent loss of permits; and be it further
ORDERED: That this City Council go on record urging Clear Channel to resume negotiations with Painter’s Union #35 and cancel the contract with out of state workers; and be it further
ORDERED: That this City Council go on record asking Clear Channel to disclose the names, addresses, and all licenses of any Clear Channel employee, agent, or subcontractor intending to work in Cambridge to ensure that these workers have the proper licenses to do this work; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the Inspectional Services Department to investigate that these out of state workers are properly certified due to safety standards; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the appropriate departments to ensure that Clear Channel provide a paid strike police detail whenever a Clear Channel or subcontractor of Clear Channel truck enters Cambridge to do work or site visits of billboards in order to adequately protect for public access and safety; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Clerk be and hereby is requested to forward a suitably engrossed copy of this resolution to Clear Channel and Painter’s Local Union #35 and every Cambridge property/business owner who hosts a billboard on behalf of the entire City Council; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back its findings to the City Council.

O-36     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR DECKER
COUNCILLOR GALLUCCIO
MAYOR REEVES
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS
WHEREAS: The proposed Area IV Community Café and Art Gallery could be a unique place for the community to meet and provide a forum for neighborhood teens to share their creativity and talent; and
WHEREAS: Establishing new community partnerships and this specific proposal came out of an outreach process to engage the community in a visioning process for our City’s youth centers; and
WHEREAS: The Café/Art Gallery will promote community events, feature teen art, and a menu prepared by teens; and
WHEREAS: The Café/Art Gallery will provide jobs and opportunity to the Area IV youth; and
WHEREAS: Diversity, youth, and families are an important component of our community; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That this City Council go on record in support of the concept of the proposed Area IV Community Café and Art Gallery; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the appropriate departments to ensure that all available resources are being allocated to the consideration of the proposed Café/Gallery in a timely manner.

O-37     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR DECKER
MAYOR REEVES
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to aggressively pursue the purchase of 55 Magazine Street or to aggressively pursue a partner that would allow the city the rare opportunity to secure a significant number of affordable units.

O-38     Apr 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR DECKER
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Chairman of the License Commission and the Assistant City Manager of Community Development with the view of the Chair of the License Commission and the Director of Economic Development reporting back to the Economic Development, Training and Employment Committee with a draft of potential changes to the Cap Policy that would better support the City’s economic development goals, as discussed at the January 30, 2007 Committee meeting.

O-39     April 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR DECKER
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to appoint a committee, as described in the report of the January 30, 2007 Economic Development, Training and Employment Committee, to discuss a draft policy revising the current Cap Policy for Liquor Licenses.

O-40     April 9, 2007
COUNCILLOR SULLIVAN
COUNCILLOR MURPHY
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the Commissioner of Inspectional Services to utilize the attached revised Noise Affidavit which has been reviewed by City staff.

TEXT OF COMMITTEE REPORTS
Committee Report #1
The Economic Development, Training and Employment Committee held a public meeting on Jan 30, 2007, beginning at ten o’clock and twenty-seven minutes A.M. in the Sullivan Chamber. The meeting was held for the purpose of continuing discussion of the License Commission’s "cap policy" relative to licenses to serve alcoholic beverages.

Present at the meeting were Councillor Marjorie C. Decker, Chair of the Committee; Vice Mayor Timothy J. Toomey, Jr.; Councillor Brian Murphy; Councillor Michael A. Sullivan; and City Clerk D. Margaret Drury. Also present were Frank Connelly, Trainer, Department of Human Services, Prevention Coalition; Sergeant James Crowley, Cambridge Police Department; Captain Richard Bongiorno, Cambridge Police Department; Danny Trujillo, Dean of Students MIT, 84 Massachusetts Avenue; Karie Kuelzer, owner of Grendel’s Den, 89 Winthrop Street; Paul Overgaag, owner of The Red House Restaurant; Denise Jillson, Executive Director, Harvard Square Business Association (HSBA); John DiGiovanni, President, Harvard Square Business Association (HSBA); Arthur Goldberg, First Assistant City Solicitor; Paul Lee, 1238 Massachusetts Avenue, owner of the Hong Kong Restaurant; Terrence F. Smith, Director of Government Affairs, Cambridge Chamber of Commerce; Deputy Daniel J. Turner, Cambridge Fire Department/License Commission; Richard Scali, Chairman, License Commission; Elizabeth Lint, Executive Officer, License Commission; Estella Johnson, Director of Economic Development (CDD); Douglas Myers, Crawford Street.

Councillor Decker convened the meeting and explained the purpose. She said that it is clear to her and other members of the City Council that the Cap Policy is not assisting the City in meeting its economic development goals. The effect of the Cap Policy is particularly hard on new restaurant owners because the Cap Policy keeps the cost of licenses extremely high.

Councillor Decker stated that the City Council passed an order approving this committee to act as a working group to recommend changes in the Cap Policy to better support the City’s economic development goals. She said that this meeting would focus on beer and wine licenses.

Councillor Decker then invited comments from those present about the needs and challenges of changes in the Cap Policy.

Paul Overgaag, owner of The Red House Restaurant, commended the License Commission for managing the cap. He said that he was lucky in that he started in the restaurant business in the Charles Hotel, which had a liquor license. When he bought Charlie’s Restaurant and opened his business there ten years ago, the cost of a liquor license was $200,000. Then he bought the Red House. He bought it without a liquor license. He bought a liquor license for $400,000, which he now owes the bank. The City needs to move carefully and slowly in issuing more licenses. The problem in Harvard Square is much broader than the Cap Policy. Harvard Square does not need more restaurants. There are lots of empty seats in Harvard Square restaurants on Monday nights. He is not saying not to grant more licenses, rather that the problem is bigger. No one cares about Harvard Square.

Councillor Decker noted that this is not about Harvard Square; the Cap Policy is a citywide issue. She also noted that the most members of the City Council believe the License Commission is doing a very good job.

Douglas Myer, Crawford Street, noted that the City of Cambridge has put a lot of money into the Square.

John DiGiovanni, President, HSBA, stated that the Cap Policy is long standing. The License Commission has done a very good job in managing this policy and liquor licenses in Cambridge. If the License Commission adopts a policy that increases the number of liquor licenses in Cambridge, it would be absolutely essential to ensure that the License Commission has the resources to monitor any additional licenses. Mr. Giovanni said that he wonders if the annual fee structure for new licenses could be different for licenses without resale value and for licenses that can be re-sold for value. Perhaps a revised fee structure that could address the fairness issue raised by license owners who now hold a valuable commodity. A structured fee schedule could also pay for the increased enforcement.

Councillor Murphy said that this is an interesting idea, a sort of de-facto users fee. Councillor Murphy added that he has very little problem with the idea of more licenses because of the License Commission’s excellent performance in monitoring establishments with liquor licenses. He said that he wants to keep up the effective monitoring and help entrepreneurs who want to start new businesses.

Mr. DiGiovanni said that Harvard Square appeals to a broad variety of users. However, there is a lack of entertainment. Thursday, Friday and Saturday are not as active as they could be in Harvard Square.

Councillor Murphy said that we have learned over time that having more restaurants brings more restaurant business.

Mr. DiGiovanni said that the License Commission just recently approved a new beer and wine license for a pizza shop. He stopped in for a beer and was told no, not unless he was ordering a pizza. He was pleased to see how seriously owners take the License Commission’s rules.

Councillor Decker said that Mr. DiGiovanni made a good point about the need for additional resources to keep the excellent quality of the monitoring. However, she is not that concerned because the City Council will approve any request for more resources for this purpose.

Councillor Decker said that another issue is the issue of fairness to restaurant owners who have spent a good deal of money to buy liquor licenses. If someone buys a building, the City does not protect its market value, aside from basic services. When a liquor license gets added on to real estate like assets, the City does not have the ability to protect the market rate, especially when such protection excludes new businesses.

Councillor Decker invited Estella Johnson, Director of Economic Development at CDD, to provide an overview of CDD’s findings in its work on economic development in Harvard Square.

Ms. Johnson said that most of the CDD work was done in Harvard Square, but from what she and her staff have found in their experience in other squares, the findings apply to the rest of the City as well. The staff found that people want more activity, more cultural opportunities and more outdoor dining. In Harvard Square they held three large public meetings and collected more feedback, then broke the group down into smaller subgroups to work on various issues. A lot of the work started by the Economic Development staff has been taken on by HSBA.

Councillor Decker said that the Cap Policy is one piece of how to make our City thrive. The question is how to make a policy that the License Commission is comfortable with, is fair to current licenses and makes more licenses available and less costly. The point is not to pour more alcohol, but rather to provide entrepreneurial opportunities, economic development and squares where people want to come to eat and shop.

Councillor Decker invited Frank Connelly, DHS Preventions Coalitions, to discuss any issues that more licenses raise with regard to alcohol abuse prevention. Mr. Connolly said that there is a statistical connection between the density of availability of alcohol and the increase in behavior associated with abuse of alcohol, including quality of life issues and sexual harassment. He noted that Harvard has just hired a fulltime employee to deal with drug and alcohol abuse. MIT has also had to deal with these issues. Mr. Connelly said that colleges are constantly trying to give their students things to do other than chase after alcohol. He encouraged the City Council to take a harder look at the material he distributed at the last committee meeting.

Councillor Decker stated that the City needs to continue to take its prevention efforts very seriously and continue its investment in prevention activities.

Terrence Smith, Director of Government Affairs for Cambridge Chamber of Commerce, said that the chamber has not taken any official position on this matter. He added that it could be possible that two tiers of licenses could deal with the concerns of the business owners. With regard to the issue of density, Mr. Smith said that Cambridge has ten million visitors per year and over 100,000 people work here and live here. Mr. Smith said that if more licenses were to be issued the License Commission would need more resources. He expressed concern about owners who paid a lot of money for their liquor licenses. He also noted that the build out of North Point will add 5,000 more people living there. We will probably also see more people working there. Mr. Smith noted a recent newspaper story about Madison Wisconsin and alcohol issues. He made the following distinction: Madison is a college town; Cambridge is a city that has colleges in it.

Councillor Decker said that she would like to see an actual draft written policy that the committee could work from. A draft should address the following issues:
1. Fairness
2. Enforcement
3. Prevention

Richard Scali, Chairman, License Commission said that the License Commission, has total control of the fee and the authority to set reasonable fees and reasonable conditions. From his perspective one of the biggest issues is coordinating properties with people interested in purchasing property. Mr. Scali also said that this Committee needs to have a project in mind. He urged the Committee to pick a place and look at what they would like to see there from an economic development viewpoint. He noted that Harvard is about to come in with an application for a license for an on-campus pub for students. Mr. Scali said that the License Commission does need an environmental police officer to help them with noise enforcement. With regard to the issue of value, Mr. Scali said that restaurants use the value of the license to borrow from the bank to buy the building for the restaurant. He said that the Committee needs to involve local residents in this issue. Councillor Decker noted that City Councillors represent the residents.

Denise Jillson, Executive Director of HSBA, urged the Committee to stay focused on the economic development piece. Harvard Square gets 8,000 visitors each month. The Cap Policy has created an artificial value for licenses. She noted that there were very few enforcement issues with regard to the outside dining experiment. The reason that Harvard is trying to get a license for a pub is that their students felt Harvard Square was not offering what they wanted. In additional to competing with Boston, Cambridge has other nearby competition. Somerville has just hired a new "main streets" person to spur economic development.

Kari Kuelzer, owner of Grendel’s Den, said that she is the child of the original owners of Grendel’s Den. Getting a liquor license for Harvard Square has always been a struggle. The problem with revisiting the Cap Policy is that although the Cap Policy did create an artificial price structure, owners paid those prices and depend on the equity to keep their businesses healthy. Floods, loss of licenses, etc., can wipe out a restaurant unless the owners can borrow money. Borrowing ability can be the only way to survive. She is concerned about the effect on existing mom and pop businesses. It is unfair for the City to do every "new guy" a favor at the expense of long-term mom and pop businesses. Competition can be helpful but now that there is more density, she turns away people who have obviously had a lot to drink. She does not want to take the liability risk of serving them.

Danny Trujillo, Dean of Students, MIT, commended the City Council for taking the time to have this discussion. He suggested looking at mom and pop restaurants and allowing them to provide wine and beer from noon to 10:00pm or making other similar adjustments that help small restaurants without devaluing full service licenses. He noted that the research does not show that increasing alcohol density increases underage and crime and violence.

Mr. DiGiovanni said that HSBA is also concerned about existing businesses. The only way business can tell a bank that the license has value is with a business plan. The monitoring is just one piece of this. If Cambridge issues some new licenses judiciously and does not flood the market, it can better encourage new business and protect the existing business.

Councillor Decker said that a lot of people are kept out of the market in a way they were not twenty years ago. The City Council is not looking at flooding the market. The City Council cares about the success of businesses and the community. She said that the next discussion will include representatives from all of the squares.

Councillor Decker said that the working committee will be starting from the premise that there is going to be a change. She added that she will be looking for representatives from each business and each association, the Chamber of Commerce, the Prevention Coalition and the Health Alliance. She also expects the Police and Fire Departments to take part as well as the City Solicitor, the Cambridge Licensing Advisory Board, Mr. Trujillo from MIT and a representative from Harvard. There will be time for public comment both at beginning and end of these meetings.

Mr. Myers asked whether neighborhood organizations would be part of the discussion. Councillor Decker said that she would discuss that issue with her colleagues.

Councillor Decker thanked those present for their participation. The meeting was adjourned at twelve o’clock and three minutes P.M.

For the Committee,
Councillor Marjorie C. Decker, Chair

Councillor Decker
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Chairman of the License Commission and the Assistant City Manager of Community Development with the view of the Chair of the License Commission and the Director of Economic Development reporting back to the Economic Development, Training and Employment Committee with a draft of potential changes to the Cap Policy that would better support the City’s economic development goals, as discussed at the Jan 30, 2007 Committee meeting.

Councillor Decker
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to appoint a committee, as described in the report of the Jan 30, 2007 Economic Development, Training and Employment Committee, to discuss a draft policy revising the current Cap Policy for Liquor Licenses.

Committee Report #2
The Ordinance Committee held a public meeting on Tues, Feb 13, 2007 at 5:30pm in the Sullivan Chamber. The purpose of the meeting was to consider proposed amendments to the Cambridge Municipal Ordinance Chapter 6 entitled Animal Control Regulations, to provide rules for off-leash areas.

Present at the meeting were Councillor Michael A. Sullivan and Councillor Brian Murphy, Co-Chairs of the Committee; Councillor Henrietta Davis; Councillor Marjorie C. Decker; Councillor Craig Kelley; Vice Mayor Timothy J. Toomey; and City Clerk D. Margaret Drury. Also present were Nancy Schlacter, Assistant to the City Manager; Nancy Glowa, Deputy City Solicitor; Stuart Dash, Director of Community and Neighborhood Planning, Community Development Department (CDD); Paul Ryder, Director of Recreation, Department of Human Services; and John Nardone, Director of Operations, Department of Public Works (DPW).

Councillor Sullivan opened the meeting and stated the purpose. He invited Ms. Schlacter to explain the proposed changes. Ms. Schlacter said that there are two parts to the proposal (Attachment A). The proposed changes to the Animal Control Regulations in Section 6.04.040 were developed through a Dog Committee working group process, which involved Councillors Murphy and Kelley, members of the Cambridge Dog Owners Group (CDOG) and city staff. The changes in this section would apply to any designated off-leash area in the City. The proposal establishes rules for the number of dogs any individual can have in the off-leash area (three), requirements for having a leash available, and other behavioral regulations. For example, dogs may not wear prong or choke collars in these off-leash areas.

The second part of the proposal (Section 6.04.045) evolved out of a sub-committee of the Fresh Pond Advisory Board. It includes all of the proposed regulations in Section 6.04.040 and adds particular regulations for dogs off-leash in the Fresh Pond Reservation. In addition to the current requirement that the dogs be owned by Cambridge residents (and thus be licensed in Cambridge), the section also would require the dog to have a current Fresh Pond Reservation Dog Medallion, which will be available in April 2007. The Fresh Pond Advisory Board and the Water Board voted unanimously in favor of these regulations.

Councillor Sullivan then invited public comment.

Judy Miller, Cambridge, asked why the maximum number of dogs accompanying an individual was three and stated that she would like to see the maximum raised to four. She also asked about the regulation of prong collars.

In response to an inquiry from Councillor Sullivan, Ms. Schlacter said that the three-dog maximum was chosen as a compromise after a long discussion, which included consideration about the limits of how many dogs an owner could control effectively by voice and also a desire not to encourage professional dog walkers. Ms. Schlacter said the debate was about whether to allow two dogs or three, four was never under consideration. She noted that the three-dog limit only applies to off-leash dogs. With regard to the prong collar prohibition, Ms. Schlacter said that there is a safety issue in a situation where there could be several dogs playing together in close quarters.

Marilyn Wellons, Green Street, spoke in support of a letter from Kathy Podgers objecting to passage of the proposed amendments because there has been no process to bring the ordinance into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Kathy Podgers, Pearl Street, submitted a letter objecting to passage of the proposed ordinance and requesting establishment of a committee to consider service animals used by persons with disabilities (Attachment B). She stated that the City has never conducted the self evaluation of compliance required under the ADA and therefore does not have the right to amend this law until there is a full ADA review of the law. For example, there should be a definition of service animal in the ordinance.

Evan Olson, 24 Russell Street, stated that he agrees that prong collars should be prohibited in enclosed off-leash areas, but he does not agree with the need to prohibit them at Fresh Pond. He also stated that he opposes the Fresh Pond medallion program. A Cambridge dog license should be sufficient.

Monica Strauss, 48 Reservoir Street, said that she does not agree with keeping off-leash dogs off of all of the grassy area at Fresh Pond reservation. The grassy area has been increased significantly. It is excessively restrictive to not allow dogs on any of the grassy areas, although she believes that it is reasonable to keep them off of the largest grassy areas. Fresh Pond is a conservation area, not a garden.

Helen Fairman, Cambridge, said that her particular concern is the restriction on all grassy areas. She is also concerned about the medallion program.

Councillor Sullivan asked Ms. Schlacter for clarification of whether the prong collar prohibition applies to off-leash dogs at Fresh Pond reservation. Ms. Schlacter said that the focus was on enclosed areas. Councillor Murphy pointed out that the language in the proposed ordinance would seem to apply to Fresh Pond as well, because Section 6.04.045 provides that all unleashed dogs at Fresh Pond are subject to the rules and regulations outlined in Section 6.04.040. If there was no intent to prohibit prong collars at Fresh Pond reservation, the language needs to be clarified.

Councillor Sullivan noted that the Water Board had voted in favor of the medallion program. He asked whether the Water Board’s authority supersedes that of the City Council with regard to the regulation of Fresh Pond reservation. Ms. Glowa said that the Water Board has a strong interest and some control, although she would not characterize it as superseding the City Council’s authority, but the City Council has always deferred to the Water Board in its judgments relative to the preservation of our water supply.

Councillor Sullivan asked why there is a need for a medallion program, separate from a Cambridge dog license. Ms. Schlacter said that there is a certain "buy-in" aspect to the program. Owners are required to read and sign an agreement, so use by dog owners will be more intentional and less casual, which may result in fewer dogs. Councillor Davis added that she believes there was also an intent to increase the visibility the indicator of what dogs are permitted in the reservation. Dog licenses from different jurisdictions look pretty much the same. Councillor Murphy pointed out that if the owner violates the rules, the medallion can be taken away, which is not something that you would want to do with a dog license.

Councillor Davis moved that the proposed amendments be referred to the full City Council with a positive recommendation. The motion passed on a voice vote.

Councillor Murphy and Councillor Sullivan thanked all those present for their interest and work on this issue. The hearing was adjourned at 6:07pm.

For the Committee,
Councillor Brian Murphy, Co-Chair
Councillor Michael A. Sullivan, Co-Chair

Committee Report #3
The Public Safety Committee and the Transportation, Traffic and Parking Committee held a joint public meeting on Thurs, Mar 8, 2007 six o’clock and fifteen minutes P.M. in the auditorium of the Kennedy-Longfellow School, 158 Spring Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss public safety issues regarding the relocation of the Lechmere Station and the benefits of a Lechmere Square underpass.

Present at the meeting were Councillor Michael A. Sullivan and Vice Mayor Timothy J. Toomey, Co-Chairs of the Public Safety Committee; Councillor Craig Kelley, Chair of Transportation, Traffic and Parking Committee; Councillor Henrietta Davis; Councillor Anthony D. Galluccio; Mayor Kenneth E. Reeves; Susan Glazer, Deputy Director, Community Development Department; Susanne Rasmussen, Director, Environmental and Transportation Planning Division, Community Development Department; Sue Clippinger, Director, Traffic, Parking and Transportation; Catherine Daly Woodbury, Public Works Department; Jason Alves, Assistant to the Vice Mayor; Joseph Grassi, School Committee member; and Donna P. Lopez, Deputy City Clerk. Also present were Joe Cosgrove, MBTA; Michael Galvin, Massachusetts Highway Department; Jennifer D’Urso, Department of Environmental Protection; Charles O’Brien, Somerville City Engineer; Terence Smith, Somerville Traffic Engineer; James Kotsuba, Director, Somerville Traffic Department; Lisa Lepore, Director, Somerville Infrastructure and Transportation Department; Christopher Conklin, Traffic Engineer, VHB; Thomas Hamill, Northpoint project manager; Jones Lang LeSalle; Chan Rogers, Engineer; Steve Kaiser, 191 Hamilton Street; John Moot, 44 Coolidge Hill Road; Elie Yarden, 143 Pleasant Street; Heather Schultz, Cambridge Chronicle; Michael Healey, 33 Sixth Street; Scott P. Carey, Program Director, East End House; Peter Krause, 31 Sixth Street; Rose and Hank Rosenberger, 335 Hurley Street; Marilyn Wellons, 651 Green Street; Kathryn Podgers, 148 Pearl Street; Joe Avin, 106 Spring Street; Mary Ann Donofrio, 122 Gore Street; Fran Menezes, 548 Cambridge Street; Jody Stoddard, 441 Cambridge Street; Ilan Levy, 148 Spring Street; Robert Winters, 366 Broadway; Jay Wasserman, 34 Second Street; Arvilla Sarazen, 25 Eighth Street; Wig Zamore, 13 Highland Avenue, # 3, Somerville; and Vince Dixon.

Vice Mayor Toomey opened the meeting and stated the purpose. He outlined the format of the meeting. Two presentations would be made. The speaker order is Susan Glazer, CDD, Christopher Conklin, VHB, Steve Kaiser, Chan Rogers then public comment. Ms. Glazer began her presentation.

Ms. Glazer gave an overview of the planning context for O’Brien Highway. She stated the specific area in question was fro Museum Way to First Street, but that any work done in this area would impact the greater area. She spoke of the Eastern Cambridge study done in 2001. A traffic analysis was done for East Cambridge. There were sixty recommendations from this long process, which eventually resulted in a neighborhood transportation plan with pedestrian safety being a top priority. The plan included three new intersections, five crossing points to enhance pedestrian crossing, automobile trips were recommended to be reduced by fifty percent by using T passes. The goal was to minimize overall traffic, to reduce automobile trips from new development by 50%, to encourage and enhance non automobile to transit traffic and to give pedestrians a better environment which all would require extensive Transportation Demand Management (TDM). The goal was to keep through traffic out of neighborhoods, to keep it on thoroughfares by having ‘interceptor’ points. Put the traffic on First Street, which would be a corridor Street, not Third Street, between Kendall Square and East Cambridge. Northpoint required a special permit. The proposal included a new park, curb extensions and crosswalks shortened. The next presentation was made by Mr. Conklin.

Mr. Conklin spoke of the existing condition and the concept to relocate the Lechmere Station to the existing MBTA parking lot. He discussed the O’Brien Highway crosswalks. Pedestrians use the crosswalk at First Street. The proposed Lechmere underpass provides a challenge for pedestrians. Some crosswalks on O’Brien Highway are not marked and have a timing problem and have little refuge. Other crosswalks are segmented, where one must cross a portion of the road at a time. He spoke of improvements to O’Brien Highway, relocation of the T station, access to the green line and pedestrian path at the station. Third/Water Streets would have a generous median and work on the timing. Second Street would have a new crosswalk. The phasing plan would have a small number of right turns and would yield to pedestrians so that pedestrian crossings are not in conflict with vehicular traffic. It would take 40-50 seconds to cross, with the rest of the two minute cycle being for cars. The pedestrian crossing at Water Street would be protected from vehicular traffic. Lechmere Square crossing is the most complex. There is a mid block crossing proposed to break the long walk. There are a number of routes served by this crossing. The average wait to cross is 35-40 seconds. In Phase I one half of crossing will be done with completion in Phase II. Phase II will have one half of crossing done with completion in Phase IV. A traffic signal control scheme is planned. In the Land Boulevard/Gilmore/Museum area the signal phasing will be changed to increase walk time by up to one minute. The sketched plan for the underpass had the ditches over ramped areas of O’Brien Highway. These ramped areas would be significant due to the need for 16.5 foot national clearance standards. A section may impact properties in East Cambridge. The underpass would reduce green space and the ramps would cut down on some crossing points as the decking could not cover the whole underpass area due to vehicle clearance issues. The urban environment may be an unattractive sight with utility- to include an 8 foot by 8 foot sewer conduit- and underwater conduit concerns. It would probably be very expensive and he was not sure what would be accomplished. The pedestrian benefit may not be achieved with an underpass. Eighteen feet for an emergency service road may be small. Counting the 64’ width of the proposed underpass, plus the surface roads the whole package could be up to 20 feet wider than what is currently there.

Mr. Kaiser expressed concern that there was no PowerPoint presentation and the pictures/screen were small in Mr. Conklin’s presentation. Mr. Kaiser prepared two plans (Attachment A and B). In Plan A the underpass was similar to the underpass in Soldiers Field Road in Allston; Plan B showed the existing road dropped down. On Sept 18, 1984 the plan to relocate the Lechmere Station was revealed. The work was to begin in 1987. The MBTA rider was to be protected by a pedestrian bridge over O’Brien Highway. The pedestrian overpass was planned twenty-three years ago. How was this eliminated, he asked? This idea is simply reviving a promise from the past. He stated that he prepared two alternatives for an underpass; the developer presented only one, the most expensive one. It would have been nice to have the consultant’s plan in time to have reviewed it before this meeting. His Plan A has an estimated cost of $13 million, which would not be much given the value it would add. CDD’s plan has a seven lane highway. Pedestrians have to cut across lanes of traffic. There are no estimates of pedestrian numbers. With Northpoint there are 5,000 parking spaces added to the traffic. Traffic has been put into the densest pedestrian area. Mr. Kaiser’s Plan B may be less costly that Plan A because it does not go down as far and has a combined sewer line. Pedestrian and vehicular traffic is separated in Plan B. There are tradeoffs.

Chan Rogers, engineer for the Cambridge Street underpass, gave an overview of this underpass. The Cambridge Street underpass had a condition that does not fit with the O’Brien Highway site. Harvard University owned the property on both sides of Cambridge Street and students were absolutely flooding across the street and stopping traffic. No city or state assets were used on Cambridge Street underpass. The station relocation is automatic on the right side of O’Brien Highway because of the traffic. The developers plan is costly and even lots of money may not be enough to solve the engineering problems and undesirable spin-offs. He was a traffic engineer involved in Boston’s first traffic calming at Tremont and Boylston. With citizen review, it is a gem. Cambridge is tops in nation at making pedestrian friendly streets and that expertise will be involved in this project. He has no comment on Mr. Kaiser’s plans. Councillor Kelley asked Mr. Chan if the tunnel could be built. Mr. Chan responded it would create problems. Frontage on O’Brien Highway is available at a price. The developers plan has a service road. He sees problems with the underpass. He praised Cambridge for being one of the first communities to adopt pedestrian friendly design. He would like to review the plans before he commented.

Councilor Toomey asked if the median strip by the station was going to be large enough to hold people trying to cross a seven lane highway.

Mr Rogers said there are median refuges and that it would be willing to review it in a more relaxed setting.

Mayor Reeves informed the committee that he and Vice Mayor Toomey met with the governor to express concerns on connection between Northpoint and the rest of the city. He complimented the Vice Mayor on his swift action on this matter.

At seven o’clock Vice Mayor Toomey opened the meeting to public comment.

Elie Yarden, 143 Pleasant Street, stated that it was important to ensure that the new development would be part of the civic fabric of the city. He spoke about the highway and it cutting off the city. Dealing with the highway is the biggest challenge here. It is not comfortable for a pedestrian to stand in an island with traffic passing. He talked of the walking experience, not the engineering aspects of moving cars. In Las Angeles, neighborhoods are cut off by highways in a way that nothing else cuts them off. The highway will kill inducement to move through the city and use public transit, will not revitalize Cambridge Street.

Joseph Grassi, School Committee member, 393 Cambridge Street, stated his support for the tunnel and the safe connection to East Cambridge. The neighborhood coalesced around stopping Scheme Z and got a better crossing out of it. This is a public safety issue. It is a livability issue of two neighborhoods. He wanted safe crossings for the children who live in the area. The textbook language used by the consultant this evening sounds nice, but the proposal now does not work.

John Moot, 44 Coolidge Hill Road, stated that Northpoint needed to be made part of Cambridge. Ten percent of the Cambridge population will live in Northpoint. If the Northpoint development is not integrated the value of property will be affected. Better integration will lead to higher values and more tax revenue. Without a good connection to the rest of the City, Northpoint will be an isolated island with no amenities except a park. It is estimated that 500 children will live in Northpoint when completed. It will remain to be seen if a new school will be required in this area. If it is not connected to rest of City it will just be a dull, transient community.

Michael Healey, 33 Sixth Street, stated his support for the underpass.

Marilyn Wellons, 651 Green Street, spoke about public benefit for Northpoint given its tidelands value. What is the overall value of Northpoint, she asked. The tax base is increased, but that does not impress her much. She expressed her concern for open space, including passive open space. She is disappointed with the city’s approach to open space and thinks our AAA bond rating sacrifices open space. She said that the City claims that in increase in use of opens space is actually an increase of open space, which is doublespeak. She worried about the urban wild disappearing. She spoke about the traffic issue and the need for access and ability to move through City and region. Storrow Drive is used for local access by regional drivers, according to studies. Residents there want the traffic reduced. There is no discussion to cut down on traffic for O’Brien Highway. Traffic may be increased on Memorial Drive. She wants the public benefit to be in open space and pedestrian access and better handling of regional transportation, to include concerns about the Urban Ring.

Kathy Podgers, 148 Pearl Street, stated that she is a person with a disability, has a placard and a service dog. Handicapped access is a law, not an option. There is no handicapped parking in the Northpoint development, which is against the law which requires program access whether or not parking is provided for other people. She said that the at-grade plan is dropping the right hand lane eastbound from Cambridge Street. With the volume of traffic along five lanes of traffic heading East, dropping a through lane would make it a huge mess. So traffic will back up into the pedestrian area no matter what is done under this plan. The dropped lane is needed for traffic to blend. We need to look more at lane changes. She wanted a model of the traffic and the flow.

Ilan Levy, 148 Spring Street, expressed his concerns about the sustainability of two neighborhoods with the at-grade version and worried that it would not get East Cambridge people to the Green Line safely. More open space was requested. He supports the underpass.

Robert Winters, 366 Broadway, talked of knitting communities together but stated that the underpass builds a moat of ramps and service roads between the two neighborhoods that would separate these communities more than the at-grade version. In New York City, where he came from, people negotiate multi-lane crossings with apparently few problems. Pedestrians’ crossing the highway is overstated. By the time ༲meone gets to the Museum of Science going west it should have changed from highway to urban boulevard feel. The further west that urban boulevard feeling can go, the better. He stated that a bridge over the roadway around the old Lechmere Stated to the new station is worth reviewing.

Jay Wasserman, 34 Second Street, stated his concern about discussions on pedestrian and traffic counts. There impression seems to be that there is an even flow of pedestrian traffic, but that is not realistic. It is not clear how the station’s construction/alignment will impact the crossings. And the former plan dumped people onto the wrong side of First Street. There is too much focus on the highway. He urged the city to work together for the best solution, not simply have a fight between tunnel and at-grade.

Wig Zamore, 13 Highland Avenue #3, Somerville, raised the issue of McGrath and O’Brien Highways being tamed as an urban boulevard. He said that there are some great streets in Cambridge, such as Massachusetts Avenue and Cambridge Street. Many great urban boulevards carry more traffic than this one will, which is about one hundred twenty-five thousand cars per day. The current Lechmere Station needed to be relocated and redesigning the station is dependent on what final routes the Green Line takes. Moving the Green Line away from its major users seems silly and raising the Green Line there seems silly. People do not like the idea of raised transit in most places and may immediately want to tear it down. He commented that that the Green Line should be extended in this area. He spoke about the Green Line being in the center of McGrath and O’Brien Highway, which could be urban boulevards, and that there could be a possible station at Twin City.

David Loutzenheiser, 38 Rice Street, stated his opposition to the tunnel option. Traffic is not a fixed number. He would like to see an urban boulevard with as few lanes as possible. He supported strengthening pedestrian access by creating an overhead bridge. Traffic calming needed to be provided.

Tom Hamill, Northpoint Project Manager, Jones Lang LeSalle, stated that the project is not cost driven, it is urban and smart growth driven. Traffic will be reduced on McGrath Highway. A boulevard with a wide area of green space with trees is what is envisioned for the area. It is important to knit Northpoint and East Cambridge. The best team has been hired to knit the community together. Vice Mayor Toomey requested Mr. Hamill to compare this plan and the width of the street with Commonwealth Avenue. Could Commonwealth Avenue be replicated at Northpoint, he asked? Mr. Hamill replied that the rebuilt Huntington Avenue is perhaps a better example. They are working with DCR throughout the whole area to get multiple signals and crosswalks.

Christopher Conklin, Traffic Engineer, VHB, stated that Commonwealth Avenue is a small road. It would be difficult to achieve this at Northpoint. Tree landscaping is planned at Northpoint. Vice Mayor Toomey requested that the current configuration of Commonwealth Avenue be review and compared and an analysis done at Northpoint. Mr. Conklin noted that Commonwealth Avenue is not as big a road and this would not be as elegant. They will provide wide median refuges at crossing points. In general it is two or three lanes through area, plus turning lanes.

Steve Kaiser spoke about lack of accident counts. Twenty-two intersections were reviewed in the EPA report. Cambridge/First Street is listed as number three for the frequency of accidents. One accident for every million vehicles is the average. At First and Cambridge Streets, it is one accident for every five hundred thousand vehicles, and it has the highest concentration of pedestrians. The Commonwealth Ave/Massachusetts Ave underpass is nicely landscaped, so it can be done nicely, there don’t have to be scars on the land.

Vice Mayor Toomey and Councillor Kelley thanked all those present for their attendance.

The meeting adjourned at seven o’clock and fifty-five minutes P.M.

For the Public Safety Committee,
Councillor Michael A. Sullivan, Co-Chair
Vice Mayor Timothy J. Toomey, Co-Chair

Transportation, Traffic and Parking Committee,
Councillor Craig Kelley, Chair