COM 969 #2019 : An anonymous communication was received, regarding Zoning Ordinance.

Policy Order #3 Linkage fee: Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Siddiqui, Councillor Carlone, Mayor McGovern That section 11.202(b) of Article 11.000, entitled SPECIAL REGULATIONS, of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Cambridge, be amended the table as follows: January 28, 2020 (Annual Adjustment) $19.10 per square foot Cambridge Residents Alliance has supported more city funds for affordable housing from its beginning. In 2013, we stated the incentive zoning or "linkage fee" paid by commercial developers should be raised, and in 2015, the city released a study supporting an increase and the Council voted to increase the fee from $4/sq. ft. to $12 with annual increases (this was not as much as the $24 we had proposed.) Now the city has done a new study, which says there should be a $2/sq. ft. increase to $19.10, and that a fee of $33 would be needed to create enough affordable housing to compensate for the impact of more commercial space. The policy order would start the process of changing the ordinance to increase the fee, while the Council decides next year if it would also like a higher fee. This increase could result in significant funds for affordable housing.

Policy Order #6 Real Estate Transfer Fee: Councillor Carlone, Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Siddiqui That the City Manager instruct the City Solicitor to provide and update on the previous two orders requesting draft legislation for a Real Estate Transfer Fee Home Rule petition Several cities and towns including Boston, Brookline and Somerville are in the process of sending home rule petitions to the state legislature to ask permission to impose local transfer fees on real estate sales. There also is a bill before the House and Senate to enable cities and towns to impose such fees without seeking a home rule petition. The Council has twice (in 2017 and early this year) asked the city solicitor to draft a home rule petition for a transfer fee, and this order renews that request. The fee would be used to fund affordable housing. The percentage could be graduated based on the sale price, and various exemptions could be created.