Ears to the Ground meeting.
A group of long-time-resident PSNA members joined by Councilor Cathie Zusy had a wide-ranging discussion of topics of interest to Porter Square with an eye to planning future PSNA meetings and gaining support at the City Council. Here is a best efforts but inherently incomplete, un-fact-checked outline of topics touched upon:
PSNA and neighbors were not informed of recent Planning Board meeting re 1740 Mass Av. The open portal link (https://www.cambridgema.gov/cdd/zoninganddevelopment/planningboard/planningboardmeetings) should have been sent to the PSNA list to facilitate awareness and we should pro-actively check there from time to time as well.
Discussion of the vital importance of a pharmacy in or near that location for medicines and vaccinations. The other merchandise is not as important. Councilor Zusy encouraged us all to write community input letters to City Councilors. We should also send our letters to the Planning Board as the developer will be returning to update details of the project.
All local developers have been invited repeatedly to present to PSNA when they have updates to share and we hope they will.
Neighbors say the new development on Jackson Street claims to be just under the original inclusionary 10,000 square foot limit but who’s calculating the square footage? Are they excluding hallways? Also, the old building siding had asbestos and it was removed in a high wind without adequate notice or sequestration and that ISD took developer's word that there was no asbestos. Is ISD up to enforcing the law? Lastly, what to do if Eversource puts an unsightly utility pole with transformers in front of the building due to no front and side setbacks? Eversource does whatever they please; the City says they have no control; residents don't want blight.
Development in the Wendell Street area seems excessive in scale and density.
There is a development gold rush. More than one hundred demolition permits were filed late last year and more since. We fear that ISD is not up to the task of monitoring all this activity and that there will be a large number of under-monitored demolitions. Charlie Sullivan, head of Historical Commission, is swamped with requests for historical designation – most don’t qualify. Even restored Victorian homes may be demolished. This will irretrievably change the neighborhoods.
We're not clear on the new zoning and we're not sure the Councillors are either. Cathie Zusy co-chairs the Neighborhood and Long Term Planning committee which plans to hold three hearings starting in March to review results of new zoning ordinances, hear from residents, gather expert input and consider amendments. Developers are waiting to see if changes can be obtained, also to know the outcome of the inclusionary lawsuit.
Restructuring Mass Av will start in April and the change will be disruptive. Only one lane of regular traffic in each direction means there will be traffic jams like there are further north. The sidewalk plan for our area has not been finalized. We need to be giving input on that plan, to know where the bus stops will be and that access for bus riders and pedestrians in our area is protected.
Cambridge gives $10M to MBTA in exchange for priority service; in turn, MBTA just spent $40M to buy new electric buses and to build a charging station in North Cambridge. It was observed that bus service is surprisingly good, but most buses, except at rush hour, are empty. The same goes for bike lanes. Safer yes but the trade-off is traffic jams and confusion at intersections. Many bikers don’t stop, or stop in unexpected places.
We citizens have no statistics – bus frequency and passengers counts; bicycle, car and delivery trucks counts, how many new dwellings are being developed, how many are affordable/inclusionary. In short, how are our new laws working? We need that data consolidated and searchable and publicly available.
Cambridge Community Survey findings. Unclear if these are meaningful/reliable.
Councilor Zusy is considering advocating for a Housing Needs Assessment. Who decides on the population to be surveyed and the questions to be asked?
Council voted to support “social housing” but this is harder to finance than “affordable” housing.
We need work force housing. The City alone has 3,700 employees (teachers, nurses, laborers, administrators, fire and policemen, etc.). How best can workforce housing be obtained?
Cambridge Day (as close as we have to a City newspaper) does not always report important stories like the Mass Av Zoning that just passed. We should let them know this is unacceptable. Can this reporting be added to the City’s Daily Update? Boston Globe’s staff reporters covering Cambridge are Spencer Buehl and Joshua Miller, one of whom lives in North Cambridge. They apparently do not know anyone at PSNA since the recent article about Gift of the Wind did not contain basic details we could have provided.
Our local public art, Gift of the Wind, badly needs to be renovated and painted. Cost estimated to be $200K. MBTA worries about liability but may be more supportive than in the past if they mainly only need to express support. Possibility of a GoFundMe campaign or Community Preservation Act funds could be used since CPA funds were used for Magazine Beach which also not City-owned. Why not ask our local leaders to contribute a leadership fund to kick start the process.
Suggestion to invite the Globe reporters to a PSNA meeting so they have local contacts they can ask got background information and context. Added benefit for us is they have the ability to promote wider awareness and to reach people at the MBTA.
Rumor is that the City may deny parking permits for buildings in the Transit corridor. This policy order has been kicked around for 20 years but maybe now it will pass.
We could have a Porter Square BID! A grant was received to study the possibility and optimal structure, the consultant has ben selected but the contract has not been signed yet. Tim Flaherty and Cathie Zusy will be chairing Economic Development hearings and will work on this idea.
New councilor Tim Flaherty has attended some of our neighborhood meetings including one recently at M.J. Kornacki’s home. Our other new councilor is Ayah Al-Zuby. She is on a steep learning curve, we should help by inviting her to one of our meetings and/or an escorted walk through the neighborhood.