City Council — Regular Meeting, October 28, 2019

City Manager's Agenda (9)

• CMA 2019 #277Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $300,000 from Free Cash to the Public Investment Fund Public Works Department Extraordinary Expenditures Account to fund strategic and technical advisory services to position the City to procure a 100% renewable electricity supplyclimate
• CMA 2019 #278Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the transfer of $250,000 from the General Fund Employee Benefits (Insurance) Salary and Wages account to the General Fund Public Works Travel & Training (Judgment and Damages) account which will cover medical bills and settlements for Public Works personnel injured in the course of their job
• CMA 2019 #279Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $109,376.50 received in energy rebates, to the Public Investment Fund Public Works Department Extraordinary Expenditures account and will be used to supplement the FY20 public investment appropriation to support energy efficiency projects at school and City buildingsschools
• CMA 2019 #280Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $245,000 to the Public Investment Fund Public Works Extraordinary Expenditures account to support the construction of the O’Connell Library Pocket Park. This appropriation is supported through funds received from the following sources: $25,000 from the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority (CRA) Forward Fund Grant; $75,000 from the East Cambridge Open Space Trust; and $145,000 from Free Cash
• CMA 2019 #281Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the transfer of $10,000 from the General Fund Employee Benefits Salary and Wages account (Insurance) to the General Fund Electrical Travel and Training account (Judgments and Damages) to cover medical services and/or prescription reimbursement costs for personnel injured in performance of their duties
• CMA 2019 #282Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $50,000 from Free Cash to the Public Investment Fund Library Extraordinary Expenditures account which will fund the purchase of a new Library truck
• CMA 2019 #283Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $350,000 from Free Cash to the Public Investment Fund Library Extraordinary Expenditures account. This appropriation will fund a feasibility study and interior improvements to the Central Square Branch Library
• CMA 2019 #284A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 19-30, regarding traffic safety concerns on Madison Avenuetransit-traffic📖 read
• CMA 2019 #285Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the request for two appropriations of $23,000,000 from Free Cash and $7,000,000 from Cambridge Redevelopment Authority for the Foundry project

Communications (7)

7 resident communications received for this meeting — zoning (1). Individual letters are summarized in the city's agenda and are not republished here, by policy.

Policy Orders (11)

• POR 2019 #351That the City Manager is requested to report back to the City Council with a proposed plan for implementation of a pilot off-leash dog shared use morning hours program at Sacramento Field to start by the end of Fall 2019📖 read
• POR 2019 #352That the Executive Assistant to the City Council confer with the Dedication Committee to consider a request from Mayor McGovern for a suitable public dedication for Vincent and Santa Saia in the vicinity of Inman Square
• POR 2019 #353That the City Manager is requested to review the existing internal mechanisms for City staffers in all departments to report grievances, to determine if this system is functioning as it should or whether changes should be considered
• POR 2019 #354That the City Manager is requested to install hearing loop technology inside the Sullivan Chamber as part of the upcoming renovations to City Hall, and in other critical City meeting venues wherever possible and other accessibility improvements
• POR 2019 #355That the City Manager is requested to confer with relevant City staff on the need and feasibility of instituting traffic-calming and safety measures at Magazine Street at Upton Streettransit-traffic📖 read
• POR 2019 #356That the City Manager is requested to confer with relevant City staff regarding the feasibility of reinstituting a stop light or other major traffic-calming safety measures at the Raymond Street and Walden Street pedestrian crossingtransit-traffic
• POR 2019 #357That the City Manager is requested to confer with the appropriate City staff and report back to the City Council on the feasibility of installing a “Do Not Enter Except Local Residents” or similar sign on Mead Street at Walden Street
• POR 2019 #358That the City Manager is requested to confer with the appropriate School Department and City Officials as well as organizations such as the Urban Area Security Initiative and the Southern Poverty Law Center to determine Cambridge’s threat level from hate crimes and other related eventsschools
• POR 2019 #359That the City Manager is requested to confer with relevant City staff on determining the most appropriate signage and messaging that would best educate cyclists on the importance of following traffic laws, particularly stopping at red lights, for their own safety and the safety of other cyclists and pedestriansbike-lanestransit-traffic
• POR 2019 #360That the City Manager is requested to work with the Community Development Department, the Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department and the Department of Public Works to determine what facilities, parking changes, and other improvements to the pavement conditions would be necessary and feasible to make Porter Square and Massachusetts Avenue between Roseland Street and Beech Street a quick-build Complete Street with bus prioritytransit-traffic
• POR 2019 #361That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the Department of Public Works to make it a priority to repair sidewalks, particularly legacy brick sidewalks and asphalt patches, to ensure full compliance with ADA requirements, and bring any necessary appropriations to the City Council in order to accomplish this purpose

Resolutions (12)

• RES 2019 #354Resolution on the death of Fred Lewis
• RES 2019 #355Congratulations to Brittney Morris on Her New Novel "Slay."
• RES 2019 #356Resolution on the death of Edna DiFraia
• RES 2019 #357Get Well Wishes to Arlene Reed-Delaney
• RES 2019 #358Resolution on the death of Maria Barros
• RES 2019 #359Speedy Recovery wishes to Paula Dottin
• RES 2019 #360Welcome wishes to Reverend Efrain Alejandro Mateo of the Nuevo Bethel ll AME Church
• RES 2019 #361Speedy Recovery wishes to Gail Seidman
• RES 2019 #362Happy Birthday wishes to Nathine Washington
• RES 2019 #363Happy Birthday wishes to Ethlyn Davis-Fuller
• RES 2019 #364Congratulations to Sharman Altshuler, David Lucey and entire Moonbox Cast of Rocky Horror Picture Show
• RES 2019 #365Congratulations to Sal and Marie DiDomenico on Flowers by Sal’s 50th anniversary

Applications & Petitions (5)

• APP 2019 #83An application was received from Brett Owens, requesting permission for a projecting sign at the premises numbered 579 Massachusetts Avenue approval has been received from Inspectional Services, Department of Public Works, Community Development Department and abutterlabor📖 read 📄 PDF
• APP 2019 #84An application was received from Andrew Lafuente, requesting permission for an awning at the premises numbered 27 Brattle Street. Approval has been received from Inspectional Services, Department of Public Works, Community Development Department and abutterstenants-rentzoning📖 read 📄 PDF
• APP 2019 #85An application was received from Clover Food Lab, requesting permission for one internally illuminated projecting sign at the premises numbered 496 Massachusetts Avenue approval has been received from Inspectional Services, Department of Public Works, Community Development Department and abutter📖 read 📄 PDF
• APP 2019 #86An application was received from Mark Hanlon, requesting permission for a curb cut at the premises numbered 90 Jackson Street; said petition has received approval from Inspectional Services, Traffic, Parking and Transportation, Historical Commission and Public Works. No response has been received from the neighborhood associationtransit-traffic📖 read 📄 PDF
• APP 2019 #87An application was received from Cambridge Trust, requesting permission for a projecting sign at the premises numbered 353 Huron Avenue approval has been received from Inspectional Services, Department of Public Works, Community Development Department and abutter📖 read 📄 PDF

Other Business (8)

• AR-19-142Report on determining the feasibility of expediting the Demolition and Rebuilding permitting process in the event of a natural disaster
• AR-19-143Report on the feasibility of piloting a program of assigning additional security officers to work collaboratively with and exclusively within Cambridge Housing Authority premises in and near Central Square and the Porthousing-general
• AR-19-144Report on determining the feasibility of instituting and funding a Fire Cadet Program
• AR-19-145Report on reviewing all the City’s policies and procedures related to the procurement, installation and disposal of artificial turf

• COM 891 #2019 : An anonymous communication was received, regarding many concerns about the noise and environmental impact. 📖 read
• a report from Councillor Quinton Zondervan, Co-Chair and Councillor Dennis J. Carlone, Co-Chair of the Neighborhood and Long Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts and Celebration Committee, for a public hearing held on September 24, 2019 to discuss the City policy on sidewalk surface treatments as discussed in Policy Order #16 of July 30, 2019 📖 read
• membership of a newly formed My Brothers' Keeper Cambridge Taskforce
• a report, "The Kind of City which is Desirable and Obtainable:" A brief history of zoning in Cambridge

Committee Reports (1)

• Neighborhood & Long Term Planning Committee hearing of 2019-09-24 — Report Accepted And Placed On