Neighborhood Consternation Districts – February 28, 2022 Cambridge City Council Agenda
The densifiers are massing at the borders of Cambridge neighborhoods. The next few weeks and months should prove interesting as appointees to neighborhood conservation districts, the Historical Commission, and other boards may find themselves in the crosshairs of densifiers and control freaks. There’s even a City Council order this week that seeks to redefine, and perhaps eviscerate, neighborhood conservation districts. We’ll see how the review of board appointments plays out, but at this point I fully expect to soon be saying: “I told you so.”
Here are some items of interest on this week’s agenda:
Manager’s Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a COVID-19 update.
pulled by Siddiqui; Placed on File 9-0
Manager’s Agenda #3. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the reappointment of Michael P. Gardner as a member of the Cambridge Retirement Board for a term of three years, effective Mar 1, 2022.
Charter Right – Mallon
Manager’s Agenda #4. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appointment of Maxwell Solet as a new member of the Board of Trustee of the Cambridge Health Alliance for a term to expire June 30, 2024.
Charter Right – Mallon
Manager’s Agenda #5. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to approval requested for new appointments and reappointment to Open Data Review Board for a term of two year.
Charter Right – Mallon
Manager’s Agenda #7. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to approval requested for reappointment and new appointment to the Water Board.
Charter Right – Mallon
Manager’s Agenda #8. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to approval requested for reappointments to the Fresh Pond Master Plan Advisory Board.
Charter Right – Mallon
Manager’s Agenda #10. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to approval requested for new appointments and reappointments to the Mid Cambridge Neighborhood Conservation District Commission.
Charter Right – Mallon
Manager’s Agenda #11. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to approval requested for a new appointment and reappointments to the Avon Hill Neighborhood Conservation District Commission.
Charter Right – Mallon
Manager’s Agenda #12. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to approval requested for reappointments to the Half Crown-Marsh Neighborhood Conservation District Commission.
Charter Right – Mallon
Manager’s Agenda #13. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to approval requested for a new appointment and reappointments to the Historical Commission.
Charter Right – Mallon
Order #11. Amendment to Chapter 2.78 of the Cambridge Code of Ordinance, entitled “Historical Buildings and Landmarks.” Councillor McGovern, Councillor Simmons, Vice Mayor Mallon
pulled by Toner; Solicitor explains that this is a City Ordinance under Home Rule, not subject to M.G.L. Ch. 40C, and may be amended by City Council; Referred to NLTP Committee 5-4 (motion of Zondervan) [Carlone, Nolan, Toner, Zondervan, Siddiqui – YES; Azeem, Mallon, McGovern, Simmons – NO]
Manager’s Agenda #14. 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.[Moody’s] [S&P] [Fitch]
pulled by Toner; Placed on File 9-0
Manager’s Agenda #15. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the Climate Resilience Zoning Task Force Report.
pulled by Nolan; referred to Health & Environment Committee 9-0 (motion of Nolan)
Manager’s Agenda #16. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a request for approval of the special act that has been enacted by the Legislature and signed by the Governor, entitled “Chapter 19 of the Acts of 2022, An Act Authorizing the City of Cambridge to Use Certain Land for General Municipal Purposes and the Installation of Subsurface Geothermal Wells” at the Father Callanan Playground and Fields in conjunction with the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper Schools Project.[Tobin Article 97 Plan] [Tobin Art 97 Special Act Parchment] [Tobin Special Act Order]
Order Adopted 9-0
Manager’s Agenda #17. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a communication from City Solicitor Nancy E. Glowa, relative to a further response to Awaiting Report Item Number 21-93 regarding a report on proposed amendments to the Municipal Code relative to recent charter changes.
pulled by Nolan; Placed on File, Referred to Ordinance Committee 9-0 (motion of Zondervan)
On The Table #4. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 21-93, regarding proposed amendments to the Municipal Code relative to recent charter changes. (Ordinance #2022-2). [Charter Right – Nolan, Jan 31, 2022; Tabled Feb 7, 2022]
Refer to Ordinance Committee 9-0 (motion of Zondervan)
Charter Right #1. That Article 10.000 of the Zoning Ordinances of the City of Cambridge be amended to insert a new section 10.600, titled “On-Site Fossil Fuel Infrastructure”. [Charter Right – Zondervan, Feb 7, 2022]
Placed on File 9-0 (based on negative opinion from Atty. Gen. Maura Healey on comparable proposed ordinance in Brookline)
Charter Right #2. That section 6.36 entitled, Schedule of Parking and Loading Requirements, of Article 6.000, entitled “Off Street Parking And Loading Requirements And Nighttime Curfew On Large Commercial Through Trucks”, of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Cambridge be amended. [Charter Right – Simmons, Feb 7, 2022]
Referred to Transportation & Public Utilities Committee 9-0
Charter Right #3. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct staff from the Community Development and Law Departments to examine the Zoning Ordinance and provide amendment language for consideration by the City Council to remove all other references to parking minimums, including in Articles 13.000, 14.000, 15.000, 16.000, 17.000, and 20.000. [Charter Right – Simmons, Feb 7, 2022]
Referred to Transportation & Public Utilities Committee 9-0
Applications & Petitions #5. A Zoning Petition has been received from Craig A. Kelley regarding The Cambridge Transportation De-Carbonization and Congestion-Mitigation Bill.
Charter Right – Carlone
113 Communications covering various topics but overwhelmingly about bike lanes.
Placed on File 9-0
Order #5. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Economic Development division and other appropriate departments with the intention of conducting a study to collect relevant economic data relating to business impacts from bike lane installations now and for a full year once the bike network is completed, positive or negative, which will help inform future installations of bike lanes along commercial corridors. Councillor McGovern, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Toner, Councillor Carlone
Order Adopted 9-0 as Amended
Resolution #2. Thanks to Anne Shuhler and the entire Classic Graphx team for more than 35 years of exemplary service to the people and businesses of Cambridge. Councillor Simmons
Resolution #8. That the City Council go on record thanking Izzy Maldonado and his family for over 41 years of serving up some of the finest comfort food in Cambridge at Izzy’s Restaurant & Sub Shop, and in wishing the family well as the beloved institution passes into memory. Councillor Simmons
Resolution #11. Happy 80th Birthday wishes to Peter Valentine. Councillor Zondervan
Order #3. That the City Manager is requested to amend all existing Host Community Agreements previously issued by the City by reducing the Impact Fee to 0.05% of Gross Revenue and to refrain from placing this burden upon any future HCAs that may yet be issued. Councillor Simmons, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Toner, Councillor Azeem
Charter Right – Zondervan
Order #4. That the Mayor is requested to schedule a Special Meeting of the City Council and invite the Mayor of Somerville, Somerville City Councillors, the Cambridge Police Department, the Somerville Police Department, and others to discuss how to work together to address the gun activity taking place between our youth in our communities. Councillor McGovern, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Simmons, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Toner, Councillor Azeem, Councillor Carlone, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Zondervan
Adopted 8-0-1 as Amended (Siddiqui ABSENT)
Order #7. That a City Manager Search ad-hoc committee of the Cambridge City Council be formed for the purpose of reviewing and selecting self-nominated residents and stakeholders to be on the candidate preliminary screening committee. Mayor Siddiqui
Order Adopted 9-0
Order #10. That the City Manager is requested to work with DCR to pilot an expansion of Memorial Drive closures along any segments east of Western Avenue that could be used as parkland. Councillor Zondervan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Azeem, Councillor Nolan
Charter Right – Simmons
Committee Report #1. The Neighborhood and Long-Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts and Celebrations Committee met on Oct 13, 2021, to conduct a public hearing to discuss the long-term plan for school buildings, including a systemwide summary of status of plans, update on current projects, any plans for future relocations, and projections for enrollment changes over time. [Report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0
Committee Report #2. The Health & Environment Committee and the Human Services & Veterans Committee met on Dec 8, 2021, to discuss the redesign of Carl Barron Plaza with a special focus on the needs of the unhoused community and the ideas presented within Communication #10 from the Oct 18, 2021, regular meeting. [Report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0
Committee Report #3. The Ordinance Committee met on Dec 15, 2021, to conduct a public hearing on the Off Street Parking Zoning petition (Ord #2021-23) [Report not available]
Present: unknown – no report
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0 (even though there was no report)
Committee Report #4. The Human Services and Veterans Committee met on Dec 16, 2021, to hold a public hearing to receive a report from the Department of Human Services Programs regarding changes made to DHSP after school programs. [Report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0
Communications & Reports #2. A communication was received from Councillor Simmons, transmitting a memorandum regarding Final Report of the Cambridge Advisory Committee on City Art, Monuments, & Markers.
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0
Communications & Reports #3. A communication was received from Councillor Nolan and Councillor Carlone regarding FY24 budget priorities.
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0
Late Resolution #12. Support potential Green Line extension to Porter Square. Councillor Nolan, Mayor Siddiqui
Resolution Adopted 9-0
Late Order #12. That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to light City Hall blue and yellow this week in honor of Ukraine. Mayor Siddiqui
Order Adopted 9-0
Additional details may follow.