Possible Topics:Cambridge InsideOut - May 7, 2019
Possible Topics:
1) A Few Words on the Jane Jacobs Walk and the Tour of Cambridgeport Church Buildings
2) More Monday Madness - May 6, 2019 Cambridge City Council Curiosities
3) Modifying the Municipal Ballot Design
4) A few more words on the "Overlay" proposal - now officially a zoning petition
5) Amateur Hour - Items of interest at the April 29, 2019 Cambridge City Council meeting
6) Central Square Business Improvement District
7) On the horizon – rent control proposed at State House (H.1316) and HD.1100
8) Living on a Budget (A Big Budget) - April 22, 2019 Cambridge City Council meeting
9) City Manager's Budget Message and Significant Budget Modifications
11) Candidate Updates - 2019 municipal election
Which potential 2019 City Council election campaign accounts have been active?
12) Books on Cambridge history
13) The Paper of Record - Selections from the Cambridge Chronicle
14) Civic Calendar
More Monday Madness - May 6, 2019 Cambridge City Council CuriositiesThe Nine will again convene to recite their ABCs. Here are a few things I thought looked marginally interesting: Manager's Agenda #4. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 18-143, regarding requiring a Business Entity’s Beneficial Ownership and Residential Real Estate Beneficial Ownership Transactions be Disclosed in all Cambridge Real Estate Transactions. I would certainly like to know who is gobbling up Cambridge real estate and apparently there may be a way to get some of this information. I am a bit curious about the questions posed by our esteemed City Solicitor, specifically: "would it apply to both for-profit and non-profit organizations; would it apply to trusts, or only to corporations; and if the corporation's beneficial owner is another corporation, would the disclosure of the name of that other corporation be sufficient?" My cynicism leads me to believe that no matter what disclosure requirement might be established there will always be a way to obscure things. That said, I am steadily becoming more distrustful of the City's possible intent in getting hold of this information. It is becoming clear that our ever-controlling City Council has preferences regarding which entities should own property in Cambridge. Applications & Petitions #5. A petition was received from residents at Thomas Graves Landing opposing PUD-8 by New England Development requesting Special Permit to exceed the 85' height limit at CambridgeSide. I honestly don't know how to feel about all this. The Cambridgeside Galeria could use a little re-envisioning (though perhaps a less loaded term would be preferable). First Street is a failure by any standard, and shopping centers all over are being reinvented as mixed-use developments. The Galeria owners apparently are seeking heights up to 185 feet. Is that necessary or desirable in order to reinvent the complex? Is anyone in the City administration looking at the Bigger Picture (and I don't mean height) that includes the Galeria complex, the not-too-distant Sullivan Courthouse development (assuming that doesn't become a Million Dollar Per Unit Affordable Housing Contradiction), the future redevelopment of the Lechmere site after the Green Line Extension relocates the station, and what is sure to be a very different-looking McGrath/O'Brien Highway? [By the way, did anyone ever talk about any of this during the "Envision" process?] Applications & Petitions #6. A Zoning Petition has been received from the Self Storage Group, regarding a revised Zoning Petition seeking to create the New Street Overlay District. Based on the feedback received concerning their earlier petition. This is the 2nd pass at this. Order #1. City Council support of bills opposing Weymouth Compressor Station/Fracked Gas. Vice Mayor Devereux, Mayor McGovern, Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Carlone I do have an opinion about this, but I'm afraid to say it publicly lest I have Mothers Out Front of my house holding signs. Order #4. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Cambridge Police Department and other relevant City staff on how media collected by hand-held photo/video recording devices is used, stored, and shared. Councillor Kelley, Councillor Siddiqui Perhaps we can reinvent the Fusion Center as a suburban mall for people who don't trust the government. Order #7. That the City Manager is requested to work with the Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department and the License Commission to establish a "play streets" permit. Councillor Mallon, Vice Mayor Devereux, Councillor Siddiqui I actually like ideas like this. An easier solution would be to just post Do Not Enter signs at both ends of the street. Order #8. Welcoming Community Ordinance. Councillor Carlone, Councillor Siddiqui, Councillor Mallon, Vice Mayor Devereux As near as I can tell, this is mainly a rebranding of "Sanctuary City" as "Welcoming City" just to confuse the President. Committee Report #1. A communication was received from Paula M. Crane, Deputy City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councilor E. Denise Simmons, Co-Chair and Councilor Sumbul Siddiqui Co-Chair of the Housing Committee for a public hearing held on Apr 25, 2019 at 6:00pm in the Sullivan Chamber to continue discussion on the Affordable Housing Overlay District and other related matters. This travesty is apparently not yet filed as a zoning petition. The proposed Order contained in the committee report says: "ORDERED: That the Housing Committee requests that the Chairs of the Ordinance Committee schedule hearings to further review and discuss the attached draft of the proposed citywide Affordable Housing Overlay District as prepared by the Community Development Department." It will be rammed through soon enough as a zoning petition and the clock will then start ticking. Will there actually be any substantive discussions or just continuous streams of virtue signaling and innuendo directed toward anyone who questions the "wisdom" of this proposal to have different zoning codes for different players? Will there be a sunset provision or will this stand as a permanent policy to transform private property to "social ownership" in the Peoples Republik of Cambridge? Will this relieve our neighboring cities and towns from the burden of zoning modifications to permit multifamily housing? Inquiring minds want to know. The jury is still out regarding the minds of our elected councillors. - Robert Winters UPDATE: Councillor Simmons amended the Order contained in the Housing Committee report to formally send the Subsidized Housing Overlay to the Ordinance Committee and Planning Board as a zoning petition. Nobody objected. The clock is now ticking. The juggernaut continues. The City Council also ordained the Accessory Dwelling Unit Zoning as amended on an 8-0-1 vote (McGovern ABSENT). |
City of Cambridge Board of Election Commissioners
Modifying the Municipal Ballot Design for the City of Cambridge
The City of Cambridge Board of Election Commissioners would like to invite the public to a meeting on Wednesday, May 15, 2019, at 5:30pm at the Election Commission, 51 Inman Street, 1st Floor to discuss modifying the design of the City Council and School Committee Municipal Election ballots. The Board requests that anyone who is unable to attend the meeting, please submit questions and comments at elections@cambridgema.gov.
In Cambridge Municipal Elections, voters rank the candidates in order of preference by marking numbered ovals next to the candidates’ names. With twenty-six (26) candidates for City Council in 2017, the highest number of candidates since Proportional Representation was computerized in 1997, it became evident that ballot modifications would be needed to address a further increase in the number of candidates and to improve the usability.
Instead of having the same number of ovals as candidates, the Election Commission is considering capping the number of ovals at fifteen (15). There would be no limit to how many candidates run for City Council or School Committee, but the ballot would only have fifteen ovals next to each name, even if there are more than fifteen candidates.
Most Cambridge voters will be able to continue voting the same way they always have. In the past five elections, the average voter ranked five candidates on their ballot. Over 95% of voters ranked fifteen or fewer candidates.
The modified ballot will not change the results of the election. Election data from the 2013, 2015 and 2017 Municipal Elections was tested, and it was determined that the results would have been the same if voters had been limited to fifteen choices.
The Election Commission anticipates that this change will make the ballot easier for the voter to read and mark, leading to fewer spoiled ballots.
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
Amateur Hour - Items of interest at the April 29, 2019 Cambridge City Council meeting
Here are some items that may get some attention (or not) - with minimal comment: Manager's Agenda #8. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the transfer of $24,000 from the General Fund City Clerk Salary and Wages account to the General Fund City Clerk Other Ordinary Maintenance account to pay for costs associated with required legal advertising for legal notices, hearings and petitions through the end of the fiscal year. A few years ago the Massachusetts Legislature considered a bill that would have replaced the requirement that legal notices be placed in "a paper of general circulation" with alternatives like web listings. I don't know whatever became of that proposal but I imagine it would have removed one of the more significant revenue streams for local newspapers. Manager's Agenda #10. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Council Order No. O-10 of Apr 22, 2019 regarding questions related to the draft Cannabis Business Permitting Ordinance posed in Communication and Reports from Other City Officers No. 2 of Apr 22, 2019. [Solicitor's Responses] I hope the councillors pay attention to the advice of the City Solicitor - because watching them write regulations about things they don't understand is like watching kids play on the monkey bars in the school playground. Maybe they should draft an Affordable Cannabis Overlay next. Charter Right #1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 18-127, regarding draft zoning for urban farming; Awaiting Report Item Number 19-23, regarding allowing lodging houses in Residential A1, A2 and B Zoning Districts; and Awaiting Report Item Number 19-28, regarding a timetable for updating retail and small business components of the zoning table of uses. Unfinished Business #6. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the proposed Cannabis Business Permitting Ordinance. [On or after Apr 22, 2019 the question comes on passage to be ordained] See above. Unfinished Business #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 Mar 27, 2019 to discuss a zoning petition filed by Melissa and Christopher Grippo et al to amend the Zoning Ordinance by adding at the end of section 5.30.11 a sentence that reads: “notwithstanding the foregoing, in Industry B District, a hotel use (Section 4.31.2) shall be governed by the section number (4.0) for purposes of determining the maximum ratio of floor area to lot area. [On or after Apr 22, 2019 the question comes on passage to be ordained] Order #2. City Council endorsement of Fossil Free Divest Harvard. Mayor McGovern, Councillor Siddiqui, Councillor Zondervan Committee Report #1. 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 Apr 3, 2019 to discuss the zoning petition filed by Stephen R. Karp, Trustee of Cambridge Side Galleria Trust to add a new Section 13.100 to Article 13 and to amend the zoning map to add a new PUD-8 District Overlay. Committee Report #2. A communication was received from Donna P. Lopez, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Vice Mayor Jan Devereux, Chair of the Transportation & Public Utilities Committee, for a public hearing held on Apr 3, 2019 to discuss Applications and Petitions # 4 of Mar 4, 2019, submitted by the Cambridge Taxi Drivers Owners Association on whether additional regulations on Transit Network Companies (TNC) could be implemented in Cambridge. The medallion owners thought they had an exclusive cartel and they got burned by Transit Network Companies who exploit marginally competent drivers for fun and big profits. How's that disruption working for you? Committee Report #3. A communication was received from Paula M. Crane, Deputy City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councilor E. Denise Simmons, Co-Chair and Councilor Sumbul Siddiqui Co-Chair of the Housing Committee for a public hearing held on Mar 20, 2019 to discuss the Affordable Housing Overlay District. Lotsa people talking and nobody listening - solving problems symbolically, not actually. This is what democracy looks like? - Robert Winters |
Living on a Budget (A Big Budget) - April 22, 2019 Cambridge City Council meetingAs the councillors play their fiddles and cannabis outlets poke up through the ground like spring crocuses, the Manager will deliver the FY2020 Budget on Monday. Two departmental budgets appear to have vanished - General Services and Weights & Measures. The full budget details won't be available until the actual meeting, but the summaries are available now. Here are some agenda items that piqued my interest (grouped as appropriate). The agenda is pretty full on its own, so I'll keep my comments to a minimum:
The Bottom Line is that the total proposed FY2020 Budget is $665,550,940. That's up 6.9% over last year's FY2019 budget of $622,477,255. You may want to take a longer view at the multi-year comparisons. Communications & Reports #1. A communication was received from City Clerk Donna P. Lopez, transmitting a memorandum regarding the School Department FY20 Budget. [At the Regular Meeting of Apr 2, 2019, the School Committee voted that the General Fund Budget of the Cambridge Public Schools be adopted in the sum of $201,770,255 for FY20.] That's a 5.6% increase over last year's School Department budget. Manager's Agenda #2 through 9: The Annual Big Loan Orders (appropriation and authorization to borrow) for: #2 - $800,000 to provide funds for various Schools for repairs to entrance doors, upgrade of energy management software, replacement of analog phone system with the voice over internet protocol (VOIP), and the replacement of an emergency generator. #3 - $22,000,000 to provide funds for the construction of improvements at the Fire Station Headquarters Building located at 491 Broadway. #4 - $4,000,000 to provide funds for the reconstruction of various City streets and sidewalks. #5 - $20,500,000 to provide funds for various water pollution abatement projects, including construction of sewer separation, storm water management and combined sewer overflow reduction elimination improvements within the Alewife area. #6 - $4,000,000 to provide design and construction of Eliot Street between JFK St. and Brattle St. which is a continuation of the Harvard Square Kiosk and Plaza and Surface Enhancement project. #7 - $10,000,000 to provide funds for the construction of improvements at City Hall. #8 - $3,000,000 to provide funds for the Municipal Facilities Improvement Plan. #9 - $10,000,000 to provide funds for the design and reconstruction of the Tobin School building. In addition to the Operating Budget, the City also each year seeks authorization to borrow significant amounts for various capital projects (presumably at very favorable interest rates thanks to our multiple AAA bond ratings). This year's loan authorizations total $74,300,000. 
Manager's Agenda #13. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appointment of the following person as a member of the Grand Junction Multi-use Path Design Project Working Group: Joseph Aiello, Rebecca Bowie, Christopher Cassa, Carlone Lowenthal, Bill McAvinney, Sarabrent McCoy, Miguel Perez-Luna, Jose-Luis Rojas, Dalila Salcedo, Katrina Sousa, Florence Toussaint, Jason Alves, Nicholas Dard, Tom Evans, Amy Flax, Kathryn Lachelt Brown, Tony Lechuga, Brad Pillen, Michelle Lower, Diana Prideaux-Brune, Robert Ricchi and John Sanzone. Manager's Agenda #16. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 19-9, requesting that the City determine what facilities, parking changes, and other improvements to the pavement conditions are possible to make Cambridge’s stretch of Webster Avenue a complete street. Manager's Agenda #17. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a Planning Board recommendation to adopt the City Council Zoning Petition to amend Section 4.22 "Accessory Apartments," following further staff review and improvements to petition language. Committee Report #2. 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 Apr 2, 2019 to continue discussion on a petition filed by the City Council to amend the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Cambridge in section 4.22 to allow for a special permit for the alteration of a single, two-family or accessory structure in existence as of January 2019 to provide one accessory apartment, if appropriate conditions are met. Manager's Agenda #18. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Numbers 18-144 regarding a report on eviction data, and 19-10, regarding a report sharing information to assist in analyzing displacement. Communications & Reports #5. A communication was received from City Clerk Donna P. Lopez transmitting a memorandum from Councillor Siddiqui, transmitting the submission of the Mayor's Blue-Ribbon Task Force on Tenant Displacement Mar 19, 2019 meeting minutes. Manager's Agenda #19. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 18-127, regarding draft zoning for urban farming; Awaiting Report Item Number 19-23, regarding allowing lodging houses in Residential A1, A2 and B Zoning Districts; and Awaiting Report Item Number 19-28, regarding a timetable for updating retail and small business components of the zoning table of uses. Manager's Agenda #20. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 18-37, regarding the possibility of expanding the City of Boston's intergenerational housing pilot to Cambridge. Manager's Agenda #21. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Central Square Business Improvement District (BID). Applications & Petitions #2. A petition was filed by Kenneth S. Barron, 614 Massachusetts Avenue, et al property owners, pursuant to MGL Chapter 400, petitioning that a Business Improvement District (BID) be established for the Central Square Business Improvement District. Communications & Reports #4. A communication was received from City Clerk Donna P. Lopez, transmitting a communication from the Assessors Department, transmitting certification regarding the petition from Kenneth S. Barron, 614 Massachusetts Avenue, et al property owners, pursuant to MGL Chapter 40O, petitioning that a Business Improvement District (BID) be established for the Central Square Business Improvement District. This has been discussed for over two decades and it has finally arrived. I should really buy someone a beer (or better yet they should buy me a beer). Special gratitude goes out to Michael Monestime, Executive Director of the Central Square Business Association for bringing this from theory to reality. Additional gratitude goes out to all the Central Square property owners for believing that the future can be better with a little cooperation and vision. Charter Right #1. A communication was received from City Clerk Donna P. Lopez, transmitting a memorandum regarding the update on the search process to hire a new City Clerk to replace Donna Lopez when she retires. Order #9. Appointment of Paula Crane as Interim City Clerk in the event that a City Clerk has not been named in time to begin service on June 1, 2019. Vice Mayor Devereux Unfinished Business #5. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the proposed Cannabis Business Permitting Ordinance. [ON OR AFTER APR 22, 2019 THE QUESTION COMES ON PASSAGE TO BE ORDAINED] [Attachment A][Attachment B] Committee Report #3. 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 Apr 11, 2019 to discuss a proposed amendment to the Municipal Code to add a new Chapter 5.50 entitled “Cannabis Business Permitting”. Communications & Reports #2. A communication was received from City Clerk Donna P. Lopez, transmitting a communication from Councillor Kelley, transmitting a memorandum regarding Cannabis Business Ordinance Follow Up Inquiry. Communications & Reports #6. A communication was received from City Clerk Donna P. Lopez, transmitting a communication from Councillor Zondervan, transmitting a memorandum regarding proposed amendments to the Cannabis Business Ordinance. Perhaps the 2018-2019 City Council will one day be remembered for making Cambridge the Cannabis Capital of Massachusetts. I suppose they had to do something to look busy. Order #1. City Council support for H.692 extending voting rights to certain noncitizens. Mayor McGovern, Councillor Siddiqui, Councillor Zondervan Order #5. City Council support of the EMPOWER Act (H.720/S.389: An Act ensuring municipal participation of the widest eligible range). Vice Mayor Devereux, Councillor Siddiqui, Councillor Zondervan Order #6. City Council support of H.78: A proposal for a legislative amendment to the constitution to provide for no excuse absentee voting. Vice Mayor Devereux, Councillor Siddiqui, Councillor Zondervan Variations of these pop up every few years - generally when some politicians are desperate for attention. Of the three Orders listed above the only one that has merit (and a lot of merit) is the one calling for "no excuse absentee voting". This will require a state constitutional amendment to make it so, but this is by far the best way to increase flexibility in when registered voters can cast their ballots. In my view citizenship equals the right to vote to elect your government. Non-citizens are welcome to be residents and to pay taxes and receive services, but voting to determine the government should be for actual citizens of the United States, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the City of Cambridge. As for lowering the voting age to 16 or 17, my feeling is that you have to draw the line somewhere, and maybe that line is somewhat arbitrary, but age 18 seems about right. Even if there was a strong movement to adjust that age downward, such a change would have to be uniform across the Commonwealth or across the country. It should not vary from town to town. Fundamentally, it's just populist horse pucky. Order #2. That the City Manager is requested to provide an update from Eversource and any other relevant City departments regarding the finance, health and safety, building design and the long-term electricity needs that was requested by the City Council before the construction of a substation on Fulkerson Street in East Cambridge. Councillor Toomey, Councillor Mallon, Mayor McGovern, Councillor Siddiqui Order #3. That the City Council go on record in opposition to the site owned by Eversource on Fulkerson Street to have a substation and that the City Manager be and hereby is requested to urge Eversource to reconsider its acquisition of the property. Councillor Toomey, Councillor Mallon, Mayor McGovern, Councillor Siddiqui I have my own issues with Eversource, but from these Orders you would almost think that nobody in East Cambridge or Kendall Square uses electricity or that the demand is dropping. (It isn't.) Communications & Reports #3. A communication was received from City Clerk Donna P. Lopez, transmitting a communication from Councillor Kelley, transmitting a memorandum regarding CPSD, the Achievement Gap, and a Review of 8th Grade Math MCAS Results. Various iterations of the Cambridge School Committee and the Cambridge School Department have been talking and talking about "The Achievement Gap" for decades, and all that talk has accomplished little. Perhaps at some point they should readjust their focus on simply doing the best possible job teaching and motivating students and just let the chips fall where they may. I suppose, however, that this is just not the way we do things in Cambridge. - Robert Winters |
List of scheduled "community meetings" for proposed marijuana retailers [Full Schedule w/contact info here]
Apr 25 - The list keeps growing every day. Apr 30 - More listings!
| Meeting Date | Project Address | Proposed Project | Developer/Contact |
| May 13, 2019 | 110 Fawcett Street | Marijuana Retailer * | Bert Vining, J.D., Revolutionary Clinics |
| May 10, 2019 | 1908 Mass. Ave. | Marijuana Retailer | Porter Square Remedies LLC; Water J. Sullivan, Jr. |
| May 9, 2019 | 1686 Mass. Ave. | Marijuana Retailer | Arish Halani |
| May 7, 2019 | 51 New Street | Marijuana Retailer | Binoj Pradhan, PH Organics LLC |
| May 2, 2019 | 86 Kirkland St | Marijuana Retailer | Binoj Pradhan, PH Organics LLC |
| Apr 30, 2019 | 1001 Mass. Ave. | Marijuana Retailer * | Sean D. Hope |
| Apr 29, 2019 | 31 Church Street | Marijuana Retailer | Leah Samura |
| Apr 26, 2019 | 567 Mass. Ave. | Marijuana Retailer | Timothy Flaherty |
| Apr 25, 2019 | 580 Mass. Ave. | Marijuana Retailer | Sean D. Hope |
| Apr 24, 2019 | 541 Mass. Ave. | Marijuana Retailer * | Bert Vining, J.D. |
| Apr 12, 2019 | 36 JFK Street | Marijuana Retailer | Adam F Braillard, Prince Lobel Tye LLP |
| Feb 7, 2019 | 701-703B Mt. Auburn St | Marijuana Retailer | Michael Pires, KG Collective, LLC |
| Dec 20, 2018 | 231 Third Street | Marijuana Dispensary | Michael Drayer |
| Nov 7, 2018 | 1001 Mass. Ave. | Marijuana Retailer | Sean D. Hope |
| Oct 5, 2018 | 259-261 Cambridge St | Marijuana Dispensary | Life Essence, Inc., Walter J. Sullivan, Jr. |
| Sept 27, 2018 | 200 Msgr O'Brien Hwy | Marijuana Dispensary | Ascend Mass, LLC |
| Aug 27, 2018 | 98 Winthrop Street | Marijuana Retailer * | Healthy Pharms, Inc., Paul Overgaag |
| July 16, 2018 | 541 Mass. Ave. | Marijuana Dispensary | Bert Vining, VP, Revolutionary Clinics |
| June 15 & 28, 2017 | 1385 Cambridge St | Marijuana Dispensary | Commonwealth Alternative Care |
| Nov 30, 2016 | 98 Winthrop Street | Marijuana Dispensary | Healthy Pharms, Inc., Paul Overgaag |
| Oct 26, 2016 | 110 Fawcett Street | Marijuana Dispensary | CAS Foundation, Inc., Bert Vining |
* - Registered Marijuana Dispensary proposing to expand to Marijuana Retailer
The incumbents (assuming, for the moment that they all seek reelection) will be joined by a number of challengers. Here's the list so far:
| Name | Address (Nov 2018) | Birth Year | Notes |
| Adriane Musgrave | 48 Haskell St., 02140 | 1985 | ran in 2017 |
| Charles Franklin | 162 Hampshire St. #1R, 02139 | 1992 | filed March 5 |
| Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler | 19 Trowbridge St #6, 02138 | 1992 | filed March 11 |
| Nicola Williams | 8 Brewer St. #5, 02138 | 1963 | filed March 12 |
| Ben Simon | 67 Bishop Allen Dr. #2, 02139 | 1984 | filed April 2 |
| Burhan Azeem | 471 Memorial Drive, 02139 (MIT) | 1997 | filed May 7 |
Several other candidates who ran in 2017 are expected to run again in 2019. They'll be added as confirmed.
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.
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
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.
2020 Cambridge budget plan addresses affordable housing, schools, sewers and streets (Apr 23, 2019)
Cambridge Emergency Communications recognizes dispatchers (Apr 23, 2019)
Early risers blossom at Mount Auburn Cemetery (Apr 19, 2019)
City renames streets to honor women’s suffrage (Apr 18, 2019)
Cambridge police say Naloxone is making a difference in overdose rates (Apr 17, 2019)
Study examines changes to Cambridge’s Port neighborhood (Apr 16, 2019)
DCR kicks off Memorial Drive project in Cambridge (Apr 15, 2019)
Cambridge will require separated bike lanes (Apr 10, 2019)
Cambridge resident marks 50th anniversary of her first Boston Marathon win (Apr 9, 2019)
Top earners: Who earned the most in 2018? (Apr 8, 2019)
Cambridge suffragists to be honored, thanks to push from young resident (Apr 3, 2019)
Proposed affordable housing district in Cambridge speaks to ‘the lost middle,’ official says (Apr 2, 2019)
[Note: There are several misrepresentation of fact in the statements of public officials in this article.]
LETTER: Tearing Cambridge in two for affordable housing (Apr 2, 2019)
GUEST COLUMN: Demystifying Cambridge’s proposed Affordable Housing Overlay (Apr 1, 2019)
[Note:
This is a propaganda piece was written by two Board members of A Better Cambridge (ABC), a subsidized housing advocacy group with an affiliated political action committee (PAC) promoting candidates in the 2019 municipal election.]
Cambridge council discusses rise in affordable housing budget (Mar 26, 2019)
GUEST COLUMN: Instead of affordable overlay, raise real estate taxes (Mar 19, 2019)
GUEST COLUMN: Why the zoning appeal on Vellucci Plaza matters (Mar 18, 2019 by John Pitkin)
GUEST COLUMN: Proposed zoning overlay in Cambridge is a major opportunity (Mar 20, 2019)
[Note:
This is a propaganda piece was written by two Board members of A Better Cambridge (ABC), a subsidized housing advocacy group with an affiliated political action committee (PAC) promoting candidates in the 2019 municipal election.]
Cambridge offers glimpse of possible affordable housing future (Mar 8, 2019)
Housing crisis fuels homelessness in Cambridge, statewide (Feb 20, 2019)
A breakdown of 40B affordable housing (Feb 13, 2019)
CIVIC CALENDAR
9:00am City Council's Finance Committee hearing to discuss proposed FY20 City Budget (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
Additionally, the budget will be available on the Internet through the City Home Page: www.cambridgema.gov. [Complete schedule with Budget Book references][multi-year comparisons]
| Cambridge Health Alliance Public Works Water Community Development Peace Commission / Police Review & Advisory Board |
Historical Commission Cable TV Debt Service Library Human Services |
Women’s Commission Human Rights Commission Veterans Services MWRA Cherry Sheet |
City Overview Financial Summaries Revenue Public Investment |
| * Date changes for individual departments may occur. The public is invited to attend and be heard. These hearings will be cablecast live on Municipal Television. |
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| Department-by-Department Budget Summaries: FY1992 through FY2020 (some interpretation required) Department-by-Department Full-Time Positions: FY1992 through FY2020 (with total employee counts back to 1981) |
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6:00pm School Committee meeting (Henrietta S. Attles Meeting Room, CRLS, 459 Broadway)
Note 1: There will be a Hearing on State School Choice at the beginning of this Regular Meeting.
Note 2: The School Committee will entertain a motion to convene in Executive Session immediately following this Regular Meeting in the School Committee Conference Room, 459 Broadway, Cambridge, for the purpose of discussing strategy for contract negotiations with non-union personnel (Superintendent).
Wed, May 8
8:00-9:30am Recycling Advisory Committee (RAC) Meeting (Sullivan Chamber, City Hall)
8:30pm School Committee Attendance Violation Policy Ad Hoc Sub-Committee meeting (School Committee Conference Room, CRLS, 459 Broadway)
The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the CRLS Attendance Violation Policy. It is anticipated that this meeting will end no later than 10:30am.
3:00pm License Commission Public Hearing (Lombardi Bldg., 831 Mass. Ave., Basement Conference Room)
5:30-7:30pm Bicycle Committee meeting (4th Floor Conference Room, 344 Broadway)
6:00pm City Council's Finance Committee hearing to discuss proposed FY20 School Department Budget (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
Thurs, May 9
9:00am City Council's Finance Committee hearing to discuss proposed FY20 City Budget - if necessary (Sullivan Chamber)
5:30pm The City Council's Ordinance Committee will conduct a public hearing to continue discussion on a proposed amendment to the Municipal Code by add a new Chapter 5.50 entitled “Cannabis Business Permitting.” (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
5:30-7:00pm Commission for Persons with Disabilities meeting (51 Inman St., 2nd Floor Conference Room)
5:30pm Mayor's Arts Task Force meeting (Location TBD)
Mon, May 13
4:00pm 2019 City of Cambridge Scholarship Awards Ceremony (Sullivan Chamber)
5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber)
6:00pm Half Crown-Marsh Neighborhood Conservation District Commission Meeting (Lombardi Building, 831 Mass. Ave, Basement Conference Room)
5:30pm Cambridge Redevelopment Authority Board Meeting (Police Station, 125 Sixth St., First Floor Community Room)
[Meeting Agenda and supporting materials]
6:00pm Peace Commission meeting (2nd Floor Conference Room, 51 Inman St.)
5:30pm Cambridge Election Commission meeting (1st Floor Meeting Room, 51 Inman St.)
I. MINUTES II. REPORTS 1. Executive Director's Report 2. Assistant Director's Report 3. Commissioners' Reports |
III. PUBLIC COMMENT IV. ACTION AGENDA New Business Old Business Discussion on Modifying the Design of the City Council and School Committee Municipal Election Ballots |
Mon, May 20
5:30pm City Council meeting - Budget Adoption (Sullivan Chamber)
5:30pm Avon Hill Neighborhood Conservation District Commission Meeting (Lombardi Building, 831 Mass. Ave, Basement Conference Room)
1:00pm The City Council's Health and Environment Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss the “City of Cambridge getting to Net Zero Action Plan: Fiscal year 2018 progress report “and to receive a general update on the Net Zero Action Plan. (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
5:30pm Mayor's Blue Ribbon Task Force on Tenant Displacement meeting (Sullivan Chamber, City Hall)
Wed, May 22
12:00pm The City Council's Civic Unity Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss the Massachusetts Equal Pay Law that was enacted in 2018 – What employees, supervisors, and City Leadership should know, what are the best practices, and how metrics must be established to ensure compliance with this new law. (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
2:00pm The City Council's Transportation and Public Utilities Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss the Eversource site on Fulkerson Street and a potential expansion project at this site. (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
3:00pm License Commission Public Hearing (Lombardi Bldg., 831 Mass. Ave., Basement Conference Room)
6:00pm LGBTQ+ meeting (Windsor St. Health Center, 119 Windsor St.)
6:00-8:00pm Pedestrian Committee Meeting (4th Floor Conference Room, 344 Broadway)
Tues, May 28
5:30pm The City Council's Ordinance Committee will conduct a public hearing on a petition received from Verizon New England, Inc. to amend the zoning map of the City of Cambridge by creating a new Overlay Zoning district entitled “Ware Street Innovation Space Overlay District” encompassing 10 Ware Street and to amend article 20.000 of the Zoning Ordinance by creating a section entitled “Ware Street Innovation Space Overlay District”. (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
Wed, May 29
5:30pm The City Council's Health and Environment Committee will conduct a joint public hearing with the Climate Resilience Task Force to receive an update on the task forces progress to date and to receive input and feedback. (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
6:00pm Police Review and Advisory Board meeting (2nd Floor Conference Room, 51 Inman St.)
Sat, June 1
11:00am-6:00pm 40th Annual Cambridge Arts River Festival (Central Square Cultural District - Mass. Ave. from Prospect St. to Sidney St. and beyond)
For the 40th anniversary of the Cambridge Arts River Festival, we'll be bringing the river to the Central Square Cultural District. The move from the East Cambridge waterfront into the heart of the city celebrates the state's recent recertification of Cultural District, the work in progress for the area to be identified as a Business Improvement District, and the seven new murals in the neighborhood thanks to the Central Square Mural Project. This year’s community celebration of the arts promises to be a big SPLASH, with music, food, immersive art experiences, and more. Learn more: cambridgeartscouncil.org/riverfestival
Mon, June 3
5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber)
6:00pm Mid-Cambridge Neighborhood Conservation District Commission (MCNCDC) meeting (2nd Floor Meeting Room, City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway)
Wed, June 5
3:00pm License Commission Public Hearing (Lombardi Bldg., 831 Mass. Ave., Basement Conference Room)
5:30pm Transit Advisory Committee meeting (Senior Center, 806 Mass. Ave.)
6:00pm Cambridge Historical Commission meeting (Citywide Senior Center, 806 Massachusetts Ave.)
9:00am-1:00pm Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Day (Field Street Lot at Danehy Park - enter via Fern St.)
Mon, June 10
5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber)
6:00pm Half Crown-Marsh Neighborhood Conservation District Commission Meeting (Lombardi Building, 831 Mass. Ave, Basement Conference Room)
6:30pm The City Council will conduct a public hearing to discuss the petition filed by Kenneth S. Bannon, 614 Massachusetts Avenue, et al property owners, pursuant to MGL Chapter 40 section O petitioning that a Business Improvement District (BID) be established for the Central Square Business Improvement District. (Sullivan Chamber)
Wed, June 12
8:00-9:30am Recycling Advisory Committee (RAC) Meeting (Sullivan Chamber, City Hall)
5:30-7:30pm Bicycle Committee meeting (4th Floor Conference Room, 344 Broadway)
Thurs, June 13
5:30pm Mayor's Arts Task Force meeting (Location TBD)
5:30-7:00pm Commission for Persons with Disabilities meeting (51 Inman St., 2nd Floor Conference Room)
Mon, June 17
5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber)
5:30pm Mayor's Blue Ribbon Task Force on Tenant Displacement meeting (Sullivan Chamber, City Hall)
Wed, June 19
6:00pm Peace Commission meeting (2nd Floor Conference Room, 51 Inman St.)
Mon, June 24
5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber)
5:30pm Avon Hill Neighborhood Conservation District Commission Meeting (Lombardi Building, 831 Mass. Ave, Basement Conference Room)
Mon, July 29
5:30pm Special (Midsummer) City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber)
The Nine will meet at the appointed hour on Monday to go through the usual ritualistic motions and possibly assist in the proliferation of cannabis retailers as they redefine Cambridge retail. Soon they'll take up the question of how to replace existing privately-owned residential housing with "social housing" where you have to apply to a City department to access the new dense-pack housing units. Honestly, I don't even know these councillors any more.
Manager's Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the FY2020 submitted budget and appropriation orders.