By Ann Stewart
In “Preparing for Climate Change,” BCF Newsletter, May-June 2018, state Senator Will Brownsberger focused on the potential flooding risk to Belmont, Arlington, and Cambridge neighborhoods surrounding Alewife Reservation. Another climate change threat besides flooding is rising temperatures. Last year the Cambridge Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment predicted, “By 2070, Cambridge may experience nearly three months [per year] over 90°F, compared with less than two weeks in present day.” Heat has been responsible for most US weather-related fatalities over the last 30 years, according to the National Weather Service.
Heat, flooding, and sea level rise are all concerns for the new Cambridge Climate Safety committee, a group of Cambridge residents organized this spring to guide new development. Members Doug Brown and Mike Nakagawa wrote a zoning petition requesting that the Cambridge City Council require new buildings in the floodplain to be climate-ready. The citizen-initiated Climate Safety Petition includes Green Factor scoring modeled after the city of Seattle and provisions for emergency evacuations.
Mike Nakagawa (left) and Doug Brown presented their zoning petition to the City Council’s Ordinance Committee in June. (Marc Levy photo)
The petition grew out of an earlier forum on how to create affordable housing while addressing climate challenges, prevent stormwater runoff from contaminating Alewife Brook, and protect residents and employees in the event of a storm surge. The Cambridge Climate Safety committee sponsored the educational forum in partnership with Green Cambridge, Cambridge Mothers Out Front, North Cambridge Stabilization Committee, Fresh Pond Residents Alliance, Mystic River Watershed Association, and other citizen groups.
Mike Nakagawa, co-author of the zoning petition, said, “Now that we have quantified the serious impacts of the changing area climate, we need to guide new developments that will exist for the coming decades.”
In April, the City Council referred the zoning petition to the council’s Ordinance Committee. On June 26, the Planning Board held a public hearing (the vote was 6 against, 1 for, and 1 abstention), and on June 27, the City Council’s Ordinance Committee asked for input from city staff and the petition filers. For updates and to read the zoning petition, go to cambridgeclimatesafety.info.
Ann Stewart is a volunteer with the Cambridge Climate Safety Committee.
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