January 11 GAC Update
The Council met in its first regular meeting on Monday. The major issue discussed was the next steps in redeveloping the Mt. Auburn VFW site for use as a youth and community center. In State news Rep. Anne Paulsen who represents North Cambridge, Belmont and part of Arlington announced last week that she will not be a candidate for re-election this year.
Upcoming GAC Events
The 2006 Government Affairs program is sponsored by Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research.
2006 GAC Program
I am in the process of scheduling GAC events for 2006. I am planning on holding luncheons in our Board Room in February, March, and April and having an Executive Speaker Luncheon in May. I am planning on inviting the new Mayor and/or Vice Mayor to be our guest at the February meeting once elected by the Council. The GAC will also co-sponsor an Executive Speaker luncheon in March with the Women in Business Committee. Please contact me if you have suggestions for GAC programming by e-mail at tsmith@cambridgechamber.org or by phone at (617) 876-4213.
February GAC Meeting and Luncheon
The February GAC meeting and luncheon is scheduled for Tuesday February 28, 2006 at noon in the Chamber Board Room. Guest to be announced
Other Upcoming Events
Massachusetts BizBio January 12
Chamber members are invited to Massachusetts BizBio: A Prescription for Growth and Maintaining Our Edge on Thursday January 12 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Omni Parker House Hotel Main Ballroom, 60 School Street in Boston. The Chamber is co-sponsoring this event with national and local organizations in the life sciences and pharmaceutical industries. This event is free. For more information and to register go to www.mabizbio.org
January 9, 2006 City Council Meeting
The first regular meeting of the new City Council was held on Monday January 9. New Mayor Reeves clearly followed the precedent set by former Mayor Sullivan in moving the meeting along. A relatively short agenda was addressed in a relatively short period.
The major issue discussed was the redevelopment of the Mt. Auburn VFW site. The Council also received a rezoning petition from neighbors of the Blessed Sacrament church site that was recently purchased by a developer from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston.
Mt. Auburn VFW Site Redevelopment
At the last meeting of the previous City Council the Council voted to authorize the City Manager to purchase the Mt. Auburn VFW site on Huron Avenue for a Youth and Community Center. As part of the agreement the City will keep the VFW as a tenant in a redeveloped building. Several dance groups that rented the VFW for events have come forward in the past several months asking the City to maintain the large hall for community events. This had not been part of the City’s original plans. The Council passed an order asking the City to not proceed on construction without further discussions with interested parties and scheduled a roundtable meeting for February 13, 2006.
Rezoning Petition for Blessed Sacrament Site
The Council received a zoning petition from a group called the Neighbors and Abutters of Blessed Sacrament (NABS) seeking a number of changes to the zoning code in response to plans put forward by the developer who purchased this property from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston.
The petition requests amendments to the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance to Sections 5.28 Special Dimensional Standards Applicable to Dwellings, Article 5.28.27 Criteria for Approval of a Special Permit and Article 6.12 (d). The developer is planning residential development using existing structures on the church site. The Council passed changes in the parking requirements for residential properties last year in response to concerns about the future use of this site. Stay tuned. The Council referred to the Ordinance Committee and Planning Board for hearing.
State House News
Last week State Representative Anne Paulsen announced that she will not be a candidate for re-election to the State Legislature. Rep. Paulsen’s district included North Cambridge, Belmont and part of Arlington. She has represented Cambridge only since 2002 when Cambridge was added to her Belmont-centered district following the 2000 census. News reports suggest that the likely candidates for this seat will come from Belmont which is the largest part of the district.
