April 28, 2008 City Council Meeting

The Council met on Monday and received the FY 09 Budget, reports regarding the supposed exodus of life science companies from Cambridge, reports regarding planned studies by the Community Development Department regarding the re-use of church properties and land-use policies regarding aging in place, and a report on restricting residential parking permits to residents of new developments and a report recommending against the City ceding control of parkland to the State.

The Council reconsidered and passed amended versions of two orders passed at the April 14 meeting, received a petition asking for zoning changes to allow for the development of a hotel in the Porter Square neighborhood, and passed policy orders regarding repealing an ordinance prohibiting placing flyers on utility poles, requesting a long-term plan for moving utility lines underground, and an update on the proposed trans fat ban.

Reports from the City Manager
City Manager Agenda Item 8 responds to a Council order regarding “the exodus of biotech companies from Cambridge.” The report makes clear that, despite recent newspaper articles, the biotech and life science industry maintains a strong and vibrant presence in Cambridge. According to the response from Robert Reardon, Director of City Assessing and Beth Rubenstein, Assistant City Manager for Community Development “Companies are continuing to choose Cambridge based on several factors including, the ease of finding talented employees at all levels, consistent and reasonable regulatory requirements and a high quality of life.” The report later notes that additional square footage of development will be needed for the life science industry to continue to grow in Cambridge.

City Manager Agenda Item 9 transmits the budget for Fiscal Year 2009 which begins on July 1, 2008. The transmittal includes tables summarizing the FY 2009 Budget. According to the City Manager’s Budget Message the FY 2009 budget is proposed to be $434,126,990 which is a 5% increase from the current year. Increases are due to increases in employee salaries, health insurance and pensions, increased assessment from the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority and the State, and increases in debt service and energy costs. The impact of this budget on property taxes will not be available until the fall. It is anticipated that the levy increase will be 5.68% but, despite a report in the local press, that does not necessarily translate to a specific increase in and individual property owners’ taxes. The City has provided a link to the FY 2009 Budget on-line at http://www.cambridgema.gov/deptann.cfm?story_id=1680.

City Manager Agenda Item 12 and City Manager Agenda Item 13 respond to Council requests regarding zoning changes related to former church properties and policies to encourage older residents to remain in their homes. The Manager reports that the Community Development Department will be conducting analysis on these issues over the next several months.

City Manager Agenda Item 19 responds to a Council request to develop regulations to restrict the issuance of resident parking permits for new buildings. The City Manager reports that this was done as part of a unique agreement with Harvard University for a specific development. In discussion the City Manager said that the legislation that enables the City to operate a Resident Parking program limits the City’s ability to create a general policy limiting the issuance of parking permits.

Council Policy Orders

City Council Policy Order 1 asks that the existing City Ordinance that prohibits flyers on utility poles be replaced by an ordinance that would allow some organizations to place flyers on utility poles. The matter was referred to the Ordinance Committee.

City Council Policy Order 4 asks for a long-term plan to bury utility wires and suggests that funds be used for this purpose that are anticipated from a recent ruling, now being appealed, that certain telecommunication wires that hare currently tax-exempt be taxed. In discussion the issue of making the Cambridge electric system a municipal entity was raised. Mayor Simmons said that she is planning on meetings in the near future on this issue.

City Council Policy Order 10 asks for an update on the proposal to ban trans fats in Cambridge restaurants. 


Committee Reports

Committee Report 1 provides information from a Council Finance Committee meeting on an update to the FY 2009 Budget process.

Committee Report 3 reports on a meeting of the Health and Environment Committee for a status report on the Cambridge Energy Alliance.

Committee Report 4 is a report from a meeting of the Neighborhood and Long Range Planning Committee regarding the Committee’s agenda for the current Council term. The Community development department provided some interesting information on its reviews of development proposals expected during the coming year.

The Council received a petition, Applications and Petitions Item 6, to rezone the site of the Kaya restaurant in Porter Square to allow for a proposed hotel development. This development had previously come before the Board of Zoning Appeals for a number of variances. Many of the direct abutters to this site have signed the petition and spoke in favor of this action at Monday’s Council meeting. The petition was referred to the Planning Board and the Ordinance Committee.

The Council had two items on the Reconsideration Agenda regarding orders passed at the April 14 meeting. Item 1, Policy Order 4 from the April 14 meeting, regarding split-lot zoning under Massachusetts law was amended and referred to the Ordinance Committee. Item 2, Policy Order 5 from the April 14 meeting, regarding to the public nature of e-mails to and from public officials was amended and referred to the Government Operations Committee.