City Council
City recommends changes to multifamily housing ordinance
Feelings were mixed in city hall on Thursday, as the City of Cambridge Community Development Department proposed changes to Cambridge’s Multifamily Housing Ordinance (MFHO) that would increase the overall amount of setbacks, require more ground-level green space, and prohibit tall buildings with units that average more than 2,000 square feet. Read more Are we losing […]
City Council tries to ground AirBNB, rental algorithms
City Council on Monday took aim at two kinds of technology it thinks has caused upward pressure on rent, one being short-term rental platforms, the other pricing algorithms used by large residential property owners. The council accepted a new ordinance petition intended to crack down on unregistered short-term rentals advertised on booking companies like AirBnb […]
Outcome of turf war over Ahern Field was predetermined
Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang and Deputy City Manager Kathy Watkins appeared before Cambridge City Council Monday not to debate whether Ahern Field should have artificial turf but to explain why it will. Read more Norton Award winner Ken Urban on bringing tough topics to the stage “We have been moving forward with a plan […]
Seeking efficiency, Cambridge city councillors set limits
Three hours into last Monday’s city council meeting, Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui faced a tricky task when presiding over Cambridge councillors: reining in debate. Read more Taste festivals return to Cambridge and Somerville “I don’t want to hear from anyone anymore,” she said dryly. The sense of irony was strong in the room. Councillors were discussing […]
Cambridge sidesteps financial headwinds, but tax hikes possible
Property taxes will need to increase by to cover the cost of Cambridge’s first billion-dollar-plus budget, passed during Monday’s City Council meeting. The amount represents a four percent increase in city operating expenses. Fiscal headwinds are blowing across the region, driven by uncertain economic conditions and a notable downturn in the biotech industry. The value […]
Somerville City Council passes resolutions to recognize new union, strengthen sanctuary city protections
Nearly a week after layoffs roiled city hall, the Somerville City Council passed resolutions to recognize the new Somerville Workers United (SWU) union and strengthen sanctuary city protections, among other business. Read more Encouraged by climate change innovation funding The SWU vote was the first of three resolutions at the council’s May 28 meeting addressing […]
Council drops ShotSpotter in close vote
The City Council voted Monday night to pull the plug on ShotSpotter, a controversial police surveillance technology in use in Cambridge for more than a decade. The move came after extended public comment and nearly an hour of deliberation, with intense distrust of the current federal administration a factor in approving the policy order. Read more Cambridge […]
City council sees one way forward for Garden Street
After contentious comment and discussion, Cambridge City Council on Monday voted 5-4 in favor of keeping Garden Street a one-way road with bike lanes on either side for the majority of its length. The vote reversed last year’s 5-4 vote to return two-way traffic to the West Cambridge street while making the bike lanes adjacent, […]
Should City Council weigh in on foreign policy?
A policy order imploring the Trump Administration to stop blocking oil exports into Cuba turned into a debate on Cambridge City Council’s role in commenting on United States foreign policy decisions. Discussion came to an abrupt end when Councillor Patty Nolan used her charter right to place the issue on next meeting’s agenda, which frustrated […]
City council sees one way forward for Garden Street
After contentious comment and discussion, Cambridge City Council on Monday voted 5-4 in favor of keeping Garden Street a one-way road with bike lanes on either side for the majority of its length. The vote reversed last year’s 5-4 vote to return two-way traffic to the West Cambridge street while making the bike lanes adjacent, […]