6. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $4,000,000 from Free Cash to the Public Investment Fund Public Works Extraordinary Expenditures Account to support the Complete Streets Reconstruction Program and for repaving portions of streets that are part of the separated bicycle network.
Order Adopted 9-0

Mar 16, 2020
To the Honorable, the City Council:

I am hereby requesting an appropriation in the amount of $4,000,000 from Free Cash to the Public Investment Fund Public Works Extraordinary Expenditures Account to support the Complete Streets Reconstruction Program and for repaving portions of streets that are part of the separated bicycle network.

$2,000,000 of the additional funding requested is required to complete reconstruction of the streets identified in the previous capital budgets such as Chestnut Street, Rufo Road, and Washington Street, in order to cover significant increases in construction costs over the past 2 years.

The remaining $2,000,000 of this request will support the partial paving and spot drainage improvements of streets on the separated bicycle network in advance of the implementation of quick-build separated bicycle lane projects. This paving will improve conditions for people cycling on critical bike connections. The scope of work with these improvements will be limited to paving of sections of asphalt in deteriorated condition and spot drainage improvements.

In FY19 and FY20 a total of $13,926,455 was budgeted for the Complete Streets Program, an additional $1,000,000 was appropriated for Elm Street in FY20 which allowed the City to further accelerate implementation of the Cambridge Bicycle Plan.

The goal of the Complete Streets Program is to reconstruct streets and sidewalks to provide high quality infrastructure with an emphasis on designing streets for all users and supporting the City’s commitment to Complete Streets and Vision Zero. Funding is provided annually in the City’s Capital Budget and specific streets are prioritized through the 5 Year Sidewalk and Street Plan. Streets being reconstructed are designed through a community process and the scope of work includes addressing the condition of the paving; reconstructing the sidewalks to be fully ADA accessible; incorporating traffic calming elements to enhance the safety and comfort of the street for pedestrians and cyclists; incorporating green infrastructure; planting additional street trees; and strengthening the character and operation of the street for the community.

With the total supplemental funding of $5 million in this fiscal year from free cash we have continued our commitment to Complete Streets, Vision Zero and the separated bicycle network.

Very truly yours, Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager

12. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 18-66, regarding establishing a Young Adult Civic Unity Committee.
Order Adopted 9-0

Mar 16, 2020
To the Honorable, the City Council:

In response to Awaiting Report Item Number 18-66, regarding establishing a Young Adult Civic Unity Committee, please be advised that after consulting with City staff from the Department of Human Service Programs and City staff supporting the Citizens’ Committee on Civic Unity, I propose working directly with the City’s young people to develop a strategy for youth involvement that they will find engaging and impactful.

The Department of Human Service Programs, through its Youth Center Programs and Office of Workforce Development, will engage in a process with people in their teens and twenties to explore the development of a Young Adult Civic Unity Committee. The Youth Centers will work with teens across their summer youth programs to gather their input and expertise in how to increase and maintain youth involvement in civic activities. The Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program will also host focus groups for its summer staff and youth center staff, who are in their twenties, to gather their input. What would inspire and motivate them to become more engaged? How can the City better reach its young people? Are there other stakeholder groups the City should solicit input from to ensure diverse perspectives? Staff from the Youth Programs and the Office of Workforce Development will compile the feedback from these efforts and develop next steps for expanding the representation of youth and young adult populations otherwise not being heard from in civic planning in a sustainable way.

Additionally, the Department of Human Service Programs will propose the development of a strategy to increase youth involvement in City planning as a potential project for the Department’s Neighborhood Design Project. The Neighborhood Design Project is a collaboration between the Cambridge Youth Programs and the Office of Workforce Development. This fourteen-week program introduces teenagers to the world of work and project development. Small groups identify a need in their community, design a project that will address that need, and then implement the project. This year, the program is being supported by the Design Museum Boston to connect early career designers to the staff and young people to support their projects. The young people participating in the Neighborhood Design Project decide which they want to work on. Staff will propose this project to the participants and, if the project is selected, a team will specifically design a process to increase youth involvement in city planning.

Very truly yours, Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager

2. A communication was received from Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, transmitting comments on the 2020 Cycling Safety Ordinance.
Placed on File

TO: Cambridge City Council
FROM: Councillor Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler
DATE: Mar 12, 2020
RE: Comments on 2020 Cycling Safety Ordinance

Fellow Councillors:

The City of Cambridge has long recognized the importance of providing safe and sustainable transportation for all residents. This is codified in City Council Goal 6, adopted on Oct 16, 2017:

“Make it easy to move safely through the City, especially by sustainable modes of transportation.” The Council has passed more than a dozen policy orders related to cycling safety in the last few years, along with the landmark Cycling Safety Ordinance from last term, which ensures that Permanent Separated Bicycle Lanes be added to streets included in the Separated Network of the Cambridge Bicycle Plan as part of the street reconstruction process.

The actions of the City Council and the work of the City’s staff have been in recognition of both the growing demand by Cambridge residents for sustainable transportation alternatives and the difficulty of travelling by car in Cambridge due to increased traffic throughout the Boston region, as documented by reporting in the Boston Globe’s “Seeing Red” series among other recent reporting. The work to promote safe streets has also been motivated by the deaths of multiple cyclists and pedestrians in collisions with cars over the past few years. The policies promoted by the Council and work carried out by the City’s staff have led to safer streets and high levels of non-motorized transportation. According to the City’s 2019 Neighborhood Statistical Profile, more than 31% of Cambridge residents commute to work by bicycle or on foot. However, while the Separated Network of the Cambridge Bicycle Plan lays out the streets which have been identified for protected bike lanes, there has until now not been an Ordinance that provides a specific timeline for their implementation to address the urgent safety situation on our streets.

This proposed Ordinance was jointly written by Cambridge City staff (including members of the Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department, the Community Development Department, the Department of Public Works, the City Manager’s Office, and the City Solicitor), my office, Councillor Marc McGovern, and Cambridge Bicycle Safety. The goal of the Ordinance is to provide a concrete timeline for construction of Quick-Build and Permanent Separated Bicycle Lanes while also accommodating potential implementation challenges. The timeline and language in the proposed Ordinance also take into account the need for a robust community engagement process that incorporates feedback from residents, local businesses, and community groups, especially seniors.

Should the Council choose to send this proposal onto the Ordinance Committee, City Staff and members of Cambridge Bicycle Safety will prepare a presentation and answer questions from the Council about the proposed Ordinance. Some main points from the Ordinance are highlighted below:

• The Ordinance would require that Quick Build Separated Bike Lanes be constructed, or the construction of Permanent Separated Bike Lanes commence, for most streets in the Separated Network of the Cambridge Bicycle Plan by May 1, 2026

• The Ordinance includes a one-year extension at the City Manager’s discretion if the Manager submits a report detailing their rationale to the Council by May 1, 2025

• Recognizing the additional complexities of adding protected cycling facilities to Massachusetts Avenue, along with its importance as a cycling corridor, the Ordinance lays out the process for analysis of the street and different scenarios by which Separated Bike Lanes can be implemented along Massachusetts Avenue by May 1, 2022 with important exceptions in Central Square and northern Massachusetts Ave in “Requirements” subsections D, E, and F

o In particular, subsection D of the Ordinance lays out a process by which the City Manager shall submit a block-by-block analysis for Quick-Build Separated Bike Lanes on the northern part of Massachusetts Ave from Harvard Square to the intersection with Dudley Street by May 1, 2021. If Quick-Build Lanes are determined to not be feasible, the City Manager will submit a plan for Permanent Separated Bike Lanes to be approved by the Council o Due to planned construction in Central Square, subsection D also lays out a modified timeline that was developed with input from the Department of Public Works for the section of Massachusetts Ave from Sydney Street to Inman Street

• The Ordinance ensures that Separated Bike Lanes will be a complement to, and not an impediment to, public transportation as laid out in “Definitions” subsections G, H, and I

• The Ordinance requires a report by the City Manager on the status of carrying out this Ordinance each year, with the first report to be delivered no later than May 31, 2021

• The public will be able to track progress of the Ordinance, as well as upcoming projects to be completed in pursuance thereof, via a website created by May 31, 2021 and updated twice per year thereafter.

Sincerely,
Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler, Cambridge City Councillor

TEXT OF ORDERS
O-1     Mar 16, 2020
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS
COUNCILLOR CARLONE
MAYOR SIDDIQUI
WHEREAS: As Massachusetts continues to grapple with the challenges posed by the novel coronavirus outbreak, the City of Cambridge must continue being vigilant in protecting our community from this developing public health concern, and in moving to minimize its impact locally; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the Director of the Public Health Department and other appropriate personnel to design, develop, and implement a mobile Coronavirus Testing and Information Center that can rotate across 2-4 locations throughout the community to provide free testing for Cambridge residents and to ease the burden being placed upon our hospitals and health clinics; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the appropriate City personnel to establish barriered, outward-facing service counters that have a Plexiglass divider (similar to what is seen at the Cashier’s Window on the first floor of City Hall) for those City departments that have the greatest degree of daily interaction with the public, to minimize the risk of infectious agents being spread; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to establish guidelines that will allow those City employees who are considered to be at the “highest risk” of developing the coronavirus to work remotely from home without losing their accrued paid sick time; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council on this matter in a timely manner.

O-2     Mar 16, 2020  Charter Right - Sobrinho-Wheeler
COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER
COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN
COUNCILLOR ZONDERVAN
VICE MAYOR MALLON
WHEREAS: In 2017, the City Council adopted goals including “Make it easy to move safely through the City, especially by sustainable modes of transportation”; and
WHEREAS: The City has committed to Vision Zero, which seeks to eliminate transportation fatalities and serious injuries, as well as reduce crash rates across all modes of transportation; and
WHEREAS: There have been multiple cyclist deaths and numerous serious injuries on Cambridge streets in the past several years; and
WHEREAS: Promoting sustainable transportation methods can help alleviate high levels of traffic in the region, provide alternatives for residents who cannot afford to have a car in the city, and help reduce Cambridge’s carbon footprint; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the attached “2020 Cycling Safety Ordinance” be forwarded to the Ordinance Committee for discussion and recommendation.

Chapter 12.22 Cycling Safety Ordinance

Section 12.22.010 Short Title

This Chapter may be cited as the "Cycling Safety Ordinance" of the City of Cambridge.

Section 12.22.020 Purpose

This Chapter seeks to eliminate fatalities and injuries on City streets in accordance with the City's Vision Zero goals through safety improvements and the construction of a connected network of permanent separated bicycle lanes across the City.

Section 12.22.030 Definitions

A. “Adequate Directionality” shall mean (1) a two-way street with a separated bicycle lane or lanes that allow bicycle travel in both directions, or (2) a one-way street with a separated bicycle lane or lanes that allow bicycle travel either in the direction of the flow of vehicular traffic or in both directions.

B. “Bicycle Lane Miles” shall mean the combined distance of Separated Bicycle Facilities. A two-way facility or one-way facilities in both directions on a one-mile street segment shall count for two Bicycle Lane Miles. A one-way facility on a one-mile one-way street segment shall count for one Bicycle Lane Mile. If a gap in a Separated Bicycle Facility of any distance occurs for any reason other than those specified in the definition of the particular Separated Bicycle Facility, the distance of the gap shall not be counted toward Bicycle Lane Miles.

C. “Cambridge Bicycle Plan” shall mean the plan adopted by the City of Cambridge in October 2015 to create a framework for developing a network of complete streets, and which is entitled “Cambridge Bicycle Plan: Toward a Bikeable Future.”

D. “Connectivity” shall mean the provision of a Permanent Separated Bicycle Lane system that reflects desired routes between all major origins and destinations in the City.

E. “Five-Year Sidewalk and Street Reconstruction Plan” shall mean the City’s Department of Public Works’ five-year work plan of May 1, 2018, as it may be amended from time to time.

F. “Improvements” shall mean the construction of new City-owned streets, or the reconstruction of an existing City-owned street, including but not limited to full depth reconstruction, expansion, and/or alteration of a roadway or intersection. Improvements shall not include routine maintenance, repairs, restriping of the road surface, or emergency repairs to the surface of a roadway (collectively “Maintenance”), provided that existing bicycle lanes will be restored to existing conditions or better.

G. “Permanent Separated Bicycle Lane” shall mean a bicycle lane separated from motor vehicle traffic by a permanent vertical barrier that shall remain in place year-round, including but not limited to granite or concrete barriers and raised curbs, provided, however, that the bicycle lane need not be separated from motor vehicle traffic by a permanent vertical barrier for short stretches to accommodate crosswalks, curb cuts, accessible parking and accessible loading, intersections, and Public Transportation, and provided further, that existing bicycle lanes may be temporarily removed during construction of Improvements or Maintenance, so long as they are restored to existing conditions or better.

H. “Public Transportation” shall mean bus and shuttle stops for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), Charles River TMA, the Medical Academic and Scientific Community Organization (MASCO), and colleges and university bus and shuttle stops that exist prior to May 1, 2020. If the City Manager determines it is appropriate to add a particular bus or shuttle provider to the definition of Public Transportation, any such bus or shuttle provider may be added to this definition upon the approval of the City Council.

I. “Quick-Build Separated Bicycle Lane” shall mean a bicycle lane separated from motor vehicle traffic by flexible delineator posts, or a similar separator, that shall remain in place year-round, provided, however, that the bicycle lane need not be separated from motor vehicle traffic for short stretches to accommodate crosswalks, curb cuts, accessible parking and accessible loading, intersections, and Public Transportation, and provided further, that existing bicycle lanes may be temporarily removed during construction of Improvements or Maintenance, so long as they are restored to existing conditions or better.

J. “Separated Bicycle Facilities” shall mean either a Permanent Separated Bicycle Lane or a Quick-Build Separated Bicycle Lane.

K. “Separated Network” shall mean the proposed set of bicycle facilities identified in the Cambridge Bicycle Plan (Figure 5.14), or any plan superseding it, provided, however, that any such plan shall maintain Connectivity.

Section 12.22.040 Requirements

A. Whenever Improvements are made to a City-owned street under the Five-Year Sidewalk and Street Reconstruction Plan, the City Manager shall cause such Improvements to comply with the Cambridge Bicycle Plan, or any plan superseding it; provided, that if Improvements are made to a segment of the Separated Network, a Permanent Separated Bicycle Lane with Adequate Directionality shall be installed along that segment.

B. Full compliance with the provisions of Subsection A above is not required where the City Manager can demonstrate through a written alternatives analysis, to be made public, why it is impractical to comply with the provisions of Subsection A above, and where there will be a loss of Connectivity if the provisions of Subsection A are not complied with, how Connectivity could be otherwise advanced, if possible. Full compliance with the provisions of Subsection A above will be considered impracticable only in those rare circumstances where the City Manager determines that the characteristics of the physical features or usage of a street, or financial constraints of full compliance prevent the incorporation of a Permanent Separated Bicycle Lane with Adequate Directionality.

C. By no later than May 1, 2026, the City Manager shall complete the installation of 22.6 Bicycle Lane Miles of Separated Bicycle Facilities; provided, however, that all such Separated Bicycle Facilities shall be installed on streets in either the Separated Network or be installed along:

(a) Broadway from Quincy Street to Hampshire Street, or

(b) Garden Street from Huron Avenue to Berkeley Street, eastbound, and Garden Street from Mason Street to Huron Avenue, westbound.

If any of the Separated Bicycle Facilities are proposed to be Permanent Separated Bicycle Lanes, the requirements of this Subsection C shall be satisfied so long as the construction of such Separated Bicycle Facilities has commenced prior to the deadline established by this Subsection C. The City Manager shall have the discretion to extend the deadline set out in this Subsection C by no more than one year if the City Manager deems it infeasible to meet the deadline, provided, however that the City Manager shall submit to the City Council a report detailing why the extension was necessary by no later than May 1, 2025.

D. By no later than May 1, 2022, the City Manager shall complete the installation of continuous Separated Bicycle Facilities with Adequate Directionality along Massachusetts Avenue between Memorial Drive and Alewife Brook Parkway excepting:

(a) Massachusetts Avenue between Plympton Street and Dunster Street;

(b) Massachusetts Avenue/Peabody Street northbound from Church Street to Garden Street;

(c) Massachusetts Avenue between Waterhouse Street and Roseland Street; and

(d) Massachusetts Avenue between Beech Street and Dudley Street.

If any of the Separated Bicycle Facilities installed along Massachusetts Avenue other than (a), (b), (c) and (d) are proposed to be Permanent Separated Bicycle Lanes, the requirements of this Subsection D shall be satisfied so long as the construction of such Separated Bicycle Facilities has commenced prior to the deadline established by this Subsection D, provided, however, that if Permanent Separated Bicycle Lanes are to be installed along Massachusetts Avenue from Sydney Street to Inman Street, the requirements of this Subsection D shall be satisfied so long as the design of such Permanent Separated Bicycle Lanes has commenced prior to Jan 1, 2023 and the construction of such Permanent Separated Bicycle Lanes has commenced prior to Dec 31, 2025.

E. By no later than May 1, 2021, the City Manager shall submit to the City Council a block-by-block analysis determining the impacts of installing Quick-Build Separated Bicycle Lanes on:

(a) Massachusetts Avenue between Plympton Street and Dunster Street;

(b) Massachusetts Avenue / Peabody Street northbound from Church Street to Garden Street;

(c) Massachusetts Avenue between Waterhouse Street and Roseland Street; and

(d) Massachusetts Avenue between Beech Street and Dudley Street.

If, after a review of the analysis, the City Manager determines that Quick-Build Separated Bicycle Lanes, whether of Adequate Directionality or not, should be installed on any analyzed block, the City Manager shall cause their installation by May 1, 2023. Some impacts to motor vehicle traffic flow and some parking/loading loss shall not result in a determination that Quick-Build Separated Bicycle Lanes cannot be installed. Any such installation shall not count toward the 22.6 Bicycle Lane Miles requirement set forth in Subsection C, provided, however, that the installation of at least 1.25 Bicycle Lane Miles of Quick-Build Separated Bicycle Lanes along segments (a) and (b) shall result in a one-year extension of the deadline set out in Subsection C.

On any blocks where the City Manager chooses not to install a Quick-Build Separated Bicycle Lane of Adequate Directionality along

(a) Massachusetts Avenue between Plympton Street and Dunster Street;

(b) Massachusetts Avenue / Peabody Street northbound from Church Street to Garden Street;

(c) Massachusetts Avenue between Waterhouse Street and Roseland Street; or

(d) Massachusetts Avenue between Beech Street and Dudley Street,

within one year of the City Manager’s submission to the City Council of an analysis of the impacts of installing Quick-Build Separated Bicycle Lanes on blocks (a) through (d) above, the City Manager shall obtain the approval of the City Council of a timeline by when Separated Bicycle Facilities of Adequate Directionality shall be installed on those blocks. If the City Manager fails to receive City Council approval of such a timeline for any of those blocks, the City Manager shall cause the installation of Quick-Build Separated Bicycle Lanes with Adequate Directionality on such blocks within three years of the submission of the impacts analysis.

F. Any Separated Bicycle Facilities installed along segment (a) of Subsection E, Massachusetts Avenue between Plympton Street and Dunster Street, must also be separated from Public Transportation for the full stretch of that segment.

G. By no later than May 1, 2026, the City Manager shall cause the completion of continuous Separated Bicycle Facilities with Adequate Directionality along:

(a) Broadway from Quincy Street to Hampshire Street,

(b) Cambridge Street from Oak Street to Second Street,

(c) Hampshire Street from Amory Street to Broadway, and

(d) Garden Street from Huron Avenue to Berkeley Street, eastbound, and Garden Street from Mason Street to Huron Avenue, westbound, provided, however, that the connection from the intersection of Garden Street and Concord Avenue to the segment of Concord Avenue contiguous to Follen Street shall be improved to meet the needs of users of all ages and abilities.

By no later than May 1, 2025, if Separated Bicycle Facilities of Adequate Directionality are yet to be completed along the street segments designated in this Subsection G, the City Manager shall submit a report to the City Council detailing how the outstanding Separated Bicycle Facilities of Adequate Directionality shall be installed within the next year.

H. Starting on May 1, 2020, the City Manager shall cause the installation of at least 2.5 Bicycle Lane Miles of the Separated Bicycle Facilities designated in Subsections C, D, E, F, and G every year. If the City Manager causes the installation of more than 2.5 Bicycle Lane Miles of such Separated Bicycle Facilities in a given year, the City Manager can apply the surplus Bicycle Lane Miles toward meeting the requirements of this Subsection H for later years. If the City Manager fails to install 2.5 Bicycle Lane Miles in a particular year and no surplus from a prior year is available to meet the requirements of this Subsection H for that year, then the City Manager may install the deficient Bicycle Lane Miles in the following year; provided, however, that this shall not relieve the City Manager of the duty to meet all other deadlines set out in Subsections C, D, E, F, and G.

I. By no later than May 31, 2021, the City Manager shall submit a report to the City Council detailing progress towards meeting the requirements set forth in Subsections C, D, E, F, G, and

J. Such report shall include details on the Separated Bicycle Facilities planned for the coming twelve months. Thereafter, a report shall be given to the City Council no later than 12 months from the date of the preceding report. All such reports shall include details on the Separated Bicycle Facilities planned for the coming twelve months. Installation of Separated Bicycle Facilities including the total of Bicycle Lane Miles installed under Subsections C, D, E, F, G and H shall be shown on a publicly accessible website. Such website shall also track exactly where those Bicycle Lane Miles were installed, and the distance of each contiguous segment of Bicycle Lane Miles installed. Such website shall be established by no later than May 31, 2021 and updated twice yearly thereafter. All other reports and updates required by this Ordinance shall also be uploaded to such website.

O-3     Mar 16, 2020  Amended
COUNCILLOR CARLONE
MAYOR SIDDIQUI
COUNCILLOR ZONDERVAN
COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER
COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN
WHEREAS: Housing costs in and around Cambridge have increased consistently and dramatically over the last 20+ years, resulting in a lack of affordability and causing displacement of long-term lower, moderate, and middle-income residents; and
WHEREAS: A Real Estate Transfer Fee on commercial and residential property in Cambridge could yield millions of dollars in funding for urgently-needed affordable housing; and
WHEREAS: The Cambridge City Council adopted Policy Orders on Sept 18, 2017, Jan 10, 2019, and Dec 16, 2019 requesting that the City Manager instruct the City Solicitor to prepare a draft Home Rule petition for a Real Estate Transfer Fee; and
WHEREAS: The City Council has yet to receive any update on said Home Rule petition; and
WHEREAS: The local governments of Nantucket, Concord and Somerville have already approved Home Rule petitions for a Real Estate Transfer Fee; and
WHEREAS: The Boston City Council approved a Real Estate Transfer Fee that is now before the state legislature; and
WHEREAS: The City of Brookline approved a Real Estate Transfer Fee Home Rule petition on Dec 5, 2019 at a Town Hall meeting by a margin of 139-44; and
WHEREAS: The cities of Watertown and Arlington introduced Transfer Fee legislation for deliberation in their respective city governments; and
WHEREAS: State Representative Mike Connolly’s revised Transfer Fee enabling legislation, H. 4196 received a favorable recommendation from the Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government and is now moving forward to the House Committee on Steering, Policy, and Scheduling with a recommendation that it "ought to pass”; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the Cambridge City Council approve a Real Estate Transfer Fee Home Rule Petition; and be it further
ORDERED: That this item be referred to the Ordinance Committee for discussion and deliberation; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager instruct the City Solicitor to read the Home Rule Petition and appear before the Ordinance Committee for discussion.

O-4     Mar 16, 2020
COUNCILLOR TOOMEY
WHEREAS: While the City has taken a more aggressive approach to combat rodent issues, one of the main problems continues to be absentee landlords; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Inspectional Service Department to increase the fines for these type of property owners who continue to have violations stemming for rodent infestations and report back to the City Council on this matter in a timely manner.

O-5     Mar 16, 2020
COUNCILLOR NOLAN
VICE MAYOR MALLON
COUNCILLOR CARLONE
WHEREAS: Cambridge is committed to identifying and eliminating preventable causes of traffic fatalities and serious injuries; and
WHEREAS: In 2016, the Council adopted Vision Zero to promote safe and sustainable transportation, including “strategic enforcement of traffic rules and regulations”; and
WHEREAS: In 2019 there were 1,454 vehicle crashes in Cambridge, with hot spots in Central and Inman Square where traffic enforcement is difficult for safety reasons; and
WHEREAS: The Massachusetts Legislature Ways and Means committee will be reviewing Senate Bill 2553 next session, which calls for a pilot program of automated traffic enforcement in 10 communities across the state; and
WHEREAS: S2552 was written with privacy concerns in mind, including an emphasis on protecting minority communities, and the only data captured during this pilot program are license plate numbers which are deleted within 48 hours; now therefore be it
RESOLVED: That the City Council go on record in support of this bill; and be it further
RESOLVED: That the City Council go on record stating its intent to have Cambridge be one of the pilot communities if this bill passes.

O-6     Mar 16, 2020
COUNCILLOR ZONDERVAN
COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER
COUNCILLOR NOLAN
WHEREAS: COVID-19 has begun to spread in Massachusetts with 89 presumptive cases and 6 additional cases confirmed by the CDC as of Mar 11, 2020; and
WHEREAS: While COVID-19 presents as a mild flu-like illness in most people, with the primary symptoms being fever and dry cough, it is considered dangerous, especially for elderly and immunocompromised individuals, as well as those with underlying medical conditions including hypertension, cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and has already killed 38 people in the U.S., over 800 in Italy and more than 4,700 worldwide as of March 11 and has been officially declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO); and
WHEREAS: Limiting social contact (“social distancing”) is an effective way to interrupt and slow down the spread of the virus and preserve the medical system’s ability to treat severe cases by limiting how many patients are hospitalized at any given moment, and is being recommended by health experts as the best way to protect more vulnerable populations; and
WHEREAS: It appears that individuals can spread the virus even when experiencing no symptoms or mild symptoms; and
WHEREAS: It can take several days or even weeks for the virus to incubate inside a human host and days more for test results to indicate possible infection and days more for the CDC to confirm those results, with a limited supply of tests, leading to the disease progression advancing faster than officials and the press are able to track and report on; and
WHEREAS: Governor Baker has declared a state of emergency and announced new guidance for all employers throughout the state, which includes discontinuing all work-related travel, both foreign and domestic, encouraging telecommuting whenever possible, and emphasizing that any person feeling sick should stay home from work; now therefore be it
RESOLVED: That the City Council cancel, postpone or shorten all nonessential in-person meetings until further notice, including non-urgent committee meetings and regular meetings where no urgent business will be transacted; and be it further
RESOLVED: That the City Council seek to limit the transmission of disease by providing alternative means, via audio/video technology, for public comment to be delivered other than in-person at city hall; and be it further
RESOLVED: That the City Council go on record urging citizens who are safely able to do so to limit physical interactions outside their home, and to avoid large crowds and events when possible, including working from home as much as possible if employment circumstances allow; and be it further
RESOLVED: That the City Council go on record urging citizens to take further precautions including frequent hand washing and avoiding touching one’s face as well as following other practices and guidelines as suggested by the CDC and the Cambridge Health Department; and be it further
RESOLVED: That the City Council go on record urging anyone who is experiencing mild symptoms to stay home and notify close contacts, and anyone who is experiencing serious symptoms to seek medical assistance immediately; and be it further
RESOLVED: That these recommendations remain in effect until further notice; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to take all necessary actions to protect the population, including, but not limited to, cancelling all non-essential events and gatherings, allowing staff to work from home when possible, providing visitor screening at senior living facilities, and preparing emergency medical facilities for treating respiratory infections.