City Council — Regular Meeting, September 15, 2025

City Manager's Agenda (13)

• CMA 2025 #224A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to recommendations of the Community Preservation Act Committee (CPAC) for FY2026affordable-housinghousing-general📖 read 📄 PDF
• CMA 2025 #225A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number #25-50, regarding a Deadline for Charter Changecharter
• CMA 2025 #226A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to a recommendation from the Cambridge Election Commission regarding the assignment of twenty-six (26) police officers and any additional officers as required to the City’s polling locations for the 2025 Municipal Election, pursuant to G.L. c. 54, §72police-safety📖 read
• CMA 2025 #227Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of an FY26 State 911 Department Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) Grant in the amount of $28,512 to the Grant Fund Emergency Communications Other Ordinary Maintenance Account, which will support quality assurance (call review) of the emergency medical protocol used by staff to provide pre- and post-dispatch instructions for medical emergencies
• CMA 2025 #228A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 25-45, regarding the siting of needle drop boxes and Naloxone boxes in high priority locations throughout the cityhomelessnesshousing-generalpolice-safetytransit-traffic📖 read
• CMA 2025 #229Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to a transfer in the amount of $1,703,731.64 from the Opioid Settlement Stabilization Fund to the Opioid Settlement Special Revenue Fund
• CMA 2025 #230A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Numbers 25-38, 25-39 and 25-41, regarding issues related to parking in the area surrounding the eastern end of Broadwaytransit-traffic📖 read
• CMA 2025 #231A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 25-27, regarding the City Manager investigate bike pod storage options to be placed in suitable areas in the city to provide residents and visitors safe storage optionsbike-laneshomelessnesstransit-traffic📖 read
• CMA 2025 #232A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 25-42 regarding pedestrianization of Lower Bow Streettransit-traffic📖 read
• CMA 2025 #233A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 25-32, regarding a request that the City engage in discussions with leadership from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and the Harvard Square Business Association (HSBA) regarding a proposal to explore the feasibility of repurposing the long-abandoned MBTA tunnel in Harvard Square into a commercial or cultural space. CHARTER RIGHT EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR AZEEM IN COUNCIL SEPTEMBER 15, 2025transit-traffic
• CMA 2025 #234A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the transmission of the Cambridge Street Zoning Petitionbike-laneshousing-generalzoning📖 read 📄 PDF 📄 PDF 📄 PDF
• CMA 2025 #235A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the transmission of the Massachusetts Avenue Zoning Petitionbike-laneshousing-generalzoning📖 read 📄 PDF 📄 PDF 📄 PDF
• CMA 2025 #236A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 25-43, regarding a request for an interim report on demolition and building permit applications received during the six-month period following the City Council’s adoption of the Multifamily Housing Zoning Amendment on February 10th, 2025housing-generalzoning📖 read

Communications (7)

7 resident communications received for this meeting — police safety (3) · budget (1) · schools (1). Individual letters are summarized in the city's agenda and are not republished here, by policy.

Policy Orders (5)

• POR 2025 #125That the City Manager is requested to provide an update to the City Council at the September 29, 2025 City Council meeting regarding the status of discussions with the MBTA and HSBA, the potential allocation of funds for the tunnel feasibility RFP, and any anticipated next steps in this processtransit-traffic
• POR 2025 #126That the City Manager is requested to work with the Cambridge Police Department to review current crisis prevention protocols, strengthen them by clearly defining the role and deployment of mental health professionalspolice-safety
• POR 2025 #127That the City Manager is requested to work with the Commission on Immigrant Rights & Citizenship, the City Solicitor, the Police Department, the Mayor’s Office, and other relevant stakeholders to evaluate and implement ICE Encounter Guidancepolice-safety
• POR 2025 #128That the City Manager is requested to work with relevant departments to provide an update on rodent control measures citywide and especially how the City addresses rodent mitigation through large construction projects, both public and privatebike-lanes📖 read
• POR 2025 #129That the City Manager is requested to work with the Cambridge Police Department, the Law Department, and relevant stakeholders to develop and present to the City Council a proposed policy for the timely release of body-worn camera footagepolice-safety

Resolutions (5)

• RES 2025 #204Congratulations to Steve McAuliffe who will be honored as the Massachusetts Red Sox Volunteer of the Year on Saturday, September 27, 2025 for his outstanding volunteer service with the Cambridge Girls Softball League
• RES 2025 #205Condolences on the death of Phyllis S. Sage
• RES 2025 #206That the City Council go on record recognizing and commending Priyota for her leadership in creating the Mother Language Poetry Contest, her ongoing advocacy for language preservation, and her contributions to celebrating the diversity and cultural richness of Cambridge
• RES 2025 #207Congratulations to Cambridge Day and Michael Fitzgerald
• RES 2025 #208Happy 101st Birthday to Marvin Gilmore

Applications & Petitions (1)

• APP 2025 #36An application was received from Harvard Art Museums requesting permission for 22 temporary pole banners around Cambridge Commons, Quincy Street and Cambridge Street announcing the Master brand Campaign from September 15, 2025 through January 15, 2026arts📖 read

Other Business (11)

• ARS-25-23Awaiting Report Status Update 09.15.25schoolstransit-trafficzoning📖 read
• AR-25-46The City Manager is requested to coordinate with the Community Safety Department, the Cambridge Police Department, and other relevant parties to ensure that the overnight use of the garden area between St. James Episcopal Church and the Beech Street condos is actively monitoredpolice-safety
• AR-25-47the City Manager is requested to confer with the Department of Transportation, the Commission for Persons with Disabilities, and any other relevant City departments to assess the current accessible parking capacity in the vicinity of Kendall Square and identify potential solutions, which may include adding dedicated accessible parking spaces, creating short-term accessible loading/unloading zones, or implementing other reasonable accommodationstransit-traffic
• AR-25-48The City Manager is requested to consult with the appropriate City departments, including the City Solicitor’s Office, to establish a formal policy that clearly defines the City’s role and financial responsibilities in supporting large-scale public events hosted by Cambridge-based non-profit and not-for-profit organizations
• AR-25-49the City Manager is requested to work with the Community Development Department, the City Assessor, and all other relevant departments to develop a comprehensive policy for future private development projects in the city
• AR-25-50The City Manager is requested to confer with the Election Commission, the City Solicitor, and the City Clerk, and report back to the City Council no later than the September 15, 2025 City Council meeting on the Policy Order regarding the deadline for Charter Changecharter
• AR-25-51The City Manager is requested to work with all relevant departments to seek input from the community as well as direct outreach to condo owners and short-term rental operators and develop additional recommendations based on the discussion in the Ordinance Committee
• AR-25-52The City Manager is requested to work with relevant departments and multi-member bodies to report back to the City Council and inform the community of the work of, and when the recommendations coming from the Micromobility Commission will be available
• AR-25-53The City Manager is requested to consult with relevant departments about the implications of deploying license plate readers and provide recommendations as to whether adjustments in plans for deployment should be made in light of changes since approval in February

• an update regarding legislative activity 📖 read 📄 PDF 📄 PDF 📄 PDF
• (untitled) 📖 read 📖 read 📖 read