City Board Hears Plea Against Gym

Cambridge residents last night began again the process of fighting Radcliffe's proposed Observatory Hill athletic facility at a Cambridge Planning Board public hearing after learning last month that the time limit on the original petition had expired.

About 40 residents attended the hearing where Harvard representatives presented reasons for the University's continued opposition to the residents' petition for a temporary building moratorium on the Observatory Hill property.

If the Cambridge City Council approves a moratorium, no building permits could be issued until Dec. 1, 1978 for construction in the area bounded by Bond and Garden Sts. and Concord Ave.

The planning board is expected to make its recommendation to the council in two weeks.

No

Many uncertainties exist concerning the time limitation on passing the petition and whether or not a moratorium would legally prevent Radcliffe from building the gym, because academic institutions are generally exempt from zoning restrictions.

Donald C. Moulton, assistant vice president for community affiars, yesterday presented a letter to the planning board which said Harvard's legal counsel had advised that a moratorium would be "contrary to applicable principles of law."

City officials, however, said yesterday they were still unsure if the petition would have the desired effect of giving the residents time to begin eminent domain proceedings on the Harvard property.

No

Part of the problem residents face is a new city council and the time-consuming process of clecting a new mayor, the only official who can appoint subcommittees to consider the petition.

The new council was sworn in Tuesday morning, but adjourned its meeting without choosing a new mayor after four ballots.

City Councilors Thomas Danehy, Francis Duehay '55 and Saundra Graham each received four votes, but lacked the crucial fifth vote needed to become mayor.

The council has been known to take months to elect a new mayor. Two years ago it took 348 ballots before any councilor was able to achieve five votes.