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Newsletter #18
May 8, 2022
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Contents:
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Planning Board Meeting on IQHQ Special Permit this Tuesday
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Update on Alewife Development Pause
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Report on Linear Park and Danehy Connector
Planning Board Meeting on IQHQ Special Permit Application
Tuesday, May 10, 6:30pm on Zoom
This Tuesday, the City of Cambridge Planning Board (PB) is holding its second meeting on IQHQ’s Special Permit application to develop the former W.R. Grace site in North Cambridge. For information on the PB’s first meeting about IQHQ’s application, which happened on March 1, see Alewife Study Group (ASG) Newsletters #13 and #14.
ASG strongly supports approval of IQHQ’s Special Permit at the May 10 meeting. ASG proposes that any remaining issues be resolved by administrative review after the Special Permit has been approved.
Since the March 1 PB meeting, ASG, Friends of Jerry’s Pond, and other groups have met with IQHQ five times to provide feedback on IQHQ’s responses to comments from the Planning Board and city agencies. ASG has also reviewed IQHQ’s April 8 revised application documents and the recent memos from the Community Development Department (CDD), posted May 4, and Traffic, Parking, and Transportation Department (TP+T), posted May 5.
ASG believes that IQHQ has substantially addressed comments and requests from the Planning Board, CDD, TP+T, DPW and the community, such that any remaining issues can be resolved through administrative review.
Click here to Register for May 10 Planning Board meeting.
Click here to view documents related to IQHQ’s Special Permit application: PB38 36-64 Whittemore Avenue
Alewife Development Pause Update
On Monday, May 2, the City Council discussed the petition to change the rules for lab and office development in the Alewife area, to allow time for them to be updated to match city planning. They voted to move it forward so that a final vote can take place at a future City Council meeting.
It seems that this pause on new permits for lab and office uses in Alewife will take place. So, a City working group has been assembled with neighbors and other stakeholders. The Cambridge Highlands/Quadrangle and Fresh Pond neighborhood groups are represented with members of their leadership teams. However, North Cambridge is represented by three individual neighbors who are not on the leadership teams of either of the City-recognized North Cambridge neighborhood groups.
If you would like a member of the Alewife Study Group leadership team to represent the neighborhood, given our experience discussing both the impacts of development in the complex Alewife area and community benefits from the development, please tell City Councilors by email to council@cambridgema.gov, or to request that your comments to be part of the public record, by email to clerk@cambridgema.gov, or by signing up to speak at the City Council meeting tomorrow, May 9, starting at 5:30pm. Sign up to speak at https://www.cambridgema.gov/
Linear Park and Danehy Connector Site Walks
The Cambridge Community Development Department (CDD) is beginning a public engagement process for two separate path design and construction projects. The two projects are the Linear Park redesign and reconstruction project, and the Danehy Connector-New Street Path design and construction project. You can learn more about these projects at the City’s webpages for Linear Park Redesign and Danehy Park Connector.
The CDD held a walk at each site last Thursday, May 5, and listened to neighborhood comments and answered questions about the two projects. One announcement was made that the Danehy Park Connector project will include a study to look for a place to safely cross the commuter rail tracks somewhere between Sherman St. and the Parkway. We need a safe path connecting Rindge Ave neighbors to Danehy Park. View presentation slides showing how a tunnel under the commuter rail tracks would greatly improve northwest Cambridge: Alewife Connectivity Presentation.
ASG Newsletter
ASG will send email updates about once a month during this busy time in the development of the IQHQ site.
Anyone can sign up (or unsubscribe) for this newsletter by completing the Contact Form at the bottom of the ASG home page: alewife.org We also welcome your questions, comments, ideas, and offers of help!