Late last week I emailed to remind you about this evening's Planning Board hearing on the Normandy/Twining proposal for Central Square. 

Again, I encourage you to take time this evening to attend the meeting and let the Planning Board members know that  Cambridge residents support higher density development that bring more affordable and family housing, local business opportunities, and innovative parking solution to Central Square:

• Planning Board: Tuesday, 2/24 at 7:00 P.M. in the  Second Floor Meeting room at 344 Broadway

• If you cannot attend the meeting, email the Planning Board by Tuesday to register your support for this proposal. Even if you can attend, consider sending an email to reinforce your support:
  
  

  • Address to Chairman Theodore Cohen and send it to [email protected] who will pass it along to the Chairman and other Planning Board members.

In addition to tonight's Planning Board hearing, the City Council Ordinance Committee will meet on Thursday, to receive public comment on the Normandy/Twining proposal. It is important to make your voice heard at this meeting because the severe weather in February made the process exceed the statutory time frame, making the original hearing no longer count:

• City Council Ordinance Committee: Thursday, 2/26 at 5:30 P.M. in the School Committee meeting room at CRLS - 459 Broadway

• If you cannot attend the meeting, email the Ordinance Committee by Thursday to register your support. Even if you can attend, consider sending an email to reinforce your message:

• Address to Vice Mayor Benzan and Councilor Carlone, Co-Chairmen of the Ordinance Committee - be sure to email [email protected] AND City Clerk [email protected] to get your message on the official record.

Thanks for your continued support.

Thanks to your action earlier this month, the City Council Ordinance Committee heard a clear message: Cambridge residents support zoning that will bring more affordable housing and transit-oriented development to Central Square. 

Now it's the Planning Board's turn to consider the proposal from Normandy Partners/Twining Properties to build a mixed residential and commercial development that would add more affordable housing just steps from the Central Square T. 


HOW CAN YOU TAKE ACTION?
We need you to send the Planning Board a strong message by:

1. Attending next week's Planning Board meeting to publicly testify in support of the Normandy/Twining proposal:

2. If you cannot attend the meeting, email the Planning Board by Tuesday to register your support for this proposal. Even if you can attend, consider sending an email to reinforce your support:

3. Still haven't sent a letter to the City Council? It's not too late:

Thanks to your action last week, the City Council Ordinance Committee heard a clear message: Cambridge residents support zoning that will bring more affordable housing and transit-oriented development to Central Square. 

Click here to read last week's Action Alert and learn why ABC believes the Normandy Partners/Twining Properties' proposed zoning for Central Square is a productive step towards building a more diverse and sustainable city.


Now we need you to send the same message to the Planning Board:

1. Attend this week's Planning Board meeting to publicly testify in support of the Normandy/Twining proposal:

2. If you cannot attend the meeting, email the Planning Board by Tuesday to register your support for this proposal. Even if you can attend, consider sending an email to reinforce your support:

3. Still haven't sent a letter to the City Council? It's not too late:

Be sure to read last week's Action Alert for talking points to include in your comments to the City Council and Planning Board.

TONIGHT: Planning Board public hearing on Carlone Petition to give City Council exclusive authority grant special permits for certain large developments.

Tuesday, August 5th at 7:00 P.M.
Second Floor Meeting Room - 344 Broadway, Cambridge

ABC opposes this petition because it politicizes the administration of law in Cambridge. Read this important column by ABC member Seth Zeren to learn more.

Can we count on you to take the following actions and express your opposition to this proposal?

1. Send a letter expressing your opposition to the Carlone Petition to Chairman Hugh Russell and members of the Planning Board by emailing [email protected] who will then forward your letter on to the board. You might consider copying the City Councilors at [email protected].

2. Attend the Planning Board meeting and make voice your opposition directly to the Planning Board members: Tuesday, August 5 at 7pm in the Second Floor Meeting Room at 344 Broadway.

Housing Now! Sign our petition calling on the City Council to act on the Central Square Advisory Committee Recommendations!

Dear Friends,

A basic tenet of our democracy -- the fair and impartial administration of the law -- is under attack here in Cambridge, and we need your help to protect it.

A petition has been introduced to the City Council which would grant the council exclusive authority to grant project review special permits, and eliminate the Planning Board's role in this process.

This proposal for City Council politicizes the administration of our law. It will subject applicants for special permits to the will of elected officials most accountable to voter turnout never more than two years away, rather than to the expert-informed analysis of an appointed administrative planning board.

Please join ABC in speaking against this proposal at tonight's City Council meeting (NOTE: tonight's meeting will be held at the School Committee room at CRLS - 459 Broadway).  You can call first thing Monday morning (617.349.4280) to get your name earlier in the speaking order. You should also send your thoughts to all the the City Councilors ([email protected]) or to their individual emails that are available at http://www.cambridgema.gov/ccouncil/citycouncilmembers.aspx.  Please note that, if you wish your communication to be on the official Council record, you need to cc: City Clerk Donna Lopez ([email protected]) and note that it's for the record, or give the clerk a written copy of your remarks at the meeting.

Sign our petition to the Cambridge City Council & Planning Board: CLICK HERE TO SIGN

We believe that the Net Zero zoning proposal, however well-intentioned, is a narrow, inadequate and potentially harmful approach to reducing carbon dependence and emissions in Cambridge. For this reason, we ask the Cambridge City Council and the Planning Board to vote down this proposal to give our community the chance to implement broad and effective sustainability measures.