City Council — Regular Meeting, April 24, 2023

City Manager's Agenda (7)

• CMA 2023 #98Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) grant in the amount of $532,218.00 funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development to the Grant Fund Human Service Programs Salary and Wages account ($24,693.00), to the Grant Fund Human Service Programs Other Ordinary Maintenance account ($504,025.00), and to the Grant Fund Human Service Programs Travel and Training account ($3,500.00)housing-general
• CMA 2023 #99A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appointment of School Committee Member Caroline Hunter as a member of the Family Policy Councilschools📖 read
• CMA 2023 #100A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appointment of the following persons as member of the to the Cambridge Commission on the Status of Women for a term of three years: • Jean Connor (appointment) • Caitlin Dube (appointment) • Rhonda Greene (reappointment) • Mara Horwitz (appointment) • Natalie Le (appointment) • Judith Tumusiime (appointment)📖 read 📄 PDF 📄 PDF 📄 PDF 📄 PDF 📄 PDF
• CMA 2023 #101A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appointment of the following persons as members of the the Mass Ave Partial Construction Working Group: • Sukia Akiba • Steven Beaucher • Darren Buck • Christopher Cassa • Makayla Comas-Race • Gary Dmytryk • Debby Galef • Diane Gray • Denise Jillson • Timothy Keefe • Ruth Ryals • Eitan Normand • Daniel Stubbs • Laurie Pessah
• CMA 2023 #102A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, requesting that the City Council authorize an agreement to partner with the Town of Arlington ("Arlington") in its receipt of a federal planning grant ("Grant") from the Federal Emergency Management Agency ("FEMA")
• CMA 2023 #103A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to improvements to the area around Jerry’s Pondhousing-general📖 read 📄 PDF 📄 PDF
• CMA 2023 #104A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 23-08, regarding a report regarding exploring additional less-lethal alternatives that pose the smallest risk of injury when deployed for standard issue in the Cambridge Police Departmentpolice-safety📖 read

Communications (23)

23 resident communications received for this meeting — climate (12) · bike lanes (6) · transit traffic (5) · housing general (4) · schools (3). Individual letters are summarized in the city's agenda and are not republished here, by policy.

Policy Orders (6)

• POR 2023 #69That the City Manager is requested to direct the appropriate City staff to light City Hall up green from May 1 through May 7, 2023 in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month
• POR 2023 #70City Council support for Amendments #685 and #1333 to House Bill H3900 and in urging that the members of the Massachusetts House Ways and Means Committee ensure their inclusion and passage in the final bill
• POR 2023 #71That the Executive Assistant to the City Council confer with the Dedication Committee to consider the request for a dedication in the vicinity of the Harvard Observatory on Concord Avenue or Garden Street in honor of Williamina P.S. Fleming and Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin
• POR 2023 #72That the City Manager is requested to work with relevant City departments to bring together a working group to conduct outreach through neighborhood groups including the Fresh Pond Residents Alliance, and any other nearby neighborhood groups and city departments, in order to discuss and review options for use of the BB&N Fieldtrees📖 read
• POR 2023 #73That the City Manager is requested to direct relevant departments to work together to develop a policy that would lead to a ban on the use of gas-powered lawn equipment in Cambridge in line with other municipalities and development of possible ordinance language limiting the use of gas powered lawn equipment by residents, businesses, and city operations
• POR 2023 #74That the City Council go on record declaring April 2023 as “Autism Acceptance Month” in the City of Cambridge

Resolutions (15)

• RES 2023 #114Congratulations to Bishop Brian C. Greene on receiving the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Cambridge Matignon Schoolschools
• RES 2023 #115Resolution on the death of Ruth Hill
• RES 2023 #116Congratulations on the retirement of Diane Bruno from the Cambridge Public Health Commission
• RES 2023 #117Congratulations on the retirement of David Smith from the Department of Public Works
• RES 2023 #118Congratulations to Haitham Mansour for his dedication to Cambridge Youth Soccer
• RES 2023 #119Congratulations to Melissa Carpenito on being named 2022 Police Dispatcher of the Yearpolice-safety
• RES 2023 #120Thanks to the Cambridge Public Library team and encourage Cambridge residents to participate in programs and events celebrating National Library Week
• RES 2023 #121Congratulations to Bethany Morrissey on being named 2022 Fire Alarm Operator of the Year
• RES 2023 #122Congratulations to Erica Crane 2022 on being named Communications Training Officer of the Year
• RES 2023 #123Congratulations to Joseph Sullivan on being named 2022 Supervisor of the Year
• RES 2023 #124Congratulations to David Linehan on being named 2022 Emergency Medical Dispatcher of the Year
• RES 2023 #125Congratulations on the 175th Anniversary of St. Peter's Parish
• RES 2023 #126Condolences To The Family of Ramona Paige
• RES 2023 #127Condolences To The Family of William A. Ridgley, Sr
• RES 2023 #128Resolution on the death of John Clifford

Ordinances (1)

• ORD 2023 # 1A Zoning Ordinance has been received from Diane P. LeBlanc City Clerk, relative to the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Cambridge be amended on a Zoning Petition by Michael Monestime, et al., to amend the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Cambridge by creating new footnotes in the Table of Permitted Uses in Section 4.30 for Outdoor Retail or Consumer Service Establishment, not otherwise defined and Outdoor Entertainment and Recreation Facility” in the Business B, B-1 and B-2 column which read, “For the Central Square Overlay see section 20.304.5 (5)” and “For the Central Square Overlay see section 20.304.5 (6)”; and by amending Section 20.304.5 of the Central Square Overlay District to allow Outdoor Retail or Consumer Service Establishment, not otherwise defined by Special Permit from the Planning Board, with associated approval criteria, and to permit Outdoor Entertainment and Recreation Facility as-of-right within the Business B District of the Central Square Overlay District. (Ordinance #2023-1) PASSED TO A SECOND READING IN COUNCIL APRIL 24, 2023 TO BE ORDAINED ON OR AFTER MAY 15, 2023 EXPIRES ON JULY 12, 2023zoning📖 read 📄 PDF 📄 PDF

Other Business (3)

• AR-23-27Report on providing a legal opinion on the earliest possible date that potential changes to the charter could be voted on by the electorate, assuming the Charter Review Committee submits proposed changes to the City Council by the new December 31, 2023 deadlinecharter

• an update regarding legislative activity 📖 read 📄 PDF 📄 PDF 📄 PDF 📄 PDF
• information from the School Committee

Committee Reports (7)

• Health & Environment Committee hearing of 2022-03-01 — Accepted [Unanimous]
• Committee hearing of 2022-03-08 — Accepted [Unanimous]
• Health & Environment Committee hearing of 2022-03-23 — Accepted [Unanimous]
• Health & Environment Committee hearing of 2022-03-29 — Accepted [Unanimous]
• Health & Environment Committee hearing of 2023-04-11 — Accepted [Unanimous]
• Ordinance Committee hearing of 2023-04-13 — Accepted [Unanimous]
• Committee hearing of (unknown date) — Passed To A Second Reading [Unanimous]