That 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 private

O-4 FIRST IN COUNCIL September 15, 2025 City of Cambridge COUNCILLOR NOLAN COUNCILLOR AZEEM COUNCILLOR SIDDIQUI WHEREAS: In previous years, the City Council has asked City staff for periodic updates on rodent control measures including POR 2022 #68, POR 2022 #184, and POR 2023 #154, and City staff have been responsive on updating the Council and the community regularly, including with CMA 2022 #102, CMA 2022 #226, CMA 2023 #296, and CMA 2024 #258 and dedicated City staff from ISD and DPW have been readily available to meet with residents and investigate rodent issues throughout the city along with providing accessible resources; and WHEREAS: Reducing access to food waste is the most important action that can be taken to combat rodent populations, and after several years of work by the Department of Public Works and in consultation with the Health and Environment Committee, the City Council adopted the updated Zero Waste Master Plan (ZWMP 2.0) in June 2025 which will over time improve food waste diversion for residents, restaurants, and commercial buildings, which will dramatically reduce food access for rodents; and WHEREAS: Additionally, as part of an ongoing initiative DPW will be installing 200 new fully enclosed BigBelly bins to combat rodent activity and prevent litter, and these new bins, which include both trash and recycling stations, will replace almost all of the open-top trash cans currently in the city and will be a great benefit in reducing access for rodents, compacting trash, and allowing DPW to optimize waste pick-ups; and WHEREAS: Soil and landscape disruptions due to construction and demolition can have a large effect on how residents experience rodent activity throughout the city, and reports of rat population exploding across the city, in every area, and with large construction projects ongoing, having a mitigation plan will be important in dealing with increased rodent activity in the area; and WHEREAS: In CMA 2022 #102, then DPW Commissioner Owen O’Riordan suggested that DPW would like to propose changes in the Refuse and Litter Ordinance of 1991, which are especially relevant now since the ZWMP 2.0 update and ongoing rodent control initiatives; now therefore be it ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby 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 private; and be it further ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with relevant departments to provide recommendations to update the Refuse and Litter Ordinance at the time of other upcoming ZWMP recommended related ordinance updates; and be it further

ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council in a timely manner.