These are just some of the municipal meetings and civic events for the coming week. More are on the City Calendar and in the city’s Open Meetings Portal.
Italian consulate in Kendall
Board of Zoning Appeal, 6 to 11:30 p.m. Thursday. A second six-month extension since a hearing in May is asked on adding Italian government consulate offices at the 41 Hampshire St., Kendall Square, home of the nonprofit Dante Alighieri Society Center, an Italian cultural organization. Separately, the life-sciences company Moderna wants to install an internally illuminated sign with its name atop 325 Binney St., Kendall Square. Applicants say the sign will be mostly invisible from the street because of surrounding trees. Watchable by Zoom videoconferencing.
MBTA tunnel in a floodplain
Conservation Commission, 7 to 8 p.m. Monday. The MBTA seeks to build an access tunnel at Alewife that crews can use for quicker maintenance, which could mean fewer and shorter subway shutdowns, but it requires a hearing because the project area falls within the area’s 100-year floodplain. It’s almost a nonissue compared with the asbestos concerns that a week earlier drew the City Council to pass an order to “encourage” the state to follow local laws about disturbing hazardous material in the soil. Watchable by Zoom videoconferencing.
Pot social consumption policy
Economic Development & University Relations Committee, noon to 2 p.m. Tuesday. This committee run by city councillor Paul Toner holds a hearing to discuss cannabis issues, including whether to allow for repackaging of products at local dispensaries; if an 1,800-foot minimum distance requirement between cannabis businesses is needed; and the lack of zoning provisions for social-consumption establishments that are now permitted under state law. The committee meets at City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square. Televised and watchable by Zoom videoconferencing.
Multifamily zoning, Part I
Planning Board, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Discussion continues after weeks about multifamily zoning that would end districts intended only for single-family or two-family homes and allow for multifamily structures and townhouses citywide. On the way back to the full City Council for an eventual vote, conversations also address changes intended for open space requirements around the possible multifamily homes and consideration is given on how to keep an advantage for construction that falls under the rules of the city’s Affordable Housing Overlay. Watchable by Zoom videoconferencing.
Multifamily zoning, Part II
Ordinance Committee, 5:30 p.m. Dec. 19. This committee run by vice mayor Marc McGovern and city councillor Paul Toner continues its part of multifamily-zoning discussions before the refined language gets back before the council for a final vote. There will be no public comment at this meeting because it is a continuation of a hearing that began Nov. 19 and reconvened Dec. 4 – the public comment portion was held earlier. Two more meetings on the zoning are already scheduled: Jan. 7 and Jan. 16. The committee meets at City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square. Televised and watchable by Zoom videoconferencing.
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