Government Central
Legislative Affairs Update by Terrence F. Smith

Zoning Dominates Close of 2010-2011 Cambridge City Council
During the last six months of the 2010-2011 City Council term, eight zoning changes were proposed and discussed. These ranged from limiting the development on several large pieces of land to fines associated with actions in violation of local building regulations and allowing basement apartments.
In the last weeks of the term, the City Council approved changes to the zoning ordinance that increase fines and change the method the City uses to assess fines at building sites, reduce the allowable development at a site on Bellis Circle, and allow for the use of some basement space for apartments by Special Permit. Held over until the next Council is a proposal to reduce the allowable residential development of an industrial site in North Cambridge and several other matters.

Cambridge Elections
Local elections for City Council and School Committee were held in November. Incumbent Councillors Leland Cheung, Henrietta Davis, Marjorie Decker, Craig Kelly, David Maher, Ken Reeves and Denise Simmons were re-elected to the Council. Minka vanBuzekon was elected, replacing incumbent Sam Seidel. The School Committee election resulted in the re-election of Fred Fantini, Richard Harding, Marc McGovern, Patty Nolan and Alice Turkel. Mervin Osbourne replaced incumbent Nancy Tauber.

License Commission Proposes Broadening Regulatory Authority
In September, the Cambridge License Commission passed a motion “to promulgate regulations with respect to third-party contracting with respect to certain circumstances within the hotel industry.” This followed a single hearing held in April to gather information about the employment practices of licensed lodging establishments in Cambridge, which was followed-up with a survey to the hospitality industry and a report from the Department of Public Health.
The April hearing raised no issues specific to the quality, cleanliness or safety of hotels in Cambridge and the Public Health Commission study of this issue found no direct connection between health and safety issues and the employment status of employees. In September, the License Commission Chair suggested continued dialog on this matter between the Commission, the hotel industry and the Department of Public Health. Instead, the Commission, on a 2-1 vote, passed a motion to promulgate regulations.
The Chamber has been and continues to work with the hospitality industry and others on this matter. This action demonstrates a broad reinterpretation of the scope of authority for the License Commission that should be of concern to every Cambridge business.

Congressional & State Legislative Changes
In October, State Senator Steven Tolman resigned to become the new president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. A special primary election was held in December with State Representative William Brownsberger winning the Democratic Party nomination. No other party put a candidate up for this seat. Brownsberger was elected in a special general election in January.
Redistricting resulting from the 2010 United States Census will bring changes to the Cambridge legislative delegation. With the next US Congress, Cambridge will be part of two Congressional districts, the 5th and the 7th. The 7th Congressional District will include part of Cambridge and communities currently represented by Michael Capuano. The 5th Congressional District will include part of Cambridge and communities currently represented by Edward Markey. It is expected that both Congressman Capuano and Congressman Markey will run for re-election in the new districts.
Redistricting also will impact representation in the Massachusetts legislature. Senate redistricting will slightly change the areas in Cambridge currently represented by Senator Sal DiDomenico and Anthony Petrucelli. The biggest change will be in West and North Cambridge, which will become part of a Somerville-centered district that is currently represented by Senator Patricia Jehlen.
The major change in State House of Representative districts will be that Cambridge will be part of five rather than six districts. The small part of the City currently represented by Byron Rushing will be added to the district currently represented by Marty Walz. Districts that are currently represented by Representatives Brownsberger, Jonathan Hecht, Timothy Toomey, Jr. and Alice Wolf are slightly changed. The new district maps are available at www.malegislature.gov/District/ProposedDistrictMaps.

Thank you to Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. and Forest City Enterprises, Inc. for sponsoring the 2012 Government Affairs Committee programming. Keep up with Government Affairs news by signing up for the weekly Government Affairs Update at www.cambridgechamber.org/business/government_monthly.html#gcamail. For more information, contact Director of Government Affairs Terrence Smith at tsmith@cambridgechamber.org or (617) 876-4213.