Asked the City Manager to work with relevant City departments to review the Across Sidewalk Electric Vehicle Charging (EV) Permit Pilot Program, eliminate the $200 annual permit fee and determine if the process can be simplified

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The City of Cambridge recognizes the importance of Electric Vehicle infrastructure and acknowledge that electric vehicles (EVs) create less greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution than traditional gasoline-fueled vehicles and that EV drivers benefit from better fuel economy and financial incentives and contribute to cleaner air and better health for the community; and

There are over 5,000 EVs registered in Cambridge and the City should continue to work to expand access to charging citywide and EVs can be cheaper to operate than fossil fuel cars despite costing more initially; and

In response to the work of the Climate Committee, the City Council and the Climate Crisis Working Group, which recommended taking steps to expand EV charging options, on July 12, 2023, the City announced a new EV charging pilot program that will allow residents to apply for a permit to charge EVs across City sidewalks with proper protections to ensure safety and accessibility; and

This charging pilot program supports the City’s continued commitment to increasing public EV charging access and could act as a transitional piece for meeting the overall publicly accessible EV charging goals; and

To receive a permit, residents have to follow strict guidelines, buy an approved cover, and have appropriate outdoor electric outlet which can be expensive to install and pay an annual fee of $200, and live more than half a mile from a public charging station, all of which make the program less accessible and more costly restricting equitable access to electric vehicle charging infrastructure for all residents; and

The City Council has worked to advance city goals of equity and support for residents and small businesses, and remove financial and other barriers when possible; now therefore be it

ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with relevant City departments to review the Across Sidewalk Electric Vehicle Charging (EV) Permit Pilot Program, eliminate the $200 annual permit fee and determine if the process can be simplified and report back to the City Council in a timely manner.