Cambridge Civic Journal Forum

Leaping Lizards – Mar 2, 2020 Cambridge City Council Meeting Coming Attractions

Here are the things I found interesting and/or horrifying:

Manager’s Agenda #4. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the Harvard Square Conservation District Study Committee report.

Unfinished Business #4. A Zoning Petition has been received from Suzanne P. Blier regarding Harvard Square Zoning Petition. [Passed to a Second Reading on Feb 18, 2020, to be Ordained on or after Mar 2, 2020 (deadline is Mar 10, 2020)]

It seems likely that this thoughtful zoning petition will be ordained this week – perhaps even unanimously. Councillor Carlone offered a few amendments and there may be others, but the core ideas in the petition are sound and the objections appear to be few.

Manager’s Agenda #6. Transmitting communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $15,000,000 from Free Cash to the Affordable Housing Trust to assist in preserving affordability of units at Fresh Pond Apartments at 362 and 364 Rindge Avenue.

Communications & Reports #1. A communication was received from Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, transmitting information regarding preserving the affordability of the Fresh Pond Apartments.   Mayor Siddiqui

The primary goal of the Affordable Housing Trust in recent years has been the preservation of existing affordable housing. This additional $15 million from Free Cash will be part of approx. $40 million to guarantee the long-term affordability of 504 apartments. That’s under $80,000 per apartment – a fraction of what it typically costs to create new housing units.

From the City Manager’s letter: "In 2009, the City identified 1,094 units at 10 privately-owned properties where affordability commitments were set to expire by 2021. Affordability has been successfully preserved at nine of these properties, including buildings that for decades have offered affordable housing options for residents in Harvard Square, Inman Square, the Port, Riverside, and West Cambridge. Reaching an agreement to preserve affordability of Fresh Pond Apartments caps our successful efforts to preserve every one of these affordable homes for current and future residents."

Manager’s Agenda #7. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the City of Cambridge retaining its AAA rating from the nation’s three major credit rating agencies.

This has become almost routine for Cambridge, and it says a lot about the steady hands on the tiller of municipal finance. That hand may have to be especially steady with the current membership of the City Council who have repeatedly shown their eagerness to spend without bound and tax to high heaven.

Manager’s Agenda #8. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an update on the proposed Eversource substation on Fulkerson Street.

Unfinished Business #5. A re-filed 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. [Passed to a Second Reading on Feb 10, 2020, to be Ordained on or after Feb 24, 2020 (deadline is Mar 9, 2020)]

The alternate site proposed for the Eversource substation has now been revealed – a portion of the Blue Garage of Boston Properties between Broadway and Binney. The garage will need to be demolished to allow for the construction of the substation and replacement parking, and zoning relief will be needed to offset these costs by adding two new 400,000 square foot commercial buildings that will have to be approved under an amended Kendall Square Urban Renewal Plan (KSURP) and the MXD zoning district. In short, it’s not quite as simple as tossing up a few big transformers on a vacant piece of land.

The relocation of the electrical substation was the primary stumbling block for the Grand Junction Pathway Overlay District Petition, so if all goes well that will likely also be ordained at this meeting.

Order #4. That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to confer with the Economic Development Division of the Community Development Department to prepare a report on any steps it has taken to work towards developing a Vacant Storefront Registration Policy.   Vice Mayor Mallon, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Carlone

I don’t see any real down side to having a Vacant Storefront Registration Policy. In fact, it could provide a relative accurate inventory from which thoughtful people may be able to marry potential retailers to available sites. [This is one of the multiple roles that the recently established Central Square Business Improvement District (BID) plays.]

I do, however, worry that the City may find a way to lay a heavy hand on property owners who may have perfectly understandable reasons for having a vacancy. Gentle persuasion is better than the heavy hand. I still remember the asinine proposal from the City Council not long ago that vacant properties should be subjected to an onerous tax equivalent to the entire assessed value of the property over the course of two years. That would never have passed legal muster, but it serves as a reminder of the confiscatory mindset of some councillors.

Order #5. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct staff to begin including a “Racial Equity Impact Statement” on all relevant agenda items including, but not limited to, appointments, appropriations, ordinances, legal opinions, policies, procedures and regulations, beginning on Mar 9, 2020.   Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler

This is pure insanity. While we can all agree that it is a laudable goal to seek racial and socioeconomic equity in many ways, this absurd proposal would require virtually every action undertaken by the City to be evaluated based on "racial equity impact." Apparently Councillors Zondervan, Simmons, and Sobrinho-Wheeler feel that the paving of roads, the purchasing of stationary supplies, decisions of what is or is not legal, where parking meters should or should not be located, what days street cleaning occurs, and pretty much everything else should all be evaluated based on racial criteria. Quite simply, it’s great to have equity-conscious goals, but requiring everything from the construction of a school building to the enforcement of traffic laws to the purchase of pencils to be judged based on race is ridiculous.

Order #6. City Council support for legislation that would allow for the adoption of fees on the transfer of real estate for use in creating new funding for affordable housing trusts, including H.2457, H.2552, and the consensus bill.   Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Carlone, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Simmons

I am trying to imagine the cumulative impact of all the proposed zoning changes, earmarked revenue streams, and more that this City Council seems intent on permanently establishing. My sense is that all property taxes will grow faster, commercial development will have to accelerate to cover the costs of government largess, and we’ll drive out what is left of middle-income residents other than those who apply to City agencies for their housing.

Bringing in some additional revenue to supplement CPA funds for housing programs seems perfectly reasonable, but I have never been a fan of permanently earmarking funds for any one purpose. – Robert Winters