CAMBRIDGE — The Cambridge City Council took one step closer toward finding a new city manager, heard from the Cambridge Association of Neighborhoods and passed an amendment to its Unified Development Code relating to cannabis at a meeting May 20.
CITY MANAGER
At the meeting, Acting City Manager David Deutsch asked commissioners to nominate residents to a Citizen Search Committee to help with the search for the next city manager. Deutsch said the establishment of this committee is a requirement, per the city charter, of the city manager selection process.
With a city manager application deadline of May 28, Deutsch, who will facilitate the committee, said he would like to have those nominees so that an initial meeting can be held in early June.
Deutsch said he then hopes to convene another meeting with the committee in mid- to late-June where members can help narrow down the candidate list before it goes to the City Council.
At the meeting, each commissioner named their nominee. Commissioner Sputty Cephas nominated Devon Beck, Commissioner Jameson Harrington nominated Cassie Burton, Commission President Lajan Cephas nominated Devan Martin, Commissioner Laurel Atkiss nominated Judd Vickers and Commissioner Brian Roche nominated Carlos Estin.
All of the nominations were approved by the council.
YMCA SURVEY
Cambridge Association of Neighborhoods members Kim Miller and Sharon Smith presented the results of a survey sent out by the organization that gathered the community’s opinions on the possible move of the YMCA from Talbot Avenue to the Cambridge Harbor site along the river.
In late August, Cambridge Waterfront Development Inc. included a design for a new YMCA facility at the Cambridge Harbor site in its 2023 mid-year report.
YMCA of the Chesapeake CEO Robbie Gill said in July that the YMCA began considering moving the facility following a market study that surveyed Dorchester County residents.
“We understood that there was a survey that took place maybe about a year ago, but we really didn’t hear any results of that,” Miller said at the council meeting on May 20.
At a CWDI community update meeting April 18, CWDI Executive Director Matt Leonard said CWDI is not negotiating with the YMCA at the moment. He said the YMCA came to CWDI with an expression of interest two years ago. Gill, who was at the community update, said in an interview after the April 18 meeting that there were no new developments with the Cambridge YMCA.
The survey the association of neighborhoods sent out asked the more than 600 respondents four questions regarding the present location of the YMCA and the perceived benefits and drawbacks of the potential move. It also gave respondents the opportunity to share other comments.
Miller said 84% of survey participants felt the current location of the YMCA serves the community well. She said 71% of participants felt there were no benefits of moving the YMCA, and 97% felt there were drawbacks to a move.
Miller said 15% of respondents were excited about a potential new facility, and 12% were excited about the possible new location on the water.
After Miller shared the data, Commissioner Cephas asked if the results had been shared with CWDI. Smith said this was the first presentation and it would be put on the associations website the next day.
“We’ll provide the raw data to anyone who wants it,” Miller said.
Cephas asked that the results be shared with the YMCA, as well.
Harrington thanked the neighborhood association members for the survey.
“I also want to thank you for putting your methodology out there,” he said. “It goes a long way toward transparency, which I think we can all agree has been an issue.”
CANNABIS
The council adopted an amendment to the city’s Unified Development Code regarding cannabis business operations. At the same time, it directed City Attorney Patrick Thomas to review possible additional amendments to the code.
In an April 17 memo, City Planner Holly Baldwin said the amendment, which was passed at the meeting on May 20, would update the code to reflect zoning and permitted use changes pursuant to state law. Specifically, the amendment removes references to medical cannabis, repeals provisions regarding “cannabis processing for consumer-packaged goods,” and defines terms associated with cannabis and cannabis uses.
The amendment also permits dispensaries in the corridor mixed-use, industrial and general commercial districts with conditions. It permits grow and processing facilities in the industrial and general commercial districts with conditions.
Tim Crosby, architect with Crosby & Associates, spoke during the public hearing for the ordinance on behalf of clients Sunburst Pharm and CULTA. Crosby thanked the city for its work on the ordinance. He suggested the code be further amended to explicitly permit agricultural use — or the outdoor growing of cannabis — in the industrial district with conditions and as a special exception in the general commercial district.
“Outdoor growing of cannabis has become an absolutely vital part of cultivation facilities, business operations and their business success,” Crosby said. “The new ordinance does not speak to that.”
Deutsch advised the council to vote on the ordinance as written and direct Thomas and city staff to look into amending the code further to address Crosby’s clients’ concerns. The council voted in favor of this.
MACE’S LANE COMMUNITY CENTER
The City Council passed a resolution to authorize the submission of a grant application for Community Development Block Grant funding.
In a May 7 memo, Cambridge Grants Coordinator Steffanie Malkus said the grant application is for $800,000. It would be used to complete renovations to turn the old Mace’s Lane gym into a community center.
Malkus said in the memo that the city has dedicated a $50,000 match for the grant in its fiscal year 2025 budget. Once renovations to the facility are complete, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore will offer programs for local children and teens, Malkus said.
The Community Development Block Grant Program is through the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development.
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