First Look at the Dec 3, 2018 City Council Agenda

Here are a few agenda items that I found either interesting or infuriating:

Manager's Agenda #3. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $120,000 from Free Cash to the General Fund Executive Department Other Ordinary Maintenance account to support the cable television license renewal process.

The only thing I'll say on this is to note just how little leverage we have in any of this. It's not just that Comcast is the only game in town. Just as bad is the fact that the United States Congress some time ago gutted the previous regulations governing the granting of Cable TV franchises by municipalities. The only thing we can even discuss/bargain is PEG - public access, educational programming, and government programming - and we can't even do much with those. We can't even discuss what stations should be in the basic Cable TV package.

Manager's Agenda #4. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) Clean Energy Resiliency Initiative grant in the amount of $78,300 to the Public Investment Fund Water Extraordinary Expenditures account which will support Phase I of the Cambridge Water Supply Resilience project.

I'm always interested in hearing about what new projects are planned for protecting and improving Cambridge water whether or not it's related to "resiliency".

Manager's Agenda #17. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 18-79, regarding a report on the Grand Junction Overlay District.

Manager's Agenda #18. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an agreement with the Cambridge Housing Authority to take an easement and accepting the conveyance of a 2nd easement for the purpose of constructing a multi-use path along the Grand Junction Railway and to provide grant funding to assist in closing the funding gap for the Millers River Redevelopment Project by paying for part of the demolition of the community center building, reconstruction of a new community building, renovation of 15 housing units and the creation of permanent affordability restrictions for these units.

Applications & Petitions #2. A Zoning Petition has been received from Joseph T. Maguire of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. Transmitting a proposed amended to the zoning ordinance by creating the Grand Junction Pathway Overlay District adjacent to the Grand Junction railroad right-of-way between Binney and Cambridge Streets.

There's something happening here. What it is ain't exactly clear. In any case, it's nice to see some tangible progress on this project that we first proposed as part of the Green Ribbon Open Space Committee about two decades ago. I'm still curious how it would connect with the Somerville Community Path..

Order #5. Somerville’s Davis Square Neighborhood Plan.   Councillor Kelley, Vice Mayor Devereux

Check out the draft of the Davis Square Neighborhood Plan. Many of us still remember when a railroad ran through the middle of Davis Square. Anyway, what we do affects Somerville and vice-versa. Envision That.

Order #6. Marijuana Public Consumption.   Councillor Kelley, Councillor Simmons

Pretty soon the whole city is going to smell like Woodstock - only at 20X the potency.

Order #7. That the City Council refer to the Ordinance Committee and the Planning Board, for hearing and report, the proposed amendments to Article 5.000 of the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance.   Councillor Kelley, Councillor Zondervan

Flat Roof Zoning returns for another try. You know - Up On The Roof.

Order #8. Accessory Dwelling Unit Zoning Petition.   Councillor Kelley, Councillor Carlone, Councillor Zondervan

Will this again get lost in the shuffle? I know a guy who can help with the amendments.

Order #11. Inclusionary Tenants' Association.   Councillor Mallon, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Siddiqui

Am I the only one who sees the irony in this?

Order #12. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the IT Department and Granicus to create a more inclusive city website, including an Open Meeting Portal registration form that does not require the use of gendered pronouns, salutations or titles.   Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Mallon

Oh, the horror.

Order #13. Legal Opinion on Portland's Relocation Assistance Ordinance.   Councillor Zondervan

The relentless campaign to reimpose rent control piecemeal continues like death by a thousand cuts. Last year's jewel was the "Right of First Refusal" that fortunately never saw daylight. Now this. Though the order asks for a legal opinion on whether Cambridge can impose such a financial requirement, it should be obvious to any sentient city councillor that they cannot do so without authority from the Commonwealth.

Committee Report #4. A communication was received from Paula Crane, Deputy City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor Sumbul Siddiqui, Chair of the Economic Development and University Relations Committee, for a public hearing held on Oct 3, 2018 to discuss a City-based Cannabis Social Equity Program and Policy Order #10 from June 25, 2018.

While I agree that this potentially lucrative business should not be dominated by the usual high-rolling entrepreneurs and that economic opportunity should be spread far and wide, I find unconvincing (to say the least) the notion that anyone should be provided an advantage based on ethnic identity.

Committee Report #5. A communication was received from Donna P. Lopez, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Vice Mayor Jan Devereux, Chair of the Government Operations, Rules & Claims Committee, for a public hearing held on Nov 14, 2018 to discuss the Policy Order adopted regarding Cambridge publicly financed Municipal Election Program and the Cambridge Municipal People’s Pledge Program.

I wish I had been able to attend this meeting because I could go on for hours on this topic. For starters, I am not at all convinced that money is any longer the limiting factor in municipal elections. I will also note that most or all of the proposals floated seem pretty obviously chosen to advantage political friends or to disadvantage political opponents - even though the case is always framed in terms of "leveling the playing field". I have in previous discussions of these matters also pointed out how publicly financed municipal campaigns might perversely work in the context of proportional representation and organized candidate slates. This is conveniently overlooked by proponents. If there are future meetings on this topic, please try not to schedule them when I'm in the classroom teaching because I would really like to take a few people to school on this topic.

Committee Report #7. A communication was received from Donna P. Lopez, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor Dennis J. Carlone and Councillor Craig A. Kelley, Co-Chairs of the Ordinance Committee, for a public hearing held on Nov 15, 2018 to continue discussions on the petition filed by the City Council to amend the Zoning Ordinance as it relates to cannabis uses.

Trees and marijuana. That's what this City Council will be remembered for. - Robert Winters

Comments?

A Quick One! Nov 26, 2018 Cambridge City Council meeting

Though a short agenda does not guarantee a short meeting, hope springs eternal. Below are the handful of items of potential action or interest, but first a word or two about The Who.

I understand that many people these days may not even know what a radio or a record is, and the term "long playing" (or LP) may now refer only to how long somebody spends on their video games. However there once was a pretty great band called The Who that was known by many as the raucous band that destroyed their equipment at live shows. They also produced some pretty great studio albums - one of which was the nifty 1966 record (their second) called "A Quick One". All the band members wrote songs for this one, e.g. "Run, Run, Run" (Pete Townsend), "Boris the Spider" (John Entwistle), "I Need You" (Keith Moon), and "See My Way" (Roger Daltrey). I have a particular fondness for "Boris the Spider".

Anyway, whenever I say or think of the phrase "A Quick One" it reminds me of this really great record.

Now back to less interesting stuff.

Manager's Agenda #1. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the an order requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $3,000,000 to provide funds for the planning and feasibility of improvements to 831 Massachusetts Avenue and 3 Bigelow Street buildings, and the design and construction of improvements at City Hall.

I really hope one of the city councillors asks what the total cost now is for rehab of these two buildings (831 Mass. Ave. and 3 Bigelow Street.). As for City Hall, how much of the cost is for the ever-growing coddling budget for city councillors?

Manager's Agenda #2. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an order requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $3,000,000 to provide funds for the design and reconstruction of the Fire Station Headquarters building.

I'm glad to see the City's firehouses getting some long-overdue attention.

Unfinished Business #5. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 18-85, regarding a report on the feasibility of appointing an advisory committee to work through resilience elements raised during the Envision process and through the Brown Petition.

The discussion on this last week was illuminating, especially the objections to there being four city councillors on the committee. Apparently this flies in the face a several Open Meeting Law quorum restrictions. It's also unprecedented to have an advisory committee with four city councillors, but such is the price of political accommodation.

Order #1. That the City Manager is requested to consult with the Community Development Department, the Cambridge Public Health Department, and any other appropriate departments to provide a timeline outlining when the City Council can expect to receive draft zoning and public health regulations for urban farming.   Vice Mayor Devereux, Councillor Mallon, Councillor Zondervan

Other than beekeeping and perhaps legalizing a few stray hens, I'm still at a loss to explain why this is even an issue or why it has been batted around for so long. Do we really need an ordinance to regulate the sale of some stuff grown in our gardens?

Order #2. That the City Manager work with the Economic Development Department, Business Associations, and Cambridge Local First to create a Small Business Saturday strategy that increases traffic to our local businesses during the 2019 holiday season.   Councillor Mallon, Councillor Siddiqui

I personally spent Black Friday at home and will let Cyber Monday pass without spending a dime. As for a strategy to increase traffic to our local businesses, I suggest lowering prices and, of course, selling some really cool stuff. - Robert Winters

Comments?