On the City Council Agenda - Monday, Oct 29, 2007 [Click for detailed agenda]

This week's agenda is something of a table-setter in the sense that there are a number of Planning Board reports and other reports on the City Manager's Agenda and items on Unfinished Business that make it likely that some matters may come to a vote this week and be recorded prior to next week's municipal election. Here's a sampler of agenda items:

City Mgr. #5. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 07-65, regarding the financial impacts of development delays for the North Point project. (see below)

It appears that the pieces are all falling into place for the North Point development to get back on track. The court-ordered sale of the interests of both parties has attracted multiple serious bidders and a sale is likely before the end of the year. With the state legislature on board with a new "filled tidelands" bill that will almost certainly be signed by the governor (who proposed it), things will likely be back on track, more or less, by next year.

City Mgr. #6. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 07-116, regarding a report on analyzing bicycle parking in the City with recommendations for additional parking.

This is good news for us cyclists. The City is installing or planning to install additional bicycle parking in and around the major squares of the city. Now if we can only cart away all the dead bikes that are clogging up the racks and keep City officials from harassing those who lock their bikes to parking meters, lampposts, etc., then life will be just peachy for two-wheelers.

City Mgr. #7. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to a recommendation from the Planning Board on the refiled Cott, et al petition to rezone the area bounded by Broadway, Lee Street, Harvard Street, and Hancock Street from a Residence C-1 designation to the Residence B designation.

Unfinished Bus. #17. A communication was received from D. Margaret Drury, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor Brian Murphy, Chair of the Ordinance Committee, for a hearing held on Sept 19, 2007 for the purpose of considering a proposed amendment to the Zoning Map for the area bordered by the centerlines of Broadway and Harvard, Hancock and Lee Streets from the existing Residence C-1 district designation to Residence B, a/k/a Re-filed Cott Petition. The question comes on passing to be ordained on or after Nov 5, 2007. Petition expires Dec 18, 2007.

These two items suggest a possible vote on this Mid-Cambridge zoning petition on Election Eve. The Planning Board report recommends against adoption of the petition, but there's a municipal election coming up and there are three challengers (Janik, Seidel, Ward) who live within a block of the area affected by the petition. I expect some votes will be swayed as a result, but it seems unlikely that there will be the necessary 7 votes to pass the petition. However, stranger things have happened when an election is imminent.

City Mgr. #9. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to revisions to Chapter 8.24 of the Cambridge Municipal Code on Refuse and Litter. This ordinance has been further revised to reflect changes requested at the Sept 19th Ordinance Committee meeting.

Unfinished Bus. #14. A communication was received from D. Margaret Drury, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor Brian Murphy, Chair of the Ordinance Committee, for a hearing held on Sept 19, 2007 for the purpose of considering proposed amendments to Chapter 8.24 of the Municipal Code: Refuse and Litter. The question comes on passing to be ordained on or after Oct 29, 2007.

City Mgr. #10. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to revisions to Chapter 13.16 of the Cambridge Municipal Code "Sewer System Regulations."

I must admit that I like these kinds of basic operations and infrastructure items. It's a lot more interesting and relevant than passing City Council orders on Burma, Iraq, Mongolia, or Mars.

On the Table #9. That the Neighborhood and Long Term Planning Committee schedule a meeting to discuss with the new owners the impact on the 55 Magazine Street tenants of the recent sale of the building and their concern about their security as tenants and the new owners' plans for the building, especially any plans to convert the building to condominiums. [Charter Right exercised by Mayor Reeves on Order Number Forty-Seven of Sept 10, 2007. Placed on table on motion of Councillor Simmons on Sept 17, 2007.]

Though I doubt there will be any movement on this item, there is no doubt that it's a politically volatile item because of the close relations between some of the city councillors and the developers who are (apparently) trying to clear out this building and convert the apartments into condominiums.

Unfinished Bus. #12. A communication was received from D. Margaret Drury, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillors Michael A. Sullivan and Brian Murphy, Co-Chairs of the Ordinance Committee, for a hearing held on July 12, 2007 for the purpose of continuing to consider a proposed amendment to the Noise Ordinance to regulate leaf blowers. The question comes on passing to be ordained on or after Aug 13, 2007.

Yup, regulation of leaf blowers is a hot political item in the new "quality of life" political climate. I'll give a damn about leaf blowers right after the City Council and the Police Department do something about the cars with the obnoxious sound systems that cruise Broadway in front of my house and elsewhere in Cambridge.

Unfinished Bus. #15. A communication was received from D. Margaret Drury, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor Brian Murphy, Chair of the Ordinance Committee, for a hearing held on Sept 19, 2007 for the purpose of considering a proposed amendment to the Zoning Ordinance to incorporate requirements for LEED standards for certain projects of 25,000 square feet or more. The question comes on passing to be ordained on or after Oct 29, 2007. Petition expires Dec 18, 2007.

This one will look good on the last round of political literature and on Council candidate websites. [It's also a good idea.]

Unfinished Bus. #16. A communication was received from D. Margaret Drury, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor Brian Murphy, Chair of the Ordinance Committee, for a hearing held on Oct 3, 2007 for the purpose of considering a proposed amendment to the Municipal Code to add a new Section 2.125 entitled "Cambridge Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) Commission. The question comes on passing to be ordained on or after Oct 29, 2007.

I expect this piece of outright pandering to come to a vote. The part of this that doesn't sit well with me is the provision that creates a full time paid executive director position for this commission. [I'm told it's a part-time position, but the point still stands.] If anything, the City of Cambridge should be trimming down on its commissions and consolidating or eliminating inessential staff (like the proposed position).

Order #4. That the City Clerk and Assistant to the City Council arrange for a workshop on parliamentary procedure for the City Council at the beginning of the new Council term.   Councillor Simmons

My main recommendation for improving the way the City Council conducts its meetings is to require a "second" before any topic can come up for discussion at a meeting. This is how the School Committee and most deliberative bodies conduct their business. Requiring that any matter have at least two members before it can be discussed would cut down on much of the bullshit that councillors and the public have been subjected to over the last several years. Must I name names?

Order #8. That this City Council go on record requesting the Massachusetts legislature to pass and Governor Deval Patrick to sign into law, H. 2729, sponsored by Representative Byron Rushing, "An Act Relative to Investment in Companies Doing Business in Burma," which uses the Commonwealth's pension fund investments to promote democracy and human rights in Burma.   Councillor Decker

Please see above items regarding rubbish and sewer regulation.

Order #17. That the petition to amend the Zoning Ordinance (Section 5.40 Special Dimensional Regulations) by adding a new section to protect solar energy systems to be referred to the Planning Board and the Ordinance Committee for a hearing and report.   Councillor Davis and Councillor Kelley

Order #19. Proposed amendment to the Zoning Ordinance regarding bicycle sheds.   Councillor Murphy

These are some interesting proposals regarding the prevention of new structures blocking light from reaching solar panels, and providing equity in the zoning code between garages that contain automobiles (which are not factored into floor-to-area ratios) and sheds that contain bicycles. The danger, of course, is that a builder may add on a structure for bicycles that is subsequently used for other purposes (no different than how garages are now used for other purposes or, even worse, rented out for cash).