Cambridge doesn’t write checks it can’t cash, but its officials and institutions aren’t shy about putting a pin in a calendar square and moving it when a date has come and gone without action.
Intrusive lighting, especially from commercial neighbors, has been bothering residents since at least 2007, but that’s not nearly as bad as the fact Cambridge has a light ordinance – it just can’t enforce it. Six years ago the City Council (including six of the nine current members) took a step toward fixing that but let the matter drop, and since then it’s been resident Charles Teague pursuing a solution on his own. He’s filed a citizen petition three times to let people get some sleep, but councillors and the Planning Board have been more successful at criticizing Teague’s law than in crafting their own. The board urged councillors to vote against the Teague petition, saying its staff “would prepare and submit a rezoning petition when the council resumes meeting in September, to be heard and possibly voted on before the end of the calendar year.”
In rejecting Teague’s petition, the council approved instead an order “that the city manager report back by the end of the year” with language for a municipal code.
That was in July. This month Rossi told the council he was putting together a task force and finding a consultant to “begin work in October 2013 and endeavor to finalize recommendations at the beginning of 2014.” Teague is not on the task force.
Deadline missed – and for the past two election cycles, it’s taken councillors two months after the new year to choose a mayor and get to work in their committees.
Three new missed deadlines in Cambridge issues
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Lighting law
Intrusive lighting, especially from commercial neighbors, has been bothering residents since at least 2007, but that’s not nearly as bad as the fact Cambridge has a light ordinance – it just can’t enforce it. Six years ago the City Council (including six of the nine current members) took a step toward fixing that but let the matter drop, and since then it’s been resident Charles Teague pursuing a solution on his own. He’s filed a citizen petition three times to let people get some sleep, but councillors and the Planning Board have been more successful at criticizing Teague’s law than in crafting their own. The board urged councillors to vote against the Teague petition, saying its staff “would prepare and submit a rezoning petition when the council resumes meeting in September, to be heard and possibly voted on before the end of the calendar year.”
In rejecting Teague’s petition, the council approved instead an order “that the city manager report back by the end of the year” with language for a municipal code.
That was in July. This month Rossi told the council he was putting together a task force and finding a consultant to “begin work in October 2013 and endeavor to finalize recommendations at the beginning of 2014.” Teague is not on the task force.
Deadline missed – and for the past two election cycles, it’s taken councillors two months after the new year to choose a mayor and get to work in their committees.
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