All:
Happy September and happy back to school.
I start the resumption of regular newsletters with a sad note. The news of the tragic passing of my colleague, Councillor Joan Pickett has been such a sobering way to start the fall. You can read more about it in Cambridge Day. I am devastated for her family and will miss working with her. She was a thoughtful leader who approached the position of a City Councillor with a great deal of respect and excitement. She was willing to think critically about difficult topics and put the work into understanding nuance. I hope that all of us will reject the more extreme criticism of Joan that is off the mark. While I did not always agree with her positions, in her work she was caring, thoughtful and sought to hold all of us accountable and listen to a range of people.
This summer gave city staff and the council a break from some of the intensity of the first six months of the year. I took some days off and enjoyed the area. Later this month I will take a real vacation to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. I expect much of the fall for the council will be taken up with the continuation of the discussion on increasing housing, work to implement our climate policies, and discussion on finance priorities for the city.
At the state level, some of the work done in the legislature will help Cambridge, including some housing reform, a maternal health bill (looking forward to hopefully the reopening of the Cambridge Birth Center), and public transit progress. I hope the legislature, which has been roundly criticized for a lack of transparency and lack of progress on some major initiatives, will find a way to finalize the economic development bill and advance important climate initiatives, notably the support for utilities to cite electric facilities.
One of the events I was thrilled to attend was a book talk at the fabulous Porter Square Books with Cambridge’s own Melissa Ludtke, who published a book on her groundbreaking legal case that opened up sports journalism to women. One of my passions is women’s sports. I don’t follow sports much, but opportunities in sports for women and girls has always been a core value of mine. Read the book and celebrate the huge advances for women in sports – who, by the way, took home 67 of the USA team’s Olympic 126 medals this summer, and 26 of 40 golds!
There are many great events in September in Cambridge and the area – summer is not over, and there is hope in the air. Enjoy!
Below are some comments on a few top line items and a few quick notes for Monday’s meeting. If you have questions or comments on these or anything else I’ve been working on, please feel free to reach out at any time.
Patty
City Council Meeting - Monday, September 9, 2024
Short-Term Rentals Ordinance
This week I am sponsoring a policy order asking the City Manager for a report on the use of short-term rentals in Cambridge (i.e. AirBnb, etc.). The intent of the Short-Term Rentals (STR) Ordinance, which passed in August 2017 and made the operation of short-term rentals legal for Cambridge residents, was to enhance the city by supporting residents wanting to operate STRs without compromising housing availability or affordability. While there are state and municipal requirements for short-term rental operators, there are examples from other places with different rules which might be appropriate for Cambridge, now that the experience of the past seven years can be reviewed. There have also been a number of instances reported to the City Council of neighbors who have provided their evidence that some residents are not following the rules, yet determining whether the rules are being followed and enforcing them can be challenging. This report will help us understand the landscape of short-term rentals in Cambridge and help us determine recommended changes to the ordinance.
Automated Parking Enforcement
In recent years, the City Council has worked to enact local legislation which would allow for automated traffic enforcement. I sponsored a June 2023 policy order to allow us to issue tickets for some traffic violations using cameras that led to a home rule petition which sadly has not passed. This week I am sponsoring a policy order which asks the City Manager to implement a pilot program for automated ticketing of parking violations. Those of you who follow this work closely will remember I filed a similar policy order in November of 2023. Since then, I have been working to better understand the statutory landscape in Massachusetts for automated enforcement. As the text of the policy order suggests, Cambridge and Boston have somewhat unique legal considerations as it relates to parking enforcement. This policy order asks the law department to analyze a legal opinion which suggests that we are able to implement this kind of automated enforcement without a lengthy home rule process. Parking violations, it’s important to note, are not victimless crimes and can affect disability parking access, transit service, loading zones, bicycle safety, and emergency vehicle access, especially in our commercial squares. I look forward to receiving a report and considering this as an option in Cambridge.
PACE Updates
In August of 2023, the City Manager gave us a report on Cambridge’s participation in the Massachusetts Property Assessed Clean Energy Program (PACE), which will provide a financing mechanism to private owners of commercial and industrial properties for certain qualifying commercial energy improvements. This is something I have been working on for many years. Participation in PACE was a key recommendation of the CCWG and the Climate Committee and I filed a policy order way back in October of 2020 requesting this report. The report confirms exactly what I have been saying for years: that PACE is feasible for Cambridge and that the program can be a great tool for assisting property owners in decarbonizing their buildings. This week I sponsored a new policy order that asks for an update on PACE implementation. With BEUDO emission reduction requirements approaching, it is very important that we continue to push forward with the PACE program to give building owners every tool at their disposal to reduce their emission pollution as soon as possible. I will be holding a Health and Environment Committee meeting on October 8 to discuss BEUDO implementation and I fully expect PACE to be part of the discussion.
Local Events/Notes
Central Square Rezoning
Virtual Community Meeting 3 Thursday, September 12, 6:00pm to 8:00pm. The Community Development Department is hosting the final of three u on potential updates to the zoning for Central Square (project website). At this meeting, the project team will share preliminary recommendations for changes to the zoning, including:
- The district boundary (where the rules apply)
- The maximum allowable heights for residential development (how tall)
- Rules for shaping buildings (setbacks, step-backs, offsets)
- What uses to incentivize, and how that could be achieved
The presentation will be followed by a robust community discussion and listening session. Join to share your thoughts and feedback. Please register in advance (registration is required for attendance).
11th Participatory Budgeting Process
Members of the community have until October 1, 2024 to submit ideas for projects to improve Cambridge and be part of next year’s budget. Community members can submit ideas now through October 1, 2024. Visit pb.cambridgema.gov to learn how to submit an idea. Ideas will also be collected through direct community outreach and at certain public events throughout the idea collection period. Organizations interested in hosting an Idea Collection workshop in their community can contact the Budget Office at pb@cambridgema.gov for more information. Past winning projects have included youth center upgrades, trees for city parks, public water fountains in major squares, public murals, laundry access in public schools, and many others.
Between October 2024 and February 2025, volunteer Participatory Budgeting Delegates will research project ideas and work with City Staff to develop proposals that will be presented for a community vote in March 2025. All Cambridge residents 12 years of age and over will be eligible to participate in the voting process, which will be available online, in-person at several Cambridge locations, and over the phone during the March 2025 voting period. Cambridge residents are encouraged to join the PB process as volunteer PB Delegates to contribute to the proposal development process that will create the PB11 ballot. Those interested in volunteering can visit https://www.cambridgema.gov/participatorybudgeting/Volunteer for information on how to sign up. For updates and the latest information about the Participatory Budgeting process, please visit pb.cambridgema.gov, contact the Budget Office at 617-349-4270 or email pb@cambridgema.gov.
Saints Cosmas and Damian Festival
The 99th Annual Saints Cosmas and Damian Festival will take place Friday, September 6 through Sunday, September 8. There are a number of great events scheduled for the three days of the festival that you can see on their website. The festival takes place in East Cambridge, primarily on Warren Street, Macarelli Way, and Porter Street. Road closures will begin Thursday evening, September 5th. The festival also includes several processionals around East Cambridge and Somerville over the course of the weekend. Expect traffic impacts around East Cambridge.
Cambridge Carnival
The 30th Cambridge Carnival parade and festival will take place on Sunday, September 8, from 11:00am to 5:00pm. The parade starts on Blackstone Street at 12:30pm, proceeds down River Street to Central Square, turns right on Massachusetts Avenue, and continues to Sidney Street. The festival will take place on Sidney Street between Massachusetts Avenue and Pacific Street. The parade route will be closed between noon and 3:00pm. Sidney Street and adjacent blocks of Green Street, Franklin Street, and Pilgrim Street will remain closed from Sunday morning through Sunday evening.
Pan in the Park
Pan in the Park is a celebration of traditional steel pan performances, which will take place on Saturday, September 7, from 12:00pm – 4:00pm at Pacific Field, between Sidney Street and Brookline Street. Pacific Street will be closed, from Sidney Street to Brookline Place, from 10:00am – 6:00pm.
FOUND Block Party
FOUND in Central Square will be hosting a weekly block party every Saturday this summer on Columbia Street between Bishop Allen Drive and Main Street from 12:00pm-5:00pm. The next Block Party is Saturday, September 7. Enjoy food and beverages from local establishments with live music giving you a summer worthy soundtrack. Plus you can shop vintage at our stores and other unique items from local vendors such as knick knacks, home goods, plants, jewelry + more. While FOUND markets in the past have only been open to vintage and upcycled clothing, this is a NEW block party series open to ALL vendor applicants for a special summer celebration.
Harvard Square Black Owned Business Pop-up Market
The weekly Black Owned Business Pop-up in Harvard Square will take place on Palmer Street every Sunday from 11:00am to 6:00pm. Palmer Street will be closed this Sunday, September 8, from 7:00am to 7:00pm.
Thank You
Thank you to everyone for reading. If there are any topics you want me to cover in future newsletters, I’m always happy for the input! As always, please feel free to reach out to my aide, Patrick (phayes@cambridgema.gov), or me for any of your City Council needs.
You can find all previous newsletters on my website. Please share with anyone you think would be interested: https://pattynolan.org/news/