by Lew Weitzman (member of the Alewife Study Group)
The City Council Ordinance Committee considered the Yoder Petition on
Wednesday, May 10, from 4:30 to 8 PM in a televised hearing. The committee
was co-chaired by Kathy Born and David Maher.
Nearly all of the nine City Councillors participated in the hearing.
The Yoder Petition has three parts. First, it would downzone the area North
of the Alewife Reservation up to Route 2 including the Arthur D. Little site
plus the bowling alley and other properties along Route 2, second it would
change the zoning designation of the ADL parking lot from office-2 to open
space and third it would lower the FAR for open space zones throughout the
city including this site.
Under the Yoder Petition building heights in this district would be lowered
from 85 feet to 35 feet and the FAR would come down from 2.0 to 0.75.
Despite these restrictions, landowners within the district could still double
the built space on their sites under the Yoder Petition.
Map
Ralph Yoder, Sheila Cook and Lew Weitzman presented the petition and fielded
questions from the Councillors. The questions and comments by Councillors
were generally of a supportive nature. Several of the councillors went on record
in favor of protecting the Alewife Reservation. A letter of support from
Alice Wolf was read into the record including her procurement of $75,000 of
State moneys to perform a masterplan for the Reservation.
Other testimony in favor of the petition: Stash Horowitz, John
Moot and Elie Arden from the Association of Cambridge Neighborhoods, Susan
Bass (town meeting member from Belmont who told the Committee that Belmont
has just passed a moratorium for the Alewife land they possess near the
Little Pond), Roger Frymire (who noted the current sewage problems in the
Alewife Brook), Peter Cignetti (who described the failure of Wetlands
Regulations to protect the Alewife Floodplain from over-development), Vince
Dixon (a frequent supporter of neighborhood initiatives at Alewife.
Mike Nakagawa, Aram Hollman and Carolyn Mieth prepared extensive submissions
in support of the petition.
The two landowners in the area testified in opposition. Anthony Martinetti
(owner of the route 2 properties, bowling alley, Suisse Chalet, Faces
Discoteque area) and Steve Corridan (principal of O'Neill Properties new
owner of the ADL site) stated that their property values would be lowered.
Corridan stated that 5 of his 7 buildings would become non-conforming and
argued that if he can't go up then he will go out when he or future owners
of his site decide to build. Corridan stated that he might cease his
negotiations to give back the parking lot.
Other notes from the hearing:
--Henrietta Davis spoke of her canoe trip down the Little River and concern
about the sewage outflows plus. She also noted that much of the land in this
district is un-buildable and that many other towns in Massachusetts do not
consider this land in FAR calculations.
--Marjorie Decker asked Anthony Martinetti why the Faces
discoteque area has looked so shabby for so many years. Martinetti stated
that he was "ashamed" and that he and his brothers could not agree on what to
do with the property. Decker added that the timing for a housing proposal
(presented to the councillor at this hearing) seemed curious given that
nothing has happened on this site for many years and in light of the current
downzoning proposal. Martinetti had no response.
--Several councillors responded positively to the possibility of housing in
this district.. Sheila Cook and Ralph Yoder argued against
it siting traffic and environmental concerns. Lew Weitzman noted that
housing could still be built within the new district and this discussion
could continue after the Yoder Petition was passed.
--Jim Braude had already come to the Planning Board meeting and spoken in
favor of the petition .
--Mike Nakagawa's photo of the new Genetics Institute Building towering over
the Reservation was introduced and made a strong impression.
--Councillors suggested that coordination between Arlington, Belmont and
Cambridge should occur.
Next steps for the Yoder Petition:
--The
Cambridge Conservation Commission has endorsed the Yoder Petition
--The Cambridge Planning Board has endorsed many of the principles of the
Yoder Petition.
--The City Council has until its July 31 meeting to vote on the Yoder Petition
Contact the Alewife Study Group, North Cambridge Massachusetts, by email at information@alewife.org