Cambridge InsideOut - Jan 4, 2022
Possible Topics:
1) Inauguration & Mayoral Election
3) Awaiting Report and the Responsibilities of Committee Chairs and the City Clerk
4) Dec 20, 2021 City Council meeting
5) Looking Back at the 2020-2021 City Council
6) Looking Ahead at the 2022-2023 City Council
7) Modifications of Police Response - HEART or Something Else
8) Cambridge Chronicle and Local Journalism
9) Volunteer Opportunities - Boards and Commissions
10) Civic Calendar
Jan 3, 2022 - The newly inaugurated 2022-23 Cambridge City Council today unanimously elected Sumbul Siddiqui as Mayor for the 2022-23 City Council term. The vote for Vice Chair (traditionally referred to as Vice Mayor) was 5-2-2 for Mallon-Simmons-Nolan. Alanna Mallon again elected Vice Mayor.
| EVENT | BA | DC | AM | MM | PN | SS | DS | PT | QZ | RESULT |
| Ballot #1 for Mayor | SS | SS | SS | SS | SS | SS | SS | SS | SS | Siddiqui 9-0 |
| Ballot #1 for Vice Chair | AM | PN | AM | DS | PN | PN | DS | DS | PN | Nolan 4, Simmons 3, Mallon 2 |
| Siddiqui switch to Mallon | AM | PN | AM | DS | PN | AM | DS | DS | PN | Nolan 3, Simmons 3, Mallon 3 |
| Zondervan switch to Mallon | AM | PN | AM | DS | PN | AM | DS | DS | AM | Mallon 4, Simmons 3, Nolan 2 |
| McGovern switch to Mallon | AM | PN | AM | AM | PN | AM | DS | DS | AM | Mallon 5, Simmons 2, Nolan 2 |
BA=Burhan Azeem, DC=Dennis Carlone, AM=Alanna Mallon, MM=Marc McGovern, PN=Patricia Nolan, SS=Sumbul Siddiqui, DS=Denise Simmons, PT=Paul Toner, QZ=Quinton Zondervan
The Mayors of Cambridge (1846 to present)
The City Clerks and City Managers of Cambridge
Note: Later in the day, the newly inaugurated School Committee chose Rachel Weinstein (a.k.a. “Member Rachel”) as its Vice Chair who will be responsible for naming members and Chairs to the various subcommittees of the School Committee.
Click on graph above for latest Cambridge data.
Jan 4, 2022 Breakdown of Cases:
12294 tested positive (total) - an increase of 364 from the previous day and 3164 over 20 days
128 confirmed deaths (77 in long-term care facilities (+1), 51 in general community (+1))
Thanks to vaccinations, even though the 7-day averages are dreadful the impacts are not as bad as they could have been.
Harvard University COVID-19 data MIT COVID-19 data
The surge in new positive tests is due to a combination of the Delta variant and the Omicron variant.
High vaccination rates have helped to blunt what might have been a larger surge and far more deaths.
Covid Cases by Age Group - through Dec 26, 2021
[the pattern now appears to be similar across most age groups]
The Cambridge Public Health Department and city partners are hosting a COVID-19 vaccination clinic for the Cambridge community on Wed, Jan 5 from 3:30pm to 7:30pm in the Field House at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (CRLS), 459 Broadway.
The clinic will offer free Pfizer pediatric and adult COVID-19 vaccines:
In South Africa, overall case counts have been falling for two weeks, plummeting 30 percent in the last week to an average of less than 11,500 a day.
The City of Cambridge today announced that, beginning Mon, Jan 3, 2022, it will expand its free COVID-19 testing program to seven days per week during the month of January through its partnership with CIC Health. People who live or work in Cambridge can now book an appointment and be tested for free at CIC Health’s 295 Third Street location in Cambridge any day of the week.
In addition, walk-in testing will continue to be offered at the City’s other testing sites on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. No appointment, identification, or Social Security number is required at these sites. LEARN MORE
The City of Cambridge offers free COVID-19 testing 5 days per week for people who live or work in Cambridge. Walk-in testing is offered 4 days per week and a 5th day of testing, by appointment only, is available on Saturdays.
Walk-in testing without appointments:
Saturday testing by appointment only:
Given what we currently know about COVID-19 and the Omicron variant, CDC is shortening the recommended time for isolation from 10 days for people with COVID-19 to 5 days, if asymptomatic, followed by 5 days of wearing a mask when around others. The change is motivated by science demonstrating that the majority of SARS-CoV-2 transmission occurs early in the course of illness, generally in the 1-2 days prior to onset of symptoms and the 2-3 days after. Therefore, people who test positive should isolate for 5 days and, if asymptomatic at that time, they may leave isolation if they can continue to mask for 5 days to minimize the risk of infecting others.
Additionally, CDC is updating the recommended quarantine period for those exposed to COVID-19. For people who are unvaccinated or are more than six months out from their second mRNA dose (or more than 2 months after the J&J vaccine) and not yet boosted, CDC now recommends quarantine for 5 days followed by strict mask use for an additional 5 days. Learn more.
The City of Cambridge is offering COVID-19 vaccine booster clinics by appointment only for eligible people aged 18 and older who live or work in Cambridge on the following dates and times:
• Monday, January 3 from 4:00pm to 8:00pm
• Thursday, January 6 from 11:00am to 3:00pm
These clinics will take place on the third floor inside the CambridgeSide mall at 100 CambridgeSide Place in East Cambridge and will offer only the Moderna vaccine.
First and second doses of the Moderna vaccine will also be available. Learn more.
Today the Massachusetts Department of Public Health released a review of breakthrough COVID-19 cases in vaccinated Massachusetts residents and found nearly 97% of all breakthrough cases in the Commonwealth have not resulted in hospitalization or death. Additionally, the review found unvaccinated residents are five times more likely to become infected than fully vaccinated residents (two doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine or one dose of Johnson & Johnson) and unvaccinated residents are 31 times more likely to become infected than fully vaccinated residents who have received a booster.
The review also found that 99.9% of breakthrough cases among fully vaccinated people under the age of 60 did not result in death. Among the breakthrough cases for residents over the age of 60, 97% did not result in death. No deaths have been reported in breakthrough cases among those under age 30.
Residents under age 40 accounted for 84% of new confirmed cases in the past week: children 0-19 (19% of cases); adults 20-29 (45% of cases); and adults 30-39 (20% of cases). CPHD is aware of several small clusters, but no single large cluster that is driving this increase. The department is monitoring the situation closely. Once CPHD receives sequencing data for the most recent week, the department may be better able to determine if the omicron variant is playing a role in the current trends.
Of the Cambridge cases reported in the last two days, 53% occurred in people in their 20s and 16% occurred in people age 0-19. The steep increase in Cambridge cases since Thanksgiving mirrors statewide trends. Once CPHD receives sequencing data for the most recent week, the department may be better able to determine if the omicron variant is playing a role in the current trends.
Given the rising number of infections, CPHD reminds residents to:
If you believe you were exposed to someone with COVID-19, the health department recommends that you:
The City of Cambridge currently provides free COVID-19 PCR testing 5 days per week. Rapid tests for at-home use are available at many local pharmacies.
Dec 25, 2021 – At the end of every City Council term there is inevitably a long list of items under “Awaiting Report” that consists of requests by the City Council to the City Manager for either information or for some form of action on a policy preference expressed in the form of a City Council Order. The standard procedure is that these expire at the end of the term unless one of the councillors specifically asks the City Clerk to carry it over to the next term. At the end of the 2020-2021 term there was a total of 73 items - 1 from 2016, 4 from 2018, 9 from 2019, 10 from 2020, and 49 from 2021. This lack of response is not something for which City Manager Louis DePasquale should feel any great pride, especially in regard to those aged requests that have been mouldering for years and which could have been dispensed with a simple “not at this time” even if that might irritate some councillors.
What needs to be pointed out, however, is that failure to report in a timely way has also become standard practice among some city councillors - specifically committee Chairs who have held committee meetings and never bothered to submit a report to the City Council. As if communication through the Tunnel of Zoom wasn't bad enough, these councillors apparently have not seen fit to keep either their colleagues or the public informed unless they were present at the meeting or chose to view a recording of the meeting. There are reasons why minutes of a meeting are taken. Not everyone wants to suffer through a recording of a long and possibly boring meeting. Besides, there is this rather explicit Rule of the City Council:
Rule 29. Minutes shall be kept of all committee proceedings. All minutes, reports, and papers shall be submitted to the City Council by the City Clerk or his or her designee. Recommendations of each committee shall be made to the City Council for consideration and adoption.
Here is an account of some of the committee meetings for which no minutes have been produced (or which never were communicated to the full City Council). There is a total of 54 meetings for which minutes have not been reported to the full City Council - 15 from the previous Council and 39 from the current Council. Lack of a report is entirely expected for meetings held very recently, but there is really no excuse for the many missing reports of earlier meetings. I don't know whether the City Clerk or the Chairs of the respective committees (or their well-paid aides) should bear the responsibility for this neglect, but I'm not aware of any committee that failed to report any meeting prior to 2018. - RW
Ordinance (chaired by Dennis Carlone and Craig Kelley)
Sept 26, 2019 - video exists, minutes exist, but never reported to City Council
Oct 3, 2019 - video of empty room exists, no minutes, no report
Oct 16, 2019 - video exists, no report
Oct 23, 2019 - video exists, no report
Public Safety (chaired by Craig Kelley)
Sept 24, 2019 - video exists, no report
Oct 30, 2019 - video exists, no report
Dec 17, 2019 - video exists, no report
Jan 3, 2020 - video exists, no report
Transportation & Public Utilities (chaired by Jan Devereux)
Oct 2, 2019 - video exists, no report
Oct 15, 2019 - video exists, no report
Dec 3, 2019 - video exists, no report
Health & Environment (chaired by Jan Devereux & Quinton Zondervan)
Sept 11, 2019 - video exists, no report
Oct 15, 2019 - video exists, no report
Government Operations, Rules & Claims (chaired by Jan Devereux)
Nov 12, 2019 - Sophie Room, no video, no report
Dec 4, 2019 - video exists, no report
Ordinance (chaired by Dennis Carlone and Marc McGovern)
Aug 26, 2020 - video exists, minutes were never reported but were approved nonetheless
Jan 27, 2021, 2:00pm - video exists, minutes were never reported but were approved nonetheless
Apr 29, 2021 - video exists, no report
June 10, 2021 - video exists, no report
July 26, 2021 - video exists, no report
July 28, 2021 - video exists, no report
Sept 29, 2021 - video exists, no report
Nov 16, 2021 - video exists, no report
Dec 8, 2021 - video exists, no report
Dec 15, 2021 - video exists, no report
Finance (chaired by Dennis Carlone and Denise Simmons)
July 27, 2021 - video exists, no report
Dec 1, 2021 - video exists, no report
Government Operations, Rules & Claims (chaired by Denise Simmons)
Nov 17, 2020 - video exists, no report
Mar 16, 2021 - video exists, no report
Apr 7, 2021 - video exists, no report
July 12, 2021 - video exists, no report
Aug 4, 2021 - video exists, no report
Public Safety (chaired by Quinton Zondervan)
June 22, 2021 - video exists, no report
July 21, 2021 - video exists, no report - joint w/Econ. Dev. & Univ. Relations - 1
July 28, 2021 - video exists, no report
Oct 14, 2021 - video exists, no report
Nov 17, 2021 - video exists, no report
Dec 21, 2021 - video exists, no report
Neighborhood & Long-Term Planning, etc. (chaired by Patty Nolan)
Dec 9, 2020 - video exists, no report
Mar 4, 2021 - video exists, no report
June 9, 2021 - video exists, minutes exist, but never reported to City Council
Oct 13, 2021 - video exists, no report
Housing (chaired by Denise Simmons & Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler)
Mar 3, 2020 - video exists, no report
Oct 28, 2020 - video exists, no report
Dec 1, 2021 - video exists, no report
Health & Environment (chaired by Quinton Zondervan)
June 9, 2021 - video exists, no report
July 14, 2021 - video exists, no report
Dec 8, 2021 - video exists, no report - joint w/Human Services & Veterans - 2
Human Services & Veterans (chaired by Marc McGovern)
Aug 10, 2021 - video exists, no report - joint w/Civic Unity - 3
Dec 8, 2021 - video exists, no report - joint w/Health & Environment - 2
Dec 16, 2021 - video exists, no report
Economic Development & University Relations (chaired by Alanna Mallon)
Aug 11, 2020 - video exists, no report
Jan 13, 2021 - video exists, no report
July 21, 2021 - video exists, no report - joint w/Public Safety - 1
Transportation & Public Utilities (chaired by Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler)
July 29, 2020 - video exists, no report
June 23, 2021 - video exists, no report
Civic Unity (chaired by Denise Simmons)
Aug 10, 2021 - video exists, no report - joint w/Human Services & Veterans - 3
This will be the last meeting of the 2020-2021 Cambridge City Council which will likely be remembered for its lack of cohesion and the distant quality of its remote public meetings held in Zoom. The increased access of remote public comment was arguably a plus but any advantages were outweighed by the scripted nature of call-in comments driven by social media and the complete lack of meaningful interaction between members of the public and between elected officials and the public. A two-minute Zoom speech with the clock ticking followed by an abrupt mayoral cutoff is hardly a model for public participation. Perhaps even more problematic was the tendency for consequential policies to be developed and implemented in relative isolation and obscurity.
As the councillors head for the exits until Seven of Nine of them return to base for the January 3 Inaugural, here are the more interesting and/or disturbing items on this week's agenda:
Manager's Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an update on COVID-19.
Placed on File 9-0
This should be an interesting update in light of the recent surge in positive Covid tests in Cambridge and elsewhere. I won't be at all surprised if additional restrictions are forthcoming. I hope there can be a little more light shed on the principal causes of the current surge. Is the Omicron Variant a factor? Personally, I'm getting my booster today and I hope everyone has done so or is scheduling it for very soon.
Unfinished Business #5. That the City Council adopt a municipal ordinance to reduce or limit 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; Ordinance #2020-27. [Tabled - Nov 8, 2021; Passed to 2nd Reading - Dec 6, 2021; To Be Ordained on or after Dec 20, 2021]
Mallon amendment to make ordinance contingent on approval of Home Rule Petition and Governor's signature FAILS 4-5 (AM,MM,DS,TT - YES; DC,PN,JSW,QZ,SS - NO); Ordained 7-1-0-1 (Toomey - NO; Simmons - PRESENT)
As I have said before, this proposal seems like a real can of worms with varying interpretations of who should or should not have additional limits placed on their political campaign donations. Disclosure should be enough. In truth, the amount of questionable political donations and the number of candidates willing to accept such donations have declined significantly in recent years. Even with their donations limited, I expect that the role of “independent expenditure political action committees” will likely only grow.
Resolution #1. Thanks to Manikka Bowman for her years of service on the Cambridge School Committee. Councillor Simmons, Mayor Siddiqui
Resolution Adopted 9-0
Resolution #2. Thanks to Councillor Tim Toomey For his years of service to the City of Cambridge and its residents. Councillor Simmons, Mayor Siddiqui
Resolution Adopted 9-0
Resolution #6. Thanks to City Councillor Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler for his public service. Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Carlone
Resolution Adopted 9-0
Congratulations to all departing elected officials, but a special shout-out to Councillor Tim Toomey who has been diligently doing his job for many years through a variety of political environments. I wish him all the best in his retirement and fully expect that he will continue to provide constituent services well beyond his exit from political office.
Order #1. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to appoint a 20-25 person Cycling Safety Ordinance Implementation Advisory Committee to advise and improve upon the implementation of the citywide bicycle safety infrastructure and to establish recommendations on mitigating any concerns raised in regard to this infrastructure, with the appointments to be announced no later than January 31, 2022. Councillor Simmons, Councillor Toomey
Charter Right - Zondervan
Order #2. That the City Manager is requested to convene meetings between his office, the Director of the Traffic, Parking, and Transportation Department, and with the heads of the Neighborhood Business Associations, with the Neighborhood Associations, and within each of the Cambridge Housing Authority’s senior buildings, to ensure that these stakeholders are given the opportunity to collaborate on devising new plans that will inform the City’s approach going forward in establishing citywide bicycle-safety infrastructure that works for bicyclists, motorists, pedestrians, seniors, those with mobility impediments, the local business community, and all our residents. Councillor Simmons, Councillor Toomey
Charter Right - Zondervan
I fully expect a lot of double-speak as some councillors pretend to actually care about the concerns of many residents who are now facing or will soon be facing the impacts of some major changes in roadway configurations regardless whether they provide any net benefit. I also expect very little acknowledgement of the unintended consequences, e.g. the inability of delivery people to legally do what they need to do. The basic template usually reads something like “blah blah blah … and such that this does not in any way change the mandates of the Bicycle Safety Ordinance” – even if everything being requested is fair and reasonable. There are some times when I feel as though we have no representation at all - proportional or otherwise.
Order #4. That the Cambridge City Council go on record requesting that Massachusetts Municipal Depository Trust create a portfolio option as soon as possible for all municipalities that has no exposure to fossil fuels or prisons or their funders. Councillor Nolan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Carlone
Order Adopted 8-0-1 (Simmons - ABSENT)
This may be all well and good, I still think there's some hubris on the part of elected officials in wanting to dictate how the retirement money of employees must be invested.
Order #5. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the appropriate City departments to ensure multi-family properties on the market are reviewed as quickly as possible as potential affordable housing acquisitions. Councillor Nolan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor McGovern, Vice Mayor Mallon
Order Adopted as Amended 8-0-1 (Simmons - ABSENT)
Order #6. That the City Council go on record urging the Baker Administration and the Legislature to reverse course and changes and do whatever it takes to continue the Emergency Rental Assistance Program and Residential Assistance for Families in Transition program as they are currently operating, and making use of additional ARPA funds as needed. Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Mayor Siddiqui
Order Adopted 9-0
Committee Report #1. The Housing Committee met Sept 23, 2021 to discuss the Condo Conversion Ordinance.
Report Accepted, Placed on File; Order Adopted 7-0-0 -2 (McGovern, Toomey - PRESENT)
At some point there needs to be an analysis of the cumulative effect of all the policy decisions that have been made or proposed over the last several years in the housing arena, especially in regard to the question of the net shift from privately-owned housing toward government-owned or government-controlled housing. Order #5 seems to suggest that whenever a multi-family home is up for sale the ever-deepening pockets of Cambridge should outbid all others and take it permanently off the market rather than have anyone own something in which they can build some equity.
Order #10. That all items pending before the City Council and not acted upon by the end of the 2020-2021 Legislative Session be placed in the files of the City Clerk, without prejudice provided that those proposed ordinances which have been passed to a second reading, advertised and listed on the Calendar under "Unfinished Business" during the 2020-2021 City Council term, along with any other pending matters on the Calendar listed as "Unfinished Business," shall be forwarded to the next City Council and further provided that any items pending in committee or appearing on the City Manager’s “Awaiting Report List” may, at the discretion of the appropriate body, be forwarded to the next City Council. Mayor Siddiqui
Order Adopted 9-0
Communications & Reports #2. A communication was received from Anthony Wilson, City Clerk, transmitting an update regarding legislative activity.
Placed on File 9-0
I really hope that most of the items in “Awaiting Report” are allowed to expire and that the new 2022-2023 City Council starts off with a relatively clean slate. One of the items goes back 5 years. In truth, there is no good reason that so many of these items should be languishing so long for a report back. If the associated Order called for something that is either infeasible or purely symbolic or just plain silly, the City Manager and staff should simply provide a timely single-paragraph response saying as much. If a majority of councillor are still insistent on pursuing some initiative, chasing wild geese, tilting at windmills, or obtaining some information, they can always file another Order or have it out with the City administration. - Robert Winters
Late Order #11. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to coordinate with the appropriate City personnel in order to establish an indoor mask mandate in common spaces of all buildings and indoor environments throughout the City of Cambridge, and that he report back to the City Council on this matter in a timely manner. Councillor Simmons, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Toomey
Order Adopted 9-0
Late Order #12. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to allow all employees who are able to perform their duties remotely to work from home until further notice. Councillor Zondervan
Order Adopted 9-0
Late Order #13. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to establish a proof of vaccination requirement for certain activities and establishments in the City of Cambridge, including but not limited to indoor dining, bars, nightclubs, gyms and indoor entertainment venues; and report back to the City Council by its January 10th meeting. Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Carlone, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Toomey
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0
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.
Cambridge councillors take up campaign finance (Dec 30, 2021)
88-year-old woman dies in Cambridge fire (Dec 29, 2021, updated Dec 30)
Massachusetts housing market forecast 2022: Price increases slow, inventory still too low (Dec 30, 2021, subscribers only)
Massachusetts law going in effect Jan. 1 targets surprise medical bills (Dec 28, 2021)
COVID testing line stretches around Cambridgeside Galleria before of Christmas holiday (Dec 22, 2021)
Councillors want city manager to do more as COVID sweeps across Cambridge (Dec 21, 2021)
The Chronicle Companion: The week of Dec. 20 - 26, 2021 (Dec 20, 2021)
Councillors discuss Cambridge's guaranteed-income pilot (Dec 20, 2021)
Cambridge distributing over 21K COVID-19 at-home tests (Dec 20, 2021)
Why do people love Cambridge so much? Here’s one woman’s answer. (Dec 17, 2021)
Cambridge councillors-elect talk goals before 2022 session convenes (Dec 16, 2021)
Cambridge reports 143 COVID-19 cases on Thursday, the most on a single day ever (Dec 16, 2021)
Edwards bests D'Ambrosio in special state Senate primary, earns 95% of Cambridge vote (Dec 15, 2021)
The Chronicle Companion: Week of Dec. 12 - 18, 2021 (Dec 13, 2021)
Should Cambridge have mandatory vaccination for city employees? (Dec 13, 2021, updated Dec 14)
A sliver of Cambridge to vote in Dec. 14 state primary (Dec 8, 2021)
Cambridge City Council denounces alleged bike lane violence (Dec 7, 2021)
Protesters in Cambridge demand Moderna share vaccine formula (Dec 7, 2021)
With winter looming, Cambridge restaurants face closures (Dec 7, 2021)
Cambridge reports highest single-day COVID-case count since April (Dec 6, 2021)
The Chronicle Companion: Week of Dec. 6-11, 2021 (Dec 5, 2021)
Cambridge police recruiting new officers, to host Dec. 13 info session (Dec 3, 2021)
As shortages continue to strain nation's workforce, New England police struggle to hire (Dec 3, 2021)
Cambridge expands COVID-19 testing to five times a week (Dec 3, 2021)
Cambridge extends meal program with restaurants, homeless shelters (Dec 2, 2021)
Officials differ on using Cambridge schools as polling places (Nov 30, 2021)
'Cambridge 400' aims to widen the city's historical lens (Nov 30, 2021)
OPINION: A case for fixing 'Entering Cambridge' signs (Nov 30, 2021 by Leslie Oliver)
On Dec. 7, Cambridge launches curbside textile collection program (Nov 29, 2021)
Voting in Cambridge participatory budgeting process runs Dec 3-12 (Nov 28, 2021)
Derrick Neal named Cambridge chief public health officer (Nov 28, 2021)
Members sought to fill Cambridge Public Library trustee vacancies (Nov 28, 2021)
Cambridge Police Department welcomes new cadets (Nov 28, 2021)
Animal control officer: Cambridge wild turkeys are alive and well (Nov 24, 2021)
PHOTO GALLERY: The wild turkeys of Cambridge, Mass. (Nov 24, 2021)
FAITH IN ACTION: Celebrating Thanksgiving’s 400th anniversary of revisionist history (Nov 23, 2021 by Irene Monroe)
Rodents revisited: City manager fills Cambridge councilors in on rat program, efforts (Nov 23, 2021)
Cambridge nonprofit helping young adults, changing lives turns 20 (Nov 23, 2021)
Cambridge councillors support bill to give tenants right of first refusal (Nov 18, 2021)
Note: Because the right of first refusal is transferable, the likely outcome of this legislation would be the transfer of privately-owned buildings to entities like the Cambridge Housing Authority and Just-A-Start, i.e. not tenant ownership at all.
Meet The Cambridge Chronicle's new editor and reporter, Will Dowd (Nov 17, 2021)
‘Save Mass Ave’ group pushes back on bike lanes planned for Cambridge’s largest thoroughfare (Nov 17, 2021)
Cambridge celebrates Danehy Park's new universal-design playground (Nov 16, 2021)
OPINION: Former editor Amy Saltzman on her departure – 'Support local journalism' (Nov 12, 2021 by Amy Saltzman)
Here’s why more vets are contacting Cambridge’s Veterans Services Office (Nov 12, 2021)
Food for Free is celebrating its 40th anniversary in Somerville, Cambridge (Nov 9, 2021)
We took a deep look at public housing in Massachusetts. What you need to know (Nov 8, 2021)
Billion-dollar backlogs and aging properties: Inside Mass public housing (Nov 8, 2021, subscribers only)
Preliminary election results: Incumbents reelected, two new councilors in (Nov 3, 2021)
Cambridge election 2021: Residents reveal who got their No. 1 vote and why (Nov 3, 2021)
Cambridge considers winter youth work program (Nov 2, 2021)
To create pathways for trades work, Cambridge offers paid intro program (Nov 2, 2021)
First Miyawaki Forest planted in the Northeast in Massachusetts (Nov 2, 2021)
Jan 3, 2022 – Cambridge City Manager Louis A. DePasquale is seeking persons interested in serving on the Cambridge Board of Zoning Appeal (BZA) to potentially fill either full member position(s) and/or associate member position(s). BZA members must be residents of the City of Cambridge. Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. It is a City of Cambridge goal to expand and deepen community engagement with a focus on strengthening the diversity and inclusion of its various boards and commissions.
Made up of five members and up to seven associate members, the Board of Zoning Appeal reviews applications for special permits and applications for variances from the terms of the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance, in accordance with M.G.L. c.40A and the Zoning Ordinance. The BZA also hears and decides appeals of orders and determinations made by the Commissioner of the Inspectional Services Department pursuant to M.G.L. c.40A, §8 and the Zoning Ordinance. Additionally, the BZA reviews applications for comprehensive permits, pursuant to M.G.L. c.40B. In evaluating applications and petitions, the Board conducts public hearings and votes on the application or petition’s conformance with the provisions of the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance.
The Board of Zoning Appeal meets twice each month on Thursday evenings for approximately 3-4 hours. Until further notice, all board and commission meetings are being held virtually via the Zoom platform. The Board of Zoning Appeal is subject to the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law, M.G.L. c.30A, §§18-25, and all deliberations of the Board occur at public meetings. The meetings are also audio recorded and may be video recorded. As part of their time commitment, Board members are expected to review application and petition materials prior to each meeting. Materials may include development plans, impact studies, narrative descriptions, provisions of the Zoning Ordinance, information from city departments, written comments from the public, and other documents.
Ideal candidates would possess the ability to participate in a collaborative process, work with other Board members to consider diverse ideas, apply the provisions of the Zoning Ordinance to the facts presented in applications and petitions, and reach a decision. Members should also have strong attentiveness and listening skills. While there is no requirement for a technical background, interest and understanding of development, architecture, urban design, and zoning is desirable.
Individuals interested in being considered should apply by using the city’s online application system at Cambridgema.gov/apply and finding “Board of Zoning Appeal” in the list of Current Vacancies. A cover letter and résumé or summary of 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. The deadline for submitting applications is Jan 31, 2022.
CIVIC CALENDAR (abridged)
6:00pm School Committee Meeting (Attles Meeting Room, CRLS)
The next Regular Meeting of the School Committee will be held on Tues, Jan 4 at 6:00pm for the purpose of discussing any and all business that may properly come before the Committee.
6:30pm Planning Board meeting (Remote Meeting - web only)
General Business
1. Update from the Community Development Department
2. Advisory Design Review – AHO-1
52 New Street – Design Review Materials (under Planning Board Materials tab)
Board of Zoning Appeal Cases
1. BZA-149683 (scheduled to be heard by BZA on 1/27/2022)
2 Frost Street – Variance to build additions to the first, second and third levels Art. 5.000, Sec. 5.31 (Table of Dimensional Requirements). Art. 10.000, Sec. 10.30 (Variance). Special Permit to add/alter windows within the setback. Art. 8.000, Sec. 8.22.2.C (Alteration Non-Conforming Structure). Art. 10.000, Sec. 10.40 (Special Permit). (Materials)
2. BZA-154854 (scheduled to be heard by BZA on 1/6/2022)
22 Water Street – Special Permit to install and operate a wireless communications facility on the rooftop of the building with 4 antennas, equipment cabinet, and power panel. Art. 4.000, Sec. 4.32.G.1 & Sec. 4.40 (Footnote 49) (Telecommunication Facility). Art. 10.000, Sec. 10.40 (Special Permit). (Materials)
3. BZA-154221 (scheduled to be heard by BZA on 1/6/2022)
213 Harvard Street – Variance to construct 8 unit building to replace 8 unit building lost to fire in 2020 with changes to setbacks and gross area. Art. 5.000, Sec. 5.31 (Table of Dimensional Requirements); Art. 6.000, Sec. 6.36.1.G (Multi-Family Parking Requirements). (Materials)
General Business
3. Discussion of rezoning districts that only allow single-family and two-family housing (Materials)
4. Election of the Planning Board Chair
5:30pm Cambridge Election Commission meeting (Remote via Zoom)
I. PUBLIC COMMENT II. MINUTES III. REPORTS 1. Executive Director’s Report 2. Assistant Director's Report 3. Commissioners' Reports |
IV. ACTION AGENDA Old Business 1. Jan 11, 2022 Special State Election New Business 1. Election Review - Dec 14, 2021 Special State Primary |
5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber)
6:30pm Planning Board meeting (Remote Meeting - web only)
General Business
1. Update from the Community Development Department
Public Hearings
1. Alewife Quad Area Development Zoning Petition (Materials)
5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber)
5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber)
5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber)
5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber)
5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber)