Sunshine Open Public Meetings and Most Recent Minutes

This has to be directed to the city manager and clerk, not me.

Leland

Leland Cheung
Cambridge City Councillor

Leland@CambridgeMA.gov
Cell: (617) 444-9080
www.LelandCheung.com

Good Afternoon

As I stated in my email of August 23, 2014, such request should be directed to the City Manager or Clerk. I am assuming by your latest email, this was not done. I am therefore, forwarding your request to the City Manager.
Best,

Leland Cheung
City Councillor

December 11, 2014

To Whom it May Concern:

Your Freedom of Information Request has been referred to the City Manager and the Law Department.

Very truly yours,

Donna P. Lopez,
City Clerk

To Whom It May Concern:

Your inquiry has been referred to the City Manager and Law Department.

Very truly yours,

Donna P. Lopez,
City Clerk

Dear Mr. Saklad,

In response to your email inquiries dated Nov. 20, Dec. 11 and Jan. 6, please be advised that a response to your public records request was mailed to you on September 2, 2014. Please find a copy of the City's response attached here.

Thank you,
Sam

Samuel A. Aylesworth
Assistant City Solicitor
City of Cambridge
795 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
617-349-4121 (phone)
617-349-4134 (fax)

Friend --

I just wanted to write a quick note reminding you of my upcoming 2017 Campaign for Re-Election kick-off, happening this Sunday, June 18th from 3:30pm-5:30pm at ZuZu at the Middle East in Central Square!

This will be a really fun time for friends and supporters to gather together and share in great food and conversation. I will be available to answer questions, hear your concerns, and share my thoughts about the continued work that needs to be done in our great city. (This is Father's Day, so please feel free to bring family and friends-- the more the merrier!)

If you are able, I welcome your contribution of any amount (state limit is $1,000 for any given year) to Carlone for Council. The easiest way is to contribute electronically at this site: 
Please Contribute Here <https://secure.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/34803?ref=carlone_donate%20> <https://secure.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/34803?ref=carlone_donate>

If you prefer to send hard checks, then you can make them payable to "Carlone for Council" and mail them to me at: 9 Washington Ave, #6, Cambridge MA 02140. We will also accept check contributions at the event. <https://secure.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/34803?ref=carlone_donate>

As most of you know, I refuse to accept contributions from real-estate developers because many will eventually be before the Council for zoning changes. This means we need to work even harder to run a strong campaign that won't be drowned out by special interests.   

I sincerely hope to see you and friends at ZuZu this Sunday, June 18th!

Let's get this party going! 

Please RSVP Here  <http://www.denniscarlone.com/2017_re_election_campaign_party>

Best regards,

Dennis

WHAT: Dennis Carlone Campaign for Re-Election Fundraiser!
WHEN: 3:30pm-5:30pm, Sunday, June 18th, 2017 (Father's Day)

WHERE: ZuZu at The Middle East, 474 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139
WHY: To Re-Elect Dennis so that he can continue to make our city equitable and livable!
WHO: Everyone is welcome, the more the merrier!

Dennis Carlone
http://www.denniscarlone.com/

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Carlone Committee - United States
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Dear Friend --

Yesterday marked exactly one month since our official campaign kick-off and I wanted to report back to you on the progress we’ve made since and to invite you to personally join our efforts.

-I have submitted my nomination petition with 68 verified signatures and am now officially on the ballot for the November 7th municipal election. Thank you to everyone who signed.

-Over 50 of our closest supporters attended our June 18th kickoff event at ZuZu’s in Central Square. Attendees included my colleague, City Councilor Nadeem Mazen, and my former aide turned star State Representative, Mike Connolly whose inspiring words you witnessed. I am proud to have their support.

Dear Friend --
First, I want to thank you for your support of my activities on the City Council and of my re-election campaign.  With your help, and that of Nadeem and Jan particularly, we have made significant progress on issues before the Council. However, this coming election is a particularly difficult one – in an environment where important civic and community concerns are at risk.

Twenty-six candidates have filed papers to run for election on November 7. In our proportional representation system, in which only a limited number of votes separates those elected from those not, carrying out an effective campaign is not easy.

For this effort as we head into the important fall stretch, we need your ideas, participation, and contacts. To this end I would like to invite to you to a

Dennis Carlone Campaign Meeting
Thursday, September 14th, 7:00 - 9:00 pm
at the home of Jackie and Jonathan King
40 Essex Street, Cambridge
(1½ blocks from the Central Square T stop. There is plenty of metered and municipal lot parking off Bishop Allen Drive.)

At this meeting:

1. I will report on some of the most critical issues facing Cambridge and the City Council. *(See my additional notes below.)

2. We will share our current campaign plan leading into the Nov 7th election.

3. I hope you will share your concerns and suggestions as to how best to proceed, and ways in which you prefer to participate.

It’s YOUR participation in this meeting that will get us to the finish line!

RSVP to either DennisCarloneForCityCouncil@gmail.com <mailto:DennisCarloneForCityCouncil@gmail.com>if you plan to attend.
Thank you again – I would love to see you there.

-Dennis

P.S. These are just some of the concerns I want to tackle next:

- Real estate and development pressures on Cambridge continue to increase in ways that do not always serve the needs of our neighborhoods;

Friend --

Our campaign meeting is less than two days away. Thank you to everyone who has already signed up to attend!

Please reply to DennisCarloneForCityCouncil@gmail.com and let me know if you'll to able to join as I update you on issues before the City Council and my re-election campaign. If you have already replied "yes" or "no" you are all set.

What: Dennis Carlone Campaign Meeting
When: Thursday, September 14th, 7:00 - 9:00 pm
Where: The home of Jackie and Jonathan King, 40 Essex Street, Cambridge (1½ blocks from the Central Square T stop. There is plenty of metered and municipal lot parking off Bishop Allen Drive.)

A light dinner and Katie's famous cookies will be provided! I hope to see you on Thursday night.

Best,

Dennis
http://www.denniscarlone.com/

<http://www.denniscarlone.com/>------Original Message Below------

Dear Friends and Supporters--

First, I want to thank you for your support of my activities on the City Council and of my re-election campaign.  With your help, and that of Nadeem and Jan particularly, we have made significant progress on issues before the Council. However, this coming election is a particularly difficult one – in an environment where important civic and community concerns are at risk.

Twenty-six candidates have filed papers to run for election on November 7. In our proportional representation system, in which only a limited number of votes separates those elected from those not, carrying out an effective campaign is not easy.

For this effort as we head into the important fall stretch, we need your ideas, participation, and contacts. To this end I would like to invite to you to a

Dennis Carlone Campaign Meeting
Thursday, September 14th, 7:00 - 9:00 pm
at the home of Jackie and Jonathan King
40 Essex Street, Cambridge
(1½ blocks from the Central Square T stop. There is plenty of metered and municipal lot parking off Bishop Allen Drive.)

At this meeting:

1. I will report on some of the most critical issues facing Cambridge and the City Council. *(See my additional notes below.)

2. We will share our current campaign plan leading into the Nov 7th election.

3. I hope you will share your concerns and suggestions as to how best to proceed, and ways in which you prefer to participate.

It’s YOUR participation in this meeting that will get us to the finish line!

RSVP to DennisCarloneForCityCouncil@gmail.com if you plan to attend.
Thank you again – I would love to see you there.

-Dennis

P.S. These are just some of the concerns I want to tackle next:

- Real estate and development pressures on Cambridge continue to increase in ways that do not always serve the needs of our neighborhoods;

To all my supporters -  

Thank you for your good feedback to my 10/19 update, filled with our strategies, tactics, events and activities to win this election – if you missed it, it’s here <http://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/carlone/mailings/39/attachments/original/EmailUpdate_Oct19.pdf?1509146885>. Please be sure to scroll down to find ways you can become part of the final push to get out the vote in Cambridge!

We are rapidly moving toward the finish line. With your continued support and your #1 vote on November 7th, we can make success on election day a reality. Here’s a quick update of WHAT’S HAPPENED THIS WEEK:

4 house parties – A special shout out to Paul & Debbie Walker, Peter Crawley & Wen-Hao Tien, Charlotte & Gordon Moore, and Sarah & Herb Taylor for generously hosting events in their homes. We’ve met so many amazing people and have heard you loud and clear. We’re not scheduling any more house events so that we can focus on getting out the vote. Thank you to everyone who has attended!

2 Forums – One hosted by the Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee on Tuesday discussing the issues of poverty, affordable housing, domestic violence, and hunger.

Dear Friend --

I released this video last night and wanted to make sure you got a chance to watch. It takes just three minutes to learn about my Council leadership on the ideas which have put us on the path to greater affordability, liveability, and sustainability in Cambridge.

<http://www.denniscarlone.com/peterryan/media>

Everyone says housing affordability and great neighborhoods should be the City's #1 priority. But, before I joined the Council four years ago, nobody was even talking about a city-wide Master Plan, 20% inclusionary zoning, or funds in the City's budget dedicated to affordable housing. I'm proud to be the one who started the conversation on these important items. In the coming term, it's my goal to seize upon this positive momentum to further refine the Master Plan and increase the resources we dedicate to affordable housing.

Election Day is TUESDAY! I am asking for your #1 vote to continue the progress we've made towards an even better Cambridge that's planned for people above all else.

Happy voting!

Dennis Carlone

http://www.denniscarlone.com/

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Carlone Committee - United States
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Dear Friend --

Election Day is tomorrow! I want to thank you for all your support during my last four years on the Council and the last six months on the campaign trail. I love what I do and want to continue serving you to help build stronger neighborhoods and make Cambridge even better. This isn’t about winning political battles or building a resume. To me, it’s about doing the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Together, we’ve accomplished so much but as you know, there is so much more to do.

To continue the progress we’ve made, I need your #1 vote on Tuesday , November 7th.I won by 35 votes last time so every single vote counts. The polls will be open from 7:00am – 8:00pm – I hope to see you there!

To ensure that we elect (and re-elect) as many candidates who share our goals and values, please vote Dennis Carlone #1 and cast your #2 - #5 votes for the outstanding candidates on my list HERE. <http://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/carlone/mailings/46/attachments/original/GroupLitCards-Carlone.pdf?1510008575>

Thank you again for all you have done to make my third term on the Council a reality.

Warmly,

Dennis Carlone

http://www.denniscarlone.com/

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Carlone Committee - United States
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Dear Friend --

With all my heart I say THANK YOU! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to

serve as your Councillor for another two years, to work on your behalf in a city I

love, doing what I love.

I know I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for your vote. I am humbled by all the support

- your support – that sustained me: your donations, house parties, yard signs,

emails, post cards and letters of endorsement to friends and neighbors, walking

door to door with me or canvassing on your own, stopping me on the sidewalk to

offer encouragement, sending blasts of energy and good will, and

so much more. Let’s be clear – you made all the difference!

I am indebted to so many people I couldn’t possibly name them all here, but am

especially grateful to the Carlone Committee and to the Cambridge Residents

Alliance for endorsing me since 2013. I’m also thankful for the timely push and

support we received from Our Revolution – fortunate indeed!

I am proud to have actively campaigned alongside two of our newest Councillors-

Elect, Quinton Zondervan and Sumbul Siddiqui. Together, with Councillor Jan

Devereaux returning, I couldn’t be more optimistic about achieving our progressive

policy goals. Congratulations, also, to my five returning Council colleagues, and a

hearty welcome to Councillor-Elect Alanna Mallon. I look forward to working with

all of them in the next term.

Finally, I want to share that while campaigning for re-election has been challenging,

it has also inspired me in a way that’s hard to put into words. It has deepened my

faith, and strengthened my resolve to do all the good I can. You have inspired me

with your passion and commitment and have further ignited my own. This

experience has confirmed my belief in the power of community and has made me

even prouder to be part of this beloved community we call Cambridge.

In deepest gratitude,

Dennis Carlone

City Councillor

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Friend --

No historic neighborhood in the Greater Boston area has experienced the benefits and burdens of increased development like East Cambridge. While the commercial development boom greatly expands our real estate tax base, too often city leadership and developers can’t see past potential dollar signs and ignore negative impacts.  

As a long-term urban designer and architect, I am grateful to serve the city of Cambridge in a position where my skills enable me to promote good development and prevent exploitative development. East Cambridge has three proposed developments that will enhance the neighborhood if designed with care but will overwhelm this tight knit community if done wrong.

CambridgeSide Mall Up-Zoning

When I authored and designed the East Cambridge Riverfront Plan in 1976-78, I wanted to build a thriving, mixed-use district along the Charles River that complimented and enhanced the historic, residential community.  CambridgeSide’s retail arcade was the linchpin of this plan. There are several aspects I advocated for that did not happen, as well as some unforeseen problems, such as the decline in popularity of malls, which makes revitalization of this land critical.

More than 25 years later a new zoning petition from New England Development offers us an opportunity to improve the project. There are many aspects to the proposed development that I like. Their proposal will: create mixed-use office and housing; relocate retail to First Street; enrich the Lechmere Canal as communal space and include affordable housing and community uses.

As is often the case, however, New England Development wants to expand their project well beyond what zoning allows. The proposed demolition of the above-grade parking garage and department stores will give them approximately 670,000 square feet to rebuild with, all within current zoning. New England Development wants to double that without explaining how it will benefit anyone beside themselves.

Every time we exempt a project from existing zoning our laws become less meaningful. We must use our zoning code to our advantage by implementing design guidelines to respect the urban design character and planned density of the neighborhood. The development team has reconsidered their proposal and will file a new petition in the near future. I will be very involved.

The proposed overdevelopment of CambridgeSide inspired me to ask the city to assess the increase in land value created by any up-zoning proposals so we can know what community benefits we should expect from exempting developments from our laws. If we are going to repeatedly violate our own zoning, the community quality of life should benefit.

East Cambridge Courthouse

The towering, vacant Edward J. Sullivan Courthouse is the sore thumb of East Cambridge.  From an urban design perspective this 22-story structure in a three to four-story residential neighborhood should never have been permitted.  The community had no say because Commonwealth public use structures do not have to follow local zoning. 

            After a decade of neglect and litigation, real estate developer Leggat McCall wants to privately develop the site, known now as 40 Thorndike Street, for primarily office/lab use.  They plan to purchase the building for $33 million, a windfall sale for the Commonwealth, but not for the neighborhood.

There are some positive aspects to the development. The developer will add 24 affordable units, create community space and will remove the ugly brutalism facades. There’s just one catch: they want a 30-year lease of 420 parking spots in the city-owned First Street Garage.

            This was never a real option in my mind. The public and existing businesses use the garage, which is what a public garage is made for.  When I created the East Cambridge Riverfront Plan I located the public garage to serve the community.  This allowed nearby historic buildings without their own parking to be more easily redeveloped and the commercial district to thrive.

            The developer’s need to lease Cambridge-owned parking presents the community with an opportunity to finally influence the future of this site. There are many ideas discussed in the community regarding affordable housing, reduction in height, open space and other community needs. None of these ideas can be realized, however, until we reject the lease for our garage. Only then we can enter into a true community dialogue for the future of these public properties.

Alexandria’s Development at Fulkerson and Binney

The proposed Alexandria up-zoning is another example of developer overreach that is fortunately being mitigated by community negotiation meetings, which I facilitated. The developer wanted to build a 120-foot building in a district that is zoned for 45 feet for commercial structures. To the credit of Alexandria, they agreed to work with the neighboring Linden Park community. The process is productive and the project design changed quite a bit, but there is still no final resolution. The development team agreed to extend discussions by refilling a modified petition with lower heights. I expect whatever comes of this development will be in keeping with our highest community standards of transparency and inclusiveness, as I expect from all developments.        

Conclusion

            Too often the wants of the elite few are put before the needs of the many. The City Council is in an advantageous position where we can promote development without displacement and economic growth that enhances the community. I will continue to use my position to put the needs of residents before the wants of developers.

Dennis Carlone
http://www.denniscarlone.org/

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Dennis Carlone - 9 Washington Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140, United States
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Friend --

Common Sense Urban Design and Implementation Recommendations

For the (Not Ready) Proposed Affordable Housing Overlay

The proposed Affordable Housing Overlay is the subject of much discussion and debate.  Zoning reform cannot be simplified as a hard no or an unconditional yes.  The devil is always in the details, and as a trained and experienced architect and urban designer I believe I am well suited to address the concerns of the overlay, to guide an ordinance that realistically promotes affordable housing, and to prevent the city from being sued. 

Every City Councillor is committed to addressing the affordable housing crisis.  We all agree on the goal but disagree on the current citywide AHO overlay draft.  The present petition is deeply flawed and needs more work. It lacks any meaningful design review standards and process, nor ways to measure outcomes. It does not specify the actual increased densities proposed for affordable housing.

Rather than a citywide scope as currently proposed, Cambridge should focus on the most buildable sites (where change is inevitable, and the greater number of units can be built) that more fully meet the needs of affordable housing families.  At the same time, we must ensure that new construction enhances, not overwhelms, existing communities.  A broader vision is needed. This will require more work and more time as we find the most effective way to move forward.

I proposed several amendments to address neighborhood concerns. As I write this several have already been voted down by a 5-4 margin.  The division on the Council is representative of the division in the community. I fear without these amendments we are opening the city up to avoidable lawsuits and poor development.

Zoning is Law. We must remember that any approved zoning becomes our law. And any law must be carefully studied and thoughtfully developed.  Because this has not yet happened, preliminary discussions have created a great sense of uncertainty, confusion and anger among our residents.  We can – and must - do better.

City Development Policy Background: Since the 1970’s, City policies focused almost exclusively on expanding commercial development in order to increase the tax base and employment opportunities, in part to make up for the loss of industry in the 1950’s and 60’s.  As a result, the amount of commercial development in Cambridge continually outpaces new residential production.  This planning approach creates a very strong housing demand from new employees with higher incomes who want to live near work and is compounded by unmet housing needs of expanding universities and the general increased interest in city living.

This has led to housing cost (apartment rents and home purchases) increasing 2,000 percent or more over the last 40 years.  Many, especially the middle and working class, have been forced out of Cambridge.  

A More Realistic, Broader Approach:  Given the large amount of public financing and City Council/Staff involvement, any citywide petition resulting in denser construction must diligently balance community concerns with projected development.  The expanse of the proposed petition is precedent setting, and no one wins if the matter goes to court.  The goal should be to find an approach that works for everyone in a fair, balanced, transparent, and productive way. Residents want the opportunity to be a part of the larger community and to live in homes that fit into their neighborhood.

A Different Kind of Zoning is Needed:  We must go beyond specific site zoning as outlined in the Affordable Housing Overlay petition and consider existing neighboring buildings’ context, including siting characteristics (setbacks, height, character, etc.) in order to create desirable development. Each neighborhood block is different, especially in commercial areas.We must evaluate appropriate sites from a neighborhood-impact perspective and develop more appropriate heights and transitions.

We need to zone and build in context.  Well-conceived architectural and urban design objectives with a strong design review process are essential to ensure that new development (especially those significantly larger than their neighbors) reinforces and enhances the surrounding neighborhood, village center, or city square character.  The current plan as written does not allow for this.  Ideally, the best overlay ordinance creates a scenario where each project within it adds to the civic confidence that the ordinance works.

Preferred Site Locations:  We should focus on site opportunities where urban change is already inevitable and ensure that they are part of the greater area vision.  Whenever there is development demand, change almost always occurs on “Soft Parcels.” These are sites that are underbuilt (where existing zoning allows a larger structure), underutilized (vacant or unprofitable use), and/or one in poor condition (beyond saving).

In Cambridge, parking lots and one-story (especially vacant) structures are the most prime locations for redevelopment.  We see this happening right now throughout the city. These are the areas that will almost certainly become luxury apartment if we don’t prioritize affordable housing there.

Furthermore, most people, especially residents without cars, want to live near needed retail, public services, and mass transit.   Many want to have the opportunity to be a part of an active community. Affordable housing should be prioritized in such areas.

Overlay Design Consultation Objectives:  Design objectives, which determine the design and scope of any development, must be part of the zoning if they are going to have any consistent impact on development.  Separate guidelines, especially without a special permit-based design review process, (as proposed by the current petition), are ineffective because they are not enforceable. 

Implementation and Oversight:  As now proposed, The Cambridge Affordable Housing Trust, the principal Cambridge funding source, seems to be the only design and implementation oversight group currently with any power.  They will be required to evaluate neighborhood design concerns, Planning Board design recommendations, and Community Development’s urban design staff comments and then decide whether the proposed building should be funded or not.  They must state what design changes will be incorporated in any proposed project seeking their funding assistance.  No other group would have any control.  This is overly taxing on the Trust and not a good balance of power.

Site and Non-Residential Space Ownership:  Instead, the city needs to utilize a trusted non-profit entity with proven experience in the development process and the ability to purchase property and possibly write down the land cost for public purposes.  This entity would oversee any non-residential first floor uses, such as desired local retail, pre-kindergarten facilities, neighborhood library, etc.  The remanding building rights would be sold to a local affordable housing developer - allowing the residential developer to focus primarily on the development of housing. 

In my view, the most likely candidate is the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority, which has a unique economic and development management position in the city with broad purchasing and planning powers.  This approach is essential to expanding affordable housing in Cambridge.

Embellishment of Public Domain:  The city, not the affordable housing developer, should be responsible for new sidewalks, trees sustainably planted and watered, street patching, streetlights, and utilities below grade to help offset public domain costs and, at the same time, improve street tree growth as well.  The city is not currently responsible and this needs to be added to an improved overlay petition.

More Funding: I fervently hope the City Council can eventually pass an Affordable Housing Overlay that promotes affordability, addresses neighborhood concerns and doesn’t open the city up to lawsuits. However, even a successful overlay will go nowhere without funding for affordable housing. I am proud of my work to secure an additional $5 million a year in city funding for affordable housing, but this is clearly not enough. Others on the council and in the city are doing their best to increase funding, and we still need to do better. Although Cambridge is by far the wealthiest city in the state with the greatest financial resources, our residents have the second lowest real estate tax payments in Massachusetts[1] <#_ftn1>and one of the lowest in the country.  As many residents have stated, we can easily afford more for meeting our commitments.

Bottom-Line Recommendation: I have proposed a number of specific improvements to the petition that will be discussed at today’s Ordinance hearing. However, it is clear to me that we are not ready, with too little time available, to fully modify the petition.  Let’s truly understand all implications, both positive and negative. Let’s get it right, and take the time we need to work on the intended goals and methods to assure that what we propose is feasible, equitable, transparent, measurable, and unifies us as a great City.

<#_ftnref1>
Dennis Carlone
http://www.denniscarlone.org/

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Dennis Carlone - 9 Washington Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140, United States
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