Cambridge City Council meeting - Jan 29, 2018

Cambridge City Council meeting - Jan 29, 2018 - AGENDA
Councillor Kelley was ABSENT

CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA
1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appointment of the following persons as a members of the Family Policy Council effective Jan 29, 2018: City Councillor Alanna Mallon, City Councillor Sumbul Siddiqui and School Committee Member Laurance Kimbrough.
Placed on File

2. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the transfer of $25,000 from the General Fund Employee Benefits (Insurance) Salary and Wages account to the General Fund Library 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 for Library personnel injured in the performance of their duties.
Order Adopted

3. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of the FY18 Early Childhood Resource Center grant received from the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care in the amount of $9,333.33 to the Grant Fund Library Salary and Wages account ($1,600) and the Grant Fund Library Other Ordinary Maintenance account ($7,733.33) which will support parent/provider workshops, library materials, and staff time to provide on-site services.
Order Adopted

4. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appointment of the following persons as a members of the Library Board of Trustees for a term of three years, effective Feb 1, 2018: Janet Axelrod and James Roosevelt
Placed on File

5. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appointment of the following person as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Cambridge Health Alliance representing Somerville for a term commencing on Feb 1, 2018 and concluding on June 30, 2019: Robert Buchanan.
Placed on File

6. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of the FY18 Local Cultural Council grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) for $21,600 to the Public Celebrations (Arts Council) Other Ordinary Maintenance account which will be used to support the Arts Council’s Artist Grant Program through which financial grants will be made to individual artists and local arts/cultural organizations producing work and programs to educate the broader community on the arts.
Order Adopted

7. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of the Massachusetts Formula Grant in the amount of $140,941.00 funded by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs to the Grant Fund Human Service Programs Salary and Wages account ($95,602.98), to the Other Ordinary Maintenance account ($39,088.02), and to the Travel and Training account ($6,250.00) which will be used to provide transportation for Cambridge seniors to medical appointments and weekly grocery shopping trips.
Order Adopted

8. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of a grant from the MetroNorth Regional Employment Board for $83,737.00 to the Grant Fund Human Service Programs Salary and Wages account ($41,868.50) and to the Other Ordinary Maintenance account ($41,868.50) which will be used to reimburse the City for salary costs associated with enrolling income-eligible youth in the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program and to support program costs for work sites taking large numbers of youth and developing worksites for youth participants.
Order Adopted

9. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of the Bertucci’s Pizza Benefit Night donation and family fundraiser in the amount of $816.64 to Grant Fund Human Service Programs Other Ordinary Maintenance account. The Morse Preschool and Windsor Street Preschool held fundraisers to support program activities. The funds will be utilized to support field trips for both programs and to purchase gardening and other classroom supplies.
Order Adopted

10. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the requirements of the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) that the City Council adopt an order for the Statement of Interest Form to be submitted to MSBA no later than Feb 16, 2018 for the replacement of the roof, including the installation of photovoltaic panels (PV) if deemed structurally and financially possible at the Graham and Parks School Building, located at 44 Linnaean Street. Jan 29, 2018.
Order Adopted

CHARTER RIGHT
1. That the City Manager is requested to report back to the City Council regarding efforts to expand the number of electric vehicle charging stations, the feasibility of appropriately placing electric vehicle chargers on residential streets where there is need, the status of possible City fleet replacement to electric vehicles, expanded outreach and education on available rebates and incentive programs, and the feasibility of requiring developers to include a greater number of electric vehicle charging stations in new or substantially renovated multi-unit buildings. [Charter Right exercised by Councillor Simmons on Jan 22, 2018.]
Order Adopted as Amended, Add'l Order #9 Approved to also refer to Health & Environment Committee

ON THE TABLE
2. A communication was received from Donna P. Lopez City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor Craig Kelley, regarding assessing and approving Neighborhood-Based Resiliency. [Tabled on the motion of Councillor Kelley on Dec 18, 2017.]
Referred to Public Safety Committee - Mallon

UNFINISHED BUSINESS
3. A communication was received from Donna P. Lopez, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Vice Mayor Devereux, Chair of the Ad-Hoc Rules Committee, for a public hearing held on Tuesday, Jan 16, 2018 to discuss and suggest changes to the City Council Rules and transmitting recommended changes to the City Council Rules.
Rules Adopted

APPLICATIONS AND PETITIONS
1. An application was received from MIT Visual Arts Center, 20 Ames Street, Building E15-109, requesting permission for fifteen temporary banners on Ames Street where the List Center is located in order to promote the Center's upcoming exhibition Before Projection: Video Sculpture 1974-1995.
Order Adopted

2. An application was received from Baker Pond LLC, requesting permission for relocation of an existing curb cut at the premises numbered 247 Lakeview Avenue; said petition has received approval from Inspectional Services, Traffic, Parking and Transportation, Historical Commission and Public Works. Response has been received from the neighborhood association.
Order Adopted

3. An application was received from Geraldine Spies and Dudley Rose, requesting permission for a curb cut at the premises numbered 15 Line Street; said petition has received approval from Inspectional Services, Traffic, Parking and Transportation, Historical Commission and Public Works. No response has been received from the neighborhood association.
Order Adopted

4. An application was received from Margaret Wheeler, requesting permission for a curb cut at the premises numbered 41 Magazine 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 association.
Charter Right - Toomey

5. An application was received from Leland Cheung, requesting permission for a curb cut at the premises numbered 8 Vineyard Street; said petition has received approval from Inspectional Services, Traffic, Parking and Transportation, Historical Commission and Public Works. No neighborhood association for this area.
Order Adopted

COMMUNICATIONS
1. A communication was received from Mary Gilleece, regarding bike lanes.

2. A communication was received from Cambridge Bicycle Safety, regarding proposed Porter Square intersection improvements.

3. A communication was received from Gerald Holton, regarding making Cambridge streets dangerous.

4. A communication was received from Lynn Cetrulo, regarding common sense and safety for all on the roads.

5. A communication was received from Richard Johnson, regarding the Ad Hoc Committee agenda.

6. A communication was received from Catalina Arboleda, regarding bike lanes in Cambridge.

7. A communication was received from Mary Ann Donofrio, 120 Gore Street, regarding the plan to have the waste line for North Point come down Gore Street.

8. A communication was received from Anne Taylor, Thorndike Street, supporting the Voter Guide.

10. A communication was received from Susan Redlich, 19 Sacramento Street, regarding liability of fossil fuel companies.

11. A communication was received from Peter Valentine, 37 Brookline Street, regarding a way of saying something to express what we want.

12. A communication was received from Marie Elena Saccoccio, 55 Otis Street, regarding formal objection to Gore Street excavation for Divco/Cambridge Crossing sewer.

13. A communication was received from Michael Brandon, 27 Seven Pines Avenue, regarding City Council Rule 24C.1.c.

14. A communication was received from Robert Humphreville, 39 Lee Street, regarding bicycle lanes and bicyclists.

15. A communication was received from Robert J. La Tremouille, regarding correction: Harvard Square: opposition to the upzoning: responsible behavior; fake protections.

16. A communication was received from Harvard Collection, LLC, transmitting written opposition to the Peter Kroon, et al. Harvard Square Overlay District Zoning Petition.
Referred to Petition

17. A communication was received from Alliara, LLC, transmitting written opposition to the Peter Kroon, et al. Harvard Square Overlay District Zoning Petition.
Referred to Petition

18. A communication was received from Belltree, LLC, transmitting written opposition to the Peter Kroon, et al. Harvard Square Overlay District Zoning Petition.
Referred to Petition

19. A communication was received from Corliss, LLC, transmitting written opposition to the Peter Kroon, et al. Harvard Square Overlay District Zoning Petition.
Referred to Petition

20. A communication was received from Kirche, LLC, transmitting written opposition to the Peter Kroon, et al. Harvard Square Overlay District Zoning Petition.
Referred to Petition

21. A communication was received from Laurelwood, LLC, transmitting written opposition to the Peter Kroon, et al. Harvard Square Overlay District Zoning Petition.
Referred to Petition

22. A communication was received from Mayhaw, LLC, transmitting written opposition to the Peter Kroon, et al. Harvard Square Overlay District Zoning Petition.
Referred to Petition

23. A communication was received from Platin, LLC, transmitting written opposition to the Peter Kroon, et al. Harvard Square Overlay District Zoning Petition.
Referred to Petition

24. A communication was received from Tamarillo, LLC, transmitting written opposition to the Peter Kroon, et al. Harvard Square Overlay District Zoning Petition.
Referred to Petition

25. A communication was received from Tartarian, LLC, transmitting written opposition to the Peter Kroon, et al. Harvard Square Overlay District Zoning Petition.
Referred to Petition

26. A communication was received from Young Kim, Norris Street, regarding strict compliance to BZA decision on the Forrest Terrace Project.

27. A communication was received from Tarragon, LLC, transmitting written opposition to the Peter Kroon, et al. Harvard Square Overlay District Zoning Petition.
Referred to Petition

28. A communication was received from Robert J. La Tremouille, regarding City Council should schedule Televised Hearing on 190 (Massachusetts Avenue).

29. A communication was received from Peter Klinefelter, 220 Erie Street, endorsing the letter from Henrietta Davis in response to MassDOT’s current EIR as outlined in Policy Order #7.

30. A communication was received from Heidi Gitelman and her husband David Willoughby, 247 Chestnut Street, in support of Henrietta Davis’ response to the I-90 DEIR as contained in Policy Order #7.

31. A communication was received from Cathie Zusy, 202 Hamilton Street, in support of Policy Order #7 and the response by Henrietta Davis to the DEIR about the I-90 Allston/Brighton Interchange Project.

32. A communication was received from Mark Bohlman, 32 Copley Street, regarding Calendar Item #1 for electric vehicles.

33. A communication was received from Carol O’Hare, 172 Magazine Street, endorsing Policy Order #7 relating to I-90 Allston Interchange Project.

34. A communication was received from Walter McDonald, 172 Magazine Street, regarding Policy Order #7 and the I-90 Allston/Brighton Interchange Project.

35. A communication was received from Alan Greene, 82 Fifth Street, regarding Policy Orders #3 and #8 regarding the sewer work proposed for Gore Street and the improvements to the Gold Star Mothers Park.

36. A communication was received from Audrey Cunningham, 49 Gore Street, regarding Policy Order #6 relating to the sewer work on Gore Street and outrage that the residents were excluded from the process.

37. A communication was received from Michael Monestime, Executive Director, Central Square Business Association, in support of Policy Order #4 requesting a feasibility study for the Central Square Business Improvement District.

38. A communication was received from John MacDougall, 175 Richdale Avenue, regarding the I-90 Project.

RESOLUTIONS
1. Thank you to Cambridge Firefighter Sean Williams for rescuing Niko the dog from the Charles River. Councillor Mallon

3. Congratulations to Mid-Cambridge residents Pam and Christopher Willis of Pammy’s for being awarded Boston Globe's "Restaurant of the Year". Councillor Toomey, Councillor Mallon

4. Congratulations to Tracy Chang of Pagu for being awarded Boston Globe’s “Chef of the Year”. Councillor Toomey

5. Retirement of Charles "Skip" Murphy from the Cambridge Fire Department. Mayor McGovern

6. Congratulations to Chris Chung of Momi Nonmi for being awarded Boston Globe’s “Best Passion Project”. Councillor Toomey

7. Retirement of Renata von Tscharner from the Charles River Conservancy. Councillor Toomey

8. Congratulations to the members of the January Coalition, the organizers, and the participants of the Women’s March on the Cambridge Common. Councillor Siddiqui

ORDERS
1. That the City Manager is requested to investigate the possibility of changing the snow removal exemption to include two and three-family houses. Councillor Toomey
Order Adopted

2. That the City Manager is requested to direct the City Solicitor and any other appropriate City departments to report back to the City Council no later than February 26, 2018 with an update on any work that is currently underway regarding regulating adult use marijuana and to suggest next steps to the Council. Vice Mayor Devereux, Councillor Mallon, Councillor Siddiqui, Mayor McGovern
Order Adopted as Amended

3. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Commissioner of Public Works and all other appropriate City departments to review and conduct necessary repairs to the Gold Star Mothers Park and all play and water feature, including drainage issues, with an eye towards mitigating the impacts of local construction and the development of a plan with the community for improving this significant piece of open space. Councillor Mallon, Councillor Toomey
Order Adopted

4. That the City Manager is requested to explore funding options for the possibility of creating a Business Improvement District (BID) for Central Square. Councillor Mallon, Councillor Simmons, Mayor McGovern
Order Adopted

5. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Community Development Department with the view in mind of creating a list of mitigated private spaces that are available to the public, what the exact eligibility of using these spaces is, and making the list available to the public. Councillor Toomey
Order Adopted

6. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Commissioner of Public Works and the City Engineer on the potential of utilizing trenchless technology, micro tunneling and/or pipe jacking to lessen the time and impact on the residents of Gore Street. Councillor Toomey, Councillor Kelley, Councillor Mallon
Order Adopted

7. Endorsing Requests for Action or Further Study for the I-90 Allston Interchange Project in Boston. Mayor McGovern, Vice Mayor Devereux, Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Carlone
Order Adopted

8. That the City Manager maximize the community benefits from and mitigating the impacts of the Cambridge Crossing sewer construction. Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Siddiqui, Councillor Toomey
Order Adopted

9. That the Order for Calendar Item Number One adopted as amended at the City Council meeting of January 29, 2018 relating to electric cars be bifurcated and be referred to the Health and Environment Committee. Councillor Simmons
Order Adopted

COMMUNICATIONS AND REPORTS FROM CITY OFFICERS
1. A communication was received from Councillor Craig Kelley, explaining his absence from the City Council Meeting on Mon, Jan 29, 2018.
Placed on File

HEARING SCHEDULE
Mon, Jan 29
5:30pm City Council Meeting (Sullivan Chamber)

Mon, May 14
4:00pm 2018 City of Cambridge Scholarship Awards Ceremony. This ceremony to be televised. (Sullivan Chamber)
5:30pm City Council Meeting (Sullivan Chamber)

TEXT OF ORDERS
O-1 Jan 29, 2018
COUNCILLOR TOOMEY
WHEREAS: The current snow exemption program eligibility requires that residents must live in a single-family house; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to investigate the possibility of changing the snow removal exemption to include two and three-family houses and report back to the Council.

O-3 Jan 29, 2018
COUNCILLOR MALLON
COUNCILLOR TOOMEY
WHEREAS: Gold Star Mothers Park on Gore Street serves a variety of neighborhood open space needs; and
WHEREAS: As one of the largest open spaces in East Cambridge, the park features playing fields, water play features, tot lots, playgrounds, passive space, basketball courts, and hosts off leash hours for dogs; and
WHEREAS: The park was renovated in 2006 with neighborhood input, but many of the elements, such as tot lots and water play are in need of reinvestment; and
WHEREAS: Recent weather has resulted in significant drainage issues causing large flooded areas of walking paths and the grass field; and
WHEREAS: The playground equipment and water features, last upgraded in 2006, are worn and need immediate attention for the summer months; and
WHEREAS: Gore Street residents will be enduring a potential construction project that provides minimal benefit compared to the negative impacts of construction; and
WHEREAS: Park improvements can provide a lasting benefit for the community; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Commissioner of Public Works and all other appropriate City departments to review the drainage issues and plan for immediate improvements; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Commissioner of Public Works and all other appropriate City departments to review and conduct necessary repairs to the Gold Star Mothers Park and all play and water features, and, with an eye towards mitigating the impacts of local construction, develop a plan with the community for improving this significant piece of open space, and to report back to the City Council on these matters.

O-7 Jan 29, 2018
MAYOR MCGOVERN
VICE MAYOR DEVEREUX
COUNCILLOR ZONDERVAN
COUNCILLOR CARLONE
WHEREAS: The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) issued a Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the I-90 Allston Interchange Project in Boston (EEA No. 15278) (the Project) on Nov 30, 2017; and
WHEREAS: The Project would reconstruct the Massachusetts Turnpike, Soldiers Field Road, and the Paul Dudley White Path on the Boston side of the Charles River between the BU Bridge and the River Street Bridge, all with an estimated cost of between $900 Million and $1.2 Billion depending on which of several options are selected; and
WHEREAS: The Project would have major impacts on the Cambridgeport neighborhood as well as the City of Cambridge as a whole; and
WHEREAS: Comments on the DEIR must be submitted to the Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs (Secretary of EEA) not later than Feb 9, 2018; and
WHEREAS: A Task Force of community, municipal, and agency representatives (the Task Force), named by the Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation (MassDOT Secretary), has been active for several years in advising on the studies, analysis, and options presented in the DEIR; and
WHEREAS: In 2016 the Cambridgeport Neighborhood Association requested that the MassDOT Secretary add a Cambridge “community representative” to the Task Force to join Bill Deignan, Transportation Program Manager of the Cambridge Community Development Department who has been ably serving as the official City representative on the Task Force since its inception; and
WHEREAS: The Secretary appointed Henrietta Davis, long-time resident of Cambridgeport and former Cambridge Mayor and City Councillor, to serve as the Cambridge Community Representative on the Task Force; and
WHEREAS: Former Mayor Davis is submitting to the Secretary of EEA the attached letter and memorandum as the Community Representative response to the DEIR; and
WHEREAS: Former Mayor Davis’ submittal sets forth over 20 specific “Requests for Action or Further Study” to minimize the Project’s negative impacts on Cambridge and maximize its potential to enhance environmental assets of importance to Cambridge, including 17-acre Magazine Beach Park and the Charles River and its pathways and parklands; and
WHEREAS: Such “Requests for Action or Further Study” include specific steps to deal with Cambridge concerns for the following sets of issues:

Transit and Multi-Modal Planning – to be implemented early (rather than 2040, as proposed in the DEIR), and to include bus routes, the start of West Station as a new transit hub for transit, pedestrian, and bicycle access to Kendall Square, long an objective of the City, and reconstruction of the Grand Junction Railroad bridge over Soldiers Field Road to make such future access possible and remove an obstacle in the Paul Dudley White Path;
Cambridge Access to/from Soldiers Field Road – to be preserved with a narrow one-lane exit ramp providing a right-turn only to the River Street Bridge toward Cambridge, to be designed to enhance the pathway and parkland leading to the bridge and to be accompanied by plans for an underpass for walkers, joggers, and cyclists under River Street Bridge;
Cambridge Access to/from the Turnpike – to be studied further to determine if travel times and traffic loads can be made to function effectively through the grid of signalized urban streets in Allston and on Western Avenue, River Street, and Memorial Drive, and other Cambridge streets, and develop plans to implement an acceptable plan;
Noise – to develop effective noise barriers and other features to reduce existing harmful noise levels from the Turnpike, which constitute a constant roar in Cambridgeport and Riverside and greatly diminish the value of Magazine Beach;
Options for the “Throat,” the narrow space for roadways, pathways, and parklands between BU and the Charles River – to develop a comprehensive alternative that reduces current noise levels, is visually attractive from Cambridge, and has a positive impact on the Paul Dudley White path, green space, and river edge;
Width of the Turnpike – to reconstruct the Turnpike to be as narrow as possible, rather than MassDOT’s plan in the DEIR that would widen travel lanes and add wide shoulders that do not exist in any other parts of the Turnpike between Route 128 and the Prudential Tunnel;
Parkland and Paul Dudley White Pathways – to design the riverfront parkland and pedestrian/bicycle pathway system to enhance this world-class environmental resource and its pathway system, which is increasingly used for both commuting and recreation; and
Construction Mitigation and Project Compensation – to develop a detailed action plan to mitigate impacts from years of aggravation and disruption that will be experienced by Cambridge while the Project is constructed, including actions to reduce construction noise, improvements to pathways on the Cambridge side to accommodate increased use while the Paul Dudley White path is closed, and traffic management steps to minimize expected heavier traffic on Memorial Drive, Western Avenue, Massachusetts Avenue, the many bridges over the Charles River, and Cambridgeport and Riverside neighborhood streets; and

WHEREAS: Harvard University has recently announced that it will contribute $50 Million to the construction of both an interim and long-term West Station as a public transportation hub; now therefore be it
RESOLVED: That the City Council endorses the “Requests for Action or Further Study” in Mayor Davis’ submittal (attached); and be it further
RESOLVED: That the City Clerk is requested to forward a suitably engrossed copy of this resolution, the attached letter from former Mayor Davis, and the “Response to Draft Environmental Impact Report” (Jan 24, 2018), to Matthew Beaton, Secretary of Energy & Environmental Affairs; Alex Strysky, Environmental Analyst; MassDOT Highway Division; Stephanie Pollack, Secretary & CEO of MassDOT; Representative Mike Capuano; Representative Katherine Clark; and to the elected members of Cambridge’s State Congressional delegation on behalf of the entire City Council.

RESPONSE TO DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
OF I-90 ALLSTON INTERCHANGE PROJECT IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
BY HENRIETTA DAVIS,
CAMBRIDGE COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVE TO I-90 TASK FORCE
Jan 24, 2018

1. TRANSIT/MULTI-MODAL PLANNING
Problem: Transit plans in DEIR for I-90 are inadequate; implementation of West Station is delayed until 2040.

Requests for Action or Further Study:

Begin transit planning now.
Plan West Station as a future public transportation hub for access (transit, pedestrian, bicycles) to Kendall Square and North Station, as well as to the Longwood Medical Area (in addition to serving as a commuter rail station).
Take short-term action to develop and implement bus routes.
Construct initial parts of West Station, at least as a temporary station for buses, as part of the I-90 project.
Rebuild the Grand Junction railroad bridge over Soldiers Field Road as part of I-90 project to accommodate two transit tracks in the future and remove an obstacle in the Paul Dudley White path. Include this rebuilding in all “throat” options.

Comment: It is unacceptable to defer transit planning and implementation. It has long been part of Cambridge’s public transportation objectives to develop plans for transit, pedestrian, and bicycle access for Kendall Square and beyond to North Station and the Longwood Medical Area.

It essential that these plans focused on West Station move forward as part of the I-90 project, and not wait until detailed plans for the development of the project area are created. Public infrastructure should create the context for development, not wait to react to it.

2. ACCESS TO/FROM SOLDIERS FIELD ROAD
Problem: The DEIR proposes to eliminate the important direct exit from Soldiers Field Road to Cambridge by removing the entire 2-lane exit ramp.

Requests for Action or Further Study:

Retain a narrower exit ramp from Soldiers Field Road as a single-lane with right-turn only for cars heading to Cambridge via River Street Bridge.
Design the single-lane exit ramp to be as narrow as possible to create space for improved pedestrian/bicycle pathway leading to River Street Bridge.

Comment: We support the DEIR plan for an underpass of Soldiers Field Road at new Cambridge Street in Allston for SFR moves to and from Allston, Brookline and the Turnpike. Eliminating the right-turn exit toward Cambridge, however, creates an unacceptable and longer route through the new Allston street grid with 4-6 signalized intersections. That grid must also handle all traffic to/from the Turnpike as well as traffic generated by future Harvard development. Separating out Cambridge traffic onto its own exit ramp from SFR will reduce the load on the new street grid.

3. ACCESS TO/FROM MASS TURNPIKE
Problem: There is no analysis of travel times connecting Cambridge to/from the Turnpike in DEIR. Current street grid proposed in DEIR is likely to create unacceptable time delays.

Requests for Action or Further Study:

Demonstrate and design reasonable travel times between Cambridge and Turnpike (to/from Turnpike both East and West).
Design appropriate signalization, possible reserved lanes, and other traffic management strategies for Cambridge access and egress in new street grid.
Require that “East Drive” and “Stadium Way” be built and added to the grid of new streets to provide more direct access to/from the Turnpike and Western Avenue.
Undertake detailed traffic and design study of the Cambridge roadways most impacted by the I-90 project, including River Street Bridge, Western Avenue, Memorial Drive, and adjacent neighborhood streets.
Study details of such traffic analysis and management plans in collaboration with transportation departments of Cambridge, Boston, Brookline, and the two universities directly involved – Harvard and BU.

Comment: Under the current plan, all cars and trucks entering and exiting the Turnpike are expected to use the new, signalized street grid in Allston. The new street grid would serve the Mass Turnpike, Soldiers Field Road, new Harvard development, and Allston/Brookline traffic – as well as Cambridge. This is an essential area for Cambridge auto travel toward the west to Route 128 and east to downtown Boston, South Boston, and Logan Airport. Drivers going to and from the West may choose, instead, to use Nonantum Road/Soldiers Field Road, and the Newton Corner access points. Expected travel times to and from Cambridge have not been studied.

As for Cambridge roads, the DEIR analysis of additional traffic on Western Avenue and Memorial Drive is inadequate. What there is shows unacceptable loads on residential streets. Additional traffic would overload such already highly congested roadways. Impact on truck traffic routing is not addressed. The Mass Avenue Bridge, Main Street/Longfellow Bridge, Memorial Drive, and other routes will become more attractive alternatives to the Mass Pike to avoid the project area entirely.

4. NOISE
Problem: DEIR provides inadequate analysis of noise impacts on Cambridge residents and park users, and fails to develop acceptable mitigation plans.

Requests for Action or Further Study:

Reduce current Turnpike noise levels at the source of the noise.
Conduct additional study and analysis to adequately to understand impacts on Cambridge.
Require a detailed action plan to mitigate noise impacts.
Include modern 21st Century noise walls on the Turnpike (including visually transparent ones) that are increasingly added to highways around the world.

Comment: The DEIR proposes no effective design elements to reduce current harmful noise levels from the steady Turnpike roar now heard in the Cambridgeport and Riverside neighborhoods and at Magazine Beach park. From their homes, residents complain of noise disturbances, particularly in third floor bedrooms. These residential disturbances are not adequately covered by DEIR studies.

Magazine Beach, which is a large urban park of 17-acres, is a gem of a public space, but its value is greatly diminished by noise. Noise is magnified by reflecting off the flat surface of the river and the tall BU buildings. The DEIR uses standardized, nation-wide formulas to conclude that noise walls and other design elements to lower noise levels in the neighborhood and in the park are not “cost effective.” The focus of plans should be on effectiveness; official formulas do not account for the site-specific circumstances.

5. THE “THROAT”
Problem: The DEIR fails adequately to analyze comparative impacts on Cambridge of the three options for the “Throat,” and fails to present a comprehensive alternative that reduces those impacts.

Requests for Action or Further Study:

Create a fourth throat option for the Turnpike, revised from the current three, that meets the following criteria:
- Reduction of current noise levels.
- A visually inoffensive and possibly even attractive structure.
- Reconstruction of the Grand Junction Bridge over Soldiers Field Road to prepare for potential use of the Grand Junction route for future transit and pedestrian/bicycle pathway.
- Positive impact on the Paul Dudley White path, green space, and river edge.

Comment: The categories of impacts on Cambridge are noise, visual appearance from our side of the river, reconstruction of Grand Junction Railroad over Soldiers Field Road, and pathways and greenspace along the river edge. These issues were not adequately addressed in the DEIR. Also needed is analysis of use of the vacant “barrel” under one direction of the Turnpike in the HV-3 option for relocation of east bound direction of Soldiers Field Road, thereby providing more space for pathways and parkland.

6. TURNPIKE WIDTH
Problem: HV3, MassDOT’s currently preferred viaduct option, unnecessarily increases the width of the Turnpike viaduct by about 60 feet more than currently exists. This result is a significant reduction in already limited space for pathways and parklands at the edge of the Charles River.

Requests for Action or Further Study:

Minimize Turnpike width to protect and increase space for pedestrian/bike pathways and maximize parkland by the river.
Revise HV3 option to have narrower shoulders or use HV4, an option described in the DEIR that does have narrower shoulders but was rejected.
Rebuild the Turnpike with travel lanes no wider than those now existing.

Comments: HV3 adds wider travel lanes and wider shoulders equating to almost a full travel lane in each direction over what now exists in the Turnpike both east (toward Prudential Tunnel) and west (toward Newton Corner) of the reconstruction area. HV3 would widen the curb-to-curb width of the Turnpike pavement from existing 96 feet to 120 feet, and increase overall width of the viaduct structure by about 60 feet. We question the “safety” justification for increased width in the limited project area, since the rest of the Turnpike from Route 128 to downtown Boston has a consistently narrower design, with occasional pull-out areas for breakdowns. Increasing the viaduct width unnecessarily occupies valuable space that should be used for enhanced pathways, green space, and river edge.

7. ENHANCE PARKLAND AND PAUL DUDLEY WHITE PATHWAYS
Problem: The DEIR acknowledges that statutes require that proposed transportation facilities that would use public parklands must be developed to “enhance” those parklands, as well as mitigate negative impacts. The DEIR focuses on minimizing negatives, but fails to deal sufficiently with creating positives in this area of the Charles River, with its parklands, river edge, and Paul Dudley White pathways.

Requests for Action or Further Study:

Actions described above:

Develop effective strategies and design features to improve noise levels at Magazine Beach
Minimize the width of Turnpike to maximize parkland and enhance the Paul Dudley White Path and river edge.
Maximize the potential area for pathways and parkland in designing the single-lane right turn exit ramp from Soldiers Field Road to River Street Bridge.
Rebuild the Grand Junction bridge over Soldiers Field Road to remove a current obstacle in the Paul Dudley White path.

Additional actions:

Add design of an underpass for pedestrians and cyclists under both the River Street and Western Avenue Bridges on the Boston side of the Charles River to plans for reconstruction of those bridges in the future.
Study whether the relocation of Soldiers Field Road in the area of new “Cambridge Street South” can be moved further from the river.
Include as a feature of the all at-grade throat option (ABC) two pedestrian/bicycle bridges from the BU/Commonwealth Avenue area to the Paul Dudley White path, as described in the submission of A Better City to MassDOT in July 2017.

Comments: The Charles River basin is a world-class environmental resource profoundly affected by the proposed highway project. Pedestrians, cyclists, and joggers treasure this resource, both as parkland and as non-auto transportation corridor. Cambridge residents and many others extensively use the river-front pathways for commuting and recreation, with the pathways increasingly used as bikeways. This huge highway project should enhance these parklands and non-auto transportation uses now and for the future.

8. CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION/PROJECT IMPACT COMPENSATION
Problem: Cambridge will experience years of aggravation and disruption while this project is constructed. Our quality of life will suffer. Traffic shifts and increased congestion will affect all alternative routes and all modes of transportation. Pathway and roadway closings, as well as years of construction noise impact, need to be addressed at this stage of the I-90 project.

Requests for Action or Further Study:

Develop a specific action plan now to mitigate construction impacts.
Detail a bus and transit plan to address years of disruption.
Plan roadway traffic management for the routes noted below when auto traffic will seek other routes during construction periods.
Address impacts of construction diversions on Memorial Drive and neighborhood streets.
Describe specific steps to reduce the impact of construction noise on Cambridgeport, Riverside, and Magazine Beach Park.
Improve the pedestrian/bicycle pathways on the Cambridge side of the river to accommodate heavier use during construction.

Comments: When Soldiers Field Road and the Turnpike are closed for periods, there will be unavoidable traffic impacts on Memorial Drive, River Street, Western Avenue, Mass Avenue, the many bridges across the Charles, and many neighborhood streets. Central, Kendall, and Harvard Squares will be impacted. Closing of Paul Dudley White pathways will result in more walkers, bikers, and joggers using paths on the Cambridge side of the river. Transit, bus, shuttles, trucks and other transportation modes will also face congestion. We will have years of hassle.

LETTER TO MATTHEW A. BEATON, SECRETARY OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS
Jan 24, 2018 (jgw )

Dear Secretary Beaton:

I am writing today as the Cambridge community representative to the I-90 task force to comment upon the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) on the I-90 Allston Interchange Project in Boston, MA, issued Nov 30, 2017 (EEA No.15278). As the former mayor of Cambridge, I am able to reflect a city-wide response to this project. As a long-time Cambridgeport resident, I will also share that neighborhood perspective, living very near the project area.

While construction of the proposed project is on the Boston side of the river, impacts will land heavily on Cambridge. The attached memorandum outlines concrete steps to lessen negative impacts and build on positive ones to address these environmental impacts.

Last spring, along with the Cambridge City Council and City Manager, I submitted a letter to Secretary Stephanie Pollack listing items that we requested be addressed in the DEIR to respond to Cambridge community concerns. After a series of well-attended community meetings, we identified major issues needing information and analysis:

Transit/multimodal planning
Access to/from Soldiers Field Road
Access to and from the Mass Turnpike
Noise
Comparative impacts of the three “throat” options, just across the river from the Cambridgeport neighborhood
Parkland, bike and pedestrian pathways, and
Construction mitigation

Most of these issues are insufficiently addressed in the DEIR. In addition, now that we have received and reviewed the full DEIR, we question the proposed turnpike width. Does the Turnpike in the throat area need to be as wide as presented, since every foot of space in the narrow, environmentally sensitive area by the Charles River is needed for parklands and the Paul Dudley White pathway network?

This project, first presented as a crucial highway repair project, is also a critical city planning endeavor involving all modes of transportation, a commitment to enhancing the environment, and close involvement with Harvard’s development plans. No project which affects a buildable area of 75 acres, is bounded by densely populated neighborhoods in three cities and borders on what is an invaluable environmental, recreational and visual asset such as the Charles River could avoid at its heart being a planning challenge. Add to that the churn of the innovation economy and university development pressing into this particular acreage, and you have a potential development/environmental/transportation clash that can only be resolved by careful, creative, collaborative, and transparent planning, including not only MassDOT and DCR but also the cities of Cambridge, Boston, and Brookline, as well as the two universities directly involved – Boston University and Harvard.

We must avoid repairing the highway today without considering all that is to come: the future of the economy, the future of the Charles River environment, the future of the people who will live in that area or in the nearby neighborhoods.

Secretary Beaton, I urge you to think broadly about the importance of this project, require the additional analyses requested in this letter (perhaps combined into a Supplemental DEIR) and press for the very best outcome. The result will be with us for the next 50-100 years. We need to make that future the best we can. This part of the Charles River and its parklands, pathways, and people living on both sides of the river and in the region as a whole will be profoundly affected by the choices made about these facilities.

It would be irresponsible to make these choices without additional actions and analysis as requested here. Thank you very much for your careful attention to the issues raised in this letter.

Sincerely yours,
Henrietta Davis, Community Representative to the I-90 Redesign Task Force
120 Chestnut St., Cambridge, MA 02139

O-9 Jan 29, 2018
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS
ORDERED: That the Order for Calendar Item Number One adopted as amended at the City Council meeting of January 29, 2018 (As Attached) relating to electric cars be bifurcated; and be it further
ORDERED: That this matter be referred to the Health and Environment Committee.

AWAITING REPORT LIST
16-26. Report on the possibility of the City Council implementing a zoning change, on the permitting of all new restaurants where a wood-fired oven is used as a significant method of food preparation. On a communication from Councillor Kelley requesting that this matter be forwarded to the 2018-2019 Legislative Session.
Councillor Kelley, Councillor Devereux, Councillor Carlone (O-5) from 4/4/2016

16-42. Report on plans for the former Riverside Community Health Center on Western Avenue, including transfer of ownership of the building to the City and the process for determining future usage. On a communication from Councillor Kelley requesting that this matter be forwarded to the 2018-2019 Legislative Session.
Vice Mayor McGovern (O-1) from 5/2/2016

16-83. Report on drafting possible legislation and other recommendations for interim actions to identify and address the public health impacts of any commercial wood-fired ovens. On a communication from Councillor Kelley requesting that this matter be forwarded to the 2018-2019 Legislative Session.
Mayor Simmons (Calendar Item #4) from 10/31/2016

16-101. Report on the potential of building below market rental housing on City-owned parking lots along Bishop Allen Drive. On a communication from Councillor McGovern requesting that this matter be forwarded to the 2018-2019 Legislative Session.
Mayor Simmons, Vice Mayor McGovern (O-4) from 12/12/2016

16-108. Report on whether people displaced and qualify for Emergency Status who are using Section 8 in other cities or towns can retain their resident preference for the purpose of Inclusionary Housing. On a communication from Councillor Kelley requesting that this matter be forwarded to the 2018-2019 Legislative Session.
Councillor Toomey, Mayor Simmons (O-4) from 12/19/2016

17-22. Report on the potential growth of next-generation wireless technology in the City, to include: the expected footprint of citywide coverage from just one company and what market competition might produce; the integration of public and private infrastructure to support the network; what local standards the City might hope to maintain relative to aesthetics and safety; and how this new technology fits into our Broadband access plans. On a communication from Councillor Kelley requesting that this matter be forwarded to the 2018-2019 Legislative Session.
Councillor Kelley, Councillor Devereux, Councillor Cheung (O-14) from 2/27/2017

17-33. Report on bringing Massachusetts closer to 100% renewable energy by 2035, and ensure that the benefits of renewable energy are realized by Massachusetts residents from all walks of life and supporting a goal of using 100% clean and renewable energy in Cambridge, including in building energy use and transportation, by 2035. On a communication from Councillor Devereux requesting that this matter be forwarded to the 2018-2019 Legislative Session.
Councillor Devereux, Vice Mayor McGovern (O-13) from 4/24/2017

17-53. Report on determining if new facilities are needed by either DPW or CFD to best carry out their respective missions in the future and, if so, what type of facilities they would need and how much space that would require and where they might possibly be located. On a communication from Councillor Kelley requesting that this matter be forwarded to the 2018-2019 Legislative Session.
Councillor Kelley, Councillor Toomey, Vice Mayor McGovern (O-7) from 6/26/2017

17-60. Report on the feasibility of making the section of Kinnaird Street between River Street and Western Avenue into a one-way. Referred back to the City Manager to arrange community meeting on motion of Vice Mayor McGovern on Nov 13, 2017. On a communication from Councillor McGovern requesting that this matter be forwarded to the 2018-2019 Legislative Session.
Mayor Simmons, Vice Mayor McGovern (O-4) from 8/7/2017

17-70. Report on the status of the City’s plans to review and possibly implement a municipal Broadband system. On a communication from Councillor Kelley requesting that this matter be forwarded to the 2018-2019 Legislative Session.
Councillor Kelley (O-22) from 8/8/2017

17-71. Report on a proposal to design, fund and implement a bike and electric personal vehicle transportation study to provide the City with a comprehensive explanation of who is going where, why and under what conditions via bike or personal electric vehicle. On a communication from Councillor Kelley requesting that this matter be forwarded to the 2018-2019 Legislative Session.
Councillor Kelley (O-23) from 8/7/2017

17-77. Report on the intersection of Cedar Street and Rindge Avenue with the goal of clarifying traffic patterns through the intersection. On a communication from Councillor Kelley requesting that this matter be forwarded to the 2018-2019 Legislative Session.
Councillor Kelley (O-6) from 9/11/2017

17-82. Report on possible solutions to regulatory or legislative gaps on the local or state level that would help clarify how emerging types of conveyances can most safely and effectively be incorporated into Cambridge’s Urban Mobility planning and infrastructure investments. On a communication from Councillor Kelley requesting that this matter be forwarded to the 2018-2019 Legislative Session.
Councillor Kelley, Councillor Devereux, Councillor Cheung (O-15) from 9/11/2017

17-86. Report on the necessary steps to enforce the anti-idling state law in residential areas by the Sept 25, 2017 City Council meeting. On a communication from Councillor Kelley requesting that this matter be forwarded to the 2018-2019 Legislative Session.
Councillor Toomey (O-6) from 9/18/2017

17-87. Report on a schedule for resubmitting a revised draft of the Outdoor Lighting Ordinance that incorporates clearer wording and/or more clearly explains each section in less technical jargon and is more coherent in its entirety, with the goal of seeing such an Ordinance adopted by the end of this City Council term. On a communication from Councillor Kelley and Councillor Devereux requesting that this matter be forwarded to the 2018-2019 Legislative Session.
Councillor Devereux, Councillor Carlone (O-8) from 9/18/2017

17-88. Report on providing clarification for the benefit of residents, visitors, and business owners on how the City views its obligations and constraints regarding marijuana enforcement and regulation. On a communication from Councillor Kelley requesting that this matter be forwarded to the 2018-2019 Legislative Session.
Councillor Kelley, Councillor Toomey (O-9) from 9/18/2017

17-95. Report on the status of the all-electric, leaf-blowing park pilot, the effectiveness of the battery-operated equipment, the potential for expanding the all-electric park program, and steps being taken on enforcement and training and to inquire the feasibility of requiring or advising landscape companies to provide or require safety masks for workers. On a communication from Councillor Devereux requesting that this matter be forwarded to the 2018-2019 Legislative Session.
Councillor Devereux, Councillor Carlone (O-6) from 9/25/2017

17-108. Report on the feasibility of requiring developers to post a signboard at development sites requiring Large Project Review or a Special Permit with contact information for a site manager, a brief description of the project (including whether it is residential, commercial, or mixed-use, and, if residential, the total number of units and inclusionary units, an expected completion date, and a rendering of the street-facing elevation), and a web link where more information is available. On a communication from Councillor Devereux requesting that this matter be forwarded to the 2018-2019 Legislative Session.
Councillor Devereux (O-2) from 10/16/2017

17-110. Report on the status of the implementation of the EnerGov software across various City departments to streamline the permitting process. On a communication from Councillor Devereux requesting that this matter be forwarded to the 2018-2019 Legislative Session.
Councillor Devereux, Councillor Mazen, Councillor Cheung (O-5) from 10/16/2017

17-111. Report on the feasibility of implementing neighborways on certain streets in Cambridge, propose two streets to pilot as neighborways, and create a process by which a group of residents can request that their street be considered as future neighborways. On a communication from Councillor Devereux requesting that this matter be forwarded to the 2018-2019 Legislative Session.
Councillor Devereux, Councillor Carlone, Councillor Cheung (O-7) from 10/16/2017

18-1. Report on reaching out to representatives of supermarkets other than Star Market, such as Market Basket, to determine the possibility of their opening a location at 20 Sidney Street.
Councillor Simmons (O-1) from 1/8/2018

18-2. Report on reaching out to the owner of the Fresh Pond Apartments to inquire as to what is being done to repair and maintain the elevators in those apartment buildings.
Councillor Simmons (O-2) from 1/8/2018

18-3. Report on enforcing a “zero tolerance” policy on space savers, and work to remove them as quickly as possible following snow events.
Vice Mayor Devereux, Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Siddiqui (O-2) from 1/22/2018

18-4. Report on exploring mechanisms for achieving greater levels of snow clearing by the city and increase the public response during major snow events or heavy snow winters.
Councillor Zondervan, Mayor McGovern, Vice Mayor Devereux (O-5) from 1/22/2018

18-5. Report on contacting Sira Naturals for the purpose of gathering information regarding sales figures, customer demographics, and other relevant operational information.
Councillor Mallon (O-6) from 1/22/2018

18-6. Report on information regarding electronic device usage by City-elected officials.
Councillor Toomey (O-7) from 1/22/2018