fyi From: Craig Kelley [mailto:CraigKelley62@verizon.net] Sent: Friday, November 19, 2010 1:13 AM To: Craig Kelley Subject: Signs on Council's Monday night agenda (22 November) Folks: Councillor Davis' and my Council Order asking that the Manager pay attention to a Sign Task Force (I'm paraphrasing right now, as I don't have ready access to the Order on this Amtrak train) was Charter Righted (a parliamentary procedure allowing Councillors to stop discussion of an item the first time it comes up for one meeting) by Councillor Davis last week. Which means, it's on Monday's agenda if you want to come talk about it. My feeling is that if we're going to study sign issues, we may as well start out acknowledging that, like it or not, Microsoft will never get a law in Cambridge that allows it to put a sign on the building it shares with Intersystems. I suspect that that means no one else will be able to put signs on their buildings without going through the gyrations to get a variance, which is where we stand now. We should also, I feel, discuss all sign-related issues at this time, including temporary signs such as the banners my church wants to put up periodically in the middle of the Harvard Square historic district. It may be that there is no desire to change our sign ordinance in any way. It may be that we'd like to change it but can't come to an agreement on just how. It may be that, absent the issue of Microsoft and branding, there are a number of issues we can agree on. We won't know 'til we talk usefully about it, and that's what Henrietta and I are trying to help accomplish. So, come on down if you want. Email the Council if you want. Enjoy the weekend regardless. Craig You can speak for up to three minutes on any topic on the Council's agenda at Monday's Council's meeting. To see the complete agenda, follow the links on the ride hand side of http://www.cambridgema.gov/ccouncil.cfm after 5 PM on the Thursday before a Council meeting. To speak at a Council meeting, call 349-4280 between 9 AM and 3 PM to sign up, or show up at City Hall at 5:30 to speak. The speaker list is closed at 6 PM, so you need to sign up before then to be assured of a chance to speak. You may email the entire Council at Council@Cambridgema.gov and the City Manager at RHealy@Cambridgema.gov. You can also check out archived Council meetings on line at http://www.cambridgema.gov/council-archive.cfm.