26 April 1998
COFFEE AND NUTS ISSUE
Contents:
1) Mar 30 City Council Meeting
2) April 6 City Council Meeting
3) April 13 City Council Meeting
4) April 15 City Council Budget Hearings
5) Coffee Mecca - Central Square
6) Preview of Apr 27 City Council meeting
Civic affairs over these last few weeks have been relatively routine. One can argue that this is a sign of things operating well and I'm willing to go along with that. Mayor Duehay has been on the job for 3 months now, all the Council committees are up and running, the budget book is printed and available to the public, and it's not a municipal election year.
I have over the last month been toying with the mechanisms of making information, including this Journal, accessible on the Web. My hope is to be able to scan in various images and supplementary documents and to create links to other sites in the web version of this Journal. If, for example, you would like to read any of the back issues of the Journal, you can find them at http://www.math.harvard.edu/~rwinters/ccj.html. A more snazzy version is accessible at http://www.channel1.com/users/psna.
In the last issue of the Journal (The Long March Issue), I devoted a good deal of space to the ideal of civility in public discourse. Two significant things grew out of this.
First, some activists responded in print and at various public meetings about some of the positive aspects of conflict. I don't disagree with them, but apparently they failed to make the distinction between conflict and incivility. There really is a difference between a) knocking on someone's door to discuss or even argue about a point of disagreement, and b) throwing a rock through the window of an opponent. Most important is the fact that incivility drives away important stakeholders and democracy suffers accordingly.
Second, one of my neighbors called me the Miss Manners of Cambridge politics. Makes me want to throw a rock through his window.
1) Mar 30 City Council Meeting
The public comment portion of this meeting was highlighted by the testimony of gardeners who work the land in the Broadway-Boardman community garden, land owned by Squirrel Brands. The situation is that the owner has passed on and both the company and the property might be sold in the very near future. The land on which the garden is located is listed on City records simply as developable open land and in the current economic climate this puts the garden at risk. The gardeners who spoke were Rebecca Ramsay, Liz Leighton, Mary Stillwell, Gabrielle Seychelle, Jeffrey Rivers, Megan Brook, Juris Smiltens, and Miriam Hawkes. Megan Brook was especially memorable when she said "The garden so long lent by the generosity and civic-mindedness of the late Mr. Gerrish and Squirrel Brand Company would be a worthy and productive endeavor for the City of Cambridge." She closed with "Make no bones about it, vegetation will save the nation!" She was wonderful.
Juris Smiltens did his fellow gardeners proud in saying that "our garden is the place where the tension goes away. I have tried many times cold drinks and other things when things are hard with me. At the garden, I can sit down, see other people's flowers and I feel saved. I see the trees swaying gently and the birds coming and going. This is a paradise. Perhaps our good Council, in a Solomonic wisdom, will decide somehow that we could keep the garden and remain "the children of the earth."
Also speaking during the public comment period were the usual cast of characters who touched on such topics as development, funding for Cambridge and Somerville Legal Services (CSLS), design review for the Holmes project in Central Square, the contradictory policies of inclusionary zoning and reduction in density in a N. Mass. Ave. housing proposal, the perceived need to keep the median on N. Mass. Ave., Polaroid, and trees on Pemberton Street.
The hearing on "development in general"
This scheduled hearing began with an overview by Comm. Dev. Dept. Director Susan Schlesinger in which she described all the recent, current, and near future development projects in the city and the total amounts of development that have occurred over the decades since the 1960's. For example, it is estimated that about a million sq. ft. of development occurred from 1960 to 1980. In the 1980's, there was about 8 million sq. ft. of development. The early 90's saw an economic downturn during which there was some reuse of old manufacturing buildings. Since 1993-94, there has been about 1.4 million sq. ft. of development built, approved, or under construction. One major difference between then and now is that there are currently 983 residential housing units and 664 hotel rooms under construction. Materials showing major development proposals now in the pipeline were made available at the hearing.
There have been 35 zoning petitions from a variety of sources over the last four years, often in response to development pressures. Ms. Schlesinger pointed out that while Cambridge development has a role in increased traffic, regional development has big impacts. Also, multiple cars per household and shorter trips lead to increased congestion. She stressed the role of traffic demand management which can reduce traffic by 15% and highlighted the current proposal for a parking demand management ordinance. She detailed the role of the recently established Citywide Growth Management Committee.
Les Barber from CDD gave a brief presentation of the history of zoning in Cambridge from the enabling legislation in 1923 to the present and of all the various mechanisms and districts built into the Zoning Ordinance such as zoning petitions, variances, special permits, planned unit developments, and overlay districts.
After the public comment portion of the hearing (usual people, usual rap), Ms. Schlesinger responded to a question from Coun. Triantafillou by saying that the Council had, in fact, adopted the Growth Policy Document (draft version). The Planning Board routinely quotes the GPD in its decisions. The GPD is not a specific implementation tool, but a collection of sentiments and principals that often conflict.
There was discussion of the roles of large project reviews and as-of-right development, overlay districts, and design review. Coun. Triantafillou expressed frustration with the tools available to policy-makers for managing development. Councillor Davis emphasized the need to highlight the reasons for promoting development, especially those benefits that are hidden from view, such as support for human services and the schools, so that people could ascertain whether the benefits are worth the costs.
City Manager Robert Healy stated that without new development we would have reached our levy limit in 1987 and that we'd be $51 million in the hole now. Development has allowed the City to continue service delivery and to survive the loss of $12 million in state aid. The net tax increases average about 2% per year which is less than the average inflation rate. As an illustration, Mr. Healy said that had we cut the new development in half, we'd be $25 million in the hole and we could support no increases in the school budget. He emphasized job creation for Cambridge residents while acknowledging the fact that not all of these employees will remain in Cambridge.
Councillor Davis emphasized the traffic implications of continued development. She emphasized the geographical breakdown in new development comparing the total proposed development of 500,000 sq. ft. in the Alewife area to the nearly one million sq. ft. in Cambridgeport and the 300,000 sq. ft. in East Cambridge in the 90's. Whereas people are complaining about a total of only 155 units of housing being developed in N. Cambridge, there are many times that number of units being developed in the eastern part of the city. She also drew attention to the proposed 1.3 million sq. ft. development at the Comm. Energy site in Kendall Square.
Coun. Reeves urged the City to employ better technological tools in its public presentations. He then drew attention to the current development proposals in Area 4, saying that "the developer has proposed to put Kendall Square in the middle of Area 4" and "Kendall Square doesn't belong next to the Maynard School". Coun. Reeves also raised the issue of stores in N. Cambridge being intimidated by certain of the citizens regarding the N. Mass. Ave. reconstruction project. [The suggestion here was that few want to raise the ire of local activists since they may have to seek licenses or other approvals in the future. - RW]
Coun. Reeves told the tale of a recent phone call in which a resident said in reference to the same people who speak every week at Council meetings, "Why don't you shut off the microphones? We did not elect these self-appointed people to come and tell you the same stuff every week!" Coun. Reeves said, "What should be good community process is more like gangsterism, when 2 or 3 people in a neighborhood get control. I don't stand for it. I hate to see it north, south, east, or west. I ask the administration to stick up for the future!"
Mayor Duehay remarked that he has seen 50-60 downzoning proposals since he joined the Council. He made clear that it is possible for this Council to do something about this Area 4 matter. He pointed out that jobs are not welcome in many suburbs and that it is the responsibility of the central cities to provide these jobs. He emphasized that it is not possible to treat the residential and business communities as co-equal since we are right in the middle of the metropolitan region. It was good that Mayor Duehay spoke of this need for a regional perspective rather than an exclusively 'every town for itself' perspective.
Coun. Galluccio remarked that we have become a reactionary government. He stressed the need to take a proactive approach before developers have bought property with plans to develop. He emphasized the need to determine how much of the traffic in Cambridge is pass-through and said that jobs are only a benefit if we get them for our residents.
Coun. Triantafillou asked if there was anything that the Council could do to impact the Planning Board. Mr. Healy remarked that the BZA and Planning Board are established by the state legislature as quasi-judicial and independent bodies outside of the elected bodies but that the City Council has authority for what the zoning is. He pointed out that councillors can always testify as individuals at the Planning Board. Mayor Duehay pointed out that the Council can also pass nonbinding resolutions addressed to the Planning Board.
The Council meeting ended with the unanimous passage of an amendment to the Municipal Code regarding noncriminal enforcement of ordinances and regulations pursuant to Mass. Gen'l Laws, Chap. 40, Sect. 21D. This will allow the City to impose financial penalties in a wider range of situations.
2) April 6 City Council Meeting
This meeting opened on a somber note as Mayor Duehay noted the deaths of M.L. King School crossing guard Jean Garside and Somerville resident Alexis Gewertz, who was killed in a traffic accident while bicycling in East Cambridge. Alexis was the daughter-in-law of longtime community activist Julia Gregory. A Boston Globe article about the accident contained the following two alarming paragraphs:
While accidents such as this often lead to discussions about bicycle safety, Gewertz's death does not appear to be the result of anyone breaking traffic rules, according to [Cambridge police Sgt. Lester] Sullivan.
"I don't know how anyone could have done anything differently," City Councillor Davis said. "It's just a tragedy, a horrible accident. I don't know if there are any lessons to be learned except that it's not perfectly safe to ride a bike."
It is disturbing to think that a circumstance can exist in which someone can lose their life in a traffic accident on a Cambridge street and have no one at fault. This incident, more than anything else I can think of, highlights the value of safe road design. It should never be the case that someone can lose their life so routinely with no one at fault. Reasonable people can disagree on the relative safety of bicycle lanes and other on-street facilities, but this death on Cambridge St. should not happen again based on the inadequate safety of Cambridge roads. We can do much better. Some bicycling advocates have scheduled a memorial ride in Alexis' memory for Tuesday, April 28 starting at 5:30pm in Kendall Square.
Julia Gregory spoke during public comment, quoting her son, "Please tell the city councillors and the City that Cambridge St. is not a safe street to ride on and that Alexis was a safe biker." She continued, saying "It was a beautiful, sunny day when she was riding her bike. Her life was taken away from us by a 16-wheeler tractor-trailer on a very narrow street. I wonder what's happening that that is allowed in a city that supposedly loves its people. I'm here on behalf of all the friends and family that loved Alexis to say: Let's look at what happened at that corner. Let's make sure that it never happens again for anyone."
Showing characteristic resolve, Julia then spoke in support of the rezoning effort that bears her name and which would affect current development proposals in the vicinity of Broadway and Moore St. including properties in Area 4 and Area 3 (Wellington-Harrington neighborhood). She and many other residents seek a creative solution that incorporates appropriate transitions, open space, affordable housing, retail, and market housing. Fellow Area 4 residents Gerry Bergmann and Barry Zevin also spoke in favor of the rezoning effort.
Cambridge Bicycle Committee Chair Michael Halle expressed his sympathy to the friends and family of Alexis Gewertz and emphasized the commitment of the Bicycle Committee in making our public ways safe for everybody.
Jim Field and Alan Zimlicki of the Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center (CMAC) explained the funding mechanism that was established to support CMAC. This funding is tied directly to a percentage of the tax revenue generated by the former Bulfinch Courthouse in which CMAC is located. This revenue has declined in recent years due to reduced valuation of the property. They are seeking additional funding until the valuation rises again. The City Manager later suggested that some additional valuation may be in order.
A considerable period of time was devoted during the regular meeting toward funding and staffing levels in the City's youth centers.
Councillors Davis and Born led the charge in advocating for better design and safety for underground garages in the wake of recent serious injuries to pedestrians. Councillor Born and Mayor Duehay submitted Orders to this effect. City Manager Healy agreed with the Council's sentiments and said that the development of local standards and ordinances would be in order since the state Building Code does not adequately address these matters.
The comic highlight of the meeting occurred when Councillor Galluccio was needled by fellow councillors about his late entry in the running of the Human Services Road Race the day before. Apparently the good councillor neglected to set his clock forward to daylight saving time and had to be roused out of bed. Councillor Russell and City Mgr. Healy both made reference to the infamous Rosie Ruiz entry in the Boston Marathon. Mayor Duehay said of his vice-mayor, "I depend on you to be there!" Councillor Russell got the biggest laugh when she said, "I was a sleeper in that race."
One of the strangest exchanges occurred during a discussion of Coun. Russell's Order, responding to a constituent's call, to refer the issue of "wind chimes" to the Noise Subcommittee of the Environment Committee, chaired by Councillor Born. Councillor Russell facetiously said, "This is a very serious situation. It is the cause of great deliberation and I know I put it in the right hands." I have come to enjoy the mutual needling of the dynamic duo of Councillors Born and Russell.
Not to be outdone, Councillor Reeves said, "This is one of those moments when I really should just shut up. This worries me. The day will come when someone is wearing a certain shade of yellow and someone else will say 'That offends me.' You live in the city. You coexist with a lot of things or you live in the desert and you have no problems....In Somerville, they're not talking about wind chimes."
Included in the materials for this meeting were Ordinance Committee reports on two proposed ordinances. The first would prohibit smoking in all public parks, playgrounds, fields, reservations, and tot lots. The second would allow police to authorize the disabling of car alarms and the towing of cars when car alarms do not shut off within ten minutes. Both proposed ordinances were passed to a 2nd reading and may be ordained on or after April 20.
To commemorate Poetry Month, each of the councillors read poems at various points in the latter part of the meeting. Perhaps the most fitting was the one read by Mayor Duehay, written by a grade school student at the Kennedy School with initials P.E.P.:
Life
Life is like a window. It's so dull but, if you clean it, it can be beautiful.
Life is like an orange. You get the best part last.
Life is like a school. It can end at the bell.
Life is precious. Preserve it carefully.
Life is like a tree. It lives forever.
Life is like a cup. Be careful how you handle it
Life is a rose. It will bloom again and again.
Life is something to be careful with.
3) April 13 City Council Meeting
This might well be characterized as the Median Meeting. A 7pm hearing on the proposed sewer project and N. Mass. Ave. redesign dominated the proceedings. The only other significant aspect to this meeting was that the Council went into a lengthy Executive Session to discuss litigation related to the Billboard Ordinance which was invalidated by the First Circuit of the US Court of Appeals in early February.
John Pitkin made some comments about neighborhood associations in reference to Coun. Toomey's Order to revive the Wellington-Harrington Citizens' Committee. He said, "I have been active with a neighborhood association myself for many years. They are important since our councillors are elected at-large. The Mid-Cambridge Neighborhood Association was privately initiated. Maybe we have a need for a citywide private organization to promote and foster neighborhood associations. It might even be called the Cambridge Civic Association, but that organization is devoted to other purposes at present."
The North Mass. Ave. hearing opened with presentations by Traffic, Parking, and Transportation Director Sue Clippinger and Deputy Public Works Commission Steve White. The plan is very detailed, but the essential facts are that new sewers are to be installed along that corridor and as the project moves along Mass. Ave., specific roadway changes will be made. Most notable are that a) nine new pedestrian crosswalks will be established with curb extensions at many of them, b) dedicated left turn lanes will be installed at several significant intersections, c) bicycle lanes will be established on both sides of Mass. Ave. from Porter Square to the Alewife Brook Parkway, d) the current uniform median will be replaced by intermittent pedestrian refuges at all unsignalized crosswalks and will be retained selectively on some stretches, and e) 2 lanes for inbound traffic and 2 lanes for outbound traffic will be maintained throughout the corridor. The curb extensions will cause a net loss of approximately 22 parking spaces while enhancing pedestrian safety.
I will not devote space to the lengthy public and City Council testimony given on this matter. A number of people spoke in favor of making no changes to the median, claiming a real or perceived safety advantage in its retention. Others, including myself, argued in favor of the proposed changes and pointed out that there are few places in Cambridge or in any of the surrounding towns where medians are employed. A side issue is the fact that this is a significant alteration of the N. Mass. Ave. streetscape and the public process was initiated and executed by City officials. This has not gone down easy for some North Cambridge activists who have shown by their words and actions that they believe they have sovereignty in this part of Cambridge.
Scorecard: Mar 30, Apr 6, and Apr 13 Council Orders
P = policy-related; I = requests for info.; R = rules and routine procedural items; M = maintenance (potholes, traffic, etc.);
D = deaths; C = congratulatory orders; A = announcements
Here's the approximate tally of orders introduced:
Councillor...........P...I...R...M...D...C...A
Born.................2...2...0...1...2...5...5
Davis................2...5...0...3...3...7...4
Duehay...............3...0...0...0...1...7...4
Galluccio............6...3...0...5..21..14...2
Reeves...............3...1...0...1...5...8...3
Russell..............3...2...2...5...1...6...0
Sullivan.............1...0...0...3..10..16...4
Toomey...............2...0...1...4...5..15...5
Triantafillou........7...4...0...7...7...8...3
Total by category...21..15...2..25..39..60..20
4) April 15 City Council Budget Hearing
In this first round of budget hearings by the Finance Committee of the City Council, there were some significant highlights.
Budget Overview
The Manager explained the basics of this year's $269,929,700 budget and the projected tax levy of $160,610,000 in his opening statement. The $6,306,000 increase in the levy is entirely funded by the new construction category. This budget features the single largest capital budget in the City's history, a total of $99,325,000 which will be covered through a blend of pay-as-you-go and debt financing. The major share of this public investment is the $75,000,000 for the reconstruction of the water treatment plant at Fresh Pond and related improvements. The debt service for this project will be paid through the water rate.
Councillor Davis, responding to characterizations that have been made that the City is "addicted to growth", asked the City Manager how we might balance the budget without growth. Mr. Healy disputed the initial hypothesis. He explained that we are still $17 million below the levy limit and said that if new construction were to stop tomorrow, we could continue to raise taxes to balance the budget.
He made clear that there is a major public policy issue here. There have been times in recent years (91-93) when the assessed value of taxable property in the city actually declined. We were able to get through those years by retaining levy capacity and by having built up reserves (free cash). The need for balanced growth is significant where there are infrastructure needs and proposed projects such as youth centers. The impact of stopping development would be a choice between program reductions and increased taxes. If no-growth zoning were to be adopted, the City would propose a budget accordingly. The Manager reiterated that this budget was not fully reliant on continued development.
Councillor Triantafillou focused on the need for greater performance goals in future budgets.
Mayor's Office budget
This was, without a doubt, the most dramatic portion of the entire hearing. Councillor Triantafillou began the questioning by asking Mayor Duehay to explain what positions were funded in the Mayor's Office and who was employed in those positions. The Mayor explained the five positions. Councillor Reeves asked about the person who Mayor Duehay described as working on constituent services with the mayor and vice-mayor. Coun. Reeves told of the buzz around City Hall that the vice-mayor now had his own staff. After Mayor Duehay stated that this was the same system he employed when he was mayor before, Coun. Reeves went into high gear:
"Each mayor can organize the office how he or she sees fit. I posit that in the City of Cambridge there is an enormous and odd double standard. In the last couple of weeks one local newspaper has walloped Representative Thompson about who faxes what from his office, about who is or isn't an employee in that office, who was or wasn't fired from that office."
"In the election of Mayor, had I shared an employee with Bill Walsh, certain organizations, particularly the CCA, would have run me up on a pole in the middle of Central Square. For this new arrangement not to have had any comment is for me one of the defining realities of my political career. This would have had me on the front page of every newspaper in town. It is grossly unfair the way the same people are treated. I'm pointing it out racially because it is racial! I do not understand why the body temperature of Alvin Thompson is important and the ear temperature of me is important and this arrangement cannot be reported on. I do not understand it."
"It's not personal. It's political. I do not understand this. For me, if moral authority exists in Cambridge anywhere this ought to be seen for what it is. It is the clearest example of the double standard I have run into in nearly nine years. I resent it deeply. I really resent it because I was barbecued in that office for anything. And this is the most, for me, unusual of the relationships I have seen in the nine years. I could not not make that point. I hope that you understand its political rather than personal nature. But this one here is the elephant sitting in the window. The whole Hall is talking about it but people don't seem to have the courage to ask, so I'm asking. I do find it incredible. I further find it incredible for those of you who sort of mash this altogether...This CCA...It tickles me because it's about good government. It's about no closed deals, but there are those who would perceive this as paying for the office. Because this is a $35-36,000 position and somebody needs to say this. And somebody needs to point out that there is moral authority in this world and the CCA don't have it - doesn't have it at all."
After Mayor Duehay's defense of the composition of his staff, Coun. Triantafillou raised questions about the appropriateness of assigning staff to the vice-mayor, arguing that it was unfair to assign dedicated staff to one city councillor when the rest of the councillors have to share a total of two staff people. She suggested that if this was to be the system, then perhaps the Council staff should not be burdened by having to serve the vice-mayor. Councillor Triantafillou also told of there being a phone number in the Mayor's Office which, when called, will be answered with the words "Office of the Vice-Mayor". Mayor Duehay responded by saying that he would support additional staff for the City Council.
Strictly speaking, there is no such thing as a vice-mayor in the Plan E Charter under which Cambridge is governed. According to the charter, the person who is often called the vice-mayor is the Vice-Chair of the City Council and plays no additional formal role other than to chair meetings of the City Council when the Mayor is absent.
Election Commission budget
Councillor Born asked a number of questions about the costs of the municipal elections before and after computerization. An additional cost was incurred last year when the ballots were designed and printed to make them as readable and user-friendly as possible. There were also costs related to educational outreach to introduce voters to the new system. There was surprisingly little difficulty on election day.
Councillor Born then inquired about the status of releasing the full 1997 ballot data to the public for academic research, political strategizing, and general curiosity. Election Commissioner Darleen Bonislawsky stated that the Commission wants to release this data and that they now have the legal go-ahead to do it. All that is left to decide is the format in which it will be released and whether the election counting software can be made available to the public directly or through a third party.
[As soon as this data is made available, I intend to analyze the data in a number of ways and will publish the results in this Journal. Anyone with suggestions of what they would like to see analyzed should contact me as soon as possible. - Robert Winters]
Having just been harassed by chronic Save Central Square malcontents Jeff Duritz and Michael Isenberg as I passed through Central Square, this is perhaps an appropriate time to report on the survey that I've been conducting for the last few months about the various coffee places in Central Square. Much has been made in the press and on the street about the way that Starbucks is killing the independent coffee places in Central Square. With no further ado, here are the average number of people found in each of six coffee places in Central Square, sampled on various days and at various times of day between February and April of this year:
#1 ...... Carberry's ..... 30.6
#2 ...... 1369 ........... 29.3
#3 ...... Phoenix ........ 16.2
#4 ...... Au Bon Pain .... 14.0
#5 ...... Dunkin' Donut .. 12.3
#6 ...... Starbucks ...... 11.5
The relative standing of each was pretty much the same during the hours that they were all open and was largely unaffected by the presence of protesters outside Starbucks. The Phoenix Coffeehouse is probably the most at risk. Their clientele is dominated by people who smoke and the building management is about to crack down on smoking in the coffee house. It is hard to imagine how they will be able to survive in that space if the smokers are driven out.
Carberry's basically tops all the categories - least expensive coffee, widest range of food available, best management, on-site parking available, and (in my opinion) the friendliest staff. The 1369, once you get past the nose-rings and other body piercing, has a solid niche, a loyal clientele, and a good location. Starbucks tends to draw more of the upscale people who are, contrary to the beliefs of some, human beings just like everyone else.
One further note regarding the price of coffee. To fill a mug of coffee at Starbucks, it will run you about $1.40 to $1.50. The price at the 1369 is about $1.20 to $1.40. Carberry's will charge you $1.00. Game, set, match.
[Addendum - When I went into Carberry's the other day, they charged me $1.30 to fill my mug. A day later, the 1369 charged me a buck. Either the prices are chosen at random or there's a coffee price war brewing!]
6) Significant items for the Apr 27 City Council meeting
In this writer's opinion, here are the 11 most interesting items on the agenda for the April 27 Council meeting:
City Manager's Agenda #7: Transmitting communication from City Manager Robert W. Healy regarding a legal opinion on restricting trucks within the City.
City Manager's Agenda #25: Transmitting communication from City Manager Robert W. Healy relative to an order requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $5,765,000 to fund the final phase of the network infrastructure project, acquisition of a new financial system, and replacement of the roof at the high school.
City Manager's Agenda #26: Transmitting communication from City Manager Robert W. Healy relative to an order requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $1,620,975 to fund a portion of the cost of the Infiltration/Inflow Program which will identify, quantify, and analyze storm water discharge to the sewer system with the goal of reducing charges by the MWRA.
City Manager's Agenda #27: Transmitting communication from City Manager Robert W. Healy relative to an order requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $76,700,000 to finance the construction of the new water treatment plant and landscaping costs as well as the purchase of water from the MWRA during the construction period.
Committee Reports #1: Report from Councillor Kathleen L. Born, Chair of the Housing and Community Development Committee of a meeting held on April 1, 1998 for the purpose of discussing the effects of the end of rent control and to set affordable housing priorities.
Committee Reports #2: Report from Councillor Kathleen L. Born, Chair of the Housing and Community Development Committee of a meeting held on April 1, 1998 for the purpose of discussing a report from the Community Development Department on establishing a policy which would achieve the goal of maintaining and fostering new small businesses.
Unfinished Business #11. Proposed amendment to the zoning ordinances to extend the date of the moratorium in the Industry C PUD at Alewife - The question comes on passing to be ordained on or after April 6, 1998. Deadline for action is June 9, 1998.
Unfinished Business #13. Proposed amendment to the Municipal Code to prohibit smoking in parks. The question comes on passing to be ordained on or after April 20, 1998.
Unfinished Business #14. Proposed amendments to the Noise Ordinance to allow for disabling car alarms and towing cars when car alarms do not automatically shut off within ten minutes as required by the Noise Ordinance. The question comes on passing to be ordained on or after April 20, 1998.
Unfinished Business #15. Proposed amendment to the Municipal Code to regulate the utilization of "privatization contracts" by which the City contracts with private entities to perform services previously provided by City employees. The question comes on passing to be ordained on or after April 27, 1998.
Council Order #11: Happy 83rd Birthday to Mayor Emeritus Alfred Vellucci
Mon, Apr 27
5:30pm Regular City Council meeting. (Sullivan Chamber)
Tues, Apr 28
6:30pm The Traffic and Transportation Committee will conduct a public meeting to discuss the two reports submitted by the City Manager's Truck Traffic Advisory Committee. (Sullivan Chamber)
Wed, Apr 29
11:00am The Finance Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss the Fiscal Year 1999 Budget, including Cable TV, Conservation, Veterans, Community Development, Human Rights, Public Works, Electrical, Library, Debt Service, Water, Peace Commission, Public Investment, Cherry Sheet, Weights & Measures, Inspectional Services, Women's Commission, Human Services, MWRA, Emergency Communications, and Tourism. (Sullivan Chamber)
Thurs, Apr 30
6:30pm - 8:30pm The Library 21 Committee and Sasaki Associates will present and discuss the detailed site criteria and possible main library sites to be evaluated. (Sakey Lecture Hall, Main Library)
Sat, May 2, 10:00am to noon. (Rain date Sun, May 3)
Annual Mid-Cambridge Plant Swap at Fayette Park off Fayette St. across from the Longfellow School. All Cambridge gardeners are welcome. Bring whatever plants you have too much of, and see what someone else is giving away. Elegant packaging not required! We generally have: perennials, seeds, house plants, ground covers, bulbs, plus odd stuff like catalogs. For more info, email Helen Snively at snivelhe@hugse1.harvard.edu or call 547-1326 or 497-0447.
Sat, May 2, 10:00am - 5:00pm and Sun, May 3, noon - 4:00pm
First annual NoCA Arts Open Studios when North Cambridge artists of every description (woodworkers, jewelers, painters, singers, writers, cooks, storytellers) open their homes and their studios to the public. Pick up maps that weekend at Danehy Park, Sherman Street entrance. For more information, look for the green flyer in the April 27, issue of The Tab.
Mon, May 4
5:30pm Regular City Council meeting. (Sullivan Chamber)
Wed, May 6
11:00am The Finance Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss the Fiscal Year 1999 Budget (IF NEEDED) (Sullivan Chamber)
5:30pm The Traffic and Transportation Committee will conduct a public meeting to discuss the City Council priorities as they relate to traffic and transportation issues. (Sullivan Chamber)
6:30pm The Ordinance Committee will conduct a public meeting on a proposed amendment to the Municipal Code entitled "Parking and Transportation Demand Management Planning; Parking Space Registration. (Sullivan Chamber)
Mon, May 11
5:30pm Regular City Council meeting. The adoption of the FY99 Budget is anticipated at this meeting. (Sullivan Chamber)
Wed, May 13
The Ordinance Committee will conduct a public meeting to discuss the following:
5:30pm Proposed amendment to the Zoning Ordinance to rezone the Northern Massachusetts Avenue area. (Sullivan Chamber)
6:00pm Proposed amendment to the Zoning Ordinance on the petition of Julia O. Gregory, et al to rezone land in the Neighborhood Four Area. (Sullivan Chamber)
6:30pm Proposed amendment to the Zoning Ordinances on the petition of Leo Anderson, et al to rezone land in the areas on and near Massachusetts Avenue in the Riverside and Mid-Cambridge areas. (Sullivan Chamber)
Sat, May 16
8:00am - noon: Public Forum on the Charles River, sponsored by the Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) and the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA). This forum will cover topics such as the latest plans for controlling combined sewer overflows, water quality monitoring results, EPA clean-up investigations and enforcement, new state permits for stormwater, and a combined sewer overflow regulatory update. Registration is required (free before May 8, $5 after). Contact CRWA at 617-527-2799 (MIT Building 6, Room 120)
Sat, May 16, 10am to 2pm and Sun, May 17, 1pm to 4pm
Used Book Sale sponsored by the Friends of the Cambridge Public Library. (Main Library). To contribute books, bring them to 36 Irving St. #6 from 9 to 1 on Apr 25, Apr 26, May 2, May 3, May 9, or May 10; or bring them to the Main Library on Fri, May 15 from 5 to 9; or phone 876-6255 for pick-up.
Mon, May 18
5:30pm Regular City Council meeting. (Sullivan Chamber)
Mon, June 1
5:30pm Regular City Council meeting. (Sullivan Chamber)
The Cambridge Civic Journal is produced by Central Square Publications. Guest submissions are welcome, subject to discretion of the editor. For further info, to submit articles, or to get on our e-mail subscription list, send e-mail to rwinters@math.harvard.edu or mail to Editor, Central Square Publications, 366 Broadway, Cambridge MA 02139. All items are written by Robert Winters unless otherwise noted. For browser readable and downloadable versions of this and past issues, go to either the PSNA web page ( http://www.geocities.com/porter_sq ) or my own embryonic effort at learning about html and all that stuff (http://www.rwinters.com).