"We intend to be good neighbors to the people of East Cambridge," Clem said.

Toomey's efforts to block the development have taken the form of a petition that would mandate the development be only 50 percent construction, with the other half of the property reserved for open space--a commodity highly valued in rapidly developing Cambridge.

However, city officials now say that the petition could bring on a lawsuit by the developers because it unfairly "torpedoes" the project.

This is excuse enough for councillors like Galluccio to accept the development as planned, said Robert Winters, a long-time Cambridge resident and observer of the council who has also run for a seat on the body in the past.

In the end, the council voted to adopt a substitute order made by Councillor Katherine Triantafillou asking for professional mediation to be provided by City Manager Robert W. Healy.

Epps Honored, MIT Questioned

In a resolution adopted by the Council unanimously last night, Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III was honored for his accomplishments during his 30-year tenure at Harvard.

Epps, who will step down from his administrative post at the end of this academic year, will continue to serve the College as a senior associate dean.