Episode 466 – Cambridge InsideOut: June 23, 2020
This episode was broadcast on June 23, 2020 at 6:30pm. Topics: News updates; Lechmere Square changing; June 22 and June 15 City Council meeting highlights; some recycling history; reinventing roads during the pandemic. Hosts: Judy Nathans, Robert Winters [On YouTube] [audio]
The Big Item is the Return of the Subsidized Housing Overlay, that proposed borderline regulatory taking that caused so much stink and posturing last year. Here are the items that seem to rise from the swamp more than others:
Manager’s Agenda #11. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-14, requesting an update on the Lechmere Station closure, the replacement bus service, and the community outreach that is planned.
Within a few years the entire Lechmere area will be transformed – the Green Line viaduct will no longer cross the highway, and the McGrath O’Brien Highway itself may be reconfigured into an "urban boulevard". First Street will connect directly to the reconfigured boulevard and beyond, and Lechmere Station will be on the north side of the thoroughfare and be just another stop on the Green Line to/from either Union Square or West Medford.
People working in Cambridge may find Somerville and Medford to be very desirable housing options and the entire NorthPoint (Cambridge Crossing) area will be fully built out. While our local City Council fiddles and diddles about flexiposts, the color of sidewalks, whether homeowners should be allowed to have gas stoves or manage the trees on their own property, far more interesting developments are taking shape. Traffic may really suck in that area in the short term, but as long as they create greater connectivity in the end, the short-term hassle will be worth it.
Now if they can somehow get the area around the Museum of Science to feel less like a highway rest stop and more like a part of the Charles River Reservation (which it is), then I’ll really pop the champagne corks when all is said and done.
Manager’s Agenda #12. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a Planning Board recommendation to adopt the Incentive Zoning Contribution Rate Zoning Petition.
Committee Report #2. Report of the Ordinance Committee – Committee Meeting – Feb 12, 2020 5:30pm regarding a hearing on an amendment to the Incentive Zoning Ordinance.
I don’t believe the proposed increases in Incentive Zoning required payments will make or break many proposed projects, but I am always entertained at how spending other people’s money is almost a competition among elected officials and apparently now even among some Planning Board members. That said, the Planning Board’s positive recommendation is quite schizophrenic. On the one hand they suggest that the Council jack up the rate even higher, yet they follow that with: "Board members also urged consideration of how substantially raising the fee could discourage development, cause increases in commercial rents, or otherwise affect Cambridge’s overall economic balance and competitiveness in a regional market."
Unfinished Business #3. 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.)]
This could be ordained either this week or next, but I suspect only if and when a firm commitment is made for the relocation of the Eversource electrical substation that had been planned for Fulkerson Street. Otherwise, expect another can to be kicked down the road.
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.)]
Communications & Reports #3. A communication was received from Councillor Dennis Carlone, transmitting Proposed Amendments to the Harvard Square Overlay District Zoning Petition.
This petition was the subject of the February 18 Special City Council meeting where it was passed to a 2nd Reading and put in the queue for possible ordination at the March 2 meeting – the last before the deadline. That was an absurd meeting in many ways in that the language of the petition with the proposed amendments from the Ordinance Committee had already been shipped out for publication so that it could meet the legal requirements. The Council could talk and talk but not actually change anything lest it require re-advertisement with the amended language which would run afoul of the deadline for ordination. The Council will be able to propose amendments on Feb 24 or on the night of likely ordination on March 2.
I don’t think this zoning proposal has anything earth-shattering in it despite the ravings of our local goose guy. It will, hopefully, make it easier to do reasonable things in reasonable ways while still keeping the earth’s magnetic field safe and keeping enough of the historic fabric of Harvard Square intact for a few more generations.
Order #1. 100% Affordable Housing Overlay Zoning Petition 2020. Councillor McGovern, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Toomey
Communications & Reports #2. A communication was received from Councillor McGovern, transmitting a memorandum with comments on refilling the 100% Affordable Housing Overlay Zoning Petition 2020.
The creep of government control continues, and another round of civic discord is again on the horizon. We will once again get to hear about why there should be significantly different zoning rules depending on who owns the property, and why greater and greater percentages of the Cambridge housing stock should be transferred from private ownership into the hands of government and quasi-government control. There’s also that little matter of abutting neighbors having no real ability to respond to what could well be a radical departure from what might otherwise be expected with equitable zoning laws.
Anyone who really understands how the affordability of housing works understands that this can only be addressed with adequate regional housing growth at all economic levels coupled with improved transportation. Instead, the City Council will apparently opt for subsidized housing built at great public expense that will not have any effect on general affordability of housing. Indeed, you should have heard Councillor Carlone at the recent Government Operation Committee meeting on the City Manager’s possible contract renewal where he bemoaned the fact that "we’ve left a billion dollars on the table" that we could have extracted from residential and commercial property owners to pay for more and more projects. So by the time this City Council term is done we may have a new city manager, dramatically increased budgets and tax rates, and a housing policy that makes housing cheaper for those who seek it from the government and even more expensive for everyone else.
Order #3. That the City Manager is requested to confer with Director of Cambridge Public Libraries to determine the feasibility of eliminating late fines. Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon
This probably makes sense but I am curious about what will be done if someone loses a book or other material or simply chooses to never return it. Do we just keep sending nagging letters and email messages?
Order #5. That the Department of Conservation and Recreation reconsider a road diet and protected bike lane for Gerrys Landing Road. Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Nolan
Order #6. That the City Manager is hereby requested to confer with relevant City departments and the MBTA on the feasibility of implementing additional dedicated bus lanes, as well as fully separate protected bicycle lanes. Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Zondervan, Mayor Siddiqui
I agree that separated paths for bicycles are warranted on roads where the difference in speeds between bicycles and motor vehicles is significant and where slower-speed alternatives are either difficult or nonexistent. This includes DCR roads like Gerry’s Landing Road as well as the McGrath/O’Brien Highway. I also agree that dedicated bus lanes make sense in some places where the frequency of buses warrants it, but there’s nothing more aggravating than being stuck in traffic while significant road space lies empty 99% of the time.
Order #7. That the City Manager is requested to produce a Request For Proposal for the municipal broadband feasibility study that was called for by the City’s Broadband Task Force in August 2016. Councillor Nolan, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor McGovern
Look for this to be a Big Ask during the discussion on a possible contract extension for the City Manager. I’m still not convinced that the financial exposure associated with a municipal investment in a technology that might become obsolete soon after it’s built is worth the risk. I’m still willing to be convinced and maybe that’s why a feasibility study (as opposed to a commitment to fund the build-out) is warranted.
Committee Report #3. Report of the Government Operations, Rules & Claims Committee – Committee Meeting – Feb 4, 2020 10:00am regarding a meeting to review the City Council’s Rules for the 2020-2021 Legislative year.
I was hoping that they might take a look at restructuring some of the Council subcommittees, e.g. splitting Arts & Celebrations out from Long-Term Planning, but I didn’t see it in the verbose meeting minutes. Ironically, they spent a very long time talking about whether to further limit public comment. – Robert Winters
This episode was broadcast on Feb 18, 2020 at 5:30pm. Topics: Nevada caucuses, brokered convention, Presidential prognostication; Local State Rep. & State Senate contests; Charlie Cards; cannabis litigation; Harvard Square Zoning Petition. Hosts: Judy Nathans, Robert Winters. [On YouTube] [audio]
This episode was broadcast on Feb 18, 2020 at 6:00pm. Topics: Zoning updates; broader look at zoning; Neon!; Waste reduction milestone, history and future goals; River St. reconstruction; Carl Barron Plaza, perpetual substance abuse, and lowered expectations; nonnegotiables, inflexibility, and bad outcomes in public ways. Hosts: Judy Nathans, Robert Winters [On YouTube] [audio]
Free No Balance CharlieCards Available at City Hall Annex
Jan 30, 2020 – The City of Cambridge has partnered with the MBTA on their program to increase the availability of CharlieCards to residents who rely on public transportation.The City of Cambridge joins a growing list of organizations, cities, and towns partnering with the MBTA to increase access to CharlieCards.
“We’re pleased to see the continued expansion of this program, ensuring that more customers have access to lower fares through the re-loadable CharlieCard,” said MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak. “Thank you to the City of Cambridge for partnering with us in this growing effort that ultimately allows the MBTA to be even more accessible for our riders.”
“Cambridge continuously strives to support sustainable and affordable options for people to get around our city,” said Cambridge City Manager Louis A. DePasquale. “By partnering with the MBTA on this program, we’re increasing our residents’ access to the public transit system and the fare savings that come with using a CharlieCard. I hope this program will encourage more people to consider riding the T.”
Under the program, free no balance CharlieCards are now available at the Community Development Department, on the 3rd floor of the City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway.
Unlike CharlieTickets, CharlieCards are reusable plastic cards that can be routinely loaded with stored cash value or one-day, seven-day, or monthly passes. As a way to encourage use of CharlieCards, cardholders pay lower single-ride fares on bus and subway services than customers who pay cash or hold a CharlieTicket. CharlieCards also offer enhanced options for transfers over tickets and cash. Note: CharlieCards are not valid for use on the Commuter Rail though customers are encouraged to learn more about Commuter Rail fare products that include the mTicket.)
CharlieCard availability has historically been concentrated around major rapid-transit hubs. Similarly, fare vending machines are clustered around rapid-transit stations. Under this program, the MBTA continues to acknowledge that access to cards needs to increase, especially in communities with a higher reliance on buses.
The MBTA hopes to partner with nonprofit organizations or cities and towns to provide residents with CharlieCards, either blank or pre-loaded with a dollar amount for purchase. By providing easier access to CharlieCards, the T hopes to incentivize riders to use CharlieCards and fare vending machines throughout their travels, resulting in a savings of both time and money. Organizations and communities seeking to partner in this effort should contact MBTA Chief Customer Officer Danny Levy at DLevy@MBTA.com. For more information on CharlieCards, visit mbta.com/CharlieCard or connect with the T on Twitter @MBTA, Facebook /TheMBTA, or Instagram @theMBTA.
Cannabis Litigation
Feb 14, 2020 – Today, the City Solicitor’s Office filed a Petition for Interlocutory Review to a Single Justice of the Appeals Court in the case Revolutionary Clinics II, Inc. v. the City of Cambridge. The plaintiff in that case has challenged the City’s Cannabis Business Permitting Ordinance, specifically, the two year period in which only Economic Empowerment Applicants are eligible to receive a Cannabis Business Permit for a Cannabis Retail Store (the “two-year moratorium”). The City is seeking interlocutory relief from a Single Justice of the Appeals Court with regard to the Superior Court’s Jan 24, 2020 order on the Plaintiff’s Motion for Preliminary Injunction in this case (“Order”), which restrains and enjoins the City from enforcing the two-year moratorium and from taking any action to prevent the Plaintiff from immediately applying to convert its Medical Marijuana Treatment Center (“MTC”) to a co-located adult-use cannabis retail establishment and MTC. The City also filed a Notice of Appeal in the Superior Court preserving the City’s right to further appeal the Order to a panel of the Appeals Court. Additionally, the City filed an Emergency Motion for a Stay of the Court’s Order in the Superior Court. The Motion for a Stay requests that the Superior Court stay the Order pending the appeals.
Steps to Starting Your Own Business Workshop Feb 24
Feb 14, 2020 – The City of Cambridge is holding a free workshop, Steps to Starting Your Own Business on Mon, Feb 24, from 5:30-7:30pm, at the City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, 2nd floor, Cambridge.
Participants will learn about the steps to starting a business, the specifics of starting one in Cambridge, and the risks and rewards. The workshop will also provide an overview of available resources.
This workshop is a pre-requisite for the 10 Week Business Planning Program March 9 – May 18, on Mondays from 5:30-8:00pm. This 10-week course educates eligible Cambridge entrepreneurs about financing, marketing techniques, business plan development, and honing a business pitch. It provides participants with one-on-one assistance, expert advice, and networking opportunities. The course is free to eligible Cambridge residents and business owners. To check your eligibility and apply, visit CambridgeMA.gov/SmallBizCourse.
For more information, visit CambridgeMa.gov/business. To register, contact Rona Abrahams at 617-349-4637 or rabrahams@cambridgema.gov.
Join us for Bike for Bites Winter Ride and Celebration!
Saturday, February 29, 8:30am-1:30pm Meet at the Alewife T Station
Join the Cambridge Bicycle Committee for Bike for Bites, the first annual Winter Bike Ride and Winter Biking Celebration! Brave the cold for this winter ride while stopping at Cambridge cafes to warm up and taste their treats.
We will meet at the Alewife T Station at 8:30am and depart at 9:00am. The ride will end at Lamplighter Brewery at roughly 11:00am for a winter biking celebration and meet-up. Free Bluebikes passes will be provided for anyone without a bicycle!
Interested in winter biking, but not yet ready to hit the streets? Come by Lamplighter between 11:00am and 1:30pm to meet other winter bicyclists and exchange tips!
The ride will be cancelled in the event of poor weather.
Cambridge Achieves 30 Percent Trash Reduction Milestone One Year Early
Feb 14, 2020 – In 2009, the City of Cambridge adopted a goal to reduce trash by 30% by 2020 and 80% by 2050, using 2008 as a baseline. Subsequently, the Department of Public Works (DPW) launched new programs and educational campaigns over the past decade to encourage residents to reconsider what they toss in the trash.
Today, Cambridge officials announced that the 30% trash reduction goal was achieved one year early. In 2019, the City of Cambridge reduced its trash reduction numbers by 32%, to 15.6 pounds per week per household, compared to 22.8 pounds per week per household in 2008.
“By adding new programs that encourage diverting items from the waste stream and enhancing our existing recycling programs, we’ve been able to achieve this ambitious goal ahead of schedule,” said Public Works Commissioner Owen O’Riordan. “I want to thank Cambridge residents and our Recycling Advisory Committee for their hard work in helping the city reduce the amount of trash we send to the landfill. It may take an extra minute or two to separate your items, but it’s worth the extra effort.”
Cambridge achieved this goal by improving curbside recycling, encouraging reduce and reuse practices, and enhancing opportunities to divert hard-to-recycle items such as electronics and textiles. Among the most impactful programs was Cambridge’s curbside compost program which expanded citywide in 2018 as part of recommendations from the city’s Zero Waste Master Plan. The compost program is accessible to more than 32,000 households in Cambridge. The curbside compost program has reduced trash by 7% and has substantially reduced the net greenhouse gas emissions of our waste programs. It also costs the city less money to dispose of food waste in the compost program than in the trash.
The Zero Waste Master Plan, which was developed to assist the City in achieving goals of reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions, also identified mattress recycling as a program that can help reduce trash. Launched in April 2019, the program has diverted more than 5,000 mattresses to date. Instead of going to a landfill, the mattresses are collected by UTEC (United Teen Equality Center), a nonprofit organization serving at-risk young adults, that picks up, deconstructs, and recycles mattresses. This new program reduced trash by 250,000 pounds in 2019.
Cambridge has also encouraged residents to utilize its Recycling Center, at 147 Hampshire Street, to drop off items that may be recycled, but cannot be collected curbside, such as electronics, plastic bags, and scrap metal.
“I’m incredibly proud of this achievement and the various efforts that DPW staff have deployed since 2009 that have contributed to the city meeting the 30% trash reduction goal ahead of schedule,” said Cambridge City Manager Louis A. DePasquale. “This accomplishment highlights the city’s commitment to using data and evidence to drive strategic decisions to achieve goals set by the City Council. Without the help of our impassioned residents and the support of the City Council, this goal would not have been accomplished. I look forward to making strides outlined in our Zero Waste Master Plan to continue decreasing trash in Cambridge.”
“We’re thrilled that we could come together as a community to accomplish this goal,” said Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui. “Reducing waste is one of several ways Cambridge is working to help reduce our impact on climate change.”
Residents are encouraged to visit CambridgeMA.Gov/Recycle to learn more about how they may collaborate with the city on reducing trash. Stay tuned for opportunities coming this spring to help celebrate this milestone.
Cambridge Recycling Director Michael Orr inspects sorted recycling bales
with Kate Riley, Public Works Community Relations Manager
Comment on DCR Mount Auburn St. Corridor Project
The Department of Conservation and Recreation is soliciting public comments on the Mount Auburn St. Corridor Project. Comments can be submitted online by visiting www.mass.gov/dcr/public-comments or by writing to the Department of Conservation and Recreation, Office of Public Outreach, 251 Causeway Street, Suite 600, Boston, MA 02114. Comments will be accepted through Tuesday, February 18, 2020.
For more information about the project, visit the project website at www.mass.gov/dcr/mt-auburn-corridor-study. If you have question or concerns or would like to subscribe to a DCR project-specific or general information listserv, please email mass.parks@state.ma.us or call 617-626-4973.
City of Cambridge Tree Protection Ordinance Amendment Extended
Feb 13, 2020 – Effective Feb 10, 2019, the City Council has voted to extend the Tree Protection Ordinance Amendment requiring a permit to remove a “significant tree” on private property.
“Significant trees” have a trunk diameter of 8 inches or more (measured 4 feet above ground).
Permits will only be issued in the following circumstances:
In each of these cases, a completed Permit Application Form and all associated documentation must be submitted to be considered for a permit. In the event a tree had to be removed due to an emergency situation prior to receiving a permit, an application must be submitted retroactively.
The extension of this ordinance amendment is valid until Dec 31, 2020 or until an additional amendment is put in place, whichever comes first.
For complete permit requirements, please visit the online permitting system.
River Street Reconstruction – February 2020 Project Update
Work on the River Street Reconstruction and Carl Barron Plaza project continues in many areas.
Working group meeting postponed to March
Given that many of the project work items are still in progress, the project team has postponed the next working group meeting to March 24. This will allow the project team to make substantial progress on design work. The information for this meeting is as follows:
Tuesday, March 24, 2020, 6:00pm-8:00pm, Doors open 5:45pm
Manning Apartments, 1st Floor Community Room, 237 Franklin Street
Public meeting planned for April
The project team is also working toward a public meeting in April to show the latest designs. This meeting will include corridor designs, traffic analysis, bus routings, and a few concepts for a redesigned Carl Barron Plaza. Stay tuned for updates on the topics and a save the date for this meeting.
Design updates – Carl Barron Plaza
Carl Barron Plaza is the public plaza space in front of Cambridge Savings Bank, Amazon, and the Holmes Building entrance. At the last meeting of the River Street Working Group in December, the working group came to consensus for looking at expanded plaza space. The main way to create a larger plaza is by changing bus routes and stop locations at the busway. The project team calls this new configuration the “Butterfly” design because of its butterfly shape. This design allows for more plaza space while keeping two well-used bus stops on the edges of an expanded plaza.
At the current time, the project team is creating a few distinct conceptual designs to bring to the public for comments. A specific design for the plaza is not yet selected.
To see some of the conceptual designs, view the slideshow from the last working group meeting.
Design updates – River Street corridor
Work to improve the design on the corridor continues. The project team is reviewing the River Street design at places where the street is narrow, evaluating daily use and maintenance. Some minor curb adjustments are expected.
At the same time, the project team is continuing to conduct detailed traffic analysis and modeling. This analysis and modeling will help the project team make sure that the new River Street will work for everybody no matter how they get around and will function to move people safely and efficiently.
The project team is also reviewing curbside access (loading, parking, etc.) along River Street. This review is to make sure that the River Street design meets curb access needs for people going to local businesses, residents, and visitors.
Exploring changes to bus routes and stop locations
We are discussing with the community and the MBTA shifting MBTA Route 64 from Magazine Street to River Street. Using River Street is a more direct route to Central Square. We are also discussing shifting Route 47 from Massachusetts Avenue to Green and Franklin Streets. Using Green and Franklin streets would allow for more plaza space at Carl Barron Plaza and make Route 47 more reliable.
The project team will share more information about these changes at upcoming project meetings. We are also planning to engage riders and the public in additional outreach efforts.
Work continues on public art on River Street
Ritsuko Taho is the artist for the River Street project. She is the original artist who created the “Multicultural Manifestos” artwork in Carl Barron Plaza. This artwork includes the “dream towers” and “dream wheels” in the plaza. The “Multicultural Manifestos” artwork will be removed from the plaza during the reconstruction process. The artist will then take elements of that work and create a new work that will be located in several places along the corridor. We hope to preview the new work at the next working group and public meeting.
Tell us how River Street works today on our questionnaire
The River Street Reconstruction project will renew infrastructure on and under River Street. This questionnaire’s goal is to hear what you feel and think about River Street today. By taking this questionnaire, you will help the project team think about how to design the street. We will also use your answers to compare what people think and feel before and after our reconstruction project.
This survey takes between 5 to 10 minutes. Take the River Street survey.
Project web page with meeting materials and other useful information.
For more information on this project or to be added to the project email list, please visit: cambridgema.gov/riverstreet. If you have any questions about this project or upcoming meetings, contact the River Street Reconstruction team by e-mail at riverstreet@cambridgema.gov. You may also contact Bill Deignan at wdeignan@cambridgema.gov or 617-349-4632.
Cambridge Black History Month Celebration February 26
Feb 10, 2020 – In celebration of Black History Month, the City of Cambridge Employees’ Committee on Diversity will hold a reception featuring art by local black artists, the unveiling of the 2020 Black History Month postage stamp, and a presentation by Dr. Manisha Sinha on black womens’ roles in the suffrage movement Wednesday, Feb. 26, from 5-7:30pm, at Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue. Light refreshments will be served. This event is free and open to the public.
The evening will also include remarks by Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui and City Manager Louis A. DePasquale.
Manisha Sinha is the James L. and Shirley A. Draper Chair in American History at the University of Connecticut and a fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University for this academic year.
A leading authority on the history of slavery and abolition and the Civil War and Reconstruction, Dr. Sinha was born in India and received her Ph.D from Columbia University where her dissertation was nominated for the Bancroft prize. She is the author of The Counterrevolution of Slavery: Politics and Ideology in Antebellum South Carolina, which was named one of the 10 best books on slavery in Politico in 2015 and recently featured in The New York Times’ 1619 Project. She is also the author of The Slave’s Cause: A History of Abolition (2016) which won the Frederick Douglass Book Prize and was long listed for the National Book Award for Non Fiction. In 2016, she was named one of the top 25 women in higher education by the journal Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.
This talk will illuminate the forgotten origins of the women’s suffrage movement in the abolition movement and reconsider the break between abolitionists and some feminists after the Civil War. It will show how the Reconstruction constitutional amendments opened a path to women’s suffrage and the Nineteenth Amendment. Despite black disfranchisement, the Nineteenth Amendment eventually paved the way for black women to emerge as the most progressive voting block in American politics.
Renew Your Resident Parking Permit for 2020 Now to Avoid Delays Later
Feb 7, 2020 – The renewal season for 2020 Resident/Visitor Parking Permits for the City of Cambridge is in process from Jan 2 – Mar 31, 2020. Please note that 2019 Resident and Visitor Permits are valid through Mar 31, 2020.
Residents who have a current Resident or Visitor Parking Permit have the option of renewing their permit(s) online at CambridgeMA.gov/parking-permits. Online applications can take up to three weeks for processing and delivery, so please plan accordingly, keeping in mind the March 31 expiration date for 2019 permits.
Permits can also be renewed by mail using the application available at CambridgeMA.gov/parking-permits or in person during regular hours at the Traffic, Parking, and Transportation Department, 344 Broadway, Cambridge, Monday: 8:30am-8:00pm, Tuesday-Thursday: 8:30am-5:00pm, Friday: 8:30am-12:00pm.
The featured photo on the 2020 Permit is of Little Fresh Pond by Judy Silvan.
For more information, visit CambridgeMA.gov/parking-permits.
City of Cambridge to Celebrate Five Year Anniversary of Domestic & Gender-Based Violence Prevention Initiative Feb 26
Feb 5, 2020 – The City of Cambridge and its community partners will celebrate the five-year anniversary of the Domestic and Gender-Based Violence Prevention Initiative (DGBVPI) Wed, Feb 26, from 4-6pm, at the Cambridge Senior Center, 806 Massachusetts Avenue. The event, which is free and open to the public, will include welcome remarks from Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, City Manager Louis A. DePasquale, Deputy City Manager Lisa C. Peterson, State Representative Marjorie Decker, and Transition House’s Community Liaison Shameka Gregory. Light refreshments will be served.
The theme of the event – Many Partnerships, One Initiative – will include a showcase of the major projects and work the DGBVPI has accomplished to prevent and respond to domestic and gender-based violence in Cambridge. This will include a “speed meeting” poster session, where members of the community can walk around and engage in conversations with local community partners and service providers about:
Cambridge has a long history of domestic violence prevention, including the historic resolution to declare the city as a Domestic Violence Free Zone in 1994. Building on this groundbreaking effort and with leadership from State Representative Marjorie Decker (then Cambridge City Councillor), in 2011, the city hosted a Domestic violence summit to stimulate interest in revitalizing Cambridge’s work to prevent domestic violence and undertook a 21 Days of Questions/365 Days of Action Campaign to engage the Cambridge community on questions they had about domestic violence. The campaign led to the official establishment of the Domestic and Gender-Based Violence Prevention Initiative.
“Since its creation, the Domestic and Gender-Based Violence Prevention Initiative has been engaging and mobilizing the entire Cambridge community to prevent and bring attention to domestic and gender-based violence,” said Cambridge City Manager Louis A. DePasquale. “Under the leadership of Elizabeth Speakman, the Initiative’s coordinator, Cambridge has emerged as a leader in providing training and building collaborations to ensure we are creating and fostering compassionate and supportive environments for survivors.”
“We are proud that the City of Cambridge is so fully committed to preventing domestic and gender-based violence and ensuring survivors can get support when they need it,” said Elizabeth Speakman, Coordinator of the Initiative. “This event will recognize the tremendous work of our community partners and the city leadership, while imagining what is possible in the future and hopefully inspiring other communities.”
For more information, contact Elizabeth Speakman, espeakman@cambridgema.gov.
About the Cambridge Domestic and Gender-Based Violence Prevention Initiative
The Domestic and Gender-Based Violence Prevention Initiative (DGBVPI) engages and mobilizes Cambridge’s communities, agencies, and city departments to change attitudes, behaviors, policies, and practices to prevent and bring attention to domestic and gender-based violence.
In collaboration with community leaders, local agencies, and interested citizens, the DGBVPI develops and provides accessible, safe, and relevant strategies and resources to prevent and respond to domestic violence in Cambridge. Services include training, consultation, building collaborations across various sectors in Cambridge, and coordination of systems of change in order to ensure compassionate and supportive environments for survivors of domestic and gender-based violence across the city.
Here’s my first pass at the interesting stuff ("interesting", of course, being a relative term):
Manager’s Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the recommendation to reappointment of Gerard Clark as a member of the Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA) Board of Commissioners for a term of 5-years.
Manager’s Agenda #2. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appointment of the following person as a new member of the Affordable Housing Trust Board for a term of three years, effective Jan 22, 2020: Elaine DeRosa
Manager’s Agenda #3. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the reappointment of the following members of the LGBTQ+ Commissioner for a term of three years, effective Feb 6, 2020: Mal Malme, Robert Parlin, Aren Stone, Catherine Grams, Noelani Kamelamela, Gregory MacDonough and Britt Huhmann
Many board appointments this week. The City Manager is "the appointing authority" under the City Charter, but there are two boards for which City appointments require City Council confirmation – the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority and the Cambridge Housing Authority – so the CHA appointment will likely be referred to the Housing Committee for a formal hearing. [Members of Cambridge Boards & Commissions (updated Jan 24, 2020)]
Manager’s Agenda #4. Transmitting communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $46,000 from Free Cash to the General Fund Elections Department Salary and Wages account ($6,145) and to the General Fund Elections Department Other Ordinary Maintenance account ($39,855) which will be used to cover the additional costs associated with recently approved early voting for the Presidential Primary, Mar 3rd, 2020.
Early Voting for the Presidential Primary will be available Feb 24 through Feb 28 at 6 locations [www.CambridgeMA.gov/EarlyVoting]. Election Day is Mar 3, 2020.
Unfinished Business #3. Fuel pump warning labels [Passed to Second Reading on Jan 13, 2020 to be ordained on or after Jan 23, 2020.]
I expect this perfectly meaningless gesture will be ordained unanimously.
Resolution #2. Congratulations to Sydney Cox for 45 Years at DPW. Councillor Simmons
One of the best things about being involved in recycling and composting promotion in Cambridge was the opportunity it afforded me to meet so many of the really great people at the Department of Public Works – many of whom, including Sydney Cox, have careers with the City spanning many decades. The annual DPW Commissioners Awards Ceremony in the spring has always been one of my favorite City events (and not just for the cookout!).
Resolution #11. Resolution on the death of Richard B. Griffin. Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Simmons
Richard was one of the most decent people I ever met in Cambridge civic life. Perhaps the most moving tribute I have seen is this editorial by Cambridge Chronicle editor Amy Saltzman: Richard Griffin, longtime Chronicle columnist, dies at 91
Order #5. That the City Manager is requested to confer with relevant City Departments, and, where relevant, the MBTA and counterparts in other municipalities for routes not wholly in Cambridge, on the feasibility of instituting and funding a fare-free pilot bus program. Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Mayor Siddiqui
The chance of doing this just within the boundaries of Cambridge is very low. The idea, however, is not crazy. If done more broadly it could be transformative, but the cost would not only be in lost fare revenue. Ridership would likely jump, and more buses (and drivers) would have to be added with greater frequency of buses (shorter headways). This would also likely lead to demands for more routes as well.
Order #9. That the Cambridge City Council amend the Municipal Ordinances of the City of Cambridge to insert a new Chapter 2.129, entitled WELCOMING COMMUNITY ORDINANCE. Councillor Carlone, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Zondervan, Mayor Siddiqui
Sanctuary City Rebranded
Committee Report #1. Report of the Ordinance Committee – Dec 11, 2019, 2:00pm (Natural Gas Ban)
Committee Report #2. Report of the NLTP Committee – Dec 19, 2019, 5:30pm (Cambridge Carnival)
Committee Report #3. Report of the Health & Environment Committee – Jan 22, 2020, 2:30pm (Tree Protection Ordinance)
There are more effective strategies than an outright ban on new gas hookups. Hopefully the various "stakeholders" can make their case, but it’s likely that this will be just one more step down the Road To Ban Everything. As for where the "Tree Protection Ordinance" is headed, I’m sure those trees will be lining The Road To Ban Everything. Any notion that the eventual permanent version of the Tree Protection Ordinance will allow reasonable people to do reasonable things is likely pure fantasy. – Robert Winters
This episode was broadcast on Jan 21, 2020 at 5:30pm. Topics: Red Sox; campaign finance, money talks; Vacancy Recount – David Weinstein elected; Patty Nolan joins the 20,000 Club. Hosts: Judy Nathans, Robert Winters [On YouTube] [audio]
This episode was broadcast on Jan 21, 2020 at 6:00pm. Topics: Impeachment, judicial appointments; seeking a culture of compromise; Board vacancies, regulatory vs. advisory boards, Plan E limitations; proportional representation – proportional to what? Hosts: Judy Nathans, Robert Winters [On YouTube] [audio]
This episode was broadcast on Nov 26, 2019 at 5:30pm. Topics: Karp Petition; Planning vs. “Let’s Make A Deal”; how high is high, how dense is dense?; the YIMBY-NIMBY War to Nowhere. Hosts: Judy Nathans, Robert Winters [On YouTube] [audio]
This episode was broadcast on Nov 26, 2019 at 6:00pm. Topics: Harvard Square zoning petition, “super crosswalk”; zoning change vs. cultural change; riding the latest bandwagon; License Commission authority. Hosts: Judy Nathans, Robert Winters [On YouTube] [audio]
This is your classic night-before-Election-Day City Council meeting where Council business places a distant second behind concerns about having all their incumbency protection ducks in a row. If this meeting goes beyond 6:15pm it will likely be because they were forced to listen to the repetitive whining of Public Comment. Anyway, here is my very short list of interesting items on this very short agenda:
Manager’s Agenda #3. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the creation of a new municipal Renewable Energy and Greenhouse Gas (“GHG”) Reduction Revolving Fund (“Revolving Fund”) to serve the City of Cambridge’s (“City”) municipal energy aggregation, and adoption of the proposed new ordinance, Chapter 3.24, entitled “Departmental Revolving Funds.”
From the Manager’s letter: "The Aggregation adder is expected to raise approximately $650,000 annually, or a total of $1.3 million during the current supplier contract period (January 2019 – December 2020)." Proposed uses are: (a) Invest $1.3 million in a solar energy project located on a municipal building; and (b) Deposit income earned from the sale of generated Net Metering Credits annually into the Revolving Fund. Those funds would subsequently be used to finance other solar energy/renewable energy projects and all resulting GHG reductions would be attributed to the Aggregation’s participants.
Seems like a reasonable plan of action.
Charter Right #1. 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.
30 out of 31 Communications in which cyclists recoil in horror because a City Council Order from last week suggested "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."
Only in Cambridge would a resolution calling for enhanced safety yield an avalanche of protest. The turf wars continue.
Resolution #5. Congratulations to Sekazi K. Mtingwa. Councillor Simmons
Sekazi and I worked together at MIT. I did the math and he did the physics in the MIT Concourse program. I’m glad to see him getting the recognition.
Order #3. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the Council by the end of this term on progress toward identifying a source of funding and a timetable for the design and construction of a modern roundabout at the Brattle-Sparks-Craigie intersection, to share the consultant’s 2017-18 report on the feasibility of a modern roundabout, and to schedule a community meeting in early 2020 to further discuss this project. Vice Mayor Devereux, Councillor Zondervan, Mayor McGovern, Councillor Carlone
I don’t know whether or not this is the best alternative for this intersection but it is an interesting proposal. I don’t like the way it "pedestrianizes" cyclists and I would likely just ride through the roundabout with the rest of the traffic. It’s a bit strange that the Council Order calls for a source of funding and a timetable for the design and construction prior to there being any decision on even doing such a redesign, but it’s fair to say that this isn’t the first instance of engineering via politics by this Council.
Order #5. Resolution in support of the Harvard Graduate Students Union-UAW’S demands for a fair contract now. Councillor Siddiqui, Mayor McGovern, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Mallon
Finish your thesis, kids. There are better opportunities than being an ABD (All But Dissertation) graduate student. I’ll add that it still seems funny that the United Auto Workers are representing Harvard Graduate students.
99 Items Awaiting Report (sung to the tune of "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall")
Wouldn’t it be just marvelous if one of these weeks one of the councillors simply asked the manager to run through the list and say (a) which items he has no intention of reporting (possibly because it’s either moot or ridiculous); (b) which items somebody somewhere is actually working on; and (c) which items he considers to be timely and important. For example, should we all be waiting with bated breath on the future of wood-fired ovens or electronic device usage by City-elected officials? I thought that the request for "a comprehensive, independent planning, and parking study of the neighborhood and use of the First Street Garage" had already been completed. Would it be so difficult to report on the "feasibility of allowing small businesses to host live acoustic music performances without a license?" Can anyone shed any light on the proposed Outdoor Lighting Ordinance that has apparently gone missing? – Robert Winters
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