Cambridge Review

A Thoughtful Review of Cambridge Politics

City Council Meeting – Jan 6th, 2025

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Charles J. Franklin

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Meeting Link

City Manager’s Agenda

Appropriations and Grants

  • #1 (CMA 2025 #1) $29,388,181.96 from Free Cash to the Mitigation Revenue Stabilization Fun
  • #2 (CMA 2025 #2) $2,500,000 from Free Cash to support the continued operation and needed capital and equipment improvements to Neville Center
  • #3 (CMA 2025 #3) $10,000 grant from the Public Library Association (PLA) Digital Learning to support digital learning classes
  • #4 (CMA 2025 #4) $4,000 grant from the Public Library Association (PLA) Digital Learning to support digital navigator classes
  • #6 (CMA 2025 #6) $6,000 from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) to pilot initiatives to reduce move-out waste during the May/June 2025 moving season

Appointments

  • #5 (CMA 2025 #5) Citizens’ Committee on Civic Unity – Reappointments of Bradley Halpern, Angela Flynn, Gassendina Lubintus, Arleigha Cook, Sydney Ramos de Paula, Angela Camacho-DeSousa, Tyrie Daniels, Lawrence Bailis, Kelly Hassett, Steven Lee, Betsy Bard, Namrata Sengupta

Responses to Council Requests

  • #7 (CMA 2025 #7) The city has drafted a Home Rule Petition to allow the creation of a Cambridge Jobs Training Trust

Reports and Communications

  • #8 (CMA 2025 #8) The Planning Board has reviewed the Multi-Family Housing Petition and largely supports it. Some members did raise concerns about building height, setbacks, open space, and AHO impacts. Full Letter

Policy Orders

  • #1 (POR 2025 #1) Requesting that the city review the feedback and amendments proposed by the Ordinance Committee with regaurd to the Multi-Family Housing Petition.

Applications and Petitions

  • # (APP 2025 #1) Flag Pole – Carole Steele – 8 Eliot Street

All comments are from members of our comment team.

One response to “City Council Meeting – Jan 6th, 2025”

  1. Charles J. Franklin Avatar
    Charles J. Franklin

    At the last meeting the Council proposed a 4+2 plan: four stories “as of right” and an additional two stories if 20% of the units are Inclusionary rent limited units. Some are proposing a 3+3+3 plan where there would only be three stories for as of right, and additional thee stories if 20% are inclusionary. The supporters of 3+3+3 think that 4+2 will result in more displacement. I don’t know why some think that 4+2 will result in displacement but 3+3+3 won’t. What 3+3+3 will do is probably continue to result in skinny single families, because why would anyone build six apartments with two being inclusionary, when you can build three skinny “luxury” single families, sell them for $2M+ each and move on to the next project. It’s what they’ve been doing. They’re not gonna change that lucrative plan for just one more as of right unit and the baggage of having two deed restricted units.

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