August 9, 2006 GAC Update
The City Council met on Monday in its scheduled Special Summer meeting. As would be expected after five weeks without a meeting the agenda was full. Today’s update includes reports on a proposal to change the distribution of Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds to reduce the amount for affordable housing, several agenda items regarding construction and building regulations and changes to the Zoning Ordinance.
Next week’s Update will provide a report on agenda items regarding litter and City beautification efforts, traffic and parking issues, employment opportunities for Cambridge residents, and university property ownership.
The Council’s Public Facilities Art and Celebrations Committee will meet tonight, Wednesday, August 9, at 4:30 p.m. in City Hall to discuss a report received from the City Manager on amendments to the Municipal Code to ban leaf blowers. A copy of the report is available at City Manager’s Report 9 from the June 26, 2006 City Council meeting.
The next GAC meeting is scheduled for September 26th. This will be a working meeting to discuss members’ ideas for the Committee for the next couple of years. I have provided a draft agenda below. An Executive Speaker luncheon is being planned for October 24 and a regular GAC meeting is planned for November 28.
Upcoming GAC Events
The 2006 Government Affairs program is sponsored by Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research.
The GAC will meet on Tuesday September 26th, 2006 at noon in the Chamber Board Room. The topic will be a discussion among those GAC members about the direction of this committee for the next couple of years. A draft agenda is provided below:
Draft Agenda
1. Welcome and Introductions
2. Events
Summary of GAC activities since December 2003
Planned events Fall 2006 to 2008
Opportunity for committee members to suggest events
3. Other Activities
Need for/interest in a steering committee
Need for/interest in policy specific sub-committees
Need for/interest in other GAC activities
Please let me know if you plan to attend or if you have any suggestions for this draft agenda.
Also let me know if you think this meeting is unnecessary and I’ll find a speaker for a more usual GAC guest speaker luncheon. Please send your thoughts on this matter to me at tsmith@cambridgechamber.org or phone me at 617-876-4213.
August 7, 2006 City Council Meeting
The City Manager had 31 items on his agenda for Monday’s Special Summer meeting, the Council approved more than 175 ceremonial resolutions and policy orders included more than 50 items. A proposal to change distribution of Community Preservation Act fund failed on a vote of 1 for, 7 against, and 1 absent. This week’s Update includes reports on agenda items regarding construction and building regulations and changes to the Zoning Ordinance.
Next week’s Update will provide a report on agenda items regarding litter and City beautification efforts, traffic and parking issues, employment opportunities for Cambridge residents, and university property ownership.
CPA Fund Distribution Change Fails
The Council voted down a proposal from Councillor Kelley to change the current distribution of Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds from 80% for housing and 10% each for passive open space and historic preservation to 40% for housing and 30% each for open space and historic preservation. The order also would have limited purchase of land for passive open space to property in the Cambridge City limits.
The Chamber was an active supporter of the CPA in 2001 and at that time supported the 80-10-10 distribution of funds. Requests for CPA funds are reviewed by the Community Preservation Act Committee as required by City Ordinance and the State’s Community Preservation Act. This Committee has in the past approved use of open space funding to purchase land outside of the City to protect the source of Cambridge’s water supply. This is apparently the reason for the proposed restriction on where open space could be purchased using CPA funds.
In discussion several Councillors noted that affordable housing remains one of the Cities major priorities. Councillors also were unsure whether the Council has the authority to make changes in distribution under the statute.
(Section 2.122.050 of the City Ordinances defines the authority of the CPA Committee to recommend the use of CPA funds. The CPA Act statutes are provided in Sections 3 to 7 of Chapter 44B of the General Laws of Massachusetts.)
Construction and Building Regulations
The Council received a report from the City Manager in response to a Council Order regarding the City’s policy on idling construction vehicles at construction sites and several Policy Orders regarding construction practices. The Manager reported that the City’s policy is that construction vehicles may idle as long as the power from the engine is needed to operate equipment. The Police Department is responsible for responding to idling complaints. In discussion the Manager noted that typically operators are told to turn of their engine. Several Councillors asked that the Police go beyond that and write more tickets for idling. A copy of the report is available at City Manager’s Report 7.
The Council also received a number of policy orders regarding construction practices. Policy Order 8 requests the City Solicitor to draft an Ordinance requiring dust control at construction sites, Policy Order 46 proposes a new Noise Affidavit, Policy Order 47 requests changes in City Ordinances to eliminate the exemption to noise limitations for impact work, and Policy Order 48 requests new regulations and enforcement procedures to limit damaging vibrations from construction work. Policy Order 8 was adopted, Order 46 was referred to the Ordinance Committee and Orders 47 and 48 were held over by Charter Right to the next Council meeting.
Enacted and Proposed Zoning Changes
The Council adopted substitute language to the Woodford Petition which is less restrictive than the original petition. The Woodford Petition was a request to rezone an area along Concord Avenue from New Street to Field Street from Residence C-1A and B and Industry A-1 to Residence C. The compromise language changes the area zoned Residential C1A to C-1 and the Industry A-1 to Residence C-1/Mixed Use Residential Overlay District. The changes will allow for more development than the original proposal.
The change in zoning was requested following discussions with the neighborhood by a potential developer of the Cambridge Self Storage site. The proposed residential development was in-line with the Residential C-1A enacted to encourage residential development at this site as part of the Citywide rezoning process in 2001. Commercial property owners along Birch Street, Bay State Road and New Street expressed concern about the development restrictions resulting from this action.
A copy of the Ordinance Committee Report is available at Committee Report 7.
The Council also approved a change Zoning Ordinance substituting the phrase “Private Open Space” for the phrase “Useable Open Space” throughout the Zoning Ordinance. As has been previously reported the definition of Useable Open Space makes clear that it is open space on private property and it does not appear that the definition changes.
The Council also received two requests for zoning changes. Policy Order 45 requests a re-filing of a petition to rezone the Marino’s Restaurant site on Massachusetts Avenue from BC-1 to BA-2. This proposed zoning change lost on a 5-3 vote in May. Policy Order 56 requests a change in the Zoning in the Concord-Alewife area that appears to affect a single property at 61 Smith Place. Zoning changes affecting the entire Concord-Alewife area were passed in June. Policy Order 56 was referred to the Ordinance Committee.
