Statement: Because of the two major universities in Cambridge, Harvard and MIT, the city has available the means to the knowledge and expertise to do what is in the best interests of the environment, at multiple levels. The question comes down to whether there is the will and

what can be done at both the municipal level as well as the responsibility of the individual.

 

My philosophy is that we must respect the planet and that begins with recycling at home.

As for City Goverment, there are standards and measurements for buildings, construction and open space which must be implemented by the City Agencies which oversee ordinances and zoning guidelines.

 

There is much work that needs to be done in order to educate the public and developers,  regarding the impact of not abiding by what is in place, at the municipal level  for environmental protection for the citizens of Cambridge. We must learn to live within our ecological limits and strive to build on what we know is environmentally sound policy.

 

Laurie Taymorberry

1-yes

2-no(I do not support tax breaks for doing what is in the best interest of the public good.)

3-yes

4-yes

5-yes(The Alewife area in N. Cambridge is a flood plain.  The edge where Rt. 2 comes in         gets flooded quite frequently.  Allowing the use of flood plains for building of middle             income housing would result in undesirable housing which would bring about                     slum housing with high rents.

6-No(We do not need to add to the bureacracy.)

7-Yes

8-No(There is a need for shelters to protect residents from the rain; a need for bathroom         facilities, snack bars for children, etc.)

9-yes

10-yes

11-yes

12-yes

13-yes

14-yes

15-no( I do not believe in the mandatory purchase of T-passes for residential parking             permits).

16-yes

17-yes

18-no(I do not support tax break incentives for corporations.)

19-yes

return to forum of www.cambridgegreen.org

Environmental Issues: short answer yes and no with exceptions noted. Please answer so we can compare candidates. Fax answers to 617-876-8991 or email: carmean2@yahoo.com

1.     Do you support the LEED silver standard for new buildings?

 

  1. Do you support tax incentives for private developers to use LEED silver standards for building and restoration?
  2. Would you support master planning, zoning, incentives and requirements by the City to make shopping, laundry, schools, parks, recreation and libraries and essential services within a ten-minute walk of residents?
  3. Would you support life-cycle costing in planning so that the cost of use, harm, waste, and renewal is included in costing for decisions, for example leaf removal?
  4. Would you support conservation by-laws to restrict building in one-hundred year flood plains?
  5. Should Cambridge hire an Energy Manager?
  6. Do you support requiring contractors to submit their plans before paving?
  7. Would you support a ban on building in parks and open space?

9.     Do you support the current proposed tree ordinance to protect trees?

10.  Would you support protection of legacy trees of more than 30 inches diameter at breast height on private and public property? Would you support protection of trees on lot lines, where most of our city’s trees live?

11.  Do you support incentives to enforce the current noise ordinance? Noise level restrictions on lawn & landscaping equipment like leaf blowers?

  1. Do you support more aggressive enforcement of the state’s 5-minute anti-idling statute, especially for buses, trucks and heavy construction vehicles and posting the anti-idling law near schools and major intersections?
  2. Do you support approval of shuttles in Cambridge?
  3. Do you support requiring all City funded or partially-funded vehicles use no diesel, or have 2007 standards and requiring all the existing diesel vehicles to use low sulfur or bio-diesel fuel and requiring all City non-emergency vehicles have 27 mpg?
  4. Do you favor discounts/rebates for T-passes to all residents and do you favor mandatory T-pass purchase for each parking permit?
  5. Do you support shuttle service for elders, youth and all citizens between neighborhood centers and to the new Main Library?
  6. Do you support elimination of the one parking place per unit requirement if the building is within a mile or half-mile to a T stop?
  7. Do you support tax incentives to use compact fluorescents and LEDs, bicycles, sustainable energy sources, maintenance of large trees, reuse of older buildings, gardens and open space and other wise environmental strategies?
  8. Do you support taxing vehicles by weight so that SUVs and vehicles would have to cover the life cycle cost including reparation of air quality and increased risk of danger to their passengers and those they hit?