CITY MANAGER’S AGENDA
1. Transmitting communication from Richard C. Rossi, City Manager, relative to appointments and reappointments of the following persons as members of the Cambridge Peace Commission effective June 22, 2015:
Reappointments
Frank Connelly - term ending Oct 19, 2017
Larry Kim - term ending Oct 19, 2017

New Appointments:
George Atallah - 2 year term
Aboma Dirbaba - 3 year term
Jame Eliscar - 1 year term
Gladys Friedler - 1 year term
Elelchi Kadete - 1 year term
Lijun Li - 3 year term
Johanne Méléance - 2 year term
John Ratliff - 2 year term
Regina Yang - 3 year term

June 22, 2015
To the Honorable, the City Council:

I am hereby transmitting notification of the appointments and reappointments of the following persons as members of the Cambridge Peace Commission effective June 22, 2015:

New Appointments:
Georges Atallah - 2 year term
Georges Atallah has lived and worked in Cambridge since 1998. He has spent about a third of his life in Lebanon, a third in France, and a third in the U.S. In Lebanon, he was active in work to prevent the development of civil war between the Christian and Muslim communities. He currently works as an analyst for IBM and has served on the Graham and Parks School Council. He lives with his wife and youngest son in North Cambridge.

Aboma Dirbaba - 3 year term
Aboma Dirbaba has lived in Cambridge since 2005, and serves as Pastor of the Ethiopian Outreach Assembly of God that meets at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Central Square. He has served on the Graham and Parks School Steering Committee since 2014. He is passionate about outreach and connecting communities together, and is fluent in the East African languages Amharic, Oromo (Ethiopian), and Swahili, as well as English.

James Eliscar - 1 year term
A native of Haiti, James Eliscar is a graduate of UMass Boston's McCormack Graduate School a Master of Science in Public Affairs. He has a rich and diverse international background from working and studying both in the U.S. and abroad. He served on the Cambridge Climate Protection Action Committee and is a resident of West Cambridge's Strawberry Hill neighborhood.

Gladys Friedler - 1 year term
Gladys Friedler has lived in Cambridge for more than 50 years. From 1972 until 1999, she was an Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Psychiatry at Boston University Medical School, where she was one of the first to study paternal effects of various drugs on the fetus. A skilled singer, Gladys sang folk songs in the cafés of Cambridge in the late 50s and continues to sing with choral groups in Cambridge, Arlington, and Woods Hole.

Elechi Kadete - 1 year term
Elechi Kadete was born in Tanzania, East Africa and has lived in Cambridge since the age of four and attended the Maynard, Baldwin and Cambridge Rindge and Latin schools. After starting at Green Mountain College in Vermont he transferred to Brandeis University, and in 2012 graduated with a degree in business with a minor in politics in 2012. Mr. Kadete is passionate about the needs and interests of young people.

Lijun Li - 3 year term
Lijun Li is a native of China and has lived in Cambridge since 2013. She has a BA in Education from Hebei University, an MA in Education from Southwest Normal University in China, and a MA in Sustainable International Development at Brandeis University. Ms. Li volunteers as a teaching assistant in the Chinese-English Bilingual Immersion Program at Martin Luther King School. She lives North Cambridge with her my seven-year-old daughter.

Johanne Méléance - 2 year term
Johanne Méléance was born in Haiti, she is trilingual and dedicates her life to supporting and improving the immigrant experience in the Boston area through her work at the Irish International Immigration Center, where she is the Inclusion and Integration Administrator. Ms. Meleance is also the founder and former executive director of The African Sustainability Project, which partners with local villages in Northern Ghana to diminish poverty and sustain growth through the delivery of clean drinking water. She has lived in North Cambridge since 2010, and she also serves on the Cambridge Women's Commission.

John Ratliff - 2 year term
Mr. Ratliff is a graduate of Princeton University and Yale Law School. A Vietnam veteran and member of Veterans for Peace, he serves on the board of Massachusetts Peace Action, and is a steering committee member of Massachusetts Jobs with Justice. Mr. Ratliff has lived in Cambridge since 2012 and has been active in the LGBT rights movement for many decades.

Regina Yang - 3 year term
Regina Yang moved to Cambridge in 2011 and has lived in the Area Four neighborhood since 2012. She works as an urban planner at Mass Design Group, and in that role she worked as a Global Health Corps Design Fellow in Rwanda in 2013. She has volunteered as both coaching director and as a member of the All-Sites coordination team for Soccer Nights, a free, summer evening soccer clinic offered to children ages 5 to12 that seeks to promote athletic skill, leadership development and citywide unity.

Reappointments:
Frank Connolly - term to expire Oct 19, 2017
Larry Kim - term to expire Oct 19, 2017

Very truly yours, Richard C. Rossi, City Manager

2. Transmitting communication from Richard C. Rossi, City Manager, relative to the appointment of William G. Barry, Jr. as a member of the Harvard Square Advisory Committee for a term of three years, effective June 10, 2015.

June 22, 2015
To the Honorable, the City Council:

I am hereby transmitting notification of the appointment of the following person as a member of the Harvard Square Advisory Committee:

William G. Barry, Jr., three year term, effective 6/10/2015
Mr. Barry has been a member of the Historical Commission since January 2013. He is an architect by profession, and an resident of Cambridge. This work experience includes being the Director of Preservation for John Canning Studios, Vice President, Preservation and Facilities for Mount Auburn Cemetery, and currently has a private architectural practice.

Very truly yours, Richard C. Rossi, City Manager

3. Transmitting communication from Richard C. Rossi, City Manager, relative to the appointment and reappointments of members to the Cambridge Historical Commission:
New Appointment
Shary Berg, Member, three year term, effective 6/22/15

Reappointments
William King, Member, term expiring on 9/30/16
Robert Crocker, Member, term expiring on 2/8/17
Chandra Harrington, Member, term expiring on 6/26/17
Jo M Solet, Member, term expiring on 6/22/16
Joseph V. Ferrara, Alternate, term expiring on 6/10/18
Susannah Tobin, Alternate, term expiring on 6/10/18

June 22, 2015
To the Honorable, the City Council:

I am hereby transmitting notification of the appointments and reappointments of members to the Cambridge Historical Commission:

New Appointment
Shary Berg, Member, three year term, effective 6/22/15
Ms. Berg has been serving on the Cambridge Historical Commission as an alternate member since 2004. She is the Boston Society of Landscape Architect (BSLA) nominee to the Commission. The Commission is required by ordinance to include a member selected from nominations of the BSLA. Her specialty is landscape preservation and documentation of heritage landscapes

Reappointments
William King, Member, term expiring on 9/30/16
Robert Crocker, Member, term expiring on 2/8/17
Chandra Harrington, Member, term expiring on 6/26/17
Jo M Solet, Member, term expiring on 6/22/16
Joseph V. Ferrara, Alternate, term expiring on 6/10/18
Susannah Tobin, Alternate, term expiring on 6/10/18

Very truly yours, Richard C. Rossi, City Manager

4. Transmitting communication from Richard C. Rossi, City Manager, relative to the appointment of the following persons as members of the Mid Cambridge Neighborhood Conservation District Commission, effective June 22, 2015:
Sue Myers, Member - 3 year term
Monika Pauli, Member - 3 year term
Nancy Goodwin, Alternate - 2 year term
Charles Redmon, Alternate - 2 year term

June 22, 2015
To the Honorable, the City Council:

I am hereby transmitting notification of the appointment of the following persons as members of the Mid Cambridge Neighborhood Conservation District Commission, effective June 22, 2015:

Sue Myers, Member - 3 year term
Ms. Myers comes from a family of architects and urban planners and has a personal background in landscape design. After participating as an active member of the Mid Cambridge Neighborhood Association, Sue was appointed as an alternate to the Mid Cambridge Commission in 2008.

Monika Pauli, Member - 3 year term
Ms. Pauli has resided in the Mid Cambridge NCD since 1989. She is also a trained architect and principal of her own firm in Boston. She has served as an alternate to the Commission since 2008.

Nancy Goodwin, Alternate - 2 year term
Ms. Goodwin is an architect and principal at Finegold Alexander + Associates Inc. A resident of Cambridge for over forty years, she has served on the Mid Cambridge NCD Commission as both an alternate and member.

Charles Redmon, Alternate - 2-year term
Mr. Redmon is an architect and managing principal at Cambridge Seven Associates who is known for his skilled approach to urban design challenges and has consulted internationally on community development and urban design issues. He has served on the Mid Cambridge NCD Commission as both an alternate and a member.

Very truly yours, Richard C. Rossi, City Manager

5. Transmitting communication from Richard C. Rossi, City Manager, relative to the appointment of the following persons as members of the Avon Hill Neighborhood Conservation District Commission:
Reappointments
Theresa Hamacher, Alternate, term to expire on 11/1/17
Arthur Bardige, Alternate, term to expire on 11/1/18

New Appointment- 3 year term, effective 6/22/15
John Sanzone, Member

June 22, 2015
To the Honorable, the City Council:

I am hereby transmitting notification of the appointment of the following persons as members of the Avon Hill Neighborhood Conservation District Commission:

Reappointments
Theresa Hamacher, Alternate, term to expire on 11/1/17
Arthur Bardige, Alternate, term to expire on 11/1/18

New Appointment- 3 year term, effective 6/22/15
John Sanzone, Member
Mr. Sanzone works as an agent for Lembu Real Estate in Central Square. Though a relative newcomer to the city, he has quickly become involved on public planning committees and has served on the Avon Hill NCD Commission as an alternate member since 2013. He has a strong personal interest in historic preservation and attends almost every monthly meeting of the Cambridge Historical Commission, where he offers thoughtful comments on matters before the Commission.

Very truly yours, Richard C. Rossi, City Manager

6. Transmitting communication from Richard C. Rossi, City Manager, relative to the appointments and reappointment of the following persons as member of the Half Crown-Marsh Neighborhood Conservation District Commission:
New Appointments- effective 6/22/15
James VanSickle, Alternate, 2 year term
Judith Dortz, Alternate, 2 year term
Charles Smith, Member, 3 year term
Marie P. Dillenseger, Member, 3 year term
Dr. Peter Schur, Member, 3 year term

Reappointment
William King, Member, term to expire on 6/25/16

June 22, 2015
To the Honorable, the City Council:

I am hereby transmitting notification of the appointments and reappointment of the following persons as member of the Half Crown-Marsh Neighborhood Conservation District Commission:

New Appointments- effective 6/22/15
James VanSickle, Alternate, 2 year term
Mr. Van Sickle is an architect and urban design professional. He is a resident of the Marsh neighborhood on Brown Street. He served on the Marsh NCD Commission prior to the merger of the Marsh and Half Crown districts and has served as chair of the Half Crown-Marsh NCD Commission.

Judith Dortz, Alternate, 2 year term
Ms. Dortz, a resident-owner in the Half Crown neighborhood for over 30 years, has served on the Half Crown-Marsh NCD Commission as both an alternate and member. She has been highly active in the hearing process and is familiar with the concerns of the neighborhood.

Charles Smith, Member, 3 year term
Mr. Smith practices real estate at Hammond Residential in Harvard Square, where he has been employed since 1989. Prior to that, he worked in the advertising and marketing fields. He has restored several 19th century homes in Massachusetts and Maine. He has served on the Half Crown-Marsh NCD Commission since 2011 as an alternate member.

Marie P. Dillenseger, Member, 3 year term
Ms. Dillenseger is a resident of the Marsh neighborhood who went through the application process herself prior to joining the Half Crown-Marsh NCD Commission in 2013 as an alternate member. Professionally, she is a former head librarian in Paris who continues to consult internationally, primarily in France and the US.

Dr. Peter Schur, Member, 3 year term
Dr. Schur is a long time resident of Cambridge who has lived in the Half Crown neighborhood for seven years. He is Co-Director of the Lupus Center at Brigham and Women's Hospital and a professor at the Harvard Medical School. He has served on multiple committees and boards for medical foundations, as well as serving on the Half Crown-Marsh NCD Commission as an alternate member since 2013.

Reappointment
William King, Member, term to expire on 6/25/16

Very truly yours, Richard C. Rossi, City Manager

7. Transmitting communication from Richard C. Rossi, City Manager, relative to the appointments and reappointments of the following persons as members of the Board of Trustees of the Cambridge Health Alliance, effective June 11, 2015:
Reappointments
Maren Batalden, MD, Medical Staff member (1-year term)
William Hart, Everett (3-year term)
Madge Kaplan, Cambridge (3-year term)
Katharine Kosinski, MD, Cambridge (3-year term)

As Officers for a one-year terms
Carol Van Deusen Lukas, Chair
Joshua Posner, Vice-Chair

Reappointment
Robina Bhasin, EdM, (Somerville seat, 2-year term)
Danna Mauch, Ph.D., (Cambridge seat, 2-year term)
Barbara Anthony, (Cambridge, 3-year term)

June 22, 2015
To the Honorable, the City Council:

I am hereby transmitting notification of the appointments and reappointments of the following persons as members of the Board of Trustees of the Cambridge Health Alliance, effective July 1, 2015:

Reappointments:
Maren Batalden, MD, Medical Staff member (1-year term)
William Hart, Everett (3-year term)
Madge Kaplan, Cambridge (3-year term)
Katharine Kosinski, MD, Cambridge (3-year term)

As Officers for a one-year terms
Carol Van Deusen Lukas, Chair
Joshua Posner, Vice-Chair

Reappointments
Robina Bhasin, EdM, (Somerville seat, 2-year term), is the Director of Faculty Development and Diversity at the Boston University School of Medicine in the Department of Medicine. Robina has a decade of experience developing, implementing and evaluating professional development programs for health and education practitioners and policy makers in Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa and the United States. She holds a Master's Degree in International Education Policy from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Danna Mauch, Ph.D., (Cambridge seat, 2-year term), is the recently appointed Executive Director for the Massachusetts Association of Mental Health (MAMH). ). Prior to being appointed as Executive Director of MAMH, Dr. Mauch was a principal associate at Abt Associates Inc. Dr. Mauch brings organization leadership, operations management, evaluation research and strategic consulting experience gained in private and public sector enterprises. Dr. Mauch was chief administrative officer for Comprehensive NeuroScience, Inc., president and chief executive officer for Magellan Public Solutions, Inc., and founder and president of Integrated Health Strategies, Inc. She served as special master for the US District Court of the District of Columbia, executive director of the Rhode Island Department of Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals, and assistant commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, overseeing the divisions of mental health, substance abuse and forensic medicine. She holds a PhD in Social Policy, Planning and Administration from the Heller School at Brandeis University.

Barbara Anthony, (Cambridge, 3-year term), is currently a Senior Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School's Center for Business and Government where she is leading study groups and researching and writing about Massachusetts healthcare cost containment efforts. She served as Massachusetts Undersecretary of the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation from 2009 to 2015 where she oversaw five state agencies: Banking, Insurance, Professional Licensure, Telecommunications and Cable, and the Division of Standards. Anthony, with a background in law and economics, is a well-known consumer advocate and a highly respected public interest lawyer and policy maker. She is a graduate of Suffolk University Law School, where she currently serves as an Adjunct Professor of Law. She holds a graduate degree in economics and a bachelor of science in business administration from Northeastern University. She currently serves of several boards including the Cambridge Health Alliance Foundation.

Very truly yours, Richard C. Rossi, City Manager

15. Transmitting communication from Richard C. Rossi, City Manager, relative to the appointments of the following persons as member of the Commission for Persons with Disabilities Advisory Board, for a term of three years, effective June 22, 2015:
Maria Fontellio
Zarha Kanji
Alicia Zeh-Dean

June 22, 2015
To the Honorable, the City Council:

I am hereby transmitting notification of the appointments of the following persons as member of the Commission for Persons with Disabilities Advisory Board, for a term of three years, effective June 22, 2015:

Maria Fontellio
Maria has been a Cambridge resident for 36 years and has experience working at Eastern Bank, Hallmark Health Systems, is a member of the Black Professional Alliance, Chairperson of the Stewardship Committee at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church and former Parish Clerk.

Zarha Kanji
Zarha has worked as an engineer with the Perkins School of the Blind and has done research on building products that can help people with disabilities at MIT. He is also a graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Alicia Zeh-Dean
Alicia is a resident of Cambridge and an occupational therapist in the Cambridge Public School District. She is also an Assistive Technology Specialist with Easter Seals. She has an interest in issues regarding accessibility for individuals with sensory, cognitive and physical disabilities.

Very truly yours, Richard C. Rossi, City Manager

TEXT OF ORDERS
O-1     June 22, 2015  Charter Right - Maher
COUNCILLOR KELLEY
COUNCILLOR CHEUNG
COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS
WHEREAS: Cambridge spends approximately $10,500,000 annually on Charter School tuition; and
WHEREAS: Charter Schools such as the Community Charter School of Cambridge face an attrition rate of up to 59% of their students between grades 9 and 12, which is much greater than CRLS' average 10% class size reduction during grades between grades 9 and 12; and
WHEREAS: The City of Cambridge does not have readily available information about what Charter Schools its residents are attending, during what grades they attend Charter Schools, how successful their Charter School experience has been and how the cap on Charter School enrollment, and possible changes to it, impact both the City's budget and residents' educational options; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the School Committee with the view in mind to request the Superintendent of Schools to provide data, broken down by each relevant Charter School, about Cambridge students attending Charter Schools, to include demographic information, graduation rates, transfer rates into and out of each Charter school by grade, disciplinary actions if available by donating district, college attendance and graduation rates and any other information that might help the Council better understand the role of Charter Schools as an option for Cambridge residents, as part of the annual City budget presentation to the City Council; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council on how this information might be structured; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council with an enrollment report styled as requested for the School Year 2014-2015.

O-2     June 22, 2015
COUNCILLOR CHEUNG
ORDERED: That the City Council go on record adopting the Net Zero Action Plan which includes key actions to reduce emissions as follows:
Retrofits to existing buildings
Net Zero new construction
Energy supply
Local carbon fund
Engagement and capacity building and endorsing the recommended process that engages stakeholders.

O-5     June 22, 2015  Amended
COUNCILLOR CHEUNG
COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS
COUNCILLOR MAZEN
WHEREAS: In 2012, residents of the City of Cambridge voted overwhelmingly in favor of legalizing marijuana for medical use in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; and
WHEREAS: In response to the legalization of medical marijuana, the Cambridge City Council passed comprehensive zoning regulations in 2013 to ensure that patients residing in and around the City have access to critical palliative care treatments; and
WHEREAS: It has come to the attention of the City Council that Commonwealth Alternative Care will be applying for licensure to operate a RMD in Cambridge, Massachusetts at 135 Fawcett Street; and
WHEREAS: Commonwealth Alternative Care is a palliative, patient-centered health care facility that will provide medical marijuana to patients in the form of non-euphoric balms, salves, pills and transdermal patches; and
WHEREAS: The proposed location for their RMD is located within the City's MMD-1 zone in the midst of an industrial area and meets all of the requirements set forth by the City of Cambridge and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; and
WHEREAS: Commonwealth Alternative Care's team has canvassed the surrounding area on multiple locations to introduce themselves, share their plan, and address any concerns residents may have; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to write a letter to the Department of Public Health indicating the City of Cambridge's non-opposition for Commonwealth Alternative Care's application to operate a RMD in the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to send this letter prior to the Department of Public Health deadline of June 29, 2015; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is granted the discretionary authority to draft letters of non-opposition for other dispensaries applying for licensure that secure a location within the Medical Marijuana Zoning District.

O-6     June 22, 2015  Amended
COUNCILLOR MAZEN
WHEREAS: Huron Avenue is a significantly traveled route for people in cars, people on bicycles, and people walking; and
WHEREAS: Many residents, including senior citizens and young students, use Huron Avenue to get to and from Fresh Pond Reservation, the Fresh Pond Golf Course, Glacken Field & Playground, the Russell Youth & Community Center, the Collins Branch library, schools (including the Daniel Haggerty School), shopping, and recreational sporting events; and
WHEREAS: Student and pedestrian safety is paramount to the City of Cambridge; and
WHEREAS: At present, several significant sections of Huron Avenue lack the necessary infrastructure to ensure safe travel for all users; and
WHEREAS: There is, specifically, no sidewalk, cycle track, or protected bicycle lane on the north side of Huron Avenue between Fresh Pond Parkway and Aberdeen Avenue (679 ft. in length), between Aberdeen Avenue and Glacken Field (903 ft.), or between Glacken Field and the Russell Youth & Community Center (502 ft.); and
WHEREAS: Continuous concrete sidewalks are significantly easier to keep cleared of snow and ice, the lack of which resulted in pedestrians at this location being forced to walk dangerously in the street for most of the past Winter; and
WHEREAS: ADA compliant sidewalks also ensure safe and equal access to persons with disabilities and greatly encourage sidewalk use by all residents, thus limiting non-motorist road usage; and
WHEREAS: Protected bike lanes are inexpensive and see 28% fewer injuries per mile; and
WHEREAS: 96% of protected bike lane users notice an increase in personal safety, a priority for families with students who commute to school; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the appropriate departments and the Fresh Pond Advisory Committee about the possibilities to install ADA compliant sidewalks, create protected bike lanes, and consider additional features to guarantee the safety of young students and all other users; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council on this matter.

O-11     June 22, 2015
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS
COUNCILLOR MAZEN
WHEREAS: Last week an unspeakable tragedy erupted in the city of Charleston, SC when a deranged, hate-filled gunman stepped into the historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, sat in a prayer circle for about an hour, and then coldly and calculatedly shot nine men and women to death; and
WHEREAS: In the hours and days that followed, the gunman's motives for this chilling mass murder trickled out into the media, as we learned that he specifically targeted his victims due to the color of their skin; and
WHEREAS: The hatred and racism that propelled this gunman to violently and irrevocably rip these nine individuals from their loved ones and from this life has no place in our society, it should be condemned in the strongest possible terms, and the United States should take whatever actions necessary to protect against these types of horrendous acts from being repeated; and
WHEREAS: While the scene of this horrific murder is hundreds of miles and several states away from the City of Cambridge, we recognize that hatred and ignorance know no boundaries, and the people of Cambridge must continually be vigilant in working to foster the bonds of tolerance and community among all of us, and to help each member of this city understand that all lives matter and all lives are precious; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Council go on record affirming that it stands in solidarity with the people of Charleston, SC, and that the entire Charleston community remains in our thoughts and prayers at this difficult time; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Clerk be and hereby is requested to forward a suitably engrossed copy of this resolution to Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr, and to the congregation of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, on behalf of the entire City Council.

TEXT OF COMMITTEE REPORTS
Committee Report #1
The Housing Committee held a public hearing on June 10, 2015 beginning at 5:02pm in the Sullivan Chamber.

The purpose of the hearing was to discuss and explore possible ways in which the City could pilot an LGBT housing program.

Present at the hearing were Councillor Denise Simmons, Chair of the Housing Committee; Councillor Marc McGovern; Vice Mayor Dennis Benzan; Councillor Nadeem Mazen; Chris Cotter, Housing Director; Cassie Arnaud, Housing Project Planner, Community Development Department (CDD); Mike Johnston, Deputy Executive Director, Cambridge Housing Authority; Neal Alpert; and Paula M. Crane, Deputy City Clerk.

Also present were Jerome Saunders, Sarah Boyer, Aren Stone, Chris Hewson, Len Thomas, William Shalongo, Andrea Schmitz, Hasson Rashid, John Ratliffe, and Cheryl-Ann Pizza-Zeoli.

Councillor Simmons convened the hearing and read an opening statement. (Attachment A). She stated that she has provided the committee four articles that build on some of her comments and gave an overview of the agenda for the meeting. (Attachments B-F).

Councillor Simmons stated that in February 2004 and in October 2008, the City of Cambridge sponsored Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT) Town Hall Meetings as a forum for residents to discuss salient issues for the LGBT community in Cambridge. She added that also in 2004 she hosted a GLBT Health Forum with the Cambridge Health Alliance. She stated that following the 2004 Town Hall Meeting, the City Council adopted an order for the formation of the Cambridge GLBT Commission, whose mission is to advocate for a culture of respect and to monitor progress toward equality of all persons with regard to sexual orientation and gender identify. She stated that the GLBT Commission's work is a clear reflection of the priorities raised by Cambridge residents during the Town Hall Meetings. She stated that during these meetings, LGBT seniors' housing and health care needs emerged as a priority. Councillor Simmons stated that she would like to reignite the conversation of LGBT seniors and housing in Cambridge.

Len Thomas stated that in Boston, there was a formal committee on May 7th made to explore LGBT housing in Boston. He stated that this had been proposed in 2009 and then again in 2011, and he added that the Stonewall organization do have an office on Columbus Avenue and there may possibly be housing at that location. He stated that clearly the time has come for this type of housing. He stated that it is nice to see that the greater community is beginning to support this idea.

Councillor Simmons then spoke of Stonewall Lifelong Learning Institute which was disbanded years ago. She stated that before it disbanded, they held long time and aggressive discussions around LGBT housing. She stated that she has been trying to find people who participated in the ground floor of that effort as it would be beneficial to potentially sidestep any of the problem areas that they discovered. She stated that the City could benefit if that information could be gathered. She stated that she will continue to try to identify people who worked on that effort.

She stated that the City of Cambridge has 14 senior buildings in Cambridge. She questioned if there is the possibility of designating one floor in any of these buildings as LGBT senior housing. She noted that in at least three of these buildings there is an assisted living model. She suggested the possibility of the City piloting something similar for LGBT senior housing. She asked if the Cambridge Housing Authority could weigh in on this.

Mike Johnston stated that while he would need to bring this issue before the CHA Board, it would be difficult to designate a floor for a group of specific individuals. He said that assisted living works because there is a group of seniors that need services and supports and setting aside a floor for that particular group keeps within the aging in place model. He stated that to designate a floor for a specific population would be very difficult and he stated that he was not sure of the legality of such a model.

As it relates to youth, Mr. Johnston stated that the CHA has worked with organizations such as Youth On Fire, the AIDS Action Committee, and the Harvard Square Shelter wherein the CHA is paying for 18 beds in the new facility. He stated that the CHA Board felt that the youth population needed assistance so the CHA assisted in giving sponsor-based vouchers to agencies, rather than to individuals. He explained that by giving out sponsor-based vouchers, the onus does not fall on the individual to go out and find an apartment. He stated that the CHA has teamed up with Youth on Fire and the AIDS Action Committee who are given sponsor-based vouchers. He said that the unit is rented to the organization and they allow a person in their program to live in that unit. He added that in this type of scenario, the landlord doesn't take the risk because he has rented to the sponsor. Mr. Johnston explained that this is a way of getting youth housing. Mr. Johnston added that if there is a group or organization that is willing to be a sponsor they could be given a voucher. He stated that the sponsor could bring people in through their program.

Cheryl-Ann Pizza-Zeoli mentioned that at a recent Affordable Housing Trust meeting they discussed different models of housing. She stated that they spent some time talking about co-housing for seniors. She noted that this might be a model that is interesting to try. She stated that the trustees were really engaged in the subject because everyone was thinking about the circumstances of aging.

Councillor Simmons asked if there is an option to build through some sort of land swap since the City of Cambridge is not the recipient of land very often. She commented that the co-housing model is a nice idea because it builds a community but questioned if there are potential impediments to the idea. Chris Cotter added the issues are lack of sites and costs. He stated that the Affordable Housing Trust and the City have a long history of providing housing to special populations, such as persons with disabilities, seniors and homeless women. He stated that from conceiving the idea for a specific type of housing, to finding a suitable location and figuring out financing and logistics, it typically takes about five years to bring into being. He stated that while looking at the process, they looked at many different buildings for those specific populations. He stated that the Affordable Housing Trust would be open to request funding to do that. He noted that the bigger question is what other funding sources would be needed. He stated that it will be an educational process to see about funding possibilities.

Councillor Simmons noted that she was not exclusively looking at this as the creation of low-income housing for LGBT seniors, and that she does not want to assume that every LGBT person is impoverished. She stated that HRI had one building which had market, moderate and low income units. She stated that she is looking for the ability for LGBT seniors from any income level to be eligible. She stated that Massachusetts has the third largest number of same sex couples in the country and that in the year 2030 there would be 2-7 million LGBT elders. She stated that the LGBT community spend their 30s, 40s, and 50s being proactive, only to reach age 60 and suddenly find themselves being pushed back to the margins of society. She stated that it is important not to wait until there is a crisis. She stated that the time is now for the conversation.

Councillor McGovern stated that he is privileged to be part of the Housing Committee. He stated that he thinks the struggle is that we have a housing crisis across the board in Cambridge. He stated that many in the community understand the need for more housing but do not want additional density or height. This means that the City is ending up with a small "piece of the pie" that needs to be divided up many different ways. He asked if the City of Cambridge is facing an issue where seniors are having greater difficulty than other groups in finding housing. He asked if seniors are finding the issue of housing difficult, regardless of class. He asked for a better image of what the committee is talking about. He stated that he is concerned with segregation and questioned if this LGBT housing could potentially bring forth problems that are not being anticipated. He also questioned if this would further add to stigmatization. Councillor McGovern stated that he would like to see what this idea looks like in other communities.

Councillor Simmons stated that there are certainly seniors that don't want to live in senior housing. She stated that when you are a member of the LGBT community in particular, however, as you grow older and you think about living in a not-so-protected society, you may get a social services provider that is not familiar with the LGBT experience. She stated that sometimes you just want to go somewhere to be who you are, unfettered, without the need to explain your experiences or where you've come from. She stated that her friends moved from one building where they felt slightly stigmatized for being members of the LGBT community, to another building where they are having a more positive experience. She stated that until society gets better at being open-minded, she feels there is the need and the desire for a particular environment like the kind she is proposing. She stated that Cambridge is open-minded.

Chris Hewson, Somerville Cambridge Elder Services, stated that it is not a stigma. A lot of times the LGBT community members want to be amongst their own because they feel comfortable and have a kinship and bond. He stated that the South End was thriving when he moved to Boston. He stated that if we have a sense of community, that creates a safe space for people and that is a positive thing. He stated that this would not create a stigma or a sense of segregation, and that it would be welcomed to have a space with people one can identify with. Councillor Simmons added that LGBT community members are still not always necessarily accepted by their community at large. She stated that a common place would allow the LGBT community to not feel isolated. She stated that there is a sense of community that other groups take for granted. She noted there are LGBT dinners across the Commonwealth that are thriving because people in the community are eager to share in that sense of community. She added that LGBT dinner and lunch programs are robust.

Councillor Mazen stated that more conversations are necessary for all kind of minorities, both choices and identities. He stated that a lot of those things have to be cultural to work. He said that these conversations are meaningful because you cannot make someone's experience better through policy. He stated that he would happy to follow the lead of the committee to pursue the cultural change which is well underway.

Jerome Saunders stated that he is here because of the leadership of Councillor Simmons. He stated that there is need for this kind of housing. He stated that he attended the City Council meeting in Boston a few weeks ago. He stated that he is concerned that that discussion will fragment the effort because housing is needed for both seniors and LGBT persons. He stated that he is looking for a place to bring his talent and is a product of the Civil Rights Movement. He stated that he is a tenant in Cambridge and he wants a role in seeing Cambridge embrace all of its people. He commented that this issue is not focused on those that are economically disadvantaged but is about those seeking to be part of the culture of Cambridge. He stated that he is familiar with voucher housing. He said that he is a diversity professional at Dana Farber. He asked, is this a matter of LGBT segregation? He answered that perhaps it is, but not in a bad way, but in a way designed to create a community for LGBT individuals who seek it. He stated that he wants to see an embrace of thinking outside of the box.

Sarah Boyer stated that she attended the City Hall hearing in Boston on May 7th. She noted that 12 out of 13 Boston City Councilors were supportive of the idea of LGBT Senior Affordable housing. Ms. Boyer said that the LGBT Aging Project, part of Fenway Health, contributed quite a bit of information about the needs of LGBT seniors. She stated that people have been talking about how this kind of housing may seem segregated. She noted that gay men in public housing in Jamaica Plain have had a lot of trouble with harassment, and she heard that some of these people went back into the closet, and that this kind of thing probably happens more than we realize. She stated that sometimes we erroneously think that there is no discrimination in Cambridge because it is progressive. She stated that in nursing homes, assisted living programs and hospitals, there is no training for providers to work with LGBT patients. She stated that she does think that in the future, young LGBT youth will not want something like this, but we are talking about what is going on currently. She stated that when she attended the 1977 Gay Pride Parade, she was afraid to be seen by a camera because she could have been fired. She stated that she went to a gay pride parade a couple of years ago and saw people standing on the sidelines and clapping and being supportive, and she began to cry. Ms. Boyer stated that she is 68 and it has changed so much but people her age have had to deal with this kind of discrimination for years. She asserted that there are many LGBT people who would love to be in a housing situation where they could just be themselves. It is important for this generation. She stated that she is a liaison with LGBT Aging Program. She stated that there are many options such as a model where people have large houses and open them up to people who want to live in community in the house. She thinks this is a great idea. She stated that she thinks co-housing is a great idea if there is a building available. She stated that the school administration is going to be moving from their current building, and maybe there is the possibility for this type of housing to be located in that building once it is vacated. She also stated that you cannot call it LGBT Housing, and that it would need to be called LGBT-friendly housing. She stated that she would be happy to be involved in this type of planning.

Councillor Simmons stated that the City of Cambridge does not own the building that the School Department occupies. Councillor McGovern added that the Longfellow building is being used as "swing space" for the other schools that will be renovated over the next eight or so years, so that is not a viable location for the housing being discussed. Councillor Simmons stated that the City needs to be ready to proceed when opportunities do become available. She stated that co-housing is an interesting model to explore. Councillor McGovern stated that one of the obstacles in the purchase of property is that the City isn't able to move as fast as private developers. Councillor Simmons added that deep pockets of private developers is also an issue. Councillor McGovern stated that this may be a topic to include in the conversation with private developers. Councillor Simmons stated that the City Council is in the process of increasing linkage fees as a result of the Housing Committee's recommendations. She stated that this results in more dollars going to the Affordable Housing Trust. This gives the city more flexibility to negotiate.

Aren Stone stated that the Cambridge LGBT Commission has recently completed a survey of health care organizations in Cambridge regarding practices for LGBT services. She stated that the City Manager funded an intern for this study. She stated that participating organizations of the study will receive training for employees. Councillor Simmons suggested a similar project in senior housing buildings in Cambridge. She stated that she does not want to lose LGBT seniors to surrounding communities that are doing something to support them. She stated that hope that the City could explore how other cities were able to build LGBT-friendly senior housing.

Len Thomas stated that LGBT-friendly housing that was close to the Fenway went into foreclosure. He stated that this was a joint effort of Stonewall and Abbott Company. He is unclear why it went into foreclosure in 2010. He stated that there was pushback by the neighborhood that it was earmarked to a specific population. He stated that he has mixed feelings about trying to avoid the notion of segregation of a particular population. He stated that this is balanced by the need to create a supportive environment, particularly for those who may have come out late in life and those whose families may not be supportive of them. He stated that he plans on being in touch with Stonewall to see what other kinds of things they had proposed and status of same.

Councillor Simmons stated that there is a building in the Bronx, NY that is LGBT-friendly and noted that it would be interesting to see a functioning building like this one.

William Shalongo stated that his partner and he were residents of Cambridge for about 15 years. He stated that his partner passed away and there were issues with the staff where his partner was cared for that caused some struggle. He feels that even with existing facilities that might be better suited to caring for LGBT individuals, until we can build good facilities, we should try to get people better educated around LGBT issues. He stated that in many cases, there are seniors that may not have friends or family or partners that insist that they are treated well while they reside in existing facilities. He stated that now is a good time to ensure that the education in the existing facilities is up to date with legislation so that we minimize problems as much as possible.

Hasson Rashid stated that he is heterosexual. He stated that the LGBT is one of the first entities of the underclass mosaic. He stated that he feels that there have been several great opportunities in Cambridge for housing that could accommodate much of the need for affordable housing. He stated that these opportunities are bypassed. He stated that for some reason there is no affordable housing to accommodate the underclass mosaic. He stated that he welcomes the opportunity for the Housing Committee to make sense of this as there are too many beautiful opportunities that are being passed by. He stated that the need for housing is getting worse.

Public comment was closed on the motion of Councillor McGovern.

Councillor Simmons stated that the Housing Committee should continue to investigate LGBT-friendly housing. She stated that when thinking about LGBT housing she thinks of a friendly place that presents a sense of place and community.

Councillor Simmons made the following motions:
Councillor Simmons stated that it is important for us to advance this conversation, to have further research on models of LGBT-friendly housing - those that didn't quite make it, and those that are very robust - and what is happening in other cities and towns with advancement of discussion and a working group for hearing and debate. She also said that she would like to set up a working group of interested persons to flesh out this important issue, conduct further research and feed information back to this committee for hearing and debate. She said she wants to advance this discussion in the committee, and that she wants to pull together a working committee to research this topic and then report to the Housing Committee in several weeks.

Councillor McGovern stated that he is in support of both of these motions. He added that for people who may or may not be following all of the other things that are happening, the Volpe Building is not property that the City owns. It is federal property with a complicated process. He stated that the Housing Committee has recently issued a recommendation for increase in the linkage fee, which will be tripling the current fee. Also, inclusionary zoning percentage is being raised, which is higher than the majority of other communities in Massachusetts. He noted that the City of Cambridge has spent $115 million dollars over the past ten years on affordable housing. He said he did not want the perception out there to be that the City is not doing anything around affordable housing, because quite the opposite is true.

Vice Mayor Benzan made the following motion:
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the City Solicitor to determine what legal issues would be triggered by exploring the creation of LGBT-friendly housing, and to include in this opinion public versus private housing, along with any legal impediments associated with same.

The motion passed.

Councillor Simmons stated that the City of Cambridge has the resources and stated that people are having to leave the city, and here is another group of individuals that will leave the city because they cannot find a place to live where they feel comfortable and affirmed. She stated that we may get to a place where society is unfettered by the differences between us all, but there will still be the opportunity to have the choice to live in LGBT-friendly communities for those that desire this. She stated the importance of future generations living out the true meaning of the pursuit of happiness. She said that if this can happen anywhere, it can happen here.

Councillor McGovern stated that while Cambridge is progressive, it is important not to be complacent. Regarding the legal aspect of LGBT-friendly housing, he stated the need to look at preference for Cambridge residents. Chris Cotter stated that preferences are dependent on the type of housing and how it is financed. He stated that if the housing is something that involves other public sources of funding, there could possibly be additional criteria that would have to be considered. He stated that the legal piece is a broader question as the LGBT community is not a protected class. They would have to have housing open for everyone, and it would be better to refer to this as LGTBQ-friendly housing.

Councillor Simmons thanked Mr. Cotter and stated that it is important to know about any regulatory obstacles moving forward, so that the City can work within these perimeters.

Councillor Simmons thanked all those present for their attendance and participation.

The hearing was adjourned at 6:36pm on the motion of Vice Mayor Dennis Benzan.

For the Committee,
Councillor E. Denise Simmons, Chair

Committee Report #2
The Health and Environment Committee held a public hearing on Tues, June 9, 2015 at 3:07pm in the Sullivan Chamber.

The purpose of the hearing was to discuss a proposed framework for the goal of setting Cambridge on the trajectory to becoming a "net zero community." (To view more information on Net Zero this item appeared as Agenda # 11 on the City Manager's Agenda on May 4, 2015)

Present at the hearing were Councillor Leland Cheung, Chair of the Committee; Councillor Dennis J. Carlone; Councillor Nadeem A. Mazen; Councillor Marc C. McGovern; Mike Connelly; Christian Schlachte; Lisa Peterson, Deputy City Manager; Lee Gianetti, Director of Communications and Community Relations, Executive Department; Taha Jennings, Assistant to the City Manager; Iram Farooq, Acting Assistant City Manager for Community Development Department; Susanne Rasmussen, Director of Environmental and Transportation Planning, CDD; Ellen Kokinda, Assistant Planner, CDD; Sarah Burks, Preservation Planner, Historical Commission; Owen O'Riordan, Commissioner of Public Works; Ellen Katz, Fiscal Director, Public Works Department; Alexandra Corwin, Energy and Sustainability Analyst, Public Works Department; and City Clerk Donna P. Lopez.

Also present were Dave Ramslie, Principal, Integral Group; and George Metzger, Senior Principal HMFH Architects, members of the Consultant Team; Dan Arons, Matt Calvey and Jaime McGavin, Architerra, Inc., 68 Long Wharf, Boston; Kristine Jelstrup, 120 Pleasant Street; Zeyneb Magavi and Leslie Bliss, Mothers Out Front; Marc Hoffman, 482 Putnam Avenue; Sue Butler, 14 Clinton Street; Doug Deaeti, Hanover, NH; Scott Bard; Tom Lucey, Director of Community Relations, Harvard University; Sarah Gallop, Co-Director, Office of Government and Community Relations, MIT; John Sullivan, Lesley University; Sarah Kennedy, Director of Government Affairs, Chamber of Commerce; Patrick Haswell, Veolia; Lauren Miller, Chair, Climate Protection Action Committee (CPAC); Torgun Austin, 28 Bristol Street; Emily Grandstaff-Rice, President (2014), Boston Society of Architects and Cambridge Seven Associates; David Nagahiro, Principal, CBT; Mechthild V. Knabelstaff, Peabody Terrace; Meera Singh, 8 Acacia Street; Hasson Rashid, 820 Mass. Avenue; Betsy Boyle, 277 Rindge Avenue; Terrence Rothman, 285 Third Street; Paula Phipps, 227 Hurley Street; John Pitkin, 18 Fayette Street; and Minka vanBeuzekom, 20 Essex Street.

Councillor Cheung convened the hearing and explained the purpose. He thanked the Net Zero Task Force who have worked on this for the past 15 months. This has been a priority of the City Council. He explained that this will be reported back to the City Council and the implementation will be discussed. He outlined the format of the meeting. He introduced Susanne Rasmussen, the Director of Environmental and Transportation Planning, CDD.

Ms. Rasmussen gave a presentation on Net Zero (ATTACHMENT A). She stated that the effects of climate change are already being seen and are a cause for concern. In 2013 the Connolly zoning petition was filed by a group of concerned residents due to their concern that new development would make the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emission harder unless new developments were built to be net zero. The City Council supported the goal of net zero but had concerns about the impact of requiring net zero construction in Cambridge, when surrounding communities did not have similar requirements, and instead directed that a task force be established to set Cambridge on a trajectory to become a net zero community. The Task Force was instructed that the plan be broad based. She explained the task force and its makeup. The definition of net zero was described. The task force is requesting that the City Council endorse the recommended set of actions proposed and endorse the process that engages stakeholders over time. The plan is a 25-year plan. As part of its process, the task force was directed to create early actions prior to making its final recommendations to demonstrate the City's commitment and momentum towards the net zero target. The task force took 3 actions. They were to update the zoning ordinance for design of new buildings from LEED Silver to LEED Gold, to advocate that the stretch building code be updated by the state as soon as possible, and to recommend the adoption of the building energy use disclosure ordinance. The objective of the task force was to reach agreement on the methodology, strategy, targets and a timeline to achieve net zero emissions. The recommendations outline short, medium and long term actions and include direction on regulation, planning measures, incentives, renewable energy generation initiatives, and net zero targets for new construction. The work plan started with research on net zero best practices in North America, building energy use in Cambridge, and an examination of renewable energy supply. This was followed by the generation of ideas that were then edited, prioritized, and developed into recommendations for the net zero action plan. The framework seeks to balance a lot of interests and equally targets savings from all sectors so that no one sector is punished. The framework sets defined net zero targets, but the plan allows room for course corrections, if needed. The framework balances regulations with incentives as well as addresses strategies for both new and existing buildings.

Mr. Ramslie, consultant, Integral Group, explained the energy use in Cambridge. He stated that energy use in Cambridge has remained flat over the past decade while there has been an increase in the residential population and economic growth. At the same time greenhouse gas emissions have been reduced, primarily due to the switch from coal and oil to natural gas to generate electricity, reducing total energy use will require more intensive action than what has been carried out to date. The presentation had a chart showing how energy is used in Cambridge.

Mr. Ramslie spoke about best policy practices. He spoke about renewable energy sources, use, the age of the housing stock, the energy load density profile and how different energy sources are used to generate electricity or for heating/cooling purposes. All renewable technology was looked at and what can be used in a building, grid levels and biased for new buildings. He stated that the energy efficiency retrofits are the largest opportunities for reducing emissions followed by increased amounts of renewable energy by the grid. The task force members and a significant number of additional individuals with subject matter expertise and interest in net zero were separated into 4 working groups and worked on 4 focus areas. There were seventy-seven actions that were scaled down to five key action areas. The five key actions are:
ENERGY EFFICIENCY in existing buildings.
NET ZERO NEW CONSTRUCTION
ENERGY SUPPLY strategy.
LOCAL CARBON FUND
ENGAGEMENT & CAPACITY BUILDING

The total percentage in greenhouse gas emissions resulting from energy efficiency versus renewable energy from the six sectors is estimated to reach 70% by 2040, setting Cambridge track to reach 80% by 2050, a goal already adopted by the Council, and net zero sometime after that. A chart was shown that illustrated how the emissions reductions would be achieved by sector.

Mr. Ramslie stated that to address engagement and capacity building the task force had three recommendations: to develop a communication strategy, develop ongoing municipal capacity to manage getting to net zero and to develop net zero standards for laboratories. The Net Zero Plan has targets and check points. A Gantt chart was shown that lists all planned actions over a 25-year time horizon including a plan to conduct program-wide review of the Action Plan every five years with full stakeholder engagement. To complete the plan there was extensive engagement. All meetings were open and there are local stakeholders that have bought into the plan. Ms. Rasmussen stated that there was participation from all sectors and there was equal engagement. All stakeholders involved agreed that net zero was the right goal for which to aim. . She spoke about making the plan actionable. The Net Zero Plan needs to move to implementation. She stated that starting July 1, 2015 Year One activities will start and showed a list of planned activities. The FY 2016 budget has a full time net zero staff and consultant. The new regulations will need to go to the Planning Board, Board of Zoning Appeal and the City Council.

Councillor Cheung invited members of the Net Zero Task Force to give their comments.

Marc Hoffman shared his observations from serving on committee. He stated that there are 3 truths: net zero must be comprehensive and must address all buildings and their energy supply.

The whole community must be involved. The laboratory sector needs to achieve net zero. Labs will work with the City to achieve net zero. He stated that the public schools must be involved in net zero. He stated that net zero must be flexible; the plan is a 25 year plan. The 5 year review process is a necessity. He urged the City Council to support this plan. This is for the good of our citizens.

Quinton Zondervan commented that the process was great and collaborative. He emphasized two things: to adopt LEED gold in this City Council session and to beat the predictions for when buildings can achieve net zero.

At this time Councillor Cheung opened the meeting to the City Council for their comments.

Vice Mayor Benzan noted that it is incredible to see how far the process has gone. Cambridge alone cannot solve energy problems for the world. This knowledge must be shared. He asked if the process to capture kinetic energy from cars was discussed. Ms. Rasmussen explained that Cambridge will share the information in all the areas where Cambridge is involved. Kinetic energy capture is in the early stages. She spoke about new research done at MIT about energy captured by people walking on sidewalks. Mr. Ramslie stated that this technology is in its infancy stage and will be used when it is developed.

Vice Mayor Benzan asked for comment from architects.

Emily Grandstaff-Rice, Cambridge Seven Associates and task force member stated that LEED Gold is achievable; it becomes a priority when targets are set.

Dan Arons, Architerra, Inc. stated that LEED, gold and platinum are not barriers; they are design challenges. This makes buildings better not more expensive.

Shawn Hesse, architect and task force member stated that LEED Gold is achievable with normal budgets; not a hurdle or something to be afraid of. He stated that as the standards are raised it makes it easier and helps architects be better advocates.

David Nagahiro, Principal, CBT, stated that sustainability is the thing to do. It is not a big hurdle.

George Metzger, HMFH, stated that there is a barrier that not all buildings are LEED gold, but we can do it. The barrier is a mindset. It may be a little more expensive at first, but Cambridge needs to take a strong position.

Councillor Carlone stated that LEED gold + 6 energy points is the goal and yet the average gold building has 11 energy performance credits in Boston. He asked why Cambridge is doing less than average. Ms. Rasmussen stated that the focus immediately is to bring the bottom up and then later move up to requiring the equivalent of 17 points. This gives people time to get used to the higher regulation in four years. Councillor Carlone stated that there were many groups who wanted this and the way that the City has handed this makes us proud. He asked about the long term action goal. Ms. Rasmussen stated that the Climate Protection Action Committee (CPAC) will oversee the creation of an annual report. There will be communication about what has been achieved annually. The program will be reviewed in detail with community stakeholders every 5 years. Ms. Lauren Miller, Chair, CPAC stated that she will be willing to take the reporting on.

Councillor Carlone asked if additional groups participated in the review. Ms. Rasmussen said there is regular communication with Mothers Out Front and Green Cambridge. There is no formal role other than CPAC. What is achieved is what will be reported out. If the industry moves forward and finds better solutions those can be incorporated. Councillor Carlone noted that office labs and lights in Germany have to go off by 11pm in buildings that are not in use. Is this included in our plan? Ms. Rasmussen responded that this plan does not look at single narrow strategies. There is nothing in this plan specifically about lighting; the proposed actions are more comprehensive in nature. Councillor Carlone asked if the carbon fund will be explored. Ms. Rasmussen responded in the affirmative. The fund would likely be operated by a third party and the funds can only be used for offset outlined in the criteria. Money could flow into the fund from many entities. Private industry was interested in this fund with benefits to Cambridge. Councillor Carlone noted that most labs will be built by 2030. Ms. Rasmussen stated that what is envisioned is a working group with knowledge about how labs work will start working right away on how to reduce emissions in laboratories.

Ken Taylor spoke about the issue of lighting. He did a survey of outdoor lighting in Paris. The lighting levels in Paris is more level than in Cambridge. Three years ago the French government issued regulations that businesses turn off lights at night and the savings generated is equivalent to the energy used by hundreds of thousands of households. He spoke about light goals and to ensure that the new Lighting Ordinance is parallel with the Net Zero. He hoped that the Net Zero Task Force looks at the lighting ordinance and see if it is in sync with the Net Zero.

Councillor McGovern asked what can be done with existing building now. Mr. Ramslie stated that the first action strategy is geared toward existing buildings. He stated that there is low hanging fruit, retrofit work and incentivized programs to make poorly performing buildings okay. He stated that time of sale and lease options on buildings were reviewed. Ms. Rasmussen stated that the Building Energy Use Disclosure Ordinance will generate energy use data next year that will help inform how to target buildings for efficiency upgrades. She stated that the city is prioritizing its own buildings in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas reduction by 2020 and a specific reduction goal for city operations will be set by the end of calendar 2015. Councillor McGovern inquired if there is communication with the Cambridge Housing Authority since they are renovating their buildings. Ms. Rasmussen stated that there is an ongoing communication with CHA regarding their renovation projects and that the CHA is undertaking excellent renovation projects with great efficiency gains. Councillor McGovern spoke about the updates and the need to keep people informed. He wanted more information and updates.

Councillor Mazen stated that the hardest part is not done yet. He noted that the City Council has to be committed. He asked in the first 2 years of the plan at what point is action required by the council and what funding levels are needed to implement the actions illustrated on the Gantt chart. Ms. Rasmussen explained that the plan laid out is for 25 years and explained how review and course correction would take place. The specific actions to be taken during the next fiscal year are outlined in detail. She further stated that the City Manager has asked for a 5 year projected budget. When the Net Zero planner starts working for the City, which is anticipated to be early fall, this individual will be responsible for managing the program. She stated that regulatory approval timelines can be supplied to the City Council. Deputy City Manager Peterson added that funding was discussed for the next 2 years. The Net Zero planner position and consultant funding are in the CDD budget.

In response to a question by Councillor Mazen, Ms. Rasmussen stated that when the regulatory language is ready it will come before the City Council.

Councillor Mazen inquired about the status of where the City is with the Compact for a Sustainable Future. Deputy City Manager Peterson explained that MIT and Harvard University and other compact members were engaged in reviewing proposals developed by the net zero task force.

Mr. Lucey noted that Harvard University and MIT have been working on this issue for many years. There needs to be collaboration. He stated that Harvard wants to achieve net zero in a manner that works for the university campus.

Ms. Gallop stated that the MIT Compact is starting on its next step on vulnerability assessment and resiliency planning.

Councillor Mazen spoke about lights left on in buildings and homes. He noted that no one at MIT is opposed to motion detector devices, but who will take the necessary steps to get them installed? There are a host of smaller issues that can be addressed. He questioned whether lights will be made smart lights to address building usage patterns and timing in the future.

Councillor Cheung appreciated the work and was amazed how it has come together. He likes the local offset and the carbon fund. When municipal buildings go online in 2020 is it a realistic expectation to target net zero with the resources that are being spent on the schools? Deputy City Manager Peterson stated that the King Open will open in 2018 and will be a net zero building. She added that in addition $5 million has been allocated in the budget annually for municipal building upgrades which will include energy efficiency improvements. Councillor Cheung spoke about the carbon tax implemented in Vancouver. Ms. Rasmussen stated that a carbon tax was discussed by the task force but the City is not allowed to tax carbon. It is not in our tool box. Mr. Ramslie stated that no cities but several Canadian provinces, including British Columbia, have a carbon tax; it is under review this year. The task force looked at a voluntary carbon fund and whether the City could use fees and rebates to incentivize people to go to net zero. Mr. Zondervan stated that there is a state house bill to have a tax on carbon, or the city could explore a surcharge on the property tax similar to the Community Preservation Act legislation in which funds could be set aside for local carbon reduction projects.

Councillor Cheung asked why LEED gold was proposed as it is, with fewer energy points required than many new buildings in the region have recently achieved. Ms. Rasmussen stated that LEED gold with 6 energy points will occur immediately to "bring up the bottom" and then the requirement will step up in a few years to 17 points. This is building up to net zero and then net zero becomes mandatory. Mr. Zondervan stated that this would only require a six word change to the ordinance. He asked why this cannot be done now. Councillor McGovern stated that this should be done sooner rather than later. Ms. Rasmussen stated that this mechanism is in the plan now meaning as soon as the plan is approved the work to change the requirement in the zoning code can start. She urged the City Council to approve the net zero action plan and proposed implementation process.

At this time Councillor McGovern made the following motion:
ORDERED: That the City Council be and hereby is requested to adopt the recommended action in the Net Zero Action Plan and that language be drafted and referred to the City Council to include LEED gold + points no later than Aug 10, 2015.

The motion carried on a voice vote of four members.

Councillor Cheung asked about implementation and whether one staff person is enough. Ms. Rasmussen stated that one dedicated staff with the right credentials will move this plan along.

Councillor McGovern stated that so much is being done in Cambridge that is not being done in other communities. Cambridge should be proud of this.

Ms. Rasmussen informed the committee that the City Council has received letters of support from the Chamber of Commerce, MassBio and other entities. In response to a question from Councillor Cheung regarding the city purchasing renewable energy, Ms. Rasmussen stated that the City Manager will put out an RFQ for an energy broker and community aggregation in the near future.

Councillor Cheung opened public comment at 5:04pm.

Zeyneb Magavi, Mothers Out Front, strongly supported the content of the plan, the framework and the five year review process. She stated that some of the benefits are better building performance, health and increased revenue.

Kristine Jelstrup, Mothers Out Front, supported the broad based method of the plan. She was excited about the Georgetown University Energy Prize competition that the city is participating in and noted that Mothers Out Front is actively working to support this effort.

Leslie Bliss, Mothers Out Front, stated that climate change is a threat and wants the threat mitigated. She urged the City Council to endorse the net zero recommendations. She added that Mothers Out Front are eager to help the City become a net zero community. The plan outlines ambitious goals.

Sue Butler, 14 Clinton Street, stated that she was impressed with the collaborative effort. She urged LEED gold + points to be implemented quickly.

Lauren M. Miller, Chair, CPAC, read a prepared statement in support of the plan (ATTACHMENT B).

Minka vanBeuzekom, 20 Essex Street, stated that it would be great to do this faster. She wanted to use every tool available. She spoke about a Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) bill. Ms. Rasmussen stated that the City has supported the PACE bill at the state house. The City needs to await state action. She noted that this would only apply to commercial buildings because of Freddie Mac and Fanny Mae mortgage holders are opposed to the use of PACE for residential property. Ms. vanBeuzekom stated that there are different classes of land that the City owns where solar farms could be installed.

John Pitkin, 18 Fayette Street, stated that the communication strategy is important. Metrics also are important.

Councillor Cheung closed public comment at 5:13pm.

Councillor Cheung thanked all those present for their attendance.

The hearing adjourned at 5:14pm.

For the Committee,
Councillor Leland Cheung, Chair

Committee Report #3
The Health and Environment Committee held a public hearing on June 2, 2015 at 3:04pm in the Sullivan Chamber.

The purpose of the hearing was to discuss Urban Agriculture initiatives in the City of Cambridge and the creation of a regulatory environment that can foster the safe expansion of Urban Agriculture within the City limits.

Present at the hearing were Councillor Leland Cheung, Chair of the Committee; Councillor Dennis J. Carlone; Councillor Nadeem A. Mazen; Councillor Marc C. McGovern; Councillor Craig Kelley; Lisa Peterson, Deputy City Manager; Iram Farooq, Acting Assistant City Manager for Community Development Department (CDD); Stuart Dash, Director of Community Planning, CDD; Elaine Thorne, Neighborhood Planner, CDD; Jennifer Letourneau, Director, Conservation Commission; Sam Lipson, Director of Environmental Health, Cambridge Public Health Department; Dawn B. Olcott, School and Community Nutritionist, Cambridge Public Health Department; Christian Schlachte; and City Clerk Donna P. Lopez.

Also present were Marie Mercurio, Urban Agriculture, City of Boston; Khrysti Smyth, Dorchester; Adrian Roman; Cynthia Santiago; Jennifer Rushlaw; Steven Gonzalez; Sandra Fairbank; and James Williamson, 1000 Jackson Place.

Councillor Cheung convened the hearing and explained the purpose. In the last term urban agriculture was reviewed. He stated that Somerville's regulations were reviewed. Now there is more information on urban gardening, micro greens and hydroponics. He stated that Boston has adopted an Urban Agricultural Zoning Ordinance so Cambridge wants to see what an Urban Agriculture ordinance would look like. He also stated that there has been a Beekeeping Ordinance proposed.

Councillor Cheung introduced Marie Mercurio, a planner at the Boston Redevelopment Authority. She explained the process that Boston followed with the Urban Agriculture. She had a PowerPoint presentation (ATTACHMENT A). She stated that Urban Agriculture was not covered under Boston's Zoning Ordinance. Ms. Merino pushed for the Urban Agriculture Ordinance and the Boston Redevelopment Authority wrote the ordinance. In 2012 there was citywide overlay for Urban Agriculture. She stated that Article 89 was created (ATTACHMENT B). The Somerville ordinance was reviewed. She stated Will Allen came and spoke and she was motivated. A working group was formed which met once a month. A draft of Article 89 was prepared and brought to the neighborhoods for their input. This took about 1.5 years. Article 89 does not cover hens and bees. Urban Agriculture is not backyard gardening and community gardens are not included. She noted that Urban Agriculture must include a transaction. Farms are allowed as of right up to one acre and roof top farming is allowed up to 500 square feet. Comprehensive farm review kicks in at 10,000 square feet and must come to the Boston Redevelopment Authority for review. She explained that two comprehensive farm reviews have been done in Dorchester since Article 89 was enacted. There are other components of the permitting process other than the comprehensive farm review. Composting must be enclosed in a bin per fire regulation. The Boston Redevelopment Authority suggested the raised bed method for the soil safety. Article 89 addresses farmers markets. There was concern about farming in residential districts. A farm stand must be in an Urban Agriculture area up to 700 square feet. Hens and bees were addressed in the previous zoning. Boston as 24+ neighborhoods that have their own zoning code and all of these need to be amended. Article 89 cannot trump the local neighborhood ordinances unless the local ordinances are amended to allow the keeping of animals. Article 89 proposed hen and bee conditions. She explained aquaculture is the growth of fish and it was more restrictive in zoning. Boston has a food Initiative Office which provides support on food types of issues. She stated that an urb.ag Application was created. The Conservation Law Foundation helped with the language for Article 89.

Councillor Cheung asked how different Boston's ordinance is from Somerville's. Ms. Mercurio responded that Boston's ordinance is more restrictive especially with the animal piece. There are no major differences in the ideology.

Councillor McGovern stated that he did not know much about bees until he worked with people who know about bees. He asked about the maximum number of 2 for hives. Ms. Mercurio stated that the average parcels was looked at and in Boston it is 35,000 square feet. A backup is needed for one and if you have 2 you need more space. If more than 2 were wanted a variance would be required. Councillor McGovern asked about letting the community know they are keeping bees. Ms. Mercurio stated that when there is a formal beekeeping ordinance established a special permit will be required by Inspectional Service. She stated that the beekeeping ordinance is ready to go. She stated that there is a live fowl license required in Boston. She stated today a resident received a BZA permit for 6 hens in West Roxbury.

Councillor Mazen commented that between Somerville and Boston much can be learned. He stated that he hoped that Cambridge can do better. He noted that beekeeping is more important than he realized. There are former beekeepers in hiding. Resident allowances for hydroponics, aquaponics and the local growing will be important to cities in the future. He asked how people get started. Ms. Mercurio stated that the Boston Redevelopment Authority does not help with startups. She stated that she refers people to Mayor's Office on Food Initiative. She stated that there is such a push for gardening. Councillor Mazen asked if this should be an ordinance change to identify the lowest hanging fruit and kits. Ms. Mercurio stated that Boston started the Urban Agriculture visioning that discusses networks, metrics and funding.

Councillor Carlone asked how long did the zoning effort take. Ms. Mercurio responded two years and the only element was the keeping of animals. Boston had a clean slate. Boston built on other communities and best practices. Councillor Carlone commented that 35,000 square feet is an average parcel in Boston and Cambridge's parcels will be simple.

Councillor Kelley stated that this was an interesting proposal. This is driven by where density is allowed. Bees are especially challenging. Ms. Mercurio stated that having bees and hens requires going through the BZA but has the backing of Article 89.

Councillor Carlone asked Ms. Mercurio to explain the logic that the setback for beehives is five feet. Ms. Mercurio explained that this is what is used as a setback for accessory uses. Councillor Carlone asked why this works. Ms. Mercurio stated that if the bees are not maintain they swam. It is incumbent on the beekeeper to maintain the hive. Councillor McGovern stated that there are no beekeeping regulations in Cambridge. There is a science to beekeeping. He stated that when bees swarm that is when they are docile. He stated that education is needed about this.

Councillor Cheung asked if the farm stands are in residential areas. Ms. Mercurio did not know. She noted that the Boston Redevelopment Authority does not do the permitting. Councillor Cheung stated that the next steps are to post online documents and to get ideas from Cambridge residents and copies from Boston. The documents can be found at the following link: http://www.lelandcheung.com/urbanag He asked can someone plant a roof top garden. Ms. Mercurio stated that a rooftop garden must be permitted. She spoke about abutter nuisances that this could create.

At 3:52pm Councillor Cheung opened public comment.

Khrysti Smyth, Yardwork's, stated that she helped write the Somerville Ordinance. She stated that the difference between the Somerville Ordinance and the Boston Ordinances is that Somerville deals with the residential aspect; Boston with the commercial. Somerville does allow sale of produce from residential gardens.

Jennifer Rushlow stated that the Conservation Law Foundation is providing assistance to the city around the zoning ordinance. They helped residents to understand the ordinance and helps with best practices.

James Williamson, 1000 Jackson Place, spoke about public housing development. He asked on what extend can we building in Cambridge and have these nice wall gardens. This has to be tied to master planning. He spoke about a community garden in Boston which is vibrant. Rendezvous in Central Square had a herb garden on the roof and may have some experience. He had nothing to add about chickens and bees. He stated that CHA residents who have been asking for community garden spaces in collaboration with CHA and have been rebuffed. He stated that the opportunity on CHA land is many. This should be rethought about CHA residents having a resident community garden. CHA has stated that it has to be a raised bed.

George Mokay 218 Franklin Street, stated that the Boston Redevelopment Authority has been regional. He stated that 50 percent of agriculture is grown in the city. He stated that globally, nationally and locally should be considered by Cambridge. He spoke about the high tech controlled environment for agriculture. These techniques are becoming economically feasible. He stated that a family in Somerville is growing seedlings. It is getting harder to purchase seedlings. He stated that good money can be made by growing seedlings. It is important to cultivate compost to do Urban Agriculture. He spoke about methods by taking carbon out of the atmosphere and putting it into the soil. There is a huge opportunity to do Urban Agriculture. He stated that City Sprouts are in the elementary schools. Since 1970 Urban Agriculture has been rebuilt in MA and it can be fruitful.

Leray Minc, 46 Linnaean Street, asked what the process is in Boston for city growers for land transition to farmers so that people can learn about agriculture. Ms. Mercurio stated that there are two farms in Boston that are land leases and two since adoption of Article 89 have been disposed for farms. The Boston Redevelopment Authority is interested in developing land.

James Williamson spoke about farm aid in Somerville that has a network and greenhorns.

Councillor Cheung closed public comment at 4:12pm.

Councillor McGovern stated that City Spouts is working farming into the school curriculum.

Deputy City Manager Peterson stated that Cambridge is ready to begin the next round of participatory budgeting. She suggested community gardening and supplies for the gardening. There is much that can be done about food production.

Mr. Dash stated that the committee has discussed bees and chickens and the Boston zoning ordinance. Other communities are been reviewed as to what they do. He spoke about income equity issues, pesticides and lead. He stated that CDD is working with the Health Department and City Sprouts. He spoke about the future water use for better outcomes. He stated that the Avian Flu transmitted by chicken is also discussed.

Dawn Olcott, Cambridge Public Health Department, which promotes healthy living and the Urban Agriculture is a good fit with the Community Health Improvement Plan. Health Food is one of the four priority areas for the City. She stated that the Senior Center has a raised bed herb garden that the DPH has helped with. When a food ordinance is passed in Cambridge it would be enforced by DPH. She submitted her comments (ATTACHMENT C).

Councillor Cheung thanked all those present for their attendance and reiterated that he would make draft zoning available at: http://www.lelandcheung.com/urbanag .

The hearing adjourned at 4:21pm.

For the Committee,
Councillor Leland Cheung, Chair