April 5, 2006 GAC Update

The City Council met on Monday and the Planning Board met on Concord-Alewife Rezoning Tuesday.

April 3, 2006 City Council Meeting

The Council meeting included a long discussion about the City’s tree-trimming and planting program, a long discussion about School Department spending, a report from the City Manager on the City’s possible purchase of MBTA property in Harvard Square, a Councillor using his Charter Right on an air easement for a fire escape and on an applications by a restaurant for outdoor seating.

Tree Trimming and Replacement
The City Manager’s agenda included two requests for appropriation of funds related to the City’s tree planting and replacement program.  These orders resulted in a discussion about the City’s tree program, when the City decides to remove a tree, how the replacement program works, and how trees are maintained.  What was lost in the discussion was the point of the items, funding for the planting of approximately 120 trees as replacements or at new sites by citizen request and the panting of 32 trees funded by Harvard University in various areas of the City.

School Department Spending
A discussion on spending priorities of the School Department resulted from two items on the City Manager’s agenda requesting transfer of funds within the School Department budget.  Both the City Manager and School Superintendent Fowler-Finn reported that the funds were now for one-time expenditures and not available for recurring expenditures.  The discussion focused less on the one-time uses of these funds than larger policy issues such as student reading scores.  While the discussion was somewhat interesting the School Committee, as was pointed out by both school and city administrators and several Councillors, is responsible for establishing the School Department priorities and not the Council.

City Purchase of MBTA Property in Harvard Square
A newspaper report that the MBTA is planning on selling a piece of property on Bennett Street in Harvard Square resulted in an order from the Council requesting the City Manager to look at the feasibility of the City purchasing the property for economic development.  The Manager reported back to the Council that it is not possible to determine the value of the land because the MBTA will retain certain rights to use of the property.  The Manager reported that it will not be possible to value the property until the MBTA issues and RFP.  This led to a discussion about possible uses, including a Museum of Cambridge History, of the property and a request that the Manger “stay on top” of this.

Charter Rights
Under the rules of the City Council and member can remove an item for consideration until the next meeting using his or her rights under the Charter.  The item is then placed on the Calendar for the next meeting.  If the item is not acted on at the next meeting of the City Council it is removed from the Calendar.

Two items of interest were removed using the Charter Right, both by Councillor Craig Kelley, and in both cases Councillor Kelley requested additional process at his requested holding off on action until the applicants went through additional process not required by City ordinance or regulation.  One of the items was a request for an aerial easement over public sidewalk for a fire escape.

The other item was a restaurant’s application for permission to add tables and chairs on the sidewalk in front of the premises.  The Charter Right and request for additional process was interesting in this case because Councillor Kelley made this request after joining his colleagues in supporting three other requests by restaurants on Monday’s agenda.  The Council’s action in these matters is to referral the matter to the City Manager with Power.

Planning Board Public Hearing on Concord-Alewife Zoning Petition

The Planning Board held a public hearing on the Concord-Alewife Zoning petition on Tuesday, April 4.  Community Development Department staff noted that this is the third time this petition has been filed and gave a brief presentation on the proposed zoning changes.  It should be pointed out here that everyone I have spoken with about the Concord-Alewife Plan and the proposed zoning changes appreciate the work that went into this process by Community Development and other City staff and the members of the Concord-Alewife Planning Study Committee.

Much of the public comment was by property owners in the area who asked whether the reductions in density proposed by the rezoning would accomplish the larger goals for the area, including addressing flooding issues, improving transportation connections, and establishing a community with a sense of place.  Property owners were concerned that the large reduction in Floor Area Ratio (FAR) proposed in the zoning petition would remove significant incentives for redevelopment of properties and several suggested that development be allowed up to the current FAR under Special Permit provisions.

Planning Board members expressed interest in comments by property owners and requested additional analysis by Community development staff with a focus on the density issue.  Community Development staff reported that they are in the process of doing much of the analysis requested in time for the City Council Ordinance Committee hearing on April 26.  The Planning Board decided to delay a recommendation on the zoning changes until after that analysis is available and will continue discussions at the May 2 Planning Board meeting.  The Planning Board also decided to keep this matter open for public comment.  If you have an interest in this area and have not expressed your views to the Planning Board and the City Council you are encouraged to do so.

I have included members of the Concord-Alewife business community on this week’s Government Affairs update as the major report is on Wednesday’s GAC meeting and luncheon presentation on the Concord-Alewife planning process and the recently re-filed rezoning petition on Tuesday.

The Planning Board has put the re-filed Concord-Alewife rezoning petition on its agenda for 7:40 p.m. at the April 4 meeting.  The City Council has scheduled an Ordinance Committee meeting on this petition for April 26.

The City Council held a round table meeting on Monday with the School Committee to discuss the school Department Budget and other issues.  I did not attend this meeting.

The State Office of Minority and Women Business Assistance (SOMWBA) will hold a free certification workshop on Tuesday, April 11th, 2006, from 10:00 a.m. to1:00 pm., at the City Hall Annex, Large Conference Room, 344 Broadway, Floor 2, in Cambridge.

GAC Presentation on Concord-Alewife Plan and Rezoning Petition

The Government Affairs Committee met on Tuesday March 28.  Our guest was Assistant Director of Community Development Susan Glazer who gave a presentation on the Concord-Alewife Plan and proposed rezoning petition.  Ms. Glazer was accompanied by Beth Rubenstein, Assistant City Manager for Community Development and Stuart Dash, Director of Neighborhood Planning.  Cambridge City Councillor Craig Kelley also attended.  Participants included members of the GAC, and Chamber members and other property owners and business people in the Concord-Alewife area.

Ms. Glazer said that the Concord-Alewife area is the last large industrial area in Cambridge available for new development.  The planning study and rezoning proposals are an outgrowth of the Citywide rezoning process.  She described how the study divides the area into sub-areas.  The rezoning petition proposes changes to the zoning in all areas saved the residential area know as the Highlands.  The plan and the proposed zoning changes came out of a process that began in 2003 and included residents and property owners in the area.  The sub-areas are:

• Cambridge Highlands, a primarily residential area on the Cambridge-Belmont border
• The Triangle, an area bounded by Alewife Brook Parkway, the Alewife Brook reservation, and railroad tracks
• The Quadrangle, bounded by the eastern edge of the Highlands, Concord Avenue, Alewife Brook Parkway, and railroad tracks
• The Fresh Pond Shopping Center

The study and the proposed re-zoning addresses four major issues:

• Density and Height:  Under the Citywide rezoning density was reduced by 25% in this area.  The proposed changes would further reduce allowable density.  The zoning is designed to shift density away from the Highlands to areas served better by transit,
• Infrastructure:  The plan identifies infrastructure improvements including roadway segment connections; a bike and pedestrian bridge connecting the Alewife MBTA station to the Quadrangle; passive open space; and storm water management improvements.  The rezoning provides FAR bonuses for infrastructure improvements such as the pedestrian/bicycle bridge.
• Traffic:  Traffic analysis done in this area has found that much of the traffic neither begins nor ends in Cambridge.  Ms. Glazer said that the City’s ability to address regional transportation issues limits how the City can address larger congestion issues in this area but analysis of development likely to occur during the next twenty years under the proposed zoning would reduce overall traffic growth.
• Environment:  The plan identifies opportunities to improve flood control and open space in the area and imposes new permeable area requirements.

Following her presentation the floor was open for questions and comments.  She was asked about flooding in the area and responded that the plan and zoning changes both are designed to address flooding in the area.  She also noted that building in flood areas are governed by State regulations and oversight by the Cambridge Conservation Commission.

The rezoning petition includes provisions for Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) and she was asked a question about this provision.  Ms. Glazer responded that TDR offers and additional tool for developers.  Under the TDR provisions property owners west of Smith Place could sell their development rights to property owners east of Smith Place.  TDR projects would require a Special Permit.

Several questions were asked about the decision to down zone even projects proposed under the Special Permit requirements.  One person suggested that the Special Permit limits should be the current as of right limits.  Participants were concerned that the limits would hamper the overall goals of the plan.  One person noted that the Planning Board, reviewing project through the Special Permit process, would have significant opportunities to limit overall development in the area while approving projects that help address goals of the plan.

Several questions were asked about traffic and congestion in the area and when the proposed pedestrian/bike bridge would be completed.  The plan, according to Ms. Glazer, is designed to reduce growth in traffic.  Funding has not been identified for the bridge but incentives are included to encourage private funding.  The City will also look for outside sources of funding for this project.

City staff encouraged participants to make their issues known to staff and to members of the City Council.

Al Wilson of Wilson Cambridge Realty Trust, who, with Spaulding & Slye, arranged for this meeting to be held at 150 Cambridge Park Drive, made a brief presentation on the opportunity to create a grade crossing of the railroad tracks that would connect Cambridge Park Drive and Smith Place.  He has been looking at this for a number of years and feels that this is a worthwhile solution for traffic issues in the area.  He also discussed the need for an MBTA commuter rail station in the area.

Mr. Wilson introduced James Dunbar, a Senior Director with O’Neill and Associates who has been working with Mr. Wilson on this issue.  Mr. Dunbar noted that studies have been included in legislative bond bills but funds have yet to be appropriated.  He also mentioned discussions with the MBTA regarding the commuter rail station.  Mr. Dunbar also mentioned that he has been discussing establishing a Concord-Alewife Business Association with area businesses.

Go to http://www.cambridgema.gov/~CDD/cp/zng/concalew/index.html to review the Concord-Alewife Plan and the Zoning petition.  Copies are available by contacting the Community Development Department.  I have a limited number of copies of the four-page handout from the meeting which I can send on a first come basis.  Please contact me if you would like a copy.

Thanks again to Susan Glazer, Beth Rubenstein, and Stuart Dash for their presentation and to Al Wilson and Spaulding & Slye for hosting the meeting.

For a listing of public meetings, visit the Public Meetings link or the Public Meeting Notices area of the City of Cambridge Web site.