For Charney, the nature of this city-wide problem is clear.

"The over-all question is of sustainability," he said. "How dense a city do you want to have?"

And while Charney suggested that Harvard may be trying to put together a Knafel Center plan to "slip underneath the radar," Mary Power, Harvard's director of community relations said that, like other community members, the University is concerned with the city's development patterns.

"The growth management discussion is a very important one for the City of Cambridge and it is one that Harvard needs to be a part of," she said. "It's in our interest because Harvard wants to be a part of the community."

Power said that the University recently asked the City Manager to include it on a city-wide panel to address issues of growth management that is expected to be announced sometime next week.

While Pitkin said that Harvard has been "inconsistent" on growth policy, he said there is widespread concern for overdevelopment in the city. For CRGM, the problem is that support does not translate into action.

"People are saying good things, but only action will solve the problem," he said.

Yet Pitkin insisted that action is exactly what his group is designed to produce.

"We need to build a coalition and persuade the city administration that we need to make the reforms," he said. "It's our job to keep the pressure on so this will stay on the front burner."