City Council — Regular Meeting, March 17, 2025

City Manager's Agenda (18)

• CMA 2025 #33A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the 2025 Annual Surveillance Report concerning City Departments’ use of Surveillance Technology or Surveillance Dataartspolice-safety📖 read
• CMA 2025 #35A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to an update regarding Federal funding
• CMA 2025 #36A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the reappointment of Michael P. Gardner as a member of the Cambridge Retirement Board for a term of three years, effective March 1, 2025
• CMA 2025 #37Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the transfer of $140,000 from the General Fund Department of Transportation Salary and Wages account to the General Fund Department of Transportation Travel and Training (Judgment and Damages) account to cover current and anticipated medical services and/or prescription reimbursement costs for the remainder of the fiscal year, and a lump sum settlement for Traffic and Parking personnel injured in the performance of their dutiestransit-traffic
• CMA 2025 #38Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of 5,000.00 received from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) to the Grant Fund Public Works Extraordinary Expenditures account to purchase a new Universal Waste Shed for the DPW Recycle Center. The grant will enable the City to support the Recycle Center and protect the environment by providing a larger space for collecting batteries and fluorescent light bulbs before a contractor hauls them away for safe processing
• CMA 2025 #39Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $97,500, to the Grant Fund Public Works Other Ordinary Maintenance Account. These funds will be used to support the implementation of the Zero Waste Master Plan 2.0 through outreach, education, and technical assistance to residents; improving the Recycle Center; and conducting a waste characterization study
• CMA 2025 #40Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $570,000 from Free Cash to the Public Investment Fund Police Extraordinary Expenditures account for the procurement of replacement firearms for the Police Department. These funds would support the purchase of replacement firearms for the Department. Police Department firearms are typically replaced on approximately a ten-year cycle. The manufacturer has ceased production of the model currently used and replacements are almost impossible to source. It is important that department personnel are all trained on the same firearm to ensure safety and interoperability. TABLED IN COUNCIL MARCH 17, 2025police-safety
• CMA 2025 #41Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $160,000 from Free Cash to the Public Investment Fund Police Extraordinary Expenditures account for the procurement of a new fully electric accessible transport wagon. This funding will allow the purchase of a fully electric, American Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant transport wagon to replace one of the aging F350s. The new vehicle will ensure the safe and comfortable transport of community members to court, shelters, and other service providerspolice-safety
• CMA 2025 #42Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $30,000,000 from Free Cash to the Debt Stabilization Fund. This appropriation will be used to mitigate anticipated debt service costs in future years for the City’s major capital projects
• CMA 2025 #45Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of$50,000, to the Grant Fund Fire Extraordinary Expenditures account. Funds will be used to purchase additional nozzles/tips, gauges, and adaptors for high-rise hose kits which were purchased with previous grant monies to be deployed for battling high-rise incidents. The rescue equipment (harnesses) will be used for industrial and rope rescue incidents
• CMA 2025 #46Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $39,600.00 to the Grant Fund Fire Extraordinary Expenditures account. The funds will be used for the purchase boots for tech rescue companies, rescue gloves for members of the department, and uniforms and training for the bicycle teambike-lanes
• CMA 2025 #47Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $250,000, from Free Cash to the General Fund Law Department Other Ordinary Maintenance account. The funds will be used to cover unanticipated increases in costs, as well as future expenses through the end of the fiscal year, relating to legal matters handled by outside counsel legal services, stenographers and court reporters, constable services, consultants and experts, as well as filing fees and related costs in matters pending in courts and/or administrative bodies
• CMA 2025 #48A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appointments and reappointments of members to the Climate Committeeclimate
• CMA 2025 #49A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number #24-62, regarding an update on recommendations and planned next steps from the City’s study of resident experiences of inclusion and bias in Inclusionary Housing in Cambridgeaffordable-housinghousing-general📖 read
• CMA 2025 #50A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Policy Order Item Number 2024-162, regarding proposed amendments to the Cannabis Business Ordinance to add select HCA requirements so the city can waive the HCA requirement and zoning amendment to remove repackaging prohibitionzoning📖 read 📄 PDF 📄 PDF
• CMA 2025 #51A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appointments of members to the Cambridge Kiosk Advisory Committee
• CMA 2025 #52A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number PO #2025-16, regarding permissible height increases under the Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) in the Zoning Ordinanceaffordable-housinghousing-generalzoning📖 read 📄 PDF 📄 PDF
• CMA 2025 #53A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number #24-58, regarding the feasibility of a successor program to Rise Up Cambridge📖 read

Communications (66)

66 resident communications received for this meeting — housing general (41) · zoning (39) · budget (22) · transit traffic (13) · tenants rent (12). Individual letters are summarized in the city's agenda and are not republished here, by policy.

Policy Orders (5)

• POR 2025 #31That the City Manager is requested to appoint the members of a working committee tasked with integrating the objectives of both the Task Force to Examine the Status and Wellbeing of the City’s African American/Black Population and the Commission on the Status of Black Men and Boys into a unified, actionable framework
• POR 2025 #32That the City Manager is requested to direct the appropriate City departments to draft language to create an Ordinance to insure that vacant store fronts and commercial properties keep their properties in safe and clean conditions
• POR 2025 #33Designating the Fourth Thursday of March as Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day
• POR 2025 #34That the City Manager provide the Council with a report before May 31, 2025, that includes a summary of all requests for approval of Surveillance Technology Impact Reports received by the city council during the prior year pursuant to Section 2.128.030 or Section 2.128.040 of the Surveillance Ordinance, including whether the City Council approved, disapproved, or required modifications to the Surveillance Technology Impact Reports received, for the Council to review and adoptpolice-safety
• POR 2025 #35That the City Council approve the motions that passed favorably in the Special Committee of the Whole/Charter Review. Committee Report is attachedcharter📖 read

Resolutions (7)

• RES 2025 #49Happy 93rd Birthday wishes to Moses Moore
• RES 2025 #50Congratulations to Deborah Mason on her 50th Anniversary of dedication to the arts and dance education in Cambridgearts
• RES 2025 #51Congratulations to Ronit Barkai on her retirement from Transition Housetransit-traffic
• RES 2025 #52Congratulations to Officer Oswaldo Ortiz on his retirement from the Cambridge Police Departmentpolice-safety
• RES 2025 #53Congratulations to Fire Lieutenant Adam Shuman on his retirement from the Cambridge Fire Departmenttenants-rent
• RES 2025 #54Congratulations to Heli Medeiros on retiring from the Cambridge Health Alliance
• RES 2025 #55Congratulations to the 3rd Annual "Public Vs. Prep" Tournament

Ordinances (3)

• ORD 2025 # 5An Ordinance has been received from City Clerk, relative to Chapter 5.50 CANNABIS BUSINESS PERMITTING📖 read
• ORD 2025 # 6An Ordinance has been received from City Clerk Diane P. LeBlanc, relative to Zoning Petition to remove the repackaging prohibition as a City Council Zoning Petition. PASSED TO SECOND READING IN COUNCIL MAY 19, 2025. ELIGIBLE TO BE ORDAINED JUNE 9, 2025zoning📖 read
• ORD 2025 # 7An Ordinance has been received from City Clerk Diane P. LeBlanc, relative to amend certain subsections of the Affordable Housing Overlay, Section 11.207 of the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance PASSED TO A SECOND READING IN COUNCIL MAY 5, 2025 ELIGIBLE TO BE ORDAINED MAY 26, 2025affordable-housinghousing-generalzoning📖 read 📄 PDF

Applications & Petitions (4)

• APP 2025 #11A Zoning Amendment Petition Has been received from Mushla Marasao in regards to Article 5.28.21, 8.22.1, 8.22.2, Tbl 5.1, et al. REFERRED TO THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE AND PLANNING BOARD FOR HEARING AND REPORT IN COUNCIL MARCH 17, 2025zoning📖 read
• APP 2025 #12An application was received from Donger Lei representing FUPO CAFE, requesting permission for an awning at the premises numbered 359 Huron Avenue. Approval has been received from Inspectional Services, Department of Public Works, Community Development Department and abutters📖 read
• APP 2025 #13An application was received from Elizabeth Yanez representing Spanish Immersion School infant Toddler Preschool Pre-K, requesting permission for an awning at the premises numbered 171 Huron Avenue. Approval has been received from Inspectional Services, Department of Public Works, Community Development Department and abutters proof of mailing has been providedschools📖 read
• APP 2025 #14A Zoning Amendment Petition Has been received from BMR-320 Charles LLC c/o BioMed Realty, L. P., regarding a Zoning Ordinance and the Zoning Map of the City of Cambridge, which, upon adoption would create a new East Cambridge Community Enhancement Overlay District, or the "ECCE Overlay District,"REFERRED TO THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE AND PLANNING BOARD FOR HEARING AND REPORT IN COUNCIL MARCH 17, 2025zoning📖 read 📄 PDF

Other Business (13)

• ARS-25-7AR Status Update 3/17/25affordable-housingbike-lanesclimatehousing-generaltransit-traffic📖 read
• AR-25-10The 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
• AR-25-11The 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
• AR-25-12The 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 abatements
• AR-25-13The 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 stormstransit-traffic
• AR-25-14The 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 tenantstenants-rent
• AR-25-15The 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
• AR-25-16The City Manager is requested to direct the appropriate City staff to coordinate with the MBTA in finding ways in which to strengthen safety measurestransit-traffic

• Build density 📄 PDF
• an update regarding legislative activity 📖 read 📄 PDF 📄 PDF 📄 PDF
• City Charter - Update Regarding Alternative Mayoral Selection Proposals and Other Updates. REFERRED TO THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE/CHARTER REVIEW IN COUNCIL MARCH 17, 2025 📄 PDF 📄 PDF
• CMA 2025 #43 : Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the transfer of $75,000 from the General Fund Human Resources Salaries and Wages account to the General Fund Human Resources Other Ordinary Maintenance (Professional and Technical) account to obtain a Benefits Broker that can provide comprehensive consulting and advisory services to support the city’s employee and retiree benefits programs, including health, vision, dental, flexible spending, and life insurance.

Funds will support an initial analysis that may include a review of the City's benefit programs, assistance in developing options for benefits packages, and providing guidance with state and federal regulations

• CMA 2025 #44 : Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $468,750 to the Grant Fund Fire Extraordinary Expenditures account ($438,750) and to the Grant Fund Fire Travel and Training account ($30,000).

Funds will be used to purchase equipment to support the hazardous materials response team

Committee Reports (2)

• Committee hearing of 2024-12-09 — Accepted
• Public Safety Committee hearing of 2025-03-03 — Accepted