A Long Look at a Short Meeting – Sept 27, 2021 Cambridge City Council Agenda
It’s a relatively compact agenda this week. Here are some of the seemingly more significant items on the agenda:
Manager’s Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an update on COVID-19.
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0
Unfinished Business #5. That the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Cambridge be amended to allow the service of postoperative care for a dog (Ordinance #2021-16). [Referred to Committee In Council June 28, 2021; Passed to a Second Reading In Council Sept 13, 2021; To Be Ordained on or after Sept 27, 2021]
Ordained 9-0
Resolution #2. Thanks to Michael Monestime for his five years of work as Executive Director of the Central Square Business Association and best wishes in his future endeavors. Councillor Simmons, Councillor McGovern, Vice Mayor Mallon, Mayor Siddiqui
Resolution Adopted 9-0
Those of us who have been actively involved for a long time in trying to restore Central Square to its full potential will testify as to just how long people talked without success about establishing a Business Improvement District (hint – it was more than a quarter-century). Getting that level of agreement among many property owners was, as the saying goes, like herding cats. It was only when two main stars came into alignment that the impossible became possible – the energetic, take-no-prisoners efforts of Patrick Barrett, and the charismatic, hard-working, and relentlessly optimistic presence of Michael Monestime.
From there the approval of the BID seemed almost easy because of the level of well-founded faith that everyone had in these two individuals to make things happen and to make things happen right. They chose great people for their staff and as their ambassadors on the street, and they managed to strike the right balance with City management and the City departments in terms of responsibility and initiative while being respectful of the surrounding neighborhoods. The pandemic was the ultimate test of not only how well the City could work with the BID, but also how well the BID could work with the local business community to find ways to survive the storm. Starlight Square is just one shining example, but there was much more and there will be much more.
Not every business weathered the storm, but the Central Square business district in now well-positioned to emerge in good shape. Michael Monestime was a big part of how we got through this and why there is continued cause for optimism. Michael has the Midas touch, so look for great things in all that he does from here.
Order #1. Resolution Condemning the Treatment of Haitian Immigrants in Texas. Councillor Simmons, Councillor Carlone, Councillor McGovern, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Toomey, Councillor Zondervan, Mayor Siddiqui
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0
Order #3. Affirming Reproductive Freedom. Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Simmons
Order Adopted 8-0-0-1 (Toomey – Present)
Order #5. End Title 42 Deportations. Councillor Zondervan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Carlone
Order Adopted 9-0
I’m not sure that all national and foreign policy will yield to the exhortations of the Cambridge City Council, but knock yourselves out.
Order #2. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to reach out to the owner of 689 Massachusetts Avenue to inquire about the prospect of selling this building to the City of Cambridge, and to report back to the City Council on this matter in a timely manner. Councillor Simmons
Order Adopted 9-0
While I suppose the City could grab this building at significant cost to house the City Council aides or for some other purpose, this really is in the core of the Central Square business district and I would hate to see it turned over to institutional use. That said, Councillor Simmons has long advocated for some sort of Cambridge-specific museum to showcase our long history. I don’t know if this would be a good museum location or if that might be a part of the future uses at this site, but I still would like to see more active ground-level activity throughout Central Square.
Order #6. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the staff at the Cambridge Historical Commission, the DCR Commissioner, and members of Cambridge’s state delegation to approve, fund and execute the design and installation of a suitable historic marker by April 2022 to recognize the vision of Frederick Law Olmsted and others in transforming the Cambridge riverfront landscape, and report back on their progress before the end of the current Council term. Councillor Carlone, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Zondervan
Order Adopted 9-0
This is a great idea. Though some people would be more than happy to tear down much of Cambridge as they worship at the altar of higher density, it’s nice to see that other people still want to celebrate some of the good planning and vision of those who came before us. The riverfront is just one example. There are also a lot of great neighborhoods that are spectacular just as they are.
Committee Report #1. The Ordinance Committee met to conduct a public hearing on Apr 8, 2021 to discuss the Cambridge Missing Middle Housing Zoning Petition (Ordinance #2021-2).
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0
Speaking of worshiping at the altar of higher density, this cobweb-covered committee report is on a densification proposal that expired in July but which will likely rise from the dead when it’s more politically expedient to ram through an even worse iteration. It continues to amaze me how some people see significantly higher density as an end in itself without regard to a wide range of other considerations. Let’s try this one more time – Cambridge is already among the most densely developed and densely developed cities in both Massachusetts and the entire United States.
By the way, the committee report indicates that this meeting that is only now being reported 6 months after the fact was not actually adjourned, but recessed. That means that if they should ever decide to reopen the meeting they can just blow off any additional public testimony. That would likely suit some of the councillors just fine – because they’re not actually listening to anyone except the choir. – Robert Winters
