Letter from City Clerk Donna P. Lopez transmitting a communication from Vice Mayor Devereux regarding the curb cut application located at 32 Vineyard Street

CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL Jan Devereux Vice Mayor To: Donna Lopez, City Clerk From: Jan Devereux, Vice Mayor Date: February 7, 2019 Memorandum Submission Subject: Please place the attached letter regarding a proposed curb cut at 32 Vineyard Street (Applications and Petitions #1 from the February 4, 2019 meeting, which will appear as a Charter Right agenda item on February 11, 2019) on the City Council agenda as "Communications and reports from Other City Officials" for the February 11, 2019 meeting. Thank you. CITY HALL, CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS 02139 [phone removed] FAX: [phone removed] TTY/TDD: [phone removed] EMAIL: jdevereux@cambridgema.gov

CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL Jan Devereux Vice Mayor February I1, 2019 Dear Councillors, I visited the site on Wednesday, Jan. 6 and met with Nicholas Faillace of Senné Development to discuss the proposed curb cut on the Vineyard Street side of the lot, which is on the corner of May Street and Vineyard Street. Here is what I learned: The property is currently a two-family house on a 6,795-sf lot with its front entrance on May St. There is an existing curb cut on May St. at the far right side of the lot. The house is listed in the Assessor's Office Property Database as having two legal parking spaces in that driveway. The developer wants to create two detached single-family houses on the same lot, each with its own driveway. The original house would be renovated, and a new structure built in the side yard on the May St side. The new house would require the removal of two large trees in the side yard. A third tree near what is now the back door on Vineyard St would probably be removed, too. To provide parking for the new house, the developer proposes to create a new driveway on Vineyard St by partially demolishing the current back entrance. A fourth large tree would need to be removed to make room for the driveway. There would be a 5' setback to the side lot line on Vineyard. The tree to be removed is partially on the public way; the developer estimates that it is ⅔ on private land and ⅓ on public land, but I'm not aware if there is a survey to verify that. A piece of a former chain link fence is still attached to the tree's trunk There are four large trees in the front yard along May St that would remain and would need protection during construction. There appears to be only one other public street tree on Vineyard St (on the opposite side closer to Cushing). Vineyard St has only one other private tree to shade the sidewalk, also on the opposite side (a chain link fence runs through it). There are no street trees on May St bordering this parcel, so the mature private trees in the front yard of this house provide precious shade over the sidewalks. I have attached photos from my site visit that help to illustrate the desired curb cut and how the tree stands in the way of the proposed second driveway. A white spray-painted line on the CITY HALL, CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS 02139 [phone removed] FAX: [phone removed] TTY/TDD: [phone removed] EMAIL: jdevereux@cambridgema.gov

pavement shows where the 5' setback ends and the new planned driveway would begin to its right. The final photo shows two of the side yard trees that would be removed to make way for the second structure.** The developer does not yet have a landscape plan that shows where new trees could or would be planted following the redevelopment. This house formerly belonged to the family that owns Bonney's nursery on New Street. ** As noted in the photos, drawings showing measurements are approximate and not to scale, but are meant to give an idea of the location of the curb cut as it relates to the property line and to the tree to be removed. The 5' setback and 10' curb cut are used according to petitioner's submitted site plans and explanation. Respectfully submitted, Ion Deverent Jan Devereux Vice Mayor, Cambridge City Council CITY HALL, CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS 02139 [phone removed] FAX: [phone removed] TTY/TDD: [phone removed] EMAIL: jdevereux@cambridgema.gov

Approx. 10' proposed curb cut

5' setbacke Approx. 10' proposed curb cut

Approx. 10' proposed curb cut X Two side yard trees to be removed Existing driveway and curb cut

ECYCL Two side yard trees to be removed