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January 24, 2007 GAC Update
Cambridge City Councillor and former Mayor Anthony Galluccio spoke at yesterday’s GAC meeting filling in for scheduled gust Vice Mayor and State Representative Timothy Toomey who had to cancel due to roll call votes in the State House of Representatives.
The Council met on Monday and discussed ZipCars, housing, reconstruction of the BU Bridge and City Boards and Commissions. The Council meets next week in a roundtable session with the School Committee. The Council’s Economic Development Committee meets next Tuesday to discuss the License Commission cap policy.
Upcoming GAC Events
The 2007 Government Affairs program is sponsored by Genzyme.
February GAC
To be announced
City Manager Robert Healy Guest for March GAC
Cambridge City Manager Robert Healy will be out guest at the March 27 GAC luncheon and meeting which will be held at noon at the Chamber Board Room. GAC members mentioned last fall that they would to hear from the City Manager annually so this is your opportunity.
Please e-mail tsmith@cambridgechamber.org or phone (617) 876-4213 if you plan to attend.
Galluccio Addresses GAC
City Councillor and former Mayor Anthony Galluccio was our guest at the January GAC meeting. The GAC also heard a brief report from Chamber Director of Government Affairs on program planning during 2007 including the creation of several sub-committees and speakers to be scheduled during the year. Smith also thanked Genzyme, represented by Ann Stanesa, for sponsoring the GAC in 2007.
Galluccio discussed housing, the City’s capital program, and services to youth. He noted that lack of state and federal funding has made it difficult for the Cambridge Housing Authority to adequately operate and maintain some housing developments and noted that this is of particular concern with state-funded developments. This issue was also raised at Monday’s City Council meeting where the Council received reports from the City Manager on CHA issues. City Manager Agenda Item 3 and City Manager Agenda Item 4). He also discussed the need for more family-sized housing in Cambridge which was also discussed at Monday’s Council meeting.
The City is in the midst of several major capital projects including the new central library, the new public safety building, the new West Cambridge Youth and Community Center, and planned renovations at Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School. Galluccio noted that because of sound fiscal management these projects will cost no more than 3% of the entire City budget at the most expensive period of development. He said that the City is able to engage in these projects because it created a debt service fund several years ago in anticipation of these projects and because the City’s AAA bond rating reduces the cost of debt to the City.
Galluccio also discussed his work with Cambridge youth including serving as the strength and conditioning coach for the high school football team this season and his work with Councillor Marjorie Decker and other members of the Council to improve the programs at the City’s youth centers. He invited members of the business committee who have experience working with the youth centers to pass comments on ways to improve programs to him and mentioned that he and Councillor Decker have begun a series of meetings at the City’s youth centers to identify opportunities to make these centers work better for Cambridge youth.
January 22, 2007 City Council Meeting
The Council met on Monday and received reports from the Manager on resident parking of ZipCars, housing policies in Vancouver, and reconstruction of the BU Bridge. Councillors submitted several orders regarding membership and workings of the Cities Boards and Commissions.
Cambridge-Based ZipCars Allowed to Park in Resident Permit Parking
The Council submitted an order several months ago regarding allowing users of ZipCars, a Chamber member and Cambridge–based company that provides car-sharing services, to park in resident permit spaces. The City’s Director of Traffic, Transportation and Parking reported to the Council that ZipCars based in Cambridge will have resident parking permits during 2007 which will allow them to be parked in permit spaces throughout the City. A copy of the report is available at City Manager Agenda Item 1.
Vancouver’s Housing Policies
The Council received a report from the Community Development Department regarding policies the city of Vancouver, British Columbia Canada has established to encourage families to live in the City’s downtown area and any lessons Cambridge could learn from these policies. The report notes that Vancouver allows residential construction throughout its downtown area and has guidelines that include that, as a goal, 25% of new housing be appropriate for families. The report also notes that the housing built and being built in Vancouver is typically high rise with densities greater than 30 units per acre and that buildings are as high as 35 to 45 stories.
The report notes that a review of the largest residential developments in Cambridge found that 43% of units have 2 or more bedrooms and 75% of affordable units have 2 or more bedrooms. The Council passed a late order asking the special permit guidelines be developed requiring three or more bedroom units. A copy of the report is available at City Manager Agenda Item 5 and a copy of the order is available at City Council Policy Order 14.
Repairs to the BU Bridge
In response to a Council order the City Manager reported that while the State hopes to do major repair work on the BU Bridge, the State has a consultant preparing plans for repairing deficiencies to the BU Bridge the State has not yet developed a construction management plan nor has funds been secured for this project. The Council passed an order requesting that the State Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), the agency responsible for the bridge, begin community meetings regarding repairs to the bridge during the spring of 2007. A copy of the report is available at City Manager Agenda Item 15 and a copy of the order is available at City Council Policy Order 11.
City Boards and Commission
The City relies on boards, commissions, and committees of citizens for a number of responsibilities ranging from the Planning Board and Board of Zoning Appeals to the Women’s Commission and ad hoc Leaf Blower Committee. The orders ask for a list of all boards, agencies, commissions, committees and similar bodies, training for members of these groups including the mission of each group and responsibilities of members, and an update on the requested Special Committee to study the impact on Cambridge of the Harvard-Allston campus. In discussion Councillors suggested that the City list the membership of boards, commission and committees minutes of meetings on the City website. An order was amended requesting information on what it would require to post this information on the City’s website. The orders are available at City Council Policy Order 6, City Council Policy Order 7 and City Council Policy Order 8.
