City Council — Regular Meeting, March 3, 2025

City Manager's Agenda (7)

• CMA 2025 #27A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to an update regarding Federal funding
• CMA 2025 #28A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to a recommendation that in accordance with the requirements of the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), the Cambridge City Council adopt an order for the Statement of Interest Form for the replacement of the Cambridgeport School building roofschools📖 read 📄 PDF
• CMA 2025 #29A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to an update on Supplier Diversity📖 read
• CMA 2025 #30A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appointment of David Freilach, Rachel Dowley Alexander, and Chris Herlich as members and the reappointment of Kai Alexis Smith as a member of the Public Art Commission for a term of three yearsarts📖 read 📄 PDF 📄 PDF 📄 PDF
• CMA 2025 #31A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 24-63 regarding recognizing and honoring the Massachusett Tribebudget📖 read
• CMA 2025 #32A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to changes in the Clerk Department ordinance regarding a fee increasezoning📖 read
• CMA 2025 #34A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to a request to move to Executive Session to discuss the purchase of real property, off Cambridge/Concord Turnpike in Lincoln, Massachusetts, near the Hobbs Brook Reservoir. Discussing this matter in an open session may have a detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the City

Communications (293)

293 resident communications received for this meeting — zoning (200) · housing general (184) · broadband (59) · transit traffic (45) · affordable housing (39). Individual letters are summarized in the city's agenda and are not republished here, by policy.

Policy Orders (14)

• POR 2025 #17That the City Manager is requested to direct the appropriate City staff to explore potential actions the City can take to mitigate the impact of Eversource price hikes📖 read
• POR 2025 #18That the City Council go on record reaffirming that Cambridge is a Sanctuary City not only for immigrants but also for all marginalized communities, including transgender and nonbinary individualshousing-generalschools📖 read
• POR 2025 #19That the City Manager is requested to direct the appropriate City staff to coordinate with the MBTA in finding ways in which to strengthen safety measurespolice-safetyschoolstransit-traffic📖 read
• POR 2025 #20That the City Manager is requested to exert all appropriate influence on EZ Ride and Passio to take immediate and concrete steps to fully resolve tracking deficiencies and improve real-time transit accuracy for riderstransit-traffic
• POR 2025 #21That the City Manager is requested to work with all appropriate Departments to develop language to create an “Affordable Rent Incentive Program” program for Cambridge and to report back to the City Council with option, including the percentage of possible tax abatementsaffordable-housingbudgethomelessnesshousing-generaltenants-rent📖 read
• POR 2025 #22That the City Manager is requested to demand information from Eversource regarding concerns following the transformer explosion at 17 Edmunds Street on February 19, 2025
• POR 2025 #23That the City Manager is requested to commit to prioritizing snow removal from crosswalks and pedestrian islands for the rest of this and future snow seasons and direct appropriate City staff to generate a policy for prioritizing snow removal from crosswalks and pedestrian islands after snow stormsbike-lanestransit-traffic📖 read
• POR 2025 #24That the City Manager is requested to work with the Law Department to draft a home rule petition allowing Cambridge to end the practice of property owners passing on broker’s fees to tenantshousing-generaltenants-rent📖 read
• POR 2025 #25That the City Manager is requested to work with relevant staff to present a zoning petition to the City Council for consideration on maximum unit size. CHARTER RIGHT EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR TONER IN COUNCIL MARCH 3, 2025housing-generalzoning📖 read
• POR 2025 #26That the City Council go on record in support of HD.2996/SD.1305 An Act to Regulate Junk Fees in Housing and HD.238/SD.35 An Act Eliminating Forced Broker’s Feeshousing-general
• POR 2025 #27That the City Council urges the Executive Office of Health and Human Services and MassHealth without delay to fully recognize BCaBAs for the purpose of reimbursement and implement a three-tier delivery model for ABA services
• POR 2025 #28That the Cambridge City Council go on record supporting Teamsters Local 25 should they decide to take action, including extending picket lines to every Stop & Shop store in New England, and demanding that Ahold Delhaize and Stop & Shop return to the bargaining table in good faith
• POR 2025 #29The City Manager is requested to work with relevant departments to create a plaque to be placed at the entrance of or inside City Hall that demonstrates the values that the Cambridge City Council upholds of the separation of church and state and gender equality📖 read
• POR 2025 #30Policy Order Re Canceling March 10 City Council Meeting

Resolutions (10)

• RES 2025 #39That the City Council go on record extending Congratulations to the NAACP Awardees 2025
• RES 2025 #40Condolences on the death of Eugene Goodwin
• RES 2025 #41Congratulations to Philip Chu on his retirement from the Cambridge Police Departmentpolice-safety
• RES 2025 #42Congratulations to Frank Greenidge on his retirement from the Cambridge Police Departmentpolice-safety
• RES 2025 #43Congratulations to Paul Holder on his retirement from the Cambridge Health Alliance
• RES 2025 #44Congratulations to Christopher Samuel on his retirement from the Cambridge Police Departmentpolice-safety
• RES 2025 #45Congratulations to Anthony Santiago on his retirement from the Cambridge Police Departmentpolice-safety
• RES 2025 #46Congratulations to Lovestruck Books on its Grand Opening in Cambridge
• RES 2025 #47Condolences on the death of Kevin Clark
• RES 2025 #48Condolence Resolution for Pamela J. Harding

Ordinances (1)

• ORD 2025 # 4An Ordinance has been received from the City Clerk, relative to Chapter 2.24 - City Clerk Department, Section 2.24.050 entitled "Fee Schedule"zoning📖 read

Applications & Petitions (3)

• APP 2025 #8An application was received from Lesley University requesting permission for 48 temporary banners along Massachusetts Avenue between Everett Street and Upland Street announcing Lesley University with Student Artwork from February 2025 through February 2026📖 read
• APP 2025 #9An application was received from Russell House Tavern, requesting permission for a projecting sign at the premises numbered 14 JFK Street approval has been received from Inspectional Services, Department of Public Works, Community Development Department and abutter📖 read
• APP 2025 #10An application was received from Brinn Sanders, requesting permission for a curb cut at the premises numbered 177 Hancock Street; said petition has received approval from Inspectional Services, Traffic, Parking and Transportation, Historical Commission and Public Works. Response has been received from the neighborhood associationtransit-traffic📖 read 📄 PDF 📄 PDF

Other Business (6)

• ARS-25-6Awaiting Report Status Update 03.03.25affordable-housingbike-lanesclimatehousing-generaltransit-traffic📖 read
• AR-25-6The City Manager is requested to work with the Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department to investigate safety improvements such as signalization to the intersection of Cardinal Medeiros Avenue, Cambridge Street, and Warren Street, and to implement these changes as soon as possibletransit-traffic
• AR-25-7The City Manager is requested to work with appropriate departments to prepare a communication to DCR Commissioner Arrigo, urging that a study of traffic conditions at the intersections of Western Avenue and River Street at Memorial Drive and Soldiers Field Road (commonly referred to as “the box”), be included in their FY26 Capital Plantransit-traffic
• AR-25-8The City Manager is requested to create a plan with a schedule and milestones to move forward with the creation of a Municipal Broadband Network and present it for consideration by the Council at a Finance Committee meeting in the context of capital projects for coming yearsbroadband
• AR-25-9The City Manager is requested to confer with the relevant departments about exploring how the Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department can advance protection of Cambridge students and other bus riders as authorized by the two new Massachusetts lawsschoolstransit-traffic

• an update regarding legislative activity 📖 read 📄 PDF 📄 PDF 📄 PDF

Committee Reports (1)

• Health & Environment Committee hearing of 2025-02-11 — Report Accepted [Unanimous]