2019 Municipal Election: Nomination Papers

Nomination papers for City Council and School Committee will be available beginning Monday, July 1st at the Election Commission office, 51 Inman Street, Cambridge. The office will be open on Monday, July 1st from 8:30am until 8:00pm. The deadline to file nomination papers is Wednesday, July 31st at 5:00pm. The 2019 Municipal Election Calendar is posted on the Commission’s website: www.cambridgema.gov/election.
[Also on the Cambridge Candidate Pages]

The requirements to run for City Council or School Committee are:

1. The person must be a registered voter in Cambridge. To register, one must be 18 years of age by Election Day, a U.S. citizen and a resident in the City of Cambridge.

2. The person must file no fewer than fifty (50) and no more than one hundred (100) certifiable signatures of registered voters in the City of Cambridge.

NOTE: Candidates should make absolutely sure that all required information is filled in on nomination papers and notarized BEFORE collecting signatures.

The Commission has prepared an information kit for candidates containing important dates, Commission policies, services and publications. The kits will be available with the nomination papers on July 1st.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 5, 2019.

List of Candidates who have pulled nomination papers

City Council: Nolan, McNary, Williams, Pascual-Navarro, Toner, Siddiqui, Zondervan, McGovern, Musgrave, Akiba, Kelley, Acevedo, Desir, Azeem, Kopon, Simmons, Mallon, Moree, Franklin, Courtney, Dietrich, Danila, E. Taylor, A. Taylor, Carlone, Simon (July 8), Sobrinho-Wheeler (July 9), Toomey (July 16), Roberts (July 16)

School Committee: Wilson, Fantini, Dawson, Kelly, Lim, Bowman, Kadete, Dexter (July 10), Weinstein (July 11)

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June 11, 2019 - Patty Nolan has announced her candidacy for Cambridge City Council.

June 11, 2019 - New City Council candidates emerging (originally posted May 7)

Eight incumbents (assuming nobody else exits) are likely to seek reelection and will be joined by a number of challengers. Here's the list so far:

City Council Challengers
Name	Address	Birth Year	Notes
Adriane Musgrave	48 Haskell St., 02140	1985	ran in 2017, pulled papers July 1
Charles Franklin	162 Hampshire St. #1R, 02139	1992	filed March 5, pulled papers July 2
Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler	19 Trowbridge St #6, 02138	1992	filed March 11, pulled papers July 8
Nicola Williams	8 Brewer St. #5, 02138	1963	filed March 12, pulled papers July 1
Ben Simon	67 Bishop Allen Dr. #2, 02139	1984	filed April 2, pulled papers July 8
Burhan Azeem	471 Memorial Drive, 02139 (MIT)	1997	filed May 7, pulled papers July 1
Gregg J. Moree	25 Fairfield St., 02140	1957	declared June 11, ran in 2017, pulled papers July 2
Patty Nolan	184 Huron Ave., 02138	1957	declared June 11, pulled papers July 1
Jeffery McNary	116 Norfolk St., 02139	1948	pulled papers July 1
Jamake Pascual-Navarro	10 Laurel St. #5, 02139	1976	pulled papers July 1
Paul Toner	24 Newman St., 02140	1966	pulled papers July 1
Sukia Akiba	343 Walden St.	1985	pulled papers July 1
Hector Acevedo - not actually running	125 Portland St. #4, 02141	1986	pulled papers July 1 but will NOT be a candidate
Deonna Desir	14 Corcoran Lane #4, 02138	1985	pulled papers July 1
Derek Andrew Kopon	8 Wright St. #2, 02138	1980	pulled papers July 1
Kim Courtney	39 Cedar St. Apt 3-2, 02140	1973	pulled papers July 3
Xavier Dietrich	39 Cedar St. Apt 3-2, 02140	1961	pulled papers July 3
James Danila	18 Whittemore Ave., 02140	1979	pulled papers July 3
Emily Taylor	61 Jackson St., 02140	1978	pulled papers July 3
Abigail Taylor	61 Jackson St., 02140	1978	pulled papers July 3
John Roberts	8 Cambridge Terr. #2, 02140	1985	pulled papers July 16
Risa L. Mednick	20 Maple Ave., Unit C, 02139	1964	filed w/OCPF July 15

Several other candidates who ran in 2017 may run again in 2019. They'll be added as confirmed.

Nomination papers will be available from the Cambridge Election Commission beginning Monday, July 1.

Candidates must submit a minimum of 50 valid signatures no later than Wednesday, July 31 at 5:00pm.

Candidates may not submit more than 100 signatures.

Cambridge Candidate Pages (updated as new candidates are identified)

2019 Cambridge City Council Campaign Bank Reports
You can sort the table by any field or open the full spreadsheet which will be frequently updated.

School Committee Challengers
Name	Address	Birth Year	Notes
Ayesha Wilson	15 Concord Ave., 02138	1982	pulled papers July 1
Bernette J. Dawson	71 Oxford St. #8, 02138	1982	pulled papers July 1
Christopher Lim	48 Pleasant St, 02139	1975	pulled papers July 2
Elechi Kadete	10 Laurel St. #4, 02139	1989	pulled papers July 3
David J. Weinstein	45 S. Normandy Ave., 02138	1972	pulled papers July 11

July 2, 2019 - Investigation into June 2016 Fatal Bike Collision in Cambridge Complete (Middlesex County District Attorney's Office)
Excerpt from the Summary Statement: "Under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 90 Section 14, Mr.---, the operator of the Jeep, had a responsibility to open his door only when it was reasonably safe to do so without interfering with the movement of other traffic, including bicyclists and pedestrians. Based on the video evidence provided by CAM14, it appears that Mr.--- opened his door just before Ms. Phillips, the bicyclist, struck it, limiting the time available to her to take action to avoid the collision. Despite this, Mr.--- stated that he checked his mirrors before opening the door and that his view was clear. The witnesses to this crash indicate that Ms. Phillips jumped the curb and entered the roadway from behind the Jeep. The video evidence provided by CAM16 appears to corroborate these statements. This lends credibility to Mr.---’s statement that his view was clear. Had his attention been directed toward the driver’s side rear of his vehicle at the same time Ms. Phillips jumped the curb, Ms. Phillips would likely have been positioned off the roadway or on the passenger side of the Jeep, not apparently approaching the driver’s side of the Jeep. Consequently, Mr.---’s view likely would have been clear, as he stated. Taking into consideration the speed at which Ms. Phillips was travelling reinforces the conclusion that this crash was likely unavoidable on the part of Mr.---, the operator of the Jeep. Under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 85 Section 11B, bicyclists are only authorized operation on sidewalks outside business districts when necessary in the interest of safety. This collision likely could have been avoided had Ms. Phillips rode her bicycle consistently in the rightmost travel lane as directed by the painted markings on the road surface and did not jump the curb onto the sidewalk as was prohibited. This would have made her more visible to other persons in the area, including Mr.--- and allowed him to take precautions for safety accordingly.

Mar 27, 2019 – A few words on the "Overlay" proposal

Personally, this Overlay proposal obliterates over 35 years of what changes could be expected around where I live, and I don’t live in the upper crust part of town. The limiting factor has been the floor area ratio (FAR) – 1.0 for commercial and 0.75 for residential. I have always lived with the possibility that a higher building could appear next door, but that the footprint of the building would have to be smaller and additional setbacks would create a little breathing room between the buildings. That seemed like a reasonable expectation – one that I could easily live with.

During the time I have owned my triple-decker I negotiated with one neighbor so that a small extension would have a roof line that allowed light to continue to get to my first floor apartment. When the neighboring building changed hands and they wanted to add air conditioning units on the roof, I negotiated to ensure that they would be located far enough from my windows so that the added sound would be acceptable. These are the kinds of negotiations that happen when buildings are at or somewhat above the allowable density. Through it all I maintained very reasonable rents to all of my tenants since 1985.

If this Overlay proposal is approved, a new owner could build straight up to a height taller than my building with no setback whatsoever from the property line. Furthermore, the building could cover almost the entire lot yielding a density between 3 and 4 times what is allowed today. No sunlight whatsoever would get to my building. I would have no rights whatsoever to object.

Do I take this personally? Yes. If this were to happen I would likely look for another place to live after being here for over 40 years. So I’m looking now at the few potentially reasonable city councillors to step in and prevent this from happening. If adding to our already high percentage of subsidized housing units is your priority, you should really find a way to do this that doesn’t involve throwing me and others under the bus. – Robert Winters

City Manager’s Disposition Report pursuant to Chapter 2.110 of the Cambridge Municipal Code

The City has released the City Manager's Disposition Report, which has been prepared for the City Council, Planning Board, and City Clerk. The Report is available online at cambridgema.gov/firststreetgarage.

Materials related to the future of the First Street Garage, including the Third Community meeting presentation, the City Manager's Disposition Report, and the First Street Area Parking Planning Study report, are available on the project website.

UPCOMING HEARINGS
Planning Board Hearing, July 16, 2019 at 6:30pm, at 344 Broadway
The Cambridge Planning Board hearing scheduled for July 16, 2019, on the disposition of a leasehold interest in 420 parking spaces and approximately 9,000 square feet of ground floor retail in the City-owned First Street Garage located at 55 First Street has been cancelled due to an unexpected lack of a quorum of the Planning Board. The hearing will be rescheduled.

City Council Hearing, July 29, 2019 at 6:30pm, at Cambridge City Hall

References:
Final Report for the First Street Area Parking Planning Study (by the consulting team of Kleinfelder and McMahon Associates)
Complete report available at www.cambridgema.gov/firststreetgarage, and consists of three items:
  • Cover memo from Traffic, Parking, and Transportation Director Joseph Barr
  • Summary report that provides a condensed overview of the study process, analysis, and conclusions.
  • Full report that documents the data collection, data analysis, scenario review, and conclusions.
[First Street Area Parking Planning Study Report Summary] [First Street Area Parking Planning Study Final Report]

McGovern July 15 message to neighborhood listserv: I wanted to take a moment to explain a few things about the Sullivan Court House discussion because I think its time for a reality check: 1. The Court House is owned by the State and not the City, so it is the State who decides who purchases the building. The Council is being asked to evaluate the transfer of parking spaces at First Street Garage to Leggat McCall, not the Courthouse project or any of the proposals from Rep. Connelly which would now include the most expensive public affordable housing project ever proposed in Cambridge (or anywhere in the state), community space, arts space, and a public park. 2. DCAMM (the State agency in charge of the building), has indicated that they will not “give” the building to the City and if Leggatt McCall walks away the building will go back out to bid. Comparisons to cherry-deals in other cities across the state aren’t applicable in Cambridge where the state isn’t trying to relieve blight in downtown areas by stimulating urban revitalization. 3. As far as the claim that the city is giving public land to a private company, the city is not giving anything to anyone.. The city does not own the Sullivan Court House. The State through DCAMM is selling the building to Leggat McCall for over $30 million dollars. This sale was subject to a court case (and appeal), both of which upheld the State’s authority to sell this building to a private developer. This was NOT the city’s doing. This was NOT a decision made by the city and for folks to be suggesting that it was, is disingenuous at best. 4. In a meeting I had with Rep. Connolly, he agreed that if the City was going to invest $200 million in affordable housing the Courthouse would not be the best place to invest it because the cost per unit would be double the typical $450-500K construction cost. If the City were going to invest $200 million in affordable housing, it could get twice as many units in another location. 5. The City Manager has indicated that he will NOT ask for an allocation to bid on this property should it become available. This means that the City is not going to get control of the building for affordable housing or anything else because without an allocation request from the City Manager, the City Council cannot allocate the money on our own. 6. If the State decided to give the building to the City, the City Manager has stated that he will not accept it, in part due to the $40+ million it will take to remediate the asbestos alone. To put that into perspective, that’s double what the City allocates each year to put into the affordable housing trust to build homes across the city. Taking on that liability would effectively offset contributions to the affordable housing fund for two years, and that is just to get the site ready for construction. 7. The building remains an eyesore on the neighborhood and is falling apart. If this process goes back out to bid, and the City is not going to purchase the building, it will be sold to another for-profit developer and we will start the process all over again, leaving the building a blight on the community for another several years. 8. Although Rep. Connolly has the best of intentions and has asserted that the State and City can work together to remediate the asbestos. the State has refused to validate Rep. Connolly’s assertions, and reportedly tried to contact him to correct the way he was mischaracterizing their position. The State has no intention of investing money to clean up the building, and Rep. Connolly has not been able to get ANY commitment for funding from the State. 9. The current proposal went through a community process that negotiated a significant community benefits package. In exchange for leasing unneeded parking spaces in the First Street Garage, the City extracted the following benefits package from the developer Leggat McCall: a. $23.5M TOWARD AFFORDABLE HOUSING: b. $2M+ TOWARD SENIORS: c. $950,000 TOWARD WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: d. $2M+ COMMUNITY CAUSES AND NON-PROFITS: e. $2M+ TOWARD GREEN INITIATIVES: f. $4M+ TOWARD RETAIL: g. TOTAL: $34.5 million of community benefits, not including taxes, additional parking revenue, and capital improvements to the First Street Garage (as outlined below) i. $4 million+ in annual taxes ii. $1 million+ in annual lease payment at the First Street Garage iii. $1 million+ in capital improvements at the First Street Garage That is a total of $40.5 million dollars in community benefits to the City for leasing the parking spaces and the project moving forward. What is frustrating me about this conversation is that people have been led to believe that if the Council just rejects the parking then we will end up with affordable housing. It is ironic that many of the folks who are suggesting this are against the Affordable Housing Overlay because they don’t want a 4-story building next to their home but they support a 22 story tower in another neighborhood, but I digress. The point is that the State has said it will not “give” the building to the City. The City has said that it doesn’t want the building even if they did. We cannot govern in a fantasy world where the State decides to forgo over $30 million, and the City decides to invest close to $200 million to remediate and renovate the building. So, we are left to decide to rent the parking spaces to Leggat McCall and allow the project to go forward with the community benefits that have been negotiated or start the process all over again with another for-profit developer and let the building sit for another several years. That is the reality of the situation. Folks need to understand the reality of the situation and not a  narrative that is not based in any actual facts or possibility. I will also point out that many who live in East Cambridge support this project and many do not. For anyone to claim that they "speak for the neighborhood" is simply untrue. Marc McGovern Mayor Heather Hoffmann response (July 15): Since my neighborhood is now becoming a point of contention on your neighborhood's list, I'll just weigh in very briefly because I think I can claim to have devoted as much study to this issue as just about anybody else in the City. 1. We are not arguing about the Courthouse. The people in East Cambridge who bring up the Courthouse are generally people who say we have to lease these parking spaces because of what the Commonwealth has and hasn't done with its own property. The parking spaces are property of the City of Cambridge. The Courthouse is not. The Commonwealth has let its property fall apart, to the detriment of Cambridge residents in my neighborhood, and the City has done absolutely nothing to advocate for them. On the other hand, the City has done plenty of advocating for a billion-dollar corporation and seems far more concerned for its welfare than ours. 2. Anyone who claims that the parking spaces the City proposes to lease to Leggat McCall are unused has been paying absolutely no attention for the past several years. Residents have compiled figures from the City's own data that show usage rising inexorably since the courthouse has been vacant. They have taken videos of the garage during the day that show that it is full or nearly full most work days. East Cambridge residents who have parking passes complain that there are often no spaces for them to park in, even though they dutifully pay the monthly fee for their passes. But you don't have to believe us. At the direction of the City Council, the City commissioned a parking study, which was issued on June 14 and then reissued on June 27 because an East Cambridge resident actually read it and noticed that the weekdays the consultants said they collected parking data were actually Saturdays. The study is full of other blatant misinformation (e.g., alleged public parking lots that aren't), but, despite all of that, it concludes that there are NOT ENOUGH PARKING SPACES in the garage to lease 420 of them to LMP. It says there will regularly be dozens of people turned away because the garage will be full. And that's before the CambridgeSide Mall demolishes its 795-space above-ground garage, just for starters. So, anyone who says there are enough unused parking spaces is making things up. There's a ton more to say about this issue, but you can hear it all tomorrow night at the improperly-noticed, premature Planning Board hearing. Heather Hoffman, writing from the shadow of the Tower of Mordor Letter on the East Cambridge Courthouse Debate (Joe Aiello, July 8, DigBoston) To the Editor, My name is Joe Aiello, and I have been a resident of East Cambridge for the last ten years. I have spent countless volunteer hours over the last six years on the Sullivan Courthouse redevelopment, which includes the city-owned First Street Garage – whether it be during my time as an executive board member of the East Cambridge Planning Team (ECPT), sitting on Councilor Toomey’s Courthouse Working Group, or simply as a resident who cares about his neighborhood. In his letter to the City Council and the Planning Board on June 26th, City Manager DePasquale stated that he believes the current redevelopment proposal for the Sullivan Courthouse is the “most beneficial economic proposal the city will receive”. Thanks to my involvement with this project over the years – I am in full agreement with the City Manager. These benefits, which came about through years of work between Leggat McCall and residents of the East Cambridge neighborhood like myself, include: 24 on-site units of 100% affordable housing, $11.5M to the city’s affordable housing trust, a community/senior center, money for workforce development & community non-profits, $4M in annual city tax revenue – the list goes on and on (not to mention green space, local retail, and rehab of the First Street Garage). Unlike what some elected officials have said recently, the process has ALWAYS been a public one. Over the years, the Planning Board voted to approve the project, the City Solicitor and Land Court have given their opinions, and now the City Manager and a study of First Street parking have weighed in. What more needs to be done in order to prove that this redevelopment needs to go forward? The building, as it stands today, is empty, decaying, and an environmental/health hazard to all who live in its shadow. Just ask the folks who stand up at public meetings to share stories about their flooded basements and 911 calls made, all thanks to the blighted courthouse’s abandoned state. Petitions, fences, NIMBYism, & lawsuits are NOT progress. Affordable housing, jobs, retail, community space, & tax revenue that fund important City programs and infrastructure ARE. In my opinion, this is a critical project with a long complex process that deserves in-depth research by councilors before they cast their votes. Once the history, process, and facts are understood, any City Councilor who votes against the lease of the parking spaces in the First Street Garage is not doing so based on the merits of the Courthouse redevelopment as a whole, but simply to score political points in an election year. Joe Aiello East Cambridge Resident, Charles Street

 

Feb 10, 2019 - I'm cleaning up some old email today and found something I wrote a couple of years ago in response to a question about books on Cambridge history. Perhaps you'll find it useful. - RW

It's hard to say where to begin. There was a tradition of Cambridge history-writing in the 19th century that was largely lost during most of the 20th Century. The tradition seems to be having something of a 21st Century revival. Some of my favorites (and I've picked up many of these on eBay) are:

Lucius Paige's History of Cambridge (1877) - you can also read this on the web, e.g. https://archive.org/details/historyofcambrid00paigiala
I mention this one first because it is so often referenced in later histories.

The Cambridge of Eighteen Hundred and Ninety Six (a 50th Anniversary compilation published in 1896 commemorating the transition of Cambridge from Town to City in 1846)
This has a lot of good history in it. I have loaner copies available.

Survey of Architectural History of Cambridge, Volumes 1-5, by the Cambridge Historical Commission
These you can still pick up on eBay and they're at the Cambridge Public Library. I have multiple copies of each volume as loaners.
Volume 1 was originally published in 1967, but a 1989 update is practically a whole other book.

A City's Life and Times, Cambridge in the Twentieth Century, various authors, published by the Cambridge Historical Society, 2007.

Building Old Cambridge, by Susan Maycock and Charles Sullivan of the Cambridge Historical Commission, recently published and available (no sales tax!) at the Cambridge Historical Commission office as well as local bookstores (with sales tax).
This volume started out, I believe, as a successor volume to Volume 4 of the Survey of Architectural History of Cambridge (Old Cambridge), but it grew into something far more comprehensive.

There are at least, I believe, 5 oral history volumes put together by Sarah Boyer and the Cambridge Historical Commission. I believe they may all still be available for purchase at the CHC office, but some are also available at bookstores (and at the Library).

Cambridge on the Charles, by Alan Seaburg, Thomas Dahill, and Carol Rose, published by Anne Minerva Press. Alan and Thomas are friends and fellow Board members with the Middlesex Canal Association (I'm also the webmaster).

There are lots of other miscellaneous books that I really love, including Ten No License Years in Cambridge, published in 1898, that provides great insight into the temperance movement in Cambridge and the roots of the "good government" movement in the 20th Century. It's available in the Cambridge Room of the Main Library.

The books by Tip O'Neill all have some interesting bits and pieces about Cambridge in the 20th Century.

Robert Winters

Featured recent stories in the Cambridge Chronicle (the paper of record):

If you would like to subscribe or pick up a free paper copy at various sites, I encourage you to do so. It really is The Paper of Record.

GUEST COLUMN: No crystal ball for the Sullivan Courthouse (July 9, 2019 by Eileen Sommer)

On the 5th anniversary of Kensley David’s murder in Cambridge, still no arrests (July 3, 2019)

DA rules collision ‘unavoidable’ in Amanda Phillips’ 2016 fatal bicycle crash in Cambridge (July 2, 2019)

After six months, Paul Wilson’s murder remains a mystery in Cambridge (July 2, 2019)

Cambridge looks to address equity issues in cannabis industry (July 1, 2019)

GUEST COLUMN: Consult the 1,100 daily First Street parkers in Cambridge (July 1, 2019 by Abra Berkowitz)

’20 years gone': Mark Sandman’s legacy to be celebrated at Lizard Lounge (June 28, 2019)

State flag to be removed from Cambridge City Council chamber (June 25, 2019)

GUEST COLUMN: Residents appeal Wheeler development (June 25, 2019 by Ellen Mass and Kathy Johnson)

GUEST COLUMN: East Cambridge in development crosshairs (June 25, 2019 by Dennis Carlone)

Charles River water quality grade dips from A- to B (June 24, 2019)

Cambridge councilors to vote on removing state flag from chamber (June 21, 2019)

Cambridge’s Rep. Connolly offers ‘housing for all’ package (June 21, 2019)

Study says “ample” parking still available even if Cambridge leases to Sullivan developer (June 19, 2019)

So what do Cambridge residents really think about separated bike lanes? (June 19, 2019)

Commissioner’s Award recipients honored during Public Works Week (June 19, 2019)

Cambridge Historical Commission to hold Cambridge Open Archives (June 19, 2019)

New Business Improvement District means cleaner future for Central Square (June 18, 2019)

Cambridge to update bike safety plan with more separated lanes in the works (June 17, 2019)

Cambridgeport Neighborhood Association to host fundraiser (June 16, 2019)

Cambridge Historical Society announces oral history project (June 13, 2019)

Grand opening celebration held at The Link (June 13, 2019)

MBTA Red Line delays expected for foreseeable future (June 12, 2019)

Cambridge looks to create its own TNC regulations (June 12, 2019)

Cambridge councilors look into limiting election donors seeking benefit from City (posted June 11, 2019)

GUEST COLUMN: Housing for all in Cambridge, not at all cost (posted June 11, 2019 by Kelly Dolan, Doug Brown and Alison Field-Juma)

Cambridge officials propose cleaning up area around Jerry’s Pond (posted June 4, 2019)

Cambridge unveils citywide plan outlining goals for next decade (May 29, 2019)

SET UP TO FAIL -- Housing crisis sparks debate over solutions in Massachusetts (May 28, 2019)

GUEST COLUMN: Rent control in Cambridge -- why we need it now (May 22, 2019 by candidate Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler)

COLUMN Part 2: How would the affordable housing overlay affect Cambridge residents (May 21, 2019 by Councillor Alanna Mallon)

GUEST COLUMN: Addressing questions regarding affordable housing overlay in Cambridge (May 7, 2019 by Councillor Alanna Mallon)

Can Cambridge Council remove state flag from its chambers? (May 17, 2019)

OPINION: Rent control in Cambridge - why it didn’t work then and won’t work now (May 15, 2019 by Denise Jillson)

LETTERS: Read what Cambridge has to say about the Sullivan Courthouse project (May 15, 2019)

SET UP TO FAIL -- Housing crisis makes traffic worse in Massachusetts (Apr 29, 2019)

Proposed affordable housing district in Cambridge speaks to ‘the lost middle,’ official says (Apr 2, 2019)

LETTER: Tearing Cambridge in two for affordable housing (Apr 2, 2019)

GUEST COLUMN: Demystifying Cambridge’s proposed Affordable Housing Overlay (Apr 1, 2019)

GUEST COLUMN: Instead of affordable overlay, raise real estate taxes (Mar 19, 2019)

GUEST COLUMN: Proposed zoning overlay in Cambridge is a major opportunity (Mar 20, 2019)

Cambridge offers glimpse of possible affordable housing future (Mar 8, 2019)

 

CIVIC CALENDAR

Mon, July 15

4:00pm   The City Council's Transportation & Public Utilities Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss a pilot program for regulating and permitting shared electric scooters to operate in Cambridge.  (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)

Tues, July 16

6:30pm   Planning Board meeting  (2nd Floor Meeting Room, City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway)

General Business

1. Update from the Community Development Department

2. Adoption of Planning Board meeting transcripts

Public Hearings

6:30pm   First Street Garage Parking Space Disposition
55 First Street – Disposition of a leasehold interest in 420 parking spaces and approximately 9,000 square feet of ground floor retail (together the “Leasehold Interest”) in the First Street Garage, located at 55 First Street and owned by the City of Cambridge, to the developer Leggatt McCall Properties, which was conditionally awarded the bid pursuant to G.L. Chapter 30B subject to the review and approval of the disposition of the Leasehold Interest by the City Council pursuant to the City’s Municipal Disposition Ordinance, Chapter 2.110 of the Cambridge Municipal Code (the “Disposition Ordinance”). (Materials)

Materials related to the future of the First Street Garage, including the Third Community meeting presentation, the City Manager's Disposition Report, and the First Street Area Parking Planning Study report, are available on the project website.

Wed, July 17

3:00pm   License Commission Public Hearing  (831 Mass. Ave, Basement Conference Room)

5:30pm   CRA Board Meeting  (Police Station, First Floor Conference Room, 125 Sixth St.
Cambridge Redevelopment Authority Board Meeting

6:00pm   River Street Reconstruction - Working Group Meeting #5  (Manning Apartments, 1st Floor Community Room, 237 Franklin Street)
Regular meeting of the River Street Reconstruction Working Group, open to the public.

Thurs, July 18

5:30pm   Cambridge Election Commission meeting  (1st Floor Meeting Room, 51 Inman St.)

Mon, July 22

5:30pm   Avon Hill Neighborhood Conservation District Commission Meeting  (Lombardi Building, 831 Mass. Ave, Basement Conference Room)

6:00pm   Grand Junction Working Group Meeting #2  (Cambridge Public Health Department, 119 Windsor St.)

Wed, July 24

2:00pm   The City Council's Transportation & Public Utilities Committee will conduct a public hearing to receive information about the draft Policy and Regulations for Small Cell Wireless Installations on Public Ways under consideration by the Pole & Conduit Commission and the Historical Commission.  (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)

Thurs, July 25

6:00pm   LGBTQ+ Meeting  (Windsor St. Health Center, 119 Windsor St.)

6:00pm   Pedestrian Committee Meeting  (City Hall Annex, 4th Floor Conference Room, 344 Broadway)

Mon, July 29

5:30pm   Special (Midsummer) City Council meeting  (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)

6:30pm   City Council Public Hearing - First Street Garage  (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)

The City Council will hold a public hearing on the disposition of a leasehold interest in 420 parking spaces and approximately 9,000 square feet of ground floor retail (together the “Leasehold Interest”) in the First Street Garage, located at 55 First Street and owned by the City of Cambridge, to the developer Laggatt McCall Properties, which was conditionally awarded the bid pursuant to G.L. Chapter 30B subject to the review and approval of the disposition of the Leasehold Interest by the City Council pursuant to the City’s Municipal Disposition Ordinance, Chapter 2.110 of the Cambridge Municipal Code (the “Disposition Ordinance”). This hearing will be held pursuant to the Disposition Ordinance as part of the legal requirements for disposing of the Leasehold Interest.

Wed, July 31

3:00pm   License Commission Public Hearing  (831 Mass. Ave, Basement Conference Room)

Thurs, Aug 1

5:30pm   The City Council's Ordinance Committee will conduct a public hearing to continue discussion on the proposed amendment to the Zoning Ordinance to create an Affordable Housing Overlay District.  (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)

6:00pm   Carl Barron Plaza - Design Charrette #1  (Location TBD)
Interactive event to get input on and brainstorm design ideas for the Carl Barron Plaza reconstruction as a part of the River Street Reconstruction project.

Sat, Aug 3

12:00pm   Carl Barron Plaza - Design Charrette #2  (Location TBD)
Interactive event to get input on and brainstorm design ideas for the Carl Barron Plaza reconstruction as a part of the River Street Reconstruction project.

4:00pm   Carl Barron Plaza - Design Day Of Engagement  (Carl Barron Plaza, Central Square - intersection of River St and Massachusetts Ave)
Interactive event to get input on and brainstorm design ideas for the Carl Barron Plaza reconstruction as a part of the River Street Reconstruction project.

Mon, Aug 5

6:00pm   Mid-Cambridge Neighborhood Conservation District Commission (MCNCDC) meeting  (2nd Floor Meeting Room, City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway)

Tues, Aug 6

5:00pm   Regular (Summer) Meeting of the School Committee  (Attles Meeting Room, CRLS)

Thurs, Aug 8

5:30-7:00pm   Commission for Persons with Disabilities meeting  (51 Inman St., 2nd Floor Conference Room)

6:00pm   Cambridge Historical Commission meeting  (Citywide Senior Center, 806 Massachusetts Ave.)

Mon, Aug 12

6:00pm   Half Crown-Marsh Neighborhood Conservation District Commission Meeting  (Lombardi Building, 831 Mass. Ave, Basement Conference Room)

Wed, Aug 14

5:30-7:30pm   Bicycle Committee meeting  (4th Floor Conference Room, 344 Broadway)

Mon, Aug 19

5:30pm   Avon Hill Neighborhood Conservation District Commission Meeting  (Lombardi Building, 831 Mass. Ave, Basement Conference Room)

Wed, Aug 21

3:00pm   License Commission Public Hearing  (831 Mass. Ave, Basement Conference Room)

Thurs, Aug 22

6:00pm   Pedestrian Committee Meeting  (City Hall Annex, 4th Floor Conference Room, 344 Broadway)

7:00pm   26th Annual Oldtime Baseball Game  (St. Peter's Field, Sherman St.)

Roger Clemens to pitch in 2019 Abbot Financial Management Oldtime Baseball Game. Free admission, no tickets necessary. [Facebook Page][Oldtime Baseball website]

Thurs, Sept 5

6:00pm   Cambridge Historical Commission meeting  (Citywide Senior Center, 806 Massachusetts Ave.)

6:00pm   Human Rights Commission Meeting  (2nd Floor Conference Room, 51 Inman St.)

Sat, Sept 7

9:00am-1:00pm   Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Day  (Field Street Lot at Danehy Park - enter via Fern St.)

Mon, Sept 9

5:30pm   City Council meeting  (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)

6:00pm   Mid-Cambridge Neighborhood Conservation District Commission (MCNCDC) meeting  (2nd Floor Meeting Room, City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway)

Wed, Sept 11

8:00-9:30am   Recycling Advisory Committee (RAC) Meeting  (Sullivan Chamber, City Hall)

3:00pm   License Commission Public Hearing  (831 Mass. Ave, Basement Conference Room)

5:30pm   The City Council's Health and Environmental Committee will conduct a joint public hearing with the Climate Resilience Zoning Task Force to receive an update on the Task Force’s progress to date and to receive input and feedback.  (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)

5:30-7:30pm   Bicycle Committee meeting  (4th Floor Conference Room, 344 Broadway)

Thurs, Sept 12

5:30-7:00pm   Commission for Persons with Disabilities meeting  (51 Inman St., 2nd Floor Conference Room)

Mon, Sept 16

5:30pm   City Council meeting  (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)

6:00pm   Half Crown-Marsh Neighborhood Conservation District Commission Meeting  (Lombardi Building, 831 Mass. Ave, Basement Conference Room)

Wed, Sept 18

6:00pm   Peace Commission meeting  (2nd Floor Conference Room, 51 Inman St.)

Mon, Sept 23

5:30pm   City Council meeting  (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)

5:30pm   Avon Hill Neighborhood Conservation District Commission Meeting  (Lombardi Building, 831 Mass. Ave, Basement Conference Room)

Tues, Sept 24

3:00pm   License Commission Public Hearing  (831 Mass. Ave, Basement Conference Room)

Wed, Sept 25

6:00pm   Police Review and Advisory Board meeting  (2nd Floor Conference Room, 51 Inman St.)

Thurs, Sept 26

6:00pm   Commission on Immigrant Rights and Citizenship Meeting  (2nd Floor Conference Room, 51 Inman St.)

6:00pm   LGBTQ+ Meeting  (Windsor St. Health Center, 119 Windsor St.)

6:00pm   Pedestrian Committee Meeting  (City Hall Annex, 4th Floor Conference Room, 344 Broadway)