Possible Topics:Cambridge InsideOut - Oct 29, 2019
Possible Topics:
1) Nervously Waiting and Wading through the Campaign Mailers - Oct 28, 2019 City Council Agenda
2) Oct 21, 2019 Cambridge City Council meeting
3) Voter Success in Cambridge Elections; Previous (2017) Results; The Shifting Demographic
4) Talking about the Municipal Election, Candidate Slates, Proportional Representation, and Ranked Choice Voting
5) Thinking out loud about the November municipal election
Candidate Slates; Dropping candidates for political reasons; Insider Politics
6) Looking ahead at the municipal election - who's got a shot?
Role of Political Action Committees
7) Follow the Money – Cambridge City Council Campaign Receipts 2019
8) Public financing of municipal elections?
10) Will rent control rear its ugly head?
Rent control proposed at State House H.1316 and HD.1100
11) Civic Calendar
Nervously Waiting and Wading through the Campaign Mailers - October 28, 2019 City Council Agenda
Manager's Agenda #7. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $350,000 from Free Cash to the Public Investment Fund Library Extraordinary Expenditures account. This appropriation will fund a feasibility study and interior improvements to the Central Square Branch Library. It's all feasible. The greater questions are (a) whether the City is willing to substantially redesign the Central Sq. library entrance to make it less of a nuisance, and (b) whether there's any interest in adding another level or two of parking to the Green Street Garage to meet existing demand and to compensate for losses elsewhere in the Central Square area. My guess is that they'll do neither. Manager's Agenda #9. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the request for two appropriations of $23,000,000 from Free Cash and $7,000,000 from Cambridge Redevelopment Authority for the Foundry project. The gift that keeps on giving.</sarcasm> Order #9. That the City Manager is requested to confer with relevant City staff on determining the most appropriate signage and messaging that would best educate cyclists on the importance of following traffic laws, particularly stopping at red lights, for their own safety and the safety of other cyclists and pedestrians. Councillor Kelley, Councillor Siddiqui, Councillor Carlone Ensuring cyclists own safety seems like a continuing uphill battle. This past Thursday on my way to teach a lecture I watched two cyclists with no lights ride at around 8:00pm directly across the path of a large truck on Oxford Street below the field of vision of the driver. Near miss. Order #10. That the City Manager is requested to work with the Community Development Department, the Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department and the Department of Public Works to determine what facilities, parking changes, and other improvements to the pavement conditions would be necessary and feasible to make Porter Square and Massachusetts Avenue between Roseland Street and Beech Street a quick-build Complete Street with bus priority. Mayor McGovern, Councillor Zondervan I have minimal knowledge of the best remedy for this area. I can, however, show at least one location where paradoxically the removal of an exclusive bus priority lane would actually make bus traffic move more quickly. Beware of one-size-fits-all solutions. Committee Report #1. A communication was received from Paula Crane, Deputy City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor Quinton Zondervan, Co-Chair and Councillor Dennis J. Carlone, Co-Chair of the Neighborhood and Long Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts and Celebration Committee, for a public hearing held on Sept 24, 2019 to discuss the City policy on sidewalk surface treatments as discussed in Policy Order #16 of July 30, 2019. I like all-brick sidewalks except when I have to shovel them after a snowstorm. Then again, in my neighborhood when an asphalt patch of a concrete sidewalk is made it can take over 5 years to restore the sidewalk. Or never. Especially if the cut was made by Eversource/Neverfinish. Communications & Reports #2. A communication was received from Mayor McGovern, transmitting a report, "The Kind of City which is Desirable and Obtainable:" A brief history of zoning in Cambridge. I love anecdotal and oral histories. They add to the story. As for the political point attempting to be made here, never forget the age-old advice that "correlation does not imply causation." Cambridge zoning was initially done to simply acknowledge and codify what was already built. One definitely gets the impression that the current mayor wants to obliterate existing zoning primarily to facilitate a specific proposal. If you start with a conclusion you can nearly always cobble together a narrative to support it. I am far more interested in the here and now and whether specific modifications to existing zoning might be appropriate to achieve best outcomes, e.g. transit-oriented development, moderate increases in density, and adjusting the table of uses to reflect present-day uses in commercial zones. - Robert Winters |
Coming up at the October 21, 2019 Cambridge City Council meeting
Manager's Agenda #9. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $5,000,000 from Free Cash to the Public Investment Fund Executive Department Extraordinary Expenditures account for the City’s annual contribution to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Green Line Extension (GLX) project. Here's what I wrote in January, 2018 on this: "Could this be the new normal, i.e. that developers and host cities who would benefit by new transit should pay for the transit? The realization of the Green Line Extension seems to have been made possible, at least in part, by the promise of financial contributions from Cambridge, Somerville, Medford, and the developer of the NorthPoint area." In any case, it's good to see that progress is being made. Indeed, just yesterday while driving back from leading a Middlesex Canal walk in Billerica I passed through some of the construction in Medford/Somerville. It's really happening. Charter Right #1. An application was received from &Pizza, requesting permission for a sandwich board sign in front of the premises numbered 3 Brattle Street with a start date of Dec 1, 2019 thru Mar 31, 2020 and a start time of 11:00am and an end time of 11:00pm. As I wrote for the last meeting: "As for the sandwich board sign in front of &Pizza, I thought having one of the most prominent locations in the heart of Harvard Square would speak for itself - no extra signage required. I'll add that really good pizza also speaks for itself." Charter Right #2. That the City Manager is requested to work with the Economic Development division of the Community Development Department to retain a financial/economic analyst to conduct a confidential financial analysis of NED’s pro forma to inform the council in confidence on the value of the proposed upzoning. To repeat myself once again: "This may make sense in this specific case since the proponent has offered to provide this financial information, but I hope that we don't go down the road of only approving projects after analyzing the books of the proponents. Ideally zoning should be about good planning and betterment for the city and not on how much profit is permissible in the long run." Applications & Petitions #2. A refiled Zoning Petition has been received from Joseph T. Maguire of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. transmitting a proposed revised amendment to the zoning ordinance by creating the Grand Junction Pathway Overlay District. This was anticipated. Joe Maguire's feet may be quite warm by the time this reaches the ordination stage. More than a few councillors have promised to hold his feet to the fire in regard to the Eversource substation sub-issue. Order #8. Zoning Amendment Articles 2.00 and 4.32 regarding opposition to permitting on-demand mobile fueling services to operate in Cambridge. Vice Mayor Devereux, Councillor Kelley, Councillor Carlone, Councillor Zondervan Yet more evidence of the lazy ass, "call the servants" times that we now live in. If pumping your own gas at the filling station is so burdensome that you must use a phone app to have the "little people" show up to do it for you, then maybe it's time to reconsider your life choices. - Robert Winters |
The table below indicates the percentage of ballots for which the #1 ranked candidate was elected; the percentage of ballots for which the #1 or #2 ranked candidate was elected; and the percentage of ballots for which the #1, #2, or #3 ranked candidate was elected.
| Voter Success in Cambridge Elections | ||||||||||
| Election | elect | candidates | valid | invalid | total ballots | Pct #1 elected | Pct #1 or #2 elected | Pct #1, #2, or #3 elected | Pct none elected | Pct blank |
| 1997 Council | 9 | 19 | 16879 | 350 | 17229 | 88.7 | 96.2 | 97.6 | 1.6 | 0.3 |
| 1999 Council | 9 | 24 | 18777 | 384 | 19161 | 76.5 | 92.5 | 95.5 | 3.0 | 0.5 |
| 2001 Council | 9 | 19 | 17126 | 562 | 17688 | 83.8 | 94.0 | 96.2 | 2.8 | 1.1 |
| 2003 Council | 9 | 20 | 20080 | 878 | 20958 | 72.7 | 87.0 | 91.0 | 6.7 | 2.0 |
| 2005 Council | 9 | 18 | 16070 | 132 | 16202 | 78.7 | 93.4 | 96.1 | 2.6 | 0.5 |
| 2007 Council | 9 | 16 | 13633 | 88 | 13721 | 79.3 | 93.2 | 96.0 | 2.9 | 0.4 |
| 2009 Council | 9 | 21 | 15995 | 118 | 16073 | 75.1 | 90.9 | 94.1 | 4.3 | 0.6 |
| 2011 Council | 9 | 18 | 15845 | 126 | 15971 | 77.8 | 92.6 | 95.5 | 3.3 | 0.5 |
| 2013 Council | 9 | 25 | 17743 | 103 | 17846 | 68.6 | 87.8 | 93.0 | 4.9 | 0.4 |
| 2015 Council | 9 | 23 | 17854 | 105 | 17959 | 71.7 | 90.4 | 94.8 | 3.3 | 0.3 |
| 2017 Council | 9 | 26 | 22524 | 72 | 22596 | 68.7 | 87.0 | 92.8 | 4.7 | 0.2 |
| 1997 School | 6 | 8 | 16386 | 285 | 16671 | 83.3 | 96.4 | 97.6 | 2.4 | 0.1 |
| 1999 School | 6 | 13 | 17961 | 307 | 18268 | 76.0 | 91.1 | 94.4 | 4.7 | 0.1 |
| 2001 School | 6 | 10 | 16489 | 1160 | 17649 | 76.2 | 90.5 | 92.6 | 7.1 | 4.8 |
| 2003 School | 6 | 8 | 18698 | 2210 | 20908 | 81.9 | 89.7 | 90.0 | 10.0 | 8.8 |
| 2005 School | 6 | 8 | 15470 | 719 | 16189 | 77.4 | 90.6 | 93.1 | 6.9 | 4.2 |
| 2007 School | 6 | 9 | 13276 | 433 | 13709 | 77.0 | 91.2 | 92.7 | 7.1 | 3.0 |
| 2009 School | 6 | 9 | 15423 | 549 | 15972 | 72.6 | 90.1 | 91.6 | 8.4 | 3.3 |
| 2011 School | 6 | 11 | 15290 | 614 | 15904 | 77.6 | 90.3 | 92.2 | 6.9 | 3.6 |
| 2013 School | 6 | 9 | 16592 | 1128 | 17720 | 80.9 | 90.0 | 91.2 | 8.5 | 6.2 |
| 2015 School | 6 | 11 | 16797 | 1062 | 17859 | 69.2 | 84.7 | 88.0 | 11.1 | 5.7 |
| 2017 School | 6 | 12 | 20708 | 1744 | 22452 | 67.2 | 81.5 | 85.2 | 13.3 | 7.7 |
Note: Almost all of the invalid ballots were blank ballots. It's common that some voters will vote only the City Council ballot and cast a blank School Committee ballot.
Final Official 2017 Election Results (Fri, Nov 17, 2017)
City Council Elected (in order of election): Simmons, Siddiqui, McGovern, Devereux, Zondervan, Mallon, Toomey, Carlone, Kelley
City Council Official Election Results (Fri, Nov 17, PDF, 2 pgs.)
School Committee Elected (in order of election): Nolan, Bowman, Dexter, Fantini, Kelley, Kimbrough
School Committee Official Election Results (Fri, Nov 17, PDF, 1 pg.)
Round-by-Round City Council Official Results (Fri, Nov 17, HTML)
Round-by-Round School Committee Official Results (Fri, Nov 17, HTML)
City Council Distribution of #1 Votes by ward/precinct (PDF) - corrected (Pcts. 3-2A and 3-3 were mislabeled in original)
School Committee Distribution of #1 Votes by ward/precinct (PDF)
Voter Turnout by Precinct: 2013-2017 Municipal Elections (PDF)
#2 Vote Distribution - 2017 City Council (PDF) #2 Vote Distribution - 2017 School Committee (PDF)
Popularity - Total Rankings (#1, Top 2, Top 3, etc.)
I'll be posting more information as the spirit moves me. - RW
The voter history file for the 2017 municipal election was made available yesterday, and it provides evidence of a dramatic shift toward younger voters in the recent election. This provides at least some partial explanation for the election results. Here are some histograms for the municipal election years (2013, 2015, 2017) followed by the federal/state election years (2012, 2014, 2016).
Municipal Elections: 2013 - 2017
(note the dramatic peak in the 27-29 age range)
Federal/State Elections: 2012 - 2016
The total voter turnout has dropped over the years but has remained relatively stable for the last several municipal elections. It jumped in 2017.
Sun, July 21, 2019 - Tis the season when I assemble the Cambridge Candidate Pages and keep track of who has pulled nomination papers and submitted signatures for the 2019 Cambridge City Council and School Committee elections. At some point the field will be set and attention will turn to who these candidates are and how voters should decide how to rank their preferred candidates or whether to rank certain candidates at all. Voters will be permitted to rank up to 15 candidates for the 9 City Council seats this year.
I have been thinking a lot about what criteria I would use (and would advise others to use) in choosing which candidates to support and how those candidates might be ranked. Here are a few thoughts (and I will likely add to these as time passes):
1) As is often the case, most candidates will agree on many issues, e.g. the need to promote energy efficiency and resilience to any future changes attributable to climate change. There is, however, often a stark difference between how political candidates address matters on which they agree. Some want to mandate change and remove choice. The better candidates want to encourage change and provide incentives. It's a big difference. It's something I will be evaluating very carefully. Some candidates think primarily in terms of bans and reducing options. Others believe in expanding choice and providing good alternatives from which to choose.
2) Everybody seems to agree that affordability in housing and other essentials is highly desirable - even if it is currently elusive for many. However, even as most candidates speak of how much they believe in affordable housing, they generally evade explaining what they really mean by that. The percentage of subsidized housing units in Cambridge is currently just shy of 15% - a fraction that is slightly lower than it was a few years ago but which has been relatively stable for many years (and which is among the highest in the state). Recent changes to the Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance require a flat 20% affordable requirement for all new developments over 10 units - a true mixed-income requirement. Meanwhile some councillors and candidates are pushing the "100% Affordable Housing Overlay" (AHO) proposal because "they believe in affordable housing". What they generally fail to mention is that the AHO is actually a mechanism for transferring privately-owned residential property into "social ownership" in perpetuity. That is, over time its goal is to steadily increase the percentage of housing units that are controlled by government and its agents. In addition, as a result of the permanent deed restrictions required of these developments, they become taxed at the bare legal minimum and thus shift the residential tax burden onto the remaining privately-owned residential properties (unless commercial development is promoted to make up the difference). I will ask candidates if they agree with the goal of having public and quasi-public housing grow at a rate faster than housing in general. I will also ask them if they believe this goal should be achieved by any means necessary even if this means having little or no review by City planners and no mechanism for public objection.
3) In promoting transportation other than single occupancy motor vehicles (whether this be walking, biking, scooters, riding a bus or some other means) I expect most candidates will say how much they support whatever they feel will score them the most votes. They will likely not adequately address the matter of how this affects other modes. Do candidates find significantly increased traffic congestion acceptable just as long as bicycling is encouraged? Do they support a range of bicycle safety enhancements or is a completely segregated bicycle facility the only alternative they find acceptable - even if this creates problems for other modes? Do they support transit and, if so, what specifically do they support? Candidates will often tell you how much they support something without ever addressing the collateral effects.
4) For School Committee candidates, what is more important to you - ensuring that the education of the children of the city prepares them for a good life and to be able to take advantage of the thriving local economy, or making sure that they align with your political and social world view? For what it's worth, I would prefer to have most Cambridge students develop strong mathematics and science skills. I am far less concerned about ensuring that they agree with my social and political views.
5) Groups like A Better Cambridge (ABC) and the Cambridge Residents Alliance (CResA) and whatever other group emerges this year will at some point publicize a list of preferred candidates and tell you to "vote for the slate". Never forget that these slates are the personal recommendations of a handful of people who could likely fit around your kitchen table with room to spare. Think for yourself and be very suspicious of zealots and political operatives.
6) As expected, various interest groups are now endorsing slates of City Council candidates (nothing on the School Committee so far) and they are kinda curious. Some on the slate were likely chosen as "feeders" though the respective power brokers likely are not so honest about that. I strongly believe no one should give too much credence to these slates, but they do help to illustrate the shifting political landscape. Here's what I know so far:
| Cambridge Residents Alliance (CResA) Dennis Carlone Charles Franklin Risa Mednick Patricia Nolan Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler Nicola Williams Quinton Zondervan |
Our Revolution Cambridge (ORC) Dennis Carlone Charles Franklin Patricia Nolan Ben Simon Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler Nicola Williams Quinton Zondervan |
A Better Cambridge (ABC) Burhan Azeem Alanna Mallon Marc McGovern Risa Mednick Adriane Musgrave Sumbul Siddiqui Denise Simmons Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler Tim Toomey |
Cambridge Citizens Coalition (CCC) Dennis Carlone Craig Kelley Derek Kopon Patty Nolan John Pitkin Ben Simon Nicola Williams Quinton Zondervan |
| What best defines them: limited development |
What best defines them: worship Bernie Sanders |
What best defines them: advocacy for public housing gung-ho for the Overlay height, density, more development |
What best defines them: not keen on the Overlay |
It is noteworthy that Sumbul Siddiqui was dumped from both the CResA slate and the ORC slate because of her vote that allowed the E. Cambridge Courthouse redevelopment to proceed (i.e. she defied State Misrepresentative Mike Connolly and his acolytes).
Craig Kelley, Derek Kopon, and John Pitkin are among the most substantial candidates in the field and none are yet part of any of the organized slates. We'll see if that changes when the newly-formed Cambridge Citizens Coalition decides on candidates. [It did.]
Election Day is Tuesday, November 5, 2019. List of Candidates who pulled nomination papers
Cambridge Candidate Pages 2019 Cambridge City Council Campaign Bank Reports
There will be 22 City Council candidates and 11 School Committee candidates.
Cambridge City Council and School Committee candidates: 1941 to 2019 (plain text) (PDF) - updated Aug 3, 2019
Aug 15, updated Sept 23 - One thing I have always found puzzling is the amount of money donated to the campaign accounts of incumbent city councillors. I suppose this could be interpreted as financial support for those who have supported unions in their noble quest for better wages, benefits, and working conditions, but the fact is that all incumbents and challengers appear to share this sentiment. So perhaps it's something different. There is a longstanding pattern of labor representatives being recruited by some of the larger real estate developers to speak in favor of new development - supposedly because of the jobs involved, but that always struck me as too simplistic. Many of the people who control the funds of these political action committees are, to say the least, politically connected.
There's also the matter of political contributions from people tied to real estate development. This is always difficult to evaluate because of the simple fact that it's very difficult, if not impossible, to determine motive. There are people who have been generous charitable contributors for ages who also happen to own and/or develop Cambridge real estate. Are their contributions related to their real estate interests or not?
Of course, there's also the matter of whether or not contributions come from Cambridge residents. It's not always easy to draw conclusions from this - primarily because some candidates have family and friends scattered across the rest of the state and the country.
Here's a revised account of the (a) Cambridge contributions, (b) union contributions, (c) real estate contributions (as best as I could discern), and (d) total of union and real estate money contributed over this election cycle starting from Feb 1, 2018 through the latest data available (Sept 23, 2019; 7:29am) for all City Council candidates (notes: - receipts include loans from candidates to their campaigns; refunds deducted if clearly a refund):
The table has been relocated and will be regularly updated at:
Follow the Money – Cambridge City Council Campaign Receipts 2019
Cambridge City Manager Louis A. DePasquale is seeking residents who are interested in serving on the Cambridge Affordable Housing Trust.
The Affordable Housing Trust administers and oversees city funds allocated to create and preserve affordable rental and homeownership housing, and to support housing programs that address the city’s affordable housing needs. The Trust members review proposals for new housing preservation, development efforts, and other housing programs, and provide housing policy and program advice to the City Manager, city staff, other city boards and commissions, and the Cambridge City Council.
The Trust is comprised of members with experience in affordable housing, housing policy, finance, development, planning, and design. The Trust is chaired by the City Manager and generally meets on the fourth Thursday of every month, from 4-5:30pm, at Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue.
The deadline for submitting applications is Friday, Nov 1, 2019. Applications can be submitted to City Manager Louis A. DePasquale using the city’s online application system at cambridgema.gov/apply. A cover letter and resume or applicable experience can be submitted during the online application process. Paper applications are available in the City Manager’s Office at Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue.
City Manager Louis A. DePasquale is seeking Cambridge residents, business owners, and local professionals interested in serving on the Recycling Advisory Committee (RAC) beginning in January 2020.
The RAC is a volunteer committee which provides advice, recommendations, and assistance to the Department of Public Works (DPW) regarding recycling, composting, reuse, and waste reduction. The RAC does this through research, feedback, public outreach, and event planning. The RAC has been instrumental in the city’s new Zero Waste Master Plan, Fix-It Clinics, marketing and education, and other important initiatives that have made Cambridge a national leader in waste reduction.
Cambridge Recycling began in 1989 with a few volunteers dedicated to beginning a recycling drop-off program. Today, the city recovers more than 11,000 tons per year of recyclables from more than 44,000 households. Approximately 32,000 households have access to curbside composting, reducing the city’s trash by more than 7% in the first year of citywide composting. More households will be added to the program over time. The City now serves 123 businesses in the Small Business Recycling Pilot. Lastly, the RAC is working on a Single-Use Plastics regulation in conjunction with the Cambridge City Council and the Department of Public Works.
Currently, the city’s goals to reduce waste match those in the MA Solid Waste Master Plan. Using 2008 as a baseline year, the city aims to reduce trash 30% by 2020 and 80% by 2050. As of 2018, the city has reduced trash by 28%.
The Committee has been active for over 20 years and consists of at least nine members with a demonstrated interest in the topics listed above. Members serve a three-year term and are expected to attend monthly meetings (Sept-June). The city seeks members that represent local businesses and property managers, Cambridge residents, and users of the Recycling Center, universities, non-profit organizations and social service agencies whose goals overlap with waste reduction.
Duties, Responsibilities and Minimum Requirements include:
Helpful Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
To learn more about the committee’s work, please consider attending an upcoming meeting, on Oct 16 or Nov 13. For more information, contact Michael Orr, Recycling Director, at 617-349-4815 or morr@cambridgema.gov. The deadline for submitting applications is November 15, 2019. Applications can be submitted to City Manager Louis A. DePasquale using the City’s online application system at cambridgema.gov/apply. A cover letter and resume or applicable experience can be submitted during the online application process. Paper applications are available in the City Manager’s Office at Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue.
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
CIVIC CALENDAR (abridged)
6:00pm-8:30pm City Council Candidates' Forum sponsored by CEOC and Cambridge YWCA (Central Square Senior Center, 806 Mass. Ave.)
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 Cambridgeside PUD-8 Zoning Petition (continued from 9/24/2019)
Zoning petition by Stephen R. Karp, Trustee of Cambridgeside Galleria Associates Trust, to amend the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Cambridge by adding a Section 13.100 that creates a new PUD-8 District and to amend the Zoning Map of the City of Cambridge by adding the new PUD-8 District, which would include the property located at 100 Cambridgeside Place (currently zoned in the Business A and PUD-4 Districts). (Materials)
7:00pm Article 22 Amendments Zoning Petitions
Zoning petitions by the City Council to amend the provisions in Article 2.000 Definitions, Article 5.000 Dimensional Standards, and Article 22.000 Sustainable Design and Development of the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance.
The Article 22 (Green Building Requirements) Zoning Petition would create new definitions in Article 2.000 and would amend the standards in Section 22.20 applicable to Green Building Projects. The required performance standard would be increased for Green Building Projects using the “LEED” rating system, and Green Building Projects would be allowed to use either the “Passive House” or “Enterprise Green Communities” rating system as an alternative to the “LEED” rating system.
The Insulation Zoning Petition would amend provisions in Section 22.43.2, “Yard Exceptions for Added Exterior Insulation,” and move such provisions to Section 5.24.2.1, pursuant to the “Yards” Section of Article 5.000. In cases where insulation is proposed to be added to the outside of an existing exterior wall, provided such wall is not moved or demolished except to remove and replace its exterior wall covering, the permitted increase in wall thickness would be 8 inches and the permitted distance from the resulting outer wall plane to the property line would be 3 feet, unless the Board of Zoning Appeal grants a special permit to exceed such dimensional limitations. (Notice) (Materials)
Wed, Oct 30
5:00pm The City Council's Public Safety Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss Inman Square safety and construction management. (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
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 1. 2020 Annual City Census Old Business 1. Municipal Election, November 5th - Election Day/Night Process - Scheduling of Meeting to Count Provisional and Overseas Ballots - Test Deck Update - Poll Worker Update - Confirmation of Memory Card Pickup Assignments - Ballot Packing Reminder - Need for Additional Poll Worker Trainings - Scheduling of Imagecast Equipment Training for Staff & Commissioners |
6:00-8:00pm Small Property Owners Association (SPOA) Candidate Forum (Main Library Lecture Hall)
9:00am-1:00pm Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Day (Field Street Lot at Danehy Park - enter via Fern St.)
Mon, Nov 4
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)
7:00am-8:00pm Election Day (Citywide)
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.)
10:00am The City Council's Government Operations, Rules and Claims Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss claims against the City. (Sullivan Chamber - Televised) [The Committee will enter executive session to discuss strategy with respect to litigation because an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the litigating position of the City.]
12:00pm The City Council's Ordinance Committee will conduct hearings on
12:00pm A proposed amendment to Article 22 of the Zoning Ordinance – Green Building Requirements. (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
1:00pm A proposed amendment to the Zoning Ordinance – Insulation Zoning Proposal. (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
5:00pm The City Council's Health and Environment Committee will meet to discuss the findings of the Urban Forest Master Plan task force. (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
Wed, Nov 13
8:00-9:30am Recycling Advisory Committee (RAC) Meeting (Sullivan Chamber, City Hall)
12:00pm The City Council's Government Operations, Rules and Claims Committee will meet to discuss the following policy order: “That the City Manager is requested to instruct the City Solicitor to draft for discussion several ordinances to reduce or prohibit campaign donations from donors seeking to enter into a contract, seeking approval for a special permit or up-zoning, seeking to acquire real estate from the city, or seeking financial assistance from the city.” (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
3:00pm The City Council's Neighborhood & Long Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts and Celebration Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss the final Envision Report. (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
Mon, Nov 18
5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
Tues, Nov 19
6:00pm School Committee Meeting (Attles Meeting Room, CRLS)
The School Committee will entertain a motion to convene in Executive Session immediately following the Regular Meeting in the School Committee Conference Room, 459 Broadway for the purpose of hearing a Level III grievance (CEA Unit C) as part of collective bargaining and an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining positions of the School Committee and for the purpose of discussing strategy for collective bargaining and litigation as an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining and litigation positions of the School Committee.
11:00am The City Council's Government Operations, Rules and Claims Committee will meet to discuss Policy Order #7, regarding Open meeting law review and Policy Order #11, regarding Council Budget-Private Attorney. (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
3:00pm The City Council's Public Safety Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss restrictions and opportunities the City has when working with bargaining units to implement new policies. (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
Mon, Nov 25
5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
3:00pm The City Council's Ordinance Committee will conduct public hearings on the City Council petition on an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance entitled “Shared Mobility Zoning”. (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
5:00pm The City Council's Ordinance Committee will meet to continue discussions on the petition by Stephen R. Karp, Trustee of Cambridgeside Galleria Associates Trust, to amend the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Cambridge by adding a Section 13.100 that creates a new PUD-8 District. (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
Mon, Dec 2
5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
3:00pm The City Council's Transportation and Public Utilities Committee will meet to discuss the City Manager's report on the Parking and Transportation Demand Management (PTDM) Ordinance. (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
2:00pm The City Council's Public Safety Committee will meet to discuss snow removal. (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
5:30pm The City Council's Ordinance Committee will meet to continue discussions on the petition by Stephen R. Karp, Trustee of Cambridgeside Galleria Associates Trust, to amend the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Cambridge by adding a Section 13.100 that creates a new PUD-8 District. (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
Mon, Dec 9
5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
Wed, Dec 11
8:00-9:30am Recycling Advisory Committee (RAC) Meeting (Sullivan Chamber, City Hall)
5:30pm The City Council's Ordinance Committee will conduct a public hearing on the Harvard Square Zoning Petition. (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
Mon, Dec 16
5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
Mon, Dec 23
5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
Mon, Dec 30
5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber - Televised)
Here are some items of interest up for discussion/approval/referral this week:
Most of the controversial business has been either dispensed with (e.g. Cannabis) or neatly stored away for the sake of incumbency protection (Subsidized Housing Overlay) which leaves the agenda open primarily for targeted advertising (dog owners who vote and followers of Greta Thunberg - How Dare You!). Throw in a few street/sidewalk improvements and you have a normal pre-election sampling. Here are the delightfully few things that caught my eye this week: