Cambridge Civic Journal Forum

Notable Floatables on the Nov 23, 2015 Cambridge City Council agenda

These items have floated to the top of my barrel this week:

Manager’s Agenda #1. Transmitting communication from Richard C. Rossi, City Manager, relative to the Coolidge Place Land Disposition Report, pursuant to Chapter 2.110 of the Cambridge Municipal Code.

Manager’s Agenda #2. Transmitting communication from Richard C. Rossi, City Manager, relative to the Planning Board recommendation favoring the Coolidge Plan Land Disposition.

In a rational world, this would be a routine minor land disposition. This was a well-known component of the Mass&Main zoning package that was passed by the City Council last spring but, just like curb cut approvals, these can sometimes become opportunities for continued efforts to block projects or extract additional concessions. Honestly, this was all settled in May and the exchange of this passageway for a far better one (plus cash) should be a slam dunk. Perhaps we can get a player to be named later in the trade. The hearing starts at 7:00pm.

Manager’s Agenda #3. Transmitting communication from Richard C. Rossi, City Manager, relative to a Planning Board recommendation to further study the Barrett, et al Zoning Petition.

This petition has already had one pass at the Planning Board (Oct 27) and at the Ordinance Committee (Nov 19). Parts of the proposal will likely be kicked down the road as part of the citywide planning exercises, but some could be acted upon sooner. At the heart of the petition is the basic concept of allowing residential property owners to make better use of existing, underutilized space in their buildings for additional rental housing. People already do this under the radar all over Cambridge.

Manager’s Agenda #4. Transmitting communication from Richard C. Rossi, City Manager, relative to a Planning Board recommendation to adopt with changes the Carsharing Zoning Petition (refiled).

The Planning Board remains convinced that this is generally a good thing but that there should be a registration mechanism to allow the City to monitor how expanded carsharing on residential properties evolves and if any problems arise.

Manager’s Agenda #5. Transmitting communication from Richard C. Rossi, City Manager, relative to the purchase of the premises numbered 0 Winter Street, Assessor’s parcel #165-21-1, in the Town of Lincoln ("the Property") consisting of 54.35 acres of undeveloped land for the purposes of protecting the City’s drinking water supply and for land conservation.

Watershed protection is one of those unseen and underappreciated things the City does. This is money well spent.

Manager’s Agenda #7. Transmitting communication from Richard C. Rossi, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 15-85, regarding a report on the feasibility of having the City purchase the buildings on Harvard Street and Harding Street.

The short version is:  No Deal.

Unfinished Business #6. Transmitting communication from Richard C. Rossi, City Manager, relative to proposed amendment to the Living Wage Ordinance. The question comes on passing to be ordained on or after Nov 16, 2015.

I’m not so sure this is ready to rock and roll, but that hasn’t stopped this City Council in other votes during the last two years. Why let legal enforcibility or economic viability get in the way of a popular vote?

Communications #3. A communication was received from Kim Courtney, regarding Xavier Dietrich’s Open Meeting Law Complaint against the Board of Zoning Appeal and Chair Constantine Alexander.

Communications & Reports from City Officers #1. A communication was received from Donna P. Lopez, City Clerk, transmitting a response to the Open Meeting Law Complaint filed by Kim Courtney and Xavier Dietrich, 955 Massachusetts Avenue #259, Cambridge, regarding the Minutes of the City Council meeting of Aug 10, 2015.

Mosquitoes are annoying pests, but you have to at least respect their need for nutrition. I have yet to see any basis for respect for this not-so-dynamic duo of Courtney/Dietrich whose sole reason for being is to be an annoyance. Perhaps they should open a whine bar.

Order #1. That the City Manager is requested to report back on the feasibility of making a comprehensive housing plan an early action item of the pending citywide planning process.   Councillor Carlone and Councillor Mazen

Sound great just as long as "comprehensive" doesn’t translate into "build nothing that doesn’t sit well with our political supporters."

Order #3. City Council support of the efforts of the Harvard Graduate Student Union and urging the Harvard administration to commit to refrain from legal or other action that would delay graduate employees’ right to choose collective bargaining, to refrain from efforts to influence research assistants and teaching assistants in their decision to vote on HGSU-UAW, and to commit to commence good-faith negotiations for a contract immediately upon confirmation of a majority vote by research assistants and teaching assistance in favor of HGSU-UAW as their union.   Councillor Toomey, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Simmons and Councillor Cheung

Like many others, I was once upon a time a graduate student upon whom many responsibilities were heaped for a fixed stipend – so much so that it interfered with my own studies. [Well, at least they gave me an award for all my good work!] That said, I can’t completely get behind the idea that this should be the subject of collective bargaining in the same way that a long-term job might be. The bottom line is that graduate students should not be put in the position where their graduate studies are unreasonably extended due to underpaid commitments within their respective academic departments. This is a larger issue that has to be addressed at universities everywhere along with the often abysmal pay scales and heavy workloads for adjunct faculty (the dirty little secret of colleges across the USA, including some very prestigious ones). What we should really work toward is appropriate workloads for graduate students that enhance their ability to work in the future at full-time jobs – tenured or otherwise – at reasonable pay scales. Graduate school work is ultimately just temporary employment.

Order #7. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Assistant City Manager of Community Development with the vision of including within the Master Plan and Alewife Study a plan for the relocation of the DPW facilities.   Councillor Toomey

Let me guess – the semi-suburbans of West Cambridge will want to host a relocated DPW Yard at their end of town about as much as they would welcome the CASPAR wet shelter, a methadone clinic, or any of the many social service agencies now in the Central Square area. Where would you move the DPW Yard?

Order #14. That the City Manager is requested to coordinate with the Election Commission in order to operate at least 5 early polling locations, for the entire day, for the entirety of the 11 day early voting period and that the City Manager and Election Commission confer further as to the feasibility of operating a greater number of early polling locations, and issue a report detailing their findings.   Councillor Mazen

This is a solution in search of a problem. Is it really a hardship when there is scheduled to be a 11 day early voting period in addition to normal Election Day voting? Councillor Mazen has concluded that the voters of Cambridge are so completely incapable of finding their way to Inman Street that there is the need to have "5 separate early polling locations, for the entire day, for the entirety of the 11 day early voting period". But that’s not all – he also proposes that the Election Commission "confer further as to the feasibility of operating a greater number of early polling locations, and issue a report detailing their findings". This translates into staffing for a minimum of 440 hours (plus security considerations) for something that is almost certainly unnecessary. I could see perhaps having a 2nd location open for a portion of a few days as an added convenience, but the scale of this Order makes no sense whatsoever.

Committee Report #3. A communication was received from Donna P. Lopez, City Clerk, transmitting a report from and Vice Mayor Dennis A. Benzan and Councillor Dennis J. Carlone, Co-Chairs of the Ordinance Committee, for a public hearing held on Nov 12, 2015 to discuss a petition by the Planning Board to amend Section 13.10 of the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance so as to change the development controls applicable in the planned Unit Development at Kendall Square (PUD-KS) Overlay Zoning District. The majority of the PUD-KS District is occupied by the Volpe Transportation Systems Research Center operated by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

There’s another Ordinance Committee hearing on this topic scheduled for Tues, Dec 1. The trend of late is to load up the proposed zoning with so many constraints (affordable housing, open space, etc.) that the only way for anything to be financially feasible would be to permit building heights on the order of twice the scale of anything currently in Cambridge. Then everyone will complain about the heights. – Robert Winters

Chugging Along – Items of Interest on the Oct 19, 2015 Cambridge City Council agenda

The City Council returns for one of the last meetings prior to the Nov 3 municipal election (where I’ll again be doing the live coverage with Susana Segat). There will be a Roundtable meeting on Oct 26 on citywide planning, and one more regular meeting on the eve of the election. Here are a few items that caught my attention.

Manager’s Agenda #16. Transmitting communication from Richard C. Rossi, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 15-17, regarding a report on the feasibility of renaming Area IV.

It would have been interesting if the survey asked people in Area 4/The Port if they know if and where there was ever an actual port in this neighborhood.

Manager’s Agenda #19. Transmitting communication from Richard C. Rossi, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 15-96, relative to the future relationship between the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority and Boston Properties.

As the report makes clear, ownership of virtually all of the properties in question was transferred to Boston Properties long ago and the role of the Redevelopment Authority now consists primarily of review and the granting of development rights on the land now owned by Boston Properties.

Manager’s Agenda #22. Transmitting communication from Richard C. Rossi, City Manager, relative to Policy Order No. 12 of 9/15/14, regarding the request for a legal opinion on the proposed amendment to the Municipal Code entitled "Prohibiting the Use of Wild and Exotic Animals in Traveling Shows and Circuses; and Awaiting Report Item Number 14-98, regarding the request for information related to the proposed ordinance entitled "Prohibiting the Use of Wild and Exotic Animals in Traveling Shows and Circuses" ("Proposed Ordinance"). [attachment]

It was nice seeing the Ringling Brothers trains on the Grand Junction the last week or so. Sadly, it appears that Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus will no longer use elephants in their shows starting in 2018, so we have only two more years to watch the elephants parade along Memorial Drive.

Manager’s Agenda #24. Transmitting communication from Richard C. Rossi, City Manager, relative to the proposed Community Benefits Ordinance.

Manager’s Agenda #25. Transmitting communication from Richard C. Rossi, City Manager, relative to the establishment of the following two stabilization funds: Mitigation Revenue Stabilization Fund and the Community Benefits Stabilization Fund.

Manager’s Agenda #26. Transmitting communication from Richard C. Rossi, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $16,630,990 to the Mitigation Revenue Stabilization Fund from Free Cash.

Perhaps I’m mistaken, but I believe the discussion leading up to this proposed ordinance began five or more years ago.

Manager’s Agenda #27. Transmitting communication from Richard C. Rossi, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $3,300,000 from Free Cash to the Public Investment Fund Community Development Department Extraordinary Expenditure Account for the Citywide Planning process. [attachment]

Order #9. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the appropriate department heads to review the planning work done thus far on the Alewife bridge/platform project and to review the next steps the City can take to see the bridge constructed.   Councillor Cheung

Though I never bought into the need for another citywide process, I do hope some positive benefits are derived it. For starters, I hope that in the early stages they at least consider the possibility of a bridge over the RR tracks connecting the Alewife Triangle and the Quadrangle – a bridge for all vehicles, possibly with some restrictions, rather than just an overpass for bikes and pedestrians. Without such an overpass, Cambridepark Drive is just one long dead-end street.

Applications & Petitions #7. A zoning petition has been received from Kiril Stefan and Catherine Alexandrov, et al. to amend the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance to extend the Business BA-3 zone on Western Avenue currently in existence from Howard to Jay Streets onto the even number side of Western Avenue from #s 158-168 which is three houses from the corner of Kinnaird Street to Jay Street.

Queue up one more zoning petition.

Order #2. That the City Manager is requested to confer with relevant City departments to draft a Home Rule petition that would allow Cambridge to establish a Job Creation and Training linkage fee to be managed by a Cambridge Jobs Trust.   Councillor Cheung and Vice Mayor Benzan

This seems like a good idea, but don’t you just wish that companies doing business in Cambridge would just hire and train local workers without government intervention?

Order #3. That the City Manager is requested to consider expanding the hose distribution program indefinitely for all new trees planted in sidewalk wells or behind sidewalks and explore establishing a credit to be applied to the water bills of participants, not to exceed $50 per year.   Councillor Kelley, Vice Mayor Benzan, Councillor Cheung and Councillor McGovern

Some of us already do this. Should I ask the City to send me a $50 check?

Order #4. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the appropriate City Departments about the feasibility of a redesign contest of Carl Barron Plaza.   Vice Mayor Benzan

This may be a good idea, but the problem with CB Plaza isn’t the design. It’s the lack of involvement from the abutting property and business owners plus the fact that this is the favorite space for some of the most problematic people in the greater Central Square area. Will a change in landscaping change that?

Order #11. That the City Manager is requested to direct the Community Development Department to expedite their efforts on crafting an amendment that would not treat reasonably sized shipping container and rooftop farms as agricultural uses when they are being used as an accessory to the principal use of a business.   Councillor Cheung

Order #18. That the City Manager is requested to work with the Community Development Department and other relevant departments to draft a zoning ordinance that would see the installation of solar panels be as of right in all zoning districts in the City.   Councillor Cheung

These are two examples of desirable uses that should be permitted as-of-right with only minor restrictions to avoid potential conflict.

Order #13. That the City Manager is requested to review pedestrian and bicycle path plans for the Cambridge Common in consultation with the Community Development Department, with the intent of clarifying rules for use and minimizing potential hazards to and conflicts between cyclists and pedestrians.   Councillor Kelley

The primary rule should simply be that cyclists cannot ride at significant speed in a shared-use facility wherever and whenever pedestrians are present. This isn’t rocket science.

Order #16. That the City Manager is requested to consult with the Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department and the Department of Public Works regarding the feasibility of installing a speed bump in a suitable location on River Street in order to slow down cars racing over the bridge as they enter Cambridge.   Councillor McGovern

Traffic calming is certainly warranted on River Street in order to effect the necessary psychological shift from highway to local roads, especially for vehicles coming from the Mass Pike. A speed bump is probably not the best solution here, especially for the truck traffic. Think about what that will sound like for any nearly residential neighbors.

Order #21. That the City Manager coordinate with the appropriate departments to record, broadcast, and live-stream the scheduled Oct 26th roundtable meeting to discuss city-wide planning.   Councillor Mazen and Councillor Carlone

I wish these two rookie councillors were around 16 years ago when the idea of Roundtable meetings was first introduced. The whole point was to create a more relaxed atmosphere during these relatively infrequent meetings where there was no incentive for councillors to play to the camera.

Committee Report #4. A communication was received from Donna P. Lopez, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor Dennis J. Carlone and Vice Mayor Dennis A. Benzan, Co-Chairs of the Ordinance Committee, for a public hearing held on Sept 23, 2015 to discuss the petition filed by the CRA to amend the Zoning Ordinance in the Kendall Square Urban Renewal Plan area (KSURP) and to amend the current zoning for the MXD District in Kendall Square to reflect the proposed changes to the Plan.

The subject of this meeting is but one of several moving parts in the continually evolving greater Kendall Square area.

Communications & Reports from City Officers #1. A communication was received from Donna P. Lopez, City Clerk transmitting a response to an Open Meeting Law Complaint filed by Ilan Levy on Sept 28, 2015 and the response on said complaint.

This complaint from Ilan Levy borders on silliness. I wonder if there will be an open meeting law complaint coming regarding an Oct 18 candidate forum attended by at least six councillors that excluded people based on race or public housing status?