CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF NOVEMBER 18, 2019
Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139
1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appointment of the following person as a new member of the Conservation Commission for a term of three years, effective November 18, 2019: Erum Sattar
This item was placed on file.
2. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appointment of the following persons as new members of the Cambridge Immigrant Rights Commission for a term of three years, effective November 18, 2019: Tsamchoe Dolma, Ashebir Gezmu, Aleksandra Ibrahimi, Subandha Karmacharya, Ana Mejia
This item was placed on file.
3. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appointment of the following person as a new member of the Cambridge Human Rights Commission for a term of three years, effective November 18, 2019: Kaileigh Callender
4. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program (EFSP) grant in the amount of $12,000.00 to the Grant Fund Human Service Programs Other Ordinary Maintenance account which will be used to supplement fuel assistance payments.
The Fuel Assistance Program is an initiative under the Department of Human Services Programs that helps pay for the heating bills of eligible residents who fall below the federal poverty line. Renters and homeowners can both be eligible for heating assistance between the months of November and April. Each year, the City serves over 1,000 low-income residents through this program. For more information on what the Fuel Assistance Program is, how to apply, and more, click here.
This item was placed on file.
5. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a Planning Board recommendation to adopt with comments and suggested improvements, the CambridgeSide Galleria Associates Trust Zoning Petition.
This petition received a favorable recommendation from the Planning Board during their October 29th meeting, which can be viewed here. Last Thursday, November 14th, the City Council held an Ordinance Committee Meeting to further discuss the matter. Representatives from the CambridgeSide Galleria and New England Development gave a brief presentation of their proposed upzoning, as well as the community benefits package accompanying their petition. The Ordinance Committee voted to move the petition to the full City Council with NO recommendation, and will be on the agenda for Monday, November 25th and could be moved to a second reading by the full City Council. On Tuesday, November 26th, a special City Council meeting will be held to hear from an independent financial consultant, who was instructed to determine if the offered community benefits are a sufficient return for granting the petitioner’s upzoning request.
This item was placed on file.
6. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $4,475,844.18 from Free Cash to the Mitigation Revenue Stabilization Fund which will be used to fund specific future projects, requiring individual appropriations by the City Council at a later date.
Vice Mayor Devereux asked what the breakdowns of what the special projects were. These capital projects were related to the sewer system, biking docks, and the Harvard Square Improvement Fund.
This item was adopted.
7. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of the FY20 Local Cultural Council grant made by the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) in the amount of to the Arts Council in the amount of $27,600 to the Grant Fund Public Celebrations (Arts Council) Other Ordinary Maintenance account which will be used to support the Arts Council’s Artist Grant Program through which financial grants will be made to support individual artists, creative partnerships, and to arts organizations doing work in Cambridge and for local audiences.
See below. This item was placed on file.
8. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of the FY20 Mass Cultural Council Cultural Investment Portfolio grant made by the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) in the amount of $4,120 to the Grant Fund Public Celebrations (Arts Council) Other Ordinary Maintenance account which will be used to provide operating support for administration and programming costs.
The funding outlined in CMA items 7 and 8 is the only financial support the Cambridge Arts Council receives from the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC), and therefore Cambridge artists and arts organizations receive, from the State. As this funding is not sufficient to properly support our artists and arts organizations, as well as Central Square, a state designated Cultural District, it is important that the City seek to find ways to fill in funding gaps to support the arts and the creative economy in Cambridge.
This item was placed on file.
9. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of the FY20 MOVA Victim Services Training Grant for $5,050 received from the Victim and Witness Assistance Board through the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance to the Grant Fund Police
Department Other Ordinary Maintenance account which will provide funding to the “Trauma-Informed
Approaches to Law Enforcement” training in collaboration with the Cambridge Domestic and GenderBased Violence Prevention Initiative.
This item was placed on file.
10. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a Planning Board recommendation to adopt the Exterior Building Insulation Zoning Petition.
11. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a Planning Board recommendation to adopt Article 22 Green Building Requirements Zoning Petition.
CMA 2019 #299
This item was placed on file.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
reading) AWAITING HOME RULE LEGISLATION-BEFORE PROPOSAL CAN BE ORDAINED
CMA 2018 #234
No action was taken.
Report Item Number 18-108, regarding a report on offering early voting in City Council and
School Committee Elections. PENDING RESPONSE FROM LEGISLATURE
CMA 2018 #286
No action was taken.
APP 2019 #52
This item was ordained.
PASSED TO A SECOND MEETING NOVEMBER 4, 2019 AND BEFORE THE COUNCIL FOR ORDINATION
CMA 2019 #288
This item was ordained.
1. An application was received from Violette Bakers, requesting permission for an A-Framed sign in front of the premises numbered 1786 Massachusetts Avenue.
This application was adopted on the consent agenda (no discussion)
2. An application was received from New England Wax Enterprises, LLC, requesting permission for an AFrame sign in front of the premises numbered 1868 Massachusetts Avenue.
3. An application was received from Blick Art Materials, LLC, requesting permission for an A-Frame sign in front of the premises numbered 619 Massachusetts Avenue.
APP 2019 #91
This application was adopted on the consent agenda.
1. That the City Manager is hereby requested to confer with the Department of Public Works to delay trash collection on Lexington Avenue, Lakeview Avenue and Standish Street until after 9:00 a.m. to alleviate traffic congestion in the area prior to the start of the Tobin school day, and to ensure on-time school bus schedules on Tuesdays.
Councillor Mallon
This order was adopted on the consent agenda.
2. That the City Manager is requested to direct the Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department to fully restore sharrows to Broadway, alongside the new door-zone bike lane, as a reminder to motorists that cyclists are always allowed to take the full lane.
Councillor Zondervan
Vice Mayor Devereux was added as a co-sponsor.
This order was adopted as amended.
3. That the City Council go on record condemning former Attorney General Sessions’ decision in Matter of A-B-, and recognizing the decision as a shameful attempt to eviscerate protections for women, children, LGBTQ+ people, and families fleeing harrowing violence.
Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Siddiqui
POR 2019 #371
This order was adopted on the consent agenda.
CRT 2019 #75
Vice Mayor Devereux
During this Committee Meeting, Councillors discussed municipally financed elections, the registration of lobbyists, limiting donations from individuals with business before the Council, and overarchingly, how to ensure that campaign finance is equitable. Committee Members reemphasized their interest in forming a Taskforce to deal with this issue. The City Solicitor was asked if the Council would need to submit a Home Rule Petition to the Massachusetts Legislature to restrict donations, but was unsure if one was required. The possibilities of a voucher system, where residents are given a voucher to contribute to candidates, and creating a lobbyist database, were discussed. At the City Council Meeting, Councillor Zondervan moved to amend the contained Policy Order to prohibit donations from non-residents with business before the Council, and to restrict contributions from residents with business before the Council. The amendment was passed.
This report was accepted and placed on file, and the contained, amended Policy Order (below) was passed.
That the City Manager be requested to have the City Solicitor report back to the City Council about (1) whether the City must file a home rule petition to require that lobbyists register with the city and disclose campaign contributions to municipal officials, (2) whether the City must file a home rule petition to limit donations from non-residents who have business pending before the council; and (3) reiterate the Council's previous request to form a task force to explore public financing for municipal elections, particularly focused on vouchers and matching donations.
POR 2019 #372
Vice Mayor Devereux
This report was accepted and placed on file, and the contained item (below) was adopted.
A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a petition to amend provisions in Section 22.20, which governs Green Building Requirements, and also applicable definitions contained in Article 2.000.
3. A report from Councillor Dennis J. Carlone Co-Chair of the Ordinance Committee, for a public hearing held on November 12, 2019 to discuss the Insulation Zoning proposal
This report was accepted and placed on file, and the contained item (below) was adopted.
A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a petition to amend provisions in Article 5.000 and Article 22.000 pertaining to setback requirements and exterior building insulation.
CMA 2019 #257
1. A communication was received from Mayor McGovern, transmitting Cambridge Girlx in Sports Working Group.
Mayor McGovern
COF 2019 #61
This communication announces the institution of a Cambridge Girlx in Sports Working Group, a collaboration between the Women’s Commission, Cambridge Recreation, and the City Manager’s Office. The Working Group will be responsible for ensuring girls and young women have equal access and opportunity to engage in sports, whether it be access to fields and coaches, or measures to encourage participation. When I asked if there was a timeline for this Working Group, Mayor McGovern answered that there was not one yet, but he hopes to have one by spring.
This item was placed on file.