Letters to Agencies

As he did before he was elected to the City Council, Craig communicates regularly with City boards and agencies about issues relevant to Cambridge and its neighborhoods. Craig's letters reflect his campaign's motto that "Neighborhoods Count" — they ask the City to put a priority on residents' concerns when reviewing applications for variances, permits and licenses.

BZA — 202 3rd Street — Variance request

. . . On a wider note, granting a variance under these conditions . . . would tell us all that our zoning regulations are really only guidelines, to be followed when convenient and to be ignored, through variances, when not convenient . . .

License Commission — Metropolitan Life / Idenix — Chemical storage

. . . some of these issues seem to be insurmountable, all the more so after the Danvers explosion . . .

License Commission — IHOP — 4:00 AM closure

. . . consider what trends we might be setting and what greater problems we might be creating . . .

License Commission — Qdoba — Beer and wine

. . . I cannot remember even one complaint of inappropriate behavior resulting from an establishment serving only beer and wine . . .

School Committee and others — School budget thoughts

. . . There are a lot of good things going on which would be great to highlight . . .
. . . we are creating a system-wide school behavior improvement program . . . people throughout the district tell me that school behavior/school climate is a huge issue for them and their kids and a major reason why many of them leave . . .

BZA — Harvard Law School — Expansion

. . . either table this matter until Harvard has met the neighborhoods' concerns or . . . deny Harvard's application . . .

License Commission — Rendang Restaurant — Beer and wine

. . . Without this license, I imagine the restaurant will not succeed given the competition in Harvard Square . . .

BZA — Desfina Restaurant and Bar — Entertainment

. . . is literally attached to private residences and the impacts of late night noise on inhabitants of those residents is very negative . . .

License Commission — Whole Foods — Liquor store in former Putnam Cafe

. . . something that was not allowed in the original package, seems to me to place future such accommodations in jeopardy . . .

License Commission — Temple Bar — Extend hours until 2:00 AM

. . . Should Temple Bar have its hours extended, it would not be unreasonable for other local bars to expect the same competitive advantage . . .

License Commission — Grand Prix Cafe — License review

. . . the large number of people who have told me what a treasure this new café is for our neighborhood speaks directly to its value to the surrounding community . . .

BZA — Whole Foods — Liquor store in former Putnam Cafe

. . . That the original coffee shop was apparently not economically viable does not allow the zoning variance to be changed without following the proper procedures . . .

BZA — Swiss House — Expanding size

. . . the Swiss House agreed that it would not change the building’s exterior. Now, several years later, the Swiss House is seeking both a variance and a Special Permit to do exactly that . . .

Superintendent, Cambridge Public Schools — School budget thoughts

. . . The budget should include adequate resources for improving classroom management and behavior issues . . .