Join the Government Affairs e-mail list

View GCA Update Archive

Updated August 10, 2011

The 2011 Government Affairs program is sponsored by Genzyme.

August 10, 2011 GAC Update

The Council next meets on September 12, 2011.

The list of candidates for City Council and School Committee is available below. Thanks again to Robert Winters and his Cambridge Civic Journal website (http://rwinters.com/).

Last Thursday Governor Deval Patrick announced that Richard Davey, who currently serves as General Manager of the MBTA, will be appointed Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation on September 1. On September 27^th Mr. Davey will be our guest at the September GAC Executive Speaker Luncheon. This will be one of the first times as Secretary that Mr. Davey will address members of the Massachusetts business community. Transportation services are a critical issue to the continued economic growth of Cambridge and members are encouraged to attend. Registration is open.

The last Update included City Manager Agenda Item 8, a proposed framework for assessing additional mitigation/community benefit costs on property owners/developers requesting a change in zoning to increase allowable development. We have heard from a number of members about this proposal and we would like your comments, questions and concerns. Contact Terrence Smith, Director of Government Affairs at tsmith@cambridgechamber.org or at 617-876-4213.

Thank you to Genzyme for sponsoring the 2011 GAC

Tuesday, September 27, 2011
GAC Executive Speaker Luncheon
Noon
MBTA General Manager Richard Davey
The Royal Sonesta Hotel, 40 Edwin Land Blvd., Cambridge
$40 for members/$80 for non-members
Register by September 25, 2011, additional $10 for late registration and walk-ins
Register at http://www.cambridgechamber.org/chamber/viewevent.html?id=310

City Council and School Committee Candidates

2011 Candidates for Cambridge City Council
(* Indicates incumbent)

Leland Cheung*
Henrietta Davis*
Marjorie Decker*
Silvia P. Glick
Craig Kelley*
David P. Maher*
Charles Marquardt
Gary Mello
Gregg Moree
Matthew Nelson
Jamake Pascual
Kenneth E. Reeves*
Sam Seidel*
Denise Simmons*
Tom Stohlman
Tim Toomey, Jr.*
Minka vanBeuzekom
Larry Ward
James Williamson

Alfred B. Fantini*
Bill Forster
Joyce Gerber
Richard Harding*
John J. Holland
Marc McGovern*
Patty Nolan*
Mervan Osborne
Charles Stead
Nancy Tauber*
Alice Turkel*

The Council met in a Special Summer Meeting on Monday and discussed lots of zoning, land use and related matters.  They also passed a mix of policy orders and received several Committee Reports.  The Council will not meet again until September 12, 2011.

The deadline for filing nominating petitions for City Council and School Committee was 5:00 p.m. Monday, August 1.  All incumbents for have made the ballot.    Thank you to Robert Winters and his Cambridge Civic Journal website (http://rwinters.com/) for tracking this process.  Look for a list of the candidates in the next Update.

Registration is open for our September GAC Executive Speaker Luncheon featuring MBTA General Manager Richard Davey.  MBTA services are an important asset to the continued economic growth of Cambridge and the MBTA provides more transit services to Cambridge than any City save for Boston.  Members are encouraged to attend this event.

August 1, 2011 Special Summer City Council Meeting

The Council met on Monday and discussed a number of issues related to zoning and land use policy and received a number of zoning petitions.  The Council also received information on the recently completed contract with Comcast, and passed policy orders regarding technology, transit services, cleaning streets, post office closings, a UN Program and participation in Bio 12.  The Council received Committee Reports regarding campus safety and economic development goals.

Proposed Mitigation/Community Benefits Framework
The Council received City Manager Agenda Item 8  which outlines a process for setting mitigation/community benefit fees when a change in the zoning of an area is approved to allow increased development.  The framework proposes that the applicant for a zoning change to increase development would pay $10 per additional square foot to a mitigation fund which would be allocated 50% to projects serving the immediate neighborhood(s) affected by the change and 50% to citywide projects.  Selection of projects for funding would be determined by a committee appointed by the City Manager.  The report was referred to the Council’s Government Operations Committee and the co-Chairs are expected to schedule a hearing on this matter soon. 

Bike Share Zoning Change Approved
The Council received City Manager Agenda Item 31 which transmitted the Planning Board Recommendation favoring Zoning Changes to allow Bike Sharing Program.  The Council passed this on to a second reading.  Committee Report 5 is from a meeting of the Ordinance Committee held on July 18, 2011 to consider proposed amendment to the Zoning Ordinance to enable the City's regional bike-share program to site bike-share stations on municipal and private property.  The Council also passed Policy Order 25 asking the City Manager to incorporate a safe bicycling campaign with the introduction of the Hubway bike sharing program in Cambridge. 

Amendments to 5.28.2 Approved
The Council acted on Unfinished Business Number 7, proposed amendments to 5.28.2 of the Zoning Ordinance regarding Conversion of Nonresidential Structures to Residential Use.  The Council voted in favor of amendments limiting the density when converting these structures and providing an option, with Planning Board approval, for use of some parts of these structures for non-residential use and set a standard of 70% of Gross Floor Are for living space.  This was a change from a proposed 75% GFA in the amendment included in Committee Report 7 from a meeting of the Ordinance Committee held on July 18, 2011 on this matter.

Framework for Commercial Development and Housing Supply
The Council has recently discussed the relationship between new commercial development and housing.  Policy Order 27 asks for a report on the relationship between job creation in Cambridge and housing availability and for a framework for a policy regarding this relationship.  If memory serves this issue was discussed as part of the rezoning process the City went through in the late 90s/early 00s and many of the changes from that process were designed to increase housing.  According to the 2010 Cambridge Housing Profile  there were 49,530 housing units in Cambridge in 2010 (table page 4).  In 1990 Cambridge had 41,979 housing units (table page 7) representing a 17% increase in housing supply in Cambridge over the past twenty years.

New Zoning Petitions
The Council also received seven petitions to amend the Zoning Ordinance.  They are:

• Application & Petition 3 is a petition to amend the Zoning Ordinance by rezoning an area in North Cambridge from C1-A to Residential C.
• Application & Petition 4is a re-submittal of an amendment to allow basement apartments in C-1 Districts near Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge Street and Red Line Stations.
• Application & Petition 5 is a petition to amend the Zoning Ordinance by setting a minimum side setback in C-1 districts.
• Application & Petition 7 is a petition to amend the Zoning Ordinance by rezoning Special District 2 in North Cambridge to reflect its Residence B base zoning.
• Application & Petition 10 is a petition to amend the Zoning Ordinance by enabling enforcement of existing lighting restrictions.
• Application & Petition 11 is a petition to amend the Zoning Ordinance by restating the Inclusionary Housing provisions to preclude misinterpretations.
• Application & Petition 12 is a petition to amend the Zoning Ordinance by adjusting the ability of the Superintendent of Buildings to issue fines for violation of the zoning ordinance.

Given that several of these are proposals that would reduce allowable development some have asked whether the mitigation/community benefits payment scheme would work in reverse when a property owner loses development rights due to a zoning change.

Comcast Agreement Signed
City Manager Agenda Item 32 reports on the conclusion of negotiations and signing of a contract between the City and Comcast for the cable television franchise.  This is a ten year agreement.  The Manager reminded the Council that federal law limits the cities ability to regulate any cable provider.

Technology Planning
The Council received three policy orders following up on discussions held during the budget process regarding new investment in technology.  Policy Order 1 asks for information on development of a technology plan, use of social media and other projects that would benefit using the Gov 2.0 initiative.  Policy Order 2 asks about the creation of a City a research and development office.  Policy Order 3 asks for information about technology to connect the City to social media.

Council Opposes Commuter Rail asks for Information on Green Line Delay
Policy Order 11 states the Council’s opposition to the use by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation of the Grand Junction Railroad for commuter rail and asks the Mayor to convene a meeting with the Cambridge legislative delegation and the City of Somerville to discuss this issue.

Policy Order 34 asks for a report on how the announced delay in the extension of the Green line will impact the North Point development.  It was reported this week that Green Line extension will be delayed until 2018 at the earliest.

Bio 2012
Policy Order 4 asks the City Manager to report on the City’s plans to participate in the bio 12 convention to be held in Boston next year.

UN Global Compact Cities Programme
Policy Order 9 provides information about the UN Global Compact Cities Programme and asks for a report on the potential benefits from the City participating in this program.

Council Opposes Closing Post Offices
Policy Order 19 expresses the Council’s opposition to the closing of the Inman Square and MIT Post Offices and any US Post Office facility in Cambridge.

Council asks to Clean Light Poles/Protect Sidewalks
Policy Order 26 asks the relevant City departments examine street poles on Massachusetts Avenue between Harvard and Porter Squares and clean and remove from outdated flyers, graffiti and other debris.

Policy Order 35 asks for information about an advertising campaign by the Galleria Mall that included information on City sidewalks and asks when this advertising will be removed.

Committee Reports
Committee Report 3 is from a meeting of the University Relations Committee held on September 28, 2010 to discuss campus safety in Cambridge.

Committee Report 8 is from a meeting of the he Economic Development, Training and Employment Committee held on June 28, 2011to discuss the creation of the city's economic development goals. 

July 27, 2011 GAC Update

The Council meets in a Special Summer Meeting next Monday, August 1. The Council will not meet again until September 12, 2011.

Nominating petitions for City Council and School Committee candidates must be filed by 5:00 p.m. next Monday, August 1.   All incumbents for both bodies have taken out nominating petitions. As of today twenty candidates have taken out papers for City Council and eleven candidates have taken out papers for School Committee. Thank you to Robert Winters and his Cambridge Civic Journal website (http://rwinters.com/) for his daily update tracking who has taken out nominating papers, filed signatures and made the ballot. Look for a list of the candidates making the ballot in the next Update.

Registration is open for our September GAC Executive Speaker Luncheon featuring MBTA General Manager Richard Davey. MBTA services are an important asset to the continued economic growth of Cambridge and the MBTA provides more transit services to Cambridge than any City save for Boston. Members are encouraged to attend this event.

July 20, 2011 GAC Update

The Council does not meet until the Special Summer Meeting on August 1. The Ordinance Committee met this Monday for a hearing on zoning changes to allow a bike sharing program to operate in most areas of the City and to continue discussions on a petition to amend the Zoning Ordinance in Section 5.28.2-Conversion of Nonresidential Structures to Residential Use and Section 4.29 clarifying the allowances of additional uses as permissible under Section 5.28.2.

Registration is open for our September GAC Executive Speaker Luncheon featuring MBTA General Manager Richard Davey. MBTA services are an important asset to the continued economic growth of Cambridge and members are encouraged to attend.

July 13, 2011 GAC Update

The Council does not meet until the Special Summer Meeting on August 1. The Update was not published last week.

The Ordinance Committee will hold the first hearing regarding the MIT zoning petition tonight at 5:00 p.m. at City Hall, Sullivan Chamber. The Ordinance Committee meets next Monday at 4:30 for a hearing on zoning changes to allow a bike sharing program to operate in most areas of the City and at 5:15 p.m. to continue discussions on a petition to amend the Zoning Ordinance in Section 5.28.2-Conversion of Nonresidential Structures to Residential Use and Section 4.29 clarifying the allowances of additional uses as permissible under Section 5.28.2.

The Chamber participated in a conference call last Friday with David Kappos, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) regarding intellectual property protection and improvements to the US Patent Office. 

The White House Business Council invited business leaders from around the country this past Friday, July 8, to participate in a conference call with David Kappos, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) regarding intellectual property protection and improvements to the US Patent Office. The call also included information about other actions to support entrepreneurs, innovators and small businesses under the White House Startup America Initiative and the Startup America Partnership.

Issues related to the Patent Office have been raised often by Chamber members in meetings wit federal office holders and other officials. This was raised most recently at a White House Business Council meeting held in Cambridge in late April. Among the changes Under Secretary Kappos discussed were modest reductions in the back-log of patent applications and in the review time.   The agency is working to improve support services for the small business and innovator community and a number of improvements to the system are proposed in the Patent Reform Act of 2011.

During the call a number of entrepreneurs raised issues regarding protection of intellectual property rights overseas, particularly in Asia. Kappos said that the administration continues to work on this issue and that the Patent Office has two staff members serving as attaches in China who will assist any company having patent or trademark issues in that country. Senior administration officials will be meeting with the Chinese government later in July on this issue as well.

June 29, 2011 GAC Update

The Council met on Monday and does not meet again until the Special Summer Meeting on August 1.  The next Regular Meeting is scheduled for Monday September 12.  The Council delayed action on proposed amendments to Section 5.28.2 of the Zoning Ordinance and passed two orders related to energy and an order regarding establishing  cultural district.  The Council also continued its discussion about a policy regarding community benefits requested as part of actions to change zoning.

Several Council committees will hold summer meetings.  The Ordinance Committee has scheduled hearings on July 13 regarding the MIT petition and hearings on July 18 regarding bike sharing and amendments to Section 5.28.2.

The Update will not be published next week.  Have a happy Independence Day and a happy Canada Day to our northern friends.

 The City Council met on Monday and received a report from the Ordinance Committee regarding changes to Section 5.28.2 of the Zoning Ordinance.  This petition expired August 3, 2011.  The Council passed two orders related to energy issues and continued discussions about the need for a policy for calculating community benefits as part of changes to the zoning ordinance.

Action on Amendments to Section 5.28.2 Delayed Until August Meeting
The Council received Committee Report 2 from the June 15, 2011 Ordinance Committee meeting held to consider proposed amendments to Section 5.28.2 of the Zoning Ordinance.  This section addresses the re-use of non-conforming buildings for housing.  The report includes the Planning Board recommendation regarding this matter.

The proposed amendment remains on the Council agenda under Unfinished Business.  Councillor Sam Seidel, Chair of the Ordinance Committee, has scheduled another meeting on this matter on July 18 at 5:15 p.m.

Energy Policy Orders
Policy Order 5 asks the Massachusetts Congressional delegation to support legislation regarding the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program.  This legislation would allow property owners to finance energy investments funded by local government and repaid through a line on the property.  The theory is that investments with long payback periods would be more desirable to property owners if the financing were transferred to a new buyer of the property.

Policy Order 8 asks for a study to determine the potential for generating renewable energy on municipal property and asks that the study include development of a timeframe for meeting the goal of 20% of municipal energy being generated on-site.

Cultural District
Policy Order 10 expresses the Council’s support for establishment of a state-authorized cultural district and states that the City will petition for funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council for designation.  The order asks the City Manager to direct city agencies to identify programs and services that could support and enhance the development of the cultural district.

Community Benefitsz
In the context of a report on the history of a neighborhood association’s use of resources received from negotiations with a developer in the late 1990s the Council discussed the matter of a policy regarding calculating community benefits, beyond increased property taxes, employment, and contributing to the greater local economy, when a developer requests a change in zoning.  The City Manager reported that he would have a report to the Council no later than the September 12 meeting and it may be available for the August 1 meeting.  The co-chairs of the Government Operations Committee reported that they will hold a hearing on this matter in late August or September.