CHARTER RIGHT
1. That the City Manager is requested to direct the Cambridge Department of Transportation (CDOT) and any other relevant departments to halt any further design, engineering, procurement, or construction activities related to implementing a reconfiguration of Garden Street to restore two-way motor-vehicle traffic. [Charter Right – Flaherty, Apr 13, 2026] (PO26#76)
Comments by Siddiqui, Flaherty, Al-Zubi, Nolan (long speech), Sobrinho-Wheeler, McGovern, Brooke McKenna (Dept. of Congestion, Obstruction, & Aggravation), Azeem, Zusy (noting that Transportation Dept. intentionally slow-walked the reconfiguration, and a proposed amendment); Simmons comments and motion to Table [Fails 4-5 (Flaherty, Nolan, Simmons, Zusy - YES; Al-Zubi, Azeem, McGovern, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Siddiqui - NO)]; comments by Azeem, Huang, Siddiqui, Flaherty (notes that neighbors overwhelmingly prefer two-way operation), McGovern; Zusy proposed amendment to text of Order [Fails 4-5 (Flaherty, Nolan, Simmons, Zusy - YES; Al-Zubi, Azeem, McGovern, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Siddiqui - NO)]; Nolan comments re: loss of trust; Simmons motion to Refer to Transportation Committee [Fails 3-6 (Flaherty, Simmons, Zusy - YES; Al-Zubi, Azeem, McGovern, Nolan, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Siddiqui - NO)]; Order Adopted 5-4 (Al-Zubi, Azeem, McGovern, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Siddiqui - YES; Flaherty, Nolan, Simmons, Zusy - NO); Reconsideration Fails 4-5 (Flaherty, Nolan, Simmons, Zusy - YES; Al-Zubi, Azeem, McGovern, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Siddiqui - NO)
[Note: This was never about the relative safety of two options. It is now and has from the beginning been purely about catering to political advocacy groups. - RW]

O-2     Apr 13, 2026  Charter Right - Flaherty
COUNCILLOR AL-ZUBI
COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER
WHEREAS: The 2022 Garden Street redesign introduced separated bicycle lanes and one-way vehicle travel to improve safety and reduce conflicts for people walking, biking, and driving; and
WHEREAS: City analysis indicates that restoring two-way vehicle traffic would likely increase conflicts for people traveling on Garden Street, would not mitigate congestion, and would remove nearly all parking and loading; and
WHEREAS: The City’s analysis found that changes in traffic volumes on nearby streets are generally consistent with broader citywide trends, that restoring two-way traffic on Garden Street may not substantially reduce cut-through traffic on neighboring residential streets, and that targeted traffic-calming and operational measures may be more effective in addressing such concerns, though further community engagement is needed; and
WHEREAS: While a reconstructed loading zone may address some curb access needs, it may not substantially offset the nearly complete loss of parking and loading capacity, an important area of concern for residents requiring accessible parking or short-term loading on Garden Street; and
WHEREAS: Restoring two-way motor-vehicle traffic on Garden Street would require substantial additional capital beyond the initial estimate and operating work, including reconstruction of portions of the street and sidewalk to create a small loading zone and relocation of a Bluebikes station, with associated design, construction, and coordination costs; and
WHEREAS: The City Council seeks to balance these competing considerations through a data-informed and transparent decision-making process; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the Cambridge Department of Transportation (CDOT) and any other relevant departments to halt any further design, engineering, procurement, or construction activities related to implementing a reconfiguration of Garden Street to restore two-way motor-vehicle traffic or relocate the existing Bluebikes station; and be it further
[Failed Zusy Amendment: ORDERED: That the City Manager direct the City’s Transportation Department to do traffic and accidentcounts and gather and analyze cell phone data on Garden St. and in the greater Garden Street neighborhoods, including side streets south of Huron and Concord Avenue, to better ascertain broader traffic patterns and impacts of a one-way Garden Street to inform better transportation planning, and be it further]
ORDERED: That CDOT prioritize near-term, lower-cost operational and safety improvements that can be delivered through quick-build measures, including directed traffic-calming interventions on Raymond Street, Buckingham Street, and other impacted streets, informed by engineering judgment, data analysis, community context, and observed conditions to create safer conditions for all road users, and that CDOT conduct at least one community hearing as soon as possible to present a menu of potential traffic-calming strategies, and solicit community input on additional opportunities for traffic calming before development and implementation; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to provide the City Council with a written update [Failed Zusy Amendment: and analysis by October 2026 with recommendations for appropriate next steps prior to reconfiguring Garden St. once again,] within six months of passage of this Order describing an alternative set of safety improvements that do not restore two-way motor vehicle traffic on Garden Street while still addressing concerns around traffic congestion and public safety vehicle access.

COMMUNICATIONS
1. Aaron Berman – Support for PO#2
2. Young Kim – My comment for 4/13/2026 City Council Meeting
3. Young Kim – CMA #2 – Election Commissioner Appointment (Request for Clarification)
4. Xu Zhang – Support for PO#3, Keep Ahern Field’s Grass Field
5. William O’Reilly – Vote NO PO#2 on 4/13/26
6. William Furr – Support for PO#2 - Keep Garden St As-Is
7. Wesley Donohoe – Vote NO on PO26#76 — Support the Garden Street Two-Way Plan
8. Walter Popper – Support for PO#2
9. Virginia Youngren – Please Restore Garden Street as a Two-Way Street
10. Virginia Maurer – Support for PO#2
11. Trish Ng – Support for PO#2
12. Tom Meek – Correction 2: Keep Garden Street as is, keep residents and users safe
13. Tiya Miles – Please Follow Through on Garden St Restoration
14. Tim Russell – Support for PO#2, Maintaining the Garden Street Redesign
15. Aaron Greiner – Support for PO#2
16. Tim Mackey – Strong Support for PO#2
17. Aaron Homer – Support for PO#2
18. TIM COVELLO – Support for PO#2
19. Abram Klein – Support for one-way Garden St and PO#2
20. THOMAS MEEK – Keep Garden Street as is, keep residents and users safe
21. Thomas Collet – Support for PO#2
22. Adam Baratz – PO26#76, Garden St. redesign
23. Theresa Cloutier – Support for PO#2, Keep Garden Street safe for all road users
24. Tess Fallon – In Support of PO#3
25. Adam Luban – Support for PO#2
26. Ted Live – Return Garden Street to Two-Way Traffic
27. Adam Mitchell – City Council Meeting Support for PO#2
28. Taylor Lowe – Garden street policy order concerns
29. Adina Golden – Support for one-way Garden St. and PO#2
30. Tania Yannas – Please make Garden two-way again
31. Suzi Wojdyslawski – No to one way garden street!
32. Adriane Musgrave – Support for PO#2
33. Suzanna Schell – Support PO#2
34. Susan Strang – returning Garden Street to a two-way street
35. Adrien Currier – Support PO#2
36. Susan Ringler – no on PO#2 Garden street
37. Ajay Sonalkar – Support for PO#2
38. Susan Reed – Unsafe Proposed Loading Zone Across from 52 Garden Street
39. Susan Leslie – Vote NO to Keeping Garden Street One Way
40. Susan Lapides – No to one way garden street
41. Alec Wysoker – Support for PO#2
42. Sunny Gupta – support of PO#3 to preserve Ahern Field
43. Michael Stevens – I support PO#2 and PO#3
44. Stephen Jerome – Support for PO#2
45. Stephen Helfer – PLZ VOTE NO ON PO26#76
46. Sophia Tchir-Bourgeois – Support for PO#2
47. Sophia Tchir-Bourgeois – Support for PO#2
48. Sonia TAKTAK – Support for PO#2
49. Skip Schiel – In support of Agenda Item 2 Halting Construction on Garden St.
50. Sibylle Kim – Resident Opinion regarding PO26#76 (City Council Agenda April 13, 2026)
51. Alejandro Paz – Support for one-way Garden St and PO#2
52. Alex Irving – 18 Clinton-4M each-both units now for sale
53. Alexandra Irving – Ahern Field
54. Alice Hoffman – Garden Street
55. Shoma Aditya – Support for Option 4 for Garden St. proposal
56. Kay K. Shelemay – Vote NO on PO26#76
57. Alison Kennedy – No to Garden Street proposal
58. Shehime Arshad – No on PO26#76
59. Amanda Beatty – Please vote to keep Garden St safe - vote yes to PO#2
60. Sharon Mombru – PO26#76
61. Amanda Tweed – supporting PO26#76
62. Shannon McCord – Support for PO#2
63. Amar Bhide – Garden Street Vote on Monday, April 13th
64. Seija Hälvä – 2-way Garden st
65. Amy Baron-Evans – Vote NO on keeping Garden Street one way
66. Sean Clees – Do not turf Ahern Field
67. Sean Mullan – Support for PO#2
68. Amy Butcher – PO#3, Ahern Field
69. Andrea Yakovakis – Support for PO#2
70. Andreea Ilisei – SUPPORT for PO#2
71. Sean Kennedy – Support for one-way Garden St and PO#2
72. Seamus Joyce-Johnson – Support for one-way Garden St and PO#2
73. Scarlet Batchelor – Support for one-way Garden St and PO#2
74. Sarah Stone – Please keep Garden St closed to 2-way traffic
75. Sarah Block – Support for PO#2 - Halt changes to Garden Street please
76. Andrew Farrar – Andrew Farrar, full comments
77. Sara Dadkhah – Support for PO#2 — Concerns Regarding Proposed Garden Street Two-Way Conversion
78. Samuel Murphy – PO#3
79. Ann Epstein – Garden st
80. Sam Ratliff – Support for PO#2
81. Anna Bensted – Please vote no
82. Annette LaMond – Derelict City-Owned Property
83. Ryan Grams – Support for PO#2 - Keep Garden St Safe
84. Annmarie Flynn – Please delay approval of a development next door to me
85. Ruth Goodman – YES, please keep Garden St one-way
86. Anthony Corsentino – In support of PO#2
87. Russ Windman – No on PO#2
88. Ruby Aidun – Support for PO#2
89. Ariella Ruth Goldberg – Support for PO#2
90. Roy Greenwald – Please leave Garden Street as it is now
91. Rotem Zeif – ‘Contact Us’ Communication
92. Arielle Berman – Support for PO#3 - Keep Ahern Field natural
93. Rosalind Michahelles – YES for 2-way Garden Street!
94. Ronald Axelrod – Action Alert on Garden Street changes and Citywide Upzoning News. MISGUIDED DIRECTIVE
95. Rockcity2 – Garden Street
96. Roberta Rubin – Leaving Garden Street One-Way - Support for PO#2
97. Robert Ressler – Keep Garden Street One Way, Support for one-way Garden St and PO#2
98. Arti Pandey – Input on Garden Street proposal
99. Rob Vandenabeele – Support for PO#2
100. Rob Everts – Please vote NO on PO#2
101. Ashley G. Pittman – Please support PO26#76 and keep Garden Street as currently configured
102. Richard Freierman – Support for PO#2
103. Renee Furr – Support for PO#2
104. Rebekah Bjork – Please support PO#2
105. Attorney Pamela A. Thomure – Keep Garden Street One Way
106. Randy Stern – Support for PO#2
107. Ramsay Ravenel – Support for PO#2
108. Aunnesha Bhowmick – WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR PO26#76 April 13th, 2026 (Ahern Field)
109. Rachel Harris – Support for one-way Garden St and PO#2
110. Quinton Zondervan – PO#2, Garden street
111. Barbara Anthony – Garden St. project - return to two-way traffic
112. Belinda Rathbone – Garden St.
113. Ben Flaim – Garden Street yet again
114. Beth Gamse – Please vote no on PO26#76 on April 13, 2026
115. Beth Kelley Adams – Please return Garden St. to Two-Way Traffic
116. Bill Kirtley – Support for PO#2
117. Suzanne Blier – Two-Way Garden St. - this is NOT a P.O. about bike lanes (they will remain).
118. Brendan Hickey – Garden St.
119. Brittany Bychkovsky – My comments for PO#3
120. Candace Young – PO26#76
121. Carol Goss – GARDEN STREET TRAFFIC PROPOSAL - PO26#76
122. Carol Hauser – Support for PO#2
123. Carol Lee Rawn – Strong Support for PO#2
124. Carol Lynn Alpert – Garden Street - NO to keeping it one-way
125. Caroline Whitney – Garden Street Vote
126. Carolyn Fuller – In Support of PO#2
127. Carolyn Hsu – PO#3 public comment
128. Carolyn Johnston – council meeting today - PO#2 please keep GARDEN ST ONE WAY
129. Carolyn Marsh – Support for PO#2
130. Carrie Blazina – Support for PO#2
131. Catalina Arboleda – Please vote NO to keeping Garden Street one way
132. Catherine Ahearn – Support for PO#3 regarding Ahern Field
133. Catherine Lanteri – PO26#76
134. Catherine Wright – Ahearn Field Project
135. Cécile Garcin – Please vote NO on PO26#76
136. Celeste Ng – Support for PO#2
137. Celia Emmelhainz – Support for one-way Garden St and PO#2
138. Lawrence Cetrulo – Return Garden Street to Two-Way Traffic
139. Charles Kekeh – City council regular meeting 4/13 - PO#3 - Public comments
140. Charles Knight – PO26#76, FIRST IN COUNCIL, April 13, 2026
141. Charles Teague – vote NO on PO#2 (PO26#76), make Garden St two ways for all vehicles
142. Chris Reilley – NO to keeping Garden Street one way
143. Chris Willard – Garden Street, Back to Two Way PLEASE
144. Christine Tullius – Garden Street
145. Christopher Chippendale – Return Garden Street to a Two-way Street
146. Christopher Wyllie – Support for PO#2
147. Claire Goodman – Support for PO#2
148. Claudia Davidoff – NO on PO26#76
149. Claudia Secundy – Please restore two-way traffic on Garden Street
150. Conor Henrie – Supporting PO#2
151. Constantinos and Katherine Shiatis – Garden Street proposal
152. Corey Halverson – Support for one-way Garden St and PO#2
153. Cristina Ullmann – Support for PO#2
154. Cynthia Broner – No on Garden Street!
155. Cynthia Reid – Support for PO#2
156. Dalisa Morales – Please stop these horrible bike lanes and instead prioritize pedestrians!
157. Dana Bullister – Support for one-way Garden St and PO#2
158. Daniel Rich – Support for PO#3
159. Daniel Vlock – vote no on PO26#76
160. Darren Buck – Support for PO#2
161. David Dean – Support for PO#2
162. David Dean – Support for PO#2
163. David Liu – Support for PO#2
164. David Lyon – Vote NO on PO26#76
165. David Mankins – please keep Garden Street the way it is
166. Davide Marini – Support for PO#2, Keep Garden Street as it Is
167. Deborah Galef – Support PO#2
168. Deborah Valenze – please vote no
169. Dewey Cyr – Support for one-way Garden St and PO#2
170. Diane Griliches – A letter
171. Dominick Jones – Garden St.
172. Don Abrams – Leaving Garden Street One-Way - Support for PO#2
173. Ed Bacher – Support for PO#2
174. Elena Fagotto – MOF Cambridge on PO26#77
175. Elena Saporta – Please support PO#2
176. Elise Moore – Vote NO on PO26#76 (Keeping Garden Street one way)
177. Elizabeth Hope Cushing – Garden Street
178. Elizabeth Keating – Two-way Garden Street
179. Ellen Aronson – Please revisit Cambridge’s Zoning Deregulation
180. Ellen Blumenthal – Return Garden Street to Two-Way Traffic
181. Ellen C. Minnihan – Support for PO#3 on 4/13 City Council agenda - Ahern Field
182. Ellen Leopold – Garden Street vote
183. Emily Jacobsen – PO26#76 In support of Agenda Item 2 Halting Construction on Garden St.
184. Emily Moreshead – Support for PO#2
185. Emily Wanzer – Ahern field
186. Eric and Jen Aronson – vote no on PO26#76
187. Eric Weinberger – Keeping Garden St one way, PO#2
188. Eric Yablonowitz – Leave Garden St one-way
189. Ethan Frank – Garden Street 1-way
190. Evan Fields – Writing in support for PO#2
191. Eve Sullivan – Garden Street, PO26#76, NO (thank you!)
192. Finn Ye – Support for one-way Garden St and PO#2
193. Francis J. Bingham – Support for one-way Garden St and PO#2
194. Franklin Reece – YES on policy order PO26#76
195. Fred Good – Support for PO#2
196. George Beal – Garden Street, PO26#76
197. Gleb Bahmutov – Support for PO#2
198. Glenn Bradfield – Support for one-way Garden St and PO#2
199. Gloria J Korsman – Support for PO#2
200. Gordon Kluzak – Please vote down proposal
201. Greg Marra – PO#2, Keep Garden One Way
202. Gretchen Adams – Please keep Garden Street one-way
203. Gwendolyn Stewart – Support for PO#2
204. Shelagh Hadley – Garden St
205. Hurst Hannum – PO26#76
206. Heather Penzkofer – Support for Garden St Bike Safety – PO26#76
207. Heather Whittington – Garden Street
208. Heddi Siebel – RETURN GARDEN STREET TO TWO LANES WHILE KEEPING THE BIKE PATHS
209. Heidi M. Mitchell – Support PO#2 - support safety along Garden St.
210. Helen Snively – Garden Street two ways please
211. Irene Kang – PO#3 Ahern Field
212. Irv Plotkin – Garden Street
213. Isabella Ehrlich – Garden Street - 2 way plus bike lane
214. Ivy Lee – Support for PO#2 (PO26#76) - Please, keep Garden St. 1-way
215. J. Cohen-Tanugi – Support for PO#2
216. Jack Silversin – NO on PO26#76
217. Jack Tuke – Support for PO#2
218. Jack Zalewski – Message of Support for PO#2
219. James Lloyd – Garden Street Reversion
220. James Sullivan – Please do not change Garden Street!!
221. Jana Odette – please return Garden Street to TWO WAY (PO#2, I believe...)
222. Jane Morse – PO26#76
223. Janie Ward – return two-way traffic on Garden Street
224. Jason Livingston – Support for one-way Garden St and PO#2
225. Jay Wickersham – Support for PO#2
226. Jean Kindleberger – Please vote no!
227. Jean Krulic – NO to keeping Garden Street one way
228. Jean Spera – Ahern Field
229. Jeff Meese – No on PO#2 for Garden Street
230. Jeffrey Baron – Garden Street
231. Jeffrey Peterson – Garden Street
232. Jennifer Payette – Garden St PO26#76
233. Jennifer Woodfin – Opinion on PO26#76
234. Jenny Barry – Support for one-way Garden St and PO#2
235. Jérémie Astori – My City Council meeting comment for public record
236. Jérémie Astori – Petition signatures - Ahern Field
237. Jeremy Silverman – Garden Street vote
238. Jerome Kern Saunders – Garden Street Feedback
239. Jerry Brown – My support for PO#2
240. Jessica Kuh and family – Support for PO#2
241. Jill R Crittenden – Support for PO#2
242. Jim Horan – Garden Street
243. Jim Mendelson – Support for PO#2, Garden St bike lane
244. Jimmy Crittenden – Support for PO#2
245. Jmp Comcast – Please support changing garden street back.
246. Joan Hill – Keep Garden Street One Way
247. Joan Wickersham – Supporting PO#2
248. Jody Garber – Garden Street
249. John and Elizabeth Gilmore – PO26#76 Vote NO
250. John Hanratty – Amend PO26#76 to include Mass Ave, Broadway, Cambridge Street or Vote NO
251. John Russe – Garden Street
252. John Tittmann – I Support a one-way Garden St and PO#2
253. John Trever – Please make Garden Street two way
254. Jolita Seckute – Support for PO#2
255. Jonathan Freidin – Support for one-way Garden St and PO#2
256. Joseph Gone – Vote NO on PO26#76
257. Joseph Kahan – I would prefer Garden St to be two-ways. Address below.
258. Joseph Koerner – NO to keep Garden Street one way
259. Joshua Greene – Support for PO#2
260. Joyce Benenson – Support for PO#2
261. Joyce Myers – PO26#76 support for 2-way car traffic
262. Judith Farris Bowman – Returning Garden St to 2-way
263. Judy Silvan – 2 requests
264. Julia Fuller – Support for PO#2
265. Julia Hansen – Support for PO#2
266. Julia Randall – In support of PO#2 Halting Construction on Garden St.
267. Julie Lugten – Support for PO#2
268. Julie McAdoo – Support for PO#3 and Request to Reconsider Turf Installation
269. Julie Young – Opposition to Artificial Grass at Ahern Field
270. Justin Crane – Keep Garden Street As Is
271. Karen Greenleaf – Wyman Trees
272. Kate Clark – Support One-Way Garden Street and PO#2
273. Kate Skubecz – Support for PO#3
274. Katherine Slive – Support for PO#2
275. Kathleen McDermott – In support of PO#2 Halting Construction on Garden St.
276. Katie Challinor – PO#2, Garden Street
277. Katie Michels – Support for one-way Garden St and PO#2
278. Katie O’Connor – Support for PO#2, Garden St
279. Kelly McQuighan – keep Garden st one way
280. Kelly Sherman – Yes on PO#3
281. Ken Carlson – Support for PO#2!
282. Kevin Ehrgott – Support for one-way Garden St and PO#2
283. Alex Keyssar – PO26#76
284. Kieran Normoyle – Resident adjacent to Garden and Linnaean Streets sharing support for PO#2
285. Kris Ellis-Levy – Support for PO#3
286. Laura Clawson – Support for one-way Garden St and PO#2
287. Laura Clawson – Support PO#3
288. Lauren Harder – Garden Street Two Way Traffic
289. Lawrence Klein – Garden Street
290. Leah Rand – Support for PO#2
291. Leah Tynan – Support for PO#2 Garden Street Halt
292. Leslie MacIntosh – Support for One-Way Garden Street and PO#2
293. Lew Lasher – Support for PO#2
294. Liz Cabot – Garden Street
295. Liz Love – Garden st comment
296. Luka Govedič – Keep Garden Street one way for cars
297. Lydia Thompson – Support for PO#2
298. Bruce Irving – 95 Cushing Street
299. Annette LaMond – Porter Square Fitchburg Rail Station Cleanup Needed
300. Mabel Liang – Support for PO#2
301. Madeleine Aster – Please Support PO26#76 Garden Street and ask for more solutions
302. Maggie Baratz – Support PO#2
303. Maggie Ferguson – Support for one-way Garden St and PO#2
304. Mahmood Firouzbakht – Garden Street
305. Mai Nguyen – Support for PO#2
306. Malcolm Bliss – Support for PO#2 [And for the Graham & Parks School community.]
307. Manny and Heather Pacheco – Vote NO on PO26#76
308. Marie Elena Saccoccio – Cambridge Streets for All Supports Policy Order PO26#75
309. Marjorie Hilton – Garden Street
310. Mark Boswell – In Favor of PO#2 - Keep Garden Street As It Is!
311. Mark Dibble – Vote NO on PO26#76 (Keeping Garden Street one way)
312. Mark McCurry – Support for one-way Garden St and PO#2
313. Mark Steffen – vote no on PO26#76
314. Marty Mauzy – Support for PO#2
315. Mary Anne Carlson – vote no on PO26#76
316. Mary Byrne – Garden St.
317. Matt Poulsen – Support for PO#2
318. Matt Vernacchia – Support for PO#2
319. Matthew Kramer – Support for PO26#76 and One-Way Garden St
320. Matthew Leung – Keep Garden Street One-Way - Support PO#2
321. Max Kaplan – Support for PO#2
322. Meera Singh – NO to keeping Garden Street one way
323. Melanie Abrams – Garden St - Please Support PO26#76
324. Meredith Stoddard – Keep Garden Street as is
325. Michael Buck – PO26#76
326. Michael Rogove – Support for PO#2 (PO26#76) - Please, keep Garden St. 1-way
327. Michelle Liu – Writing to express support for PO#2
328. Michelle Willey – NO on keeping Garden St one-way
329. Mike Shafto – In support of PO#2 Halting Construction on Garden St.
330. Mirna Merced – Garden Street Two Way Proposal
331. Morgan Foster – NO to Turf @ Ahern Field
332. Nancy Pendergast – Support for PO#2
333. Nancy Salzman – PLEASE return Garden St to two way
334. Nancy Weissman – Fwd 95 Cushing Street Cambridge - request for sensible review of development plans
335. Naomi Leeds – PO#3 re: Ahern Park Renovations
336. Nicholas Schwartz – My support for a one-way Garden Street and PO#2
337. Nolan Surma – Support for one-way Garden St and PO#2
338. Nonie Valentine  – Yes to Garden St. back to TWO ways. thanks
339. Norman Daoust – Supporting PO#2, Garden St.
340. Suzanne Ogden – Please change Garden Street back to two-way traffic!
341. Jacqueline Olds – Garden St
342. Oliver Wunsch – Support for PO#2
343. Pao Reb – Support PO#3
344. Pat McCarthy – Garden Street
345. Patricia David – Please ask councillors to vote to return Garden Street to two-way traffic
346. Patricia Moore – Garden Street
347. Patrick Barton – PO26#76, NO
348. Paul Maschhoff – Support for PO#2
349. Paula Akiba – Concerns about new development at 9 Copley St
350. Peg McAdam – Remove one way on Garden st please
351. Peter and Karen Falb – Garden Street
352. Peter Crawley – Ahern Field renovation & Policy Order
353. Peter Ellis – Garden Street should permit two-way car traffic
354. Peter Glick – PO26#76 - Vote No
355. Phyllis Simpkins – Garden Street
356. Prabal Chakrabarti – Maintain restoration of Garden Street to two-way
357. Jacquelyn Fahey Sandell – Please vote NO to keeping Garden Street one way and NO to expanding bike lanes on Broadway
358. Kelley Mahoney – Garden Street
359. Annie Barnett – Garden St Redesign
360. Christopher Jeffrey and Shana Roberts – Please Leave Garden Street As Is
361. David Whelen – This is not what was promised when the City licensed this dispensary
362. David Whelan – This one is blaring music
363. Esther Hanig – Garden St
364. Jacob Abrams – Leaving Garden Street One-Way - Support for PO#2
365. Jan Puibello and Peggy Lynch – re proposed development 108-110 Auburn St
366. Katherine Slive – Garden Street
367. Nate Sharpe – Please keep Garden St_ as is (one way vehicle traffic)
368. Sam Bosbach – Keeping Garden Street as Is
369. Sonia Jacobson – Against the artificial turf in Ahern Field
370. Sonia Taktak – Keep Garden Street one-way
371. Tim Russell – Support for PO#2 - Garden Street Halt
372. Kelly Dolan – PSNA Meeting
373. David Whelan – This is not what was promised when the City licensed this dispensary
374. Alexandra Sheldon – Our Neighborhood is at Stake!
375. Larry and Lynn Cetrulo – Re Update #22 the MFH Ordinance 1st Floor Retail 25 Lowell St. Garden St. Ahern Field & More
376. Dan Totten – Mass Ave flexposts
377. Catherine Santrock – Keep Garden Street one-way
378. Young Kim – Re Charter Right on PO26#76 (Garden Street) Implications for System-Level Implementation and Coordination
379. Young Kim – MFH Amendments – Establish the Baseline Before Any Council Actions

COMMITTEE REPORTS
1. The Government Operations, Rules, and Claims Committee held a public hearing on Tues, Mar 24, 2026 to discuss the 2026 City Manager’s Annual Goals and Review Process. (CC26#45) [text of report]
Report Accepted and Placed on File 8-0-1 (Azeem Absent)
Present: McGovern, Nolan, Sobrinho-Wheeler
Remote Present: Azeem, Simmons
Also Present: Siddiqui

2. The Ordinance Committee held a public hearing on Mon, Mar 30, 2026 to review the Community Benefits Ordinance and discuss potential updates including allowing the allocation of funding to community organizations for capital projects. The Ordinance Committee voted favorably to forward the proposed amendments to the Community Benefits Ordinance to the full City Council with a favorable recommendation. (CC26#46) [text of report]
pulled by Siddiqui; Two amendments Adopted and Passed to 2nd Reading 7-0-2 (Azeem, McGovern Absent); Report Accepted and Placed on File 7-0-2 (Azeem, McGovern Absent)
Present: Nolan, Simmons, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Zusy, Siddiqui
Remote Present: Al-Zubi, McGovern
Absent: Azeem, Flaherty

TEXT OF ORDERS
O-1     Apr 27, 2026
COUNCILLOR AL-ZUBI
COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER
MAYOR SIDDIQUI
COUNCILLOR NOLAN
WHEREAS: Worker cooperatives, defined as businesses owned and democratically controlled by their workers, have demonstrated consistent advantages over conventional ownership structures, including higher wages and benefits for worker-owners, lower turnover, and stronger local economic multiplier effects, as worker-owners are more likely to spend income and reinvest profits in the communities where they work and live; and
WHEREAS: Democratic ownership structures shift power in the workplace by allowing workers to set wages together, share profits, and make key decisions collectively, helping ensure that the value created by labor is captured by workers and neighborhoods rather than distant shareholders, and offering a concrete tool to narrow gaps; and
WHEREAS: Cambridge’s small-business base faces structural pressures from rising commercial rents, succession challenges as business owners retire, and competition from large national firms, and the conversion of departing small businesses to worker cooperative ownership represents an underused strategy for preserving jobs and neighborhood-serving businesses in the city’s commercial districts; and
WHEREAS: The Community Development Department already operates a Small Business Succession Planning Program and related employee-ownership and succession workshops, providing an existing platform to present worker cooperatives and worker buyouts as a standard option for retiring business owners without the need to create a new standalone City program; and
WHEREAS: Under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 30B (the Uniform Procurement Act), competitive sealed bids must be evaluated solely on the criteria laid out in the Invitation for Bids, limiting the City’s ability to create a free-standing legal “preference” for worker cooperatives inside such bids without further state-level action, but leaving meaningful room to support worker-owned firms through technical assistance, below-threshold quote-seeking practices, and targeted outreach that can be implemented through existing staff capacity; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the Community Development Department to update the City’s “Succession Planning and Employee Ownership Workbook” and any comparable written or online guidance so that worker buyouts and worker cooperatives are clearly presented as standard succession options for retiring business owners, including a brief plain-language description of the model and referrals to appropriate technical assistance providers such as the Massachusetts Center for Employee Ownership, the Cooperative Fund of New England, and the Democracy at Work Institute; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the Community Development Department, in coordination with the Purchasing Department, to include a dedicated “Worker-Owned Cooperative” presentation and networking component in the next “Cambridge Procurement Forum for Diverse Businesses,” or, if timing does not permit, in the next comparable City-sponsored procurement or supplier-diversity convening, using existing event infrastructure and invited partners to highlight opportunities for worker-owned firms to do business with the City; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to establish, through the Community Development Department, a formal technical-assistance referral pipeline with the Massachusetts Center for Employee Ownership and at least one regional worker cooperative development partner such as the Cooperative Fund of New England or the Democracy at Work Institute, so that Cambridge-based workers and business owners interested in worker-owned models can be efficiently connected to state-funded legal, financial, and business-planning support without requiring the creation of a new City-run program; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the Purchasing Department, consistent with the requirements of Chapter 30B, to develop and circulate simple administrative guidance encouraging departments, where practicable, to seek at least one quote from a worker-owned cooperative for applicable procurements below formal competitive bid thresholds when such firms are available, and to identify any low-cost steps to make worker-owned firms more visible in existing vendor registration, outreach, and small-business support efforts; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council within ninety (90) days of adoption of this Order with a brief written update describing: (a) the updates made to succession-planning and employee-ownership materials; (b) the status of the worker-cooperative technical-assistance referral pipeline; (c) any guidance issued or planned regarding below-threshold quote-seeking from worker-owned cooperatives and related vendor-outreach steps; and (d) any additional low-cost, staff-feasible next steps the City Manager recommends for expanding support for worker-owned cooperatives in Cambridge.

O-2     Apr 27, 2026
COUNCILLOR AL-ZUBI
COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER
MAYOR SIDDIQUI
COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN
WHEREAS: May 1st is internationally recognized as May Day, a day honoring workers and the labor movement’s historic struggle for the eight-hour workday and fair working conditions; and
WHEREAS: The May Day Strong Coalition, composed of hundreds of labor unions, community organizations, and civic groups across the country, has organized a National Day of Action on May 1, 2026, under the theme “Workers Over Billionaires,” and is calling for rallies, marches, and community solidarity events in over 100 cities; and
WHEREAS: The May Day Strong Coalition calls for May First to be a Day of No Work, No School, and No Shopping in support of:
  • “Tax the rich so our families, not their fortunes, come first.
  • No ICE. No war. No private army serving authoritarian power.
  • Expand democracy. Hands off our vote.”; and
WHEREAS: The Boston May Day rally will be held Friday, May 1, at 4:30pm on the Boston Common; and
WHEREAS: The City of Cambridge has a long tradition of supporting workers’ rights, economic justice, and civic engagement among its residents; and
WHEREAS: Working families in Cambridge and across the Commonwealth continue to face rising costs of living, and the May Day Strong initiative seeks to amplify the voices of working people in public discourse; and
WHEREAS: Informing Cambridge residents of opportunities for civic participation and community solidarity is consistent with the City’s commitment to an engaged and informed citizenry; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Council go on record endorsing the May Day Strong National Day of Action on May 1, 2026, as an expression of Cambridge’s support for workers’ rights, economic justice, and the tradition of peaceful civic engagement; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct appropriate City staff to publicize the May Day Strong event and any local May Day activities through the City’s official newsletters, website, social media channels, and other regular communications to residents, so that Cambridge community members are made aware of the opportunity to participate; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Clerk be and hereby is requested to forward a copy of this order to the May Day Strong coalition at maydaystrong.org on behalf of the entire City Council.

O-3     Apr 27, 2026
COUNCILLOR ZUSY
COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER
COUNCILLOR NOLAN
VICE MAYOR AZEEM
WHEREAS: The intersection of Charles River Dam Road and Museum Way, located on O’Brien Highway, presents significant safety hazards for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike, who must navigate confusing and congested traffic patterns; and
WHEREAS: Following the cyclist fatality of Meng Jin in 2018, MassDOT implemented significant design changes to this intersection, including the installation of protected bike lanes, a raised refuge island for cyclists, and the addition of green-painted cyclist markings throughout the intersection; and
WHEREAS: Numerous safety concerns remain for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers, who experience near-misses on a daily basis, not only at this intersection, but on Edwin H Land Boulevard and spilling into the surrounding area; and
WHEREAS: Persisting issues with this intersection are its manual pedestrian recall, dual pedestrian signal and green light for turning, and out of sync traffic lights; and
WHEREAS: O’Brien Highway remains a significant travel corridor for commuters traveling between Cambridge and Boston; students and employees of Education First (EF), Hult International Business School, and the Cambridge Preschool of the Arts; visitors to the Museum of Science and CambridgeSide Galleria; and residents of Cambridge; and
WHEREAS: Community stakeholders and Cambridge DOT have met and determined that immediate intervention is needed by MassDOT to ensure the safety of all using this throughfare, and that there are three immediate short-term fixes that can be implemented to improve the safety of this intersection; and
WHEREAS: The changes include:

• Set all pedestrian phases to recall during both peak hours.
There is pedestrian and/or bike demand on every cycle, but often no one pushes the button and the WALK interval does not appear during the Museum Way phase.

• Enact a Leading Pedestrian Interval (LPI) for crosswalks across CRDR.
An LPI of 7 seconds, taken from the Museum Way phase, would be sufficient.

• Synchronize the traffic signals at Museum Way/Charles River Dam Road with those at Edwin H. Land Boulevard/Charles River Dam Road.
The current lack of signal coordination causes vehicles to advance into the intersection even when downstream traffic cannot clear, resulting in chronic blockage and further conflict between users;

now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Council go on record in support of the proposed short-term infrastructure improvements to the Museum Way and Charles River Dam Road intersection, as well as continued engagement for long-term traffic improvements needed for the area; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Council go on record urging MassDOT to do further work to ensure the safety of commuters of all transportation modes at this intersection, and work with the City of Cambridge and local stakeholders to determine and implement the optimal solution; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Clerk be and hereby is requested to forward suitably engrossed copies of this resolution to MassDOT Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliverdo, MassDOT Legislative Affairs Manager John Romano, MassDOT Interim Secretary Phil Eng, all members of Cambridge’s State Legislative Delegation, and Governor Healy.

O-4     Apr 27, 2026
COUNCILLOR ZUSY
COUNCILLOR NOLAN
MAYOR SIDDIQUI
COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY
WHEREAS: The Multifamily Housing Ordinance (MFH), adopted in February 2025, eliminated exclusionary zoning and allows as-of-right multifamily housing construction in all neighborhoods, with the goal of facilitating housing production citywide; and
WHEREAS: While the ordinance was passed to advance housing goals, many residents – particularly abutters to recently proposed developments – have expressed concerns about its impacts, including reduced opportunities for input on projects that may be built within five feet lot lines and may affect light, trees, privacy, drainage, and existing solar installations; and
WHEREAS: Community members have consistently reported confusion and frustration due to the lack of a clear, centralized, and publicly accessible information explaining the development, permitting, and construction process under the MFH ordinance; and
WHEREAS: There is substantial public uncertainty regarding the key aspects of the development and permitting process, including but not limited to the following frequently asked questions:
  • When in the process are development plans submitted to Inspectional Services?
  • When and how can residents access submitted plans?
  • Which occurs first: the demolition permit or the building permit?
  • When are building and demolition permits posted on the City’s Open Data Portal?
  • When are (non-binding) community meetings held, and how are they publicized?
  • How long does it typically take for a developer to secure a permit?
  • What City project reviews are required before a project is approved?
  • How does the City coordinate multiple projects on the same street and address infrastructure impacts?
  • When and how are neighbors notified of demolitions?
  • Are developers responsible for damages to abutters’ properties, including trees on the property lines?
  • What are the rules governing construction hours and noise, how are they enforced, and where should complaints be directed?
  • Once a property is permitted, how does it proceed?
  • What are the requirements for drainage and construction management plans, including staging and parking?
  • Is the developer responsible for doing a shadow study or responding to abutters concerns about loss of light or the shading of solar panels; and
WHEREAS: Residents have also expressed the need for clearer communication about what the MFH Ordinance requires, including:
  • Minimum setbacks (5’ side and rear; 10’ front)
  • Open space requirements, including what qualifies as permeable or usable open space
  • “Green factor” standards
  • Height and floor area ratio (FAR) limits
  • Parking requirements
  • The role and limitations of non-binding community meetings
  • The as-of-right nature of development following City reviews, which vary based on project size; and
WHEREAS: The City is engaged in ongoing conversations with residents, stakeholders, and the City Council regarding potential amendments and refinements to the MFH ordinance, making clear public information even more essential; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct appropriate departments to develop an accessible “Neighbors’ Guide to the MFH Ordinance;” and be it further
ORDERED: That the guide be made publicly accessible on relevant City websites, including the Inspectional Services and Community Development websites, by June 30, 2026.

O-5     Apr 27, 2026  Charter Right - Simmons
COUNCILLOR ZUSY
MAYOR SIDDIQUI
COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY
WHEREAS: The 2019 Envision Cambridge plan established a goal of building 12,500 new housing units by 2030, based on regional housing need projections developed by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council in 2017; and
WHEREAS: In pursuit of that goal, the City of Cambridge and the City Council have looked to zoning as a key municipal tool to shape housing production and affordability; and
WHEREAS: In recent years, the Council has passed a series of significant zoning measures including the Affordable Housing Overlay (passed in 2020, amended in 2023), the Multifamily Housing Ordinance (2025), and most recently the Massachusetts Avenue and Cambridge Street zoning petitions; and
WHEREAS: These zoning measures are intended to create the conditions under which the market can produce more housing; however, housing production is also significantly shaped by external economic factors beyond the City’s direct control; and
WHEREAS: Conditions have changed substantially since 2017, including disruptions of a global pandemic, significant increases in construction and financing costs, and economic headwinds affecting our universities, research institutions, and life science sector – all of which have contributed to rental vacancies and slowed the production of rental and ownership housing; and
WHEREAS: The City is currently conducting an Inclusionary Housing Study examining inclusionary housing requirements for developers, and an Incentive Zoning Study examining zoning-based tools to encourage housing production – both of which focus on the evaluation of specific policy instruments; and
WHEREAS: A Housing Needs Study would serve a distinct and complementary purpose by evaluating current demographic and economic conditions, resident affordability, and shifts in housing demand since prior assessments, and by informing the evaluation and implementation of future housing policy, including those under consideration in the Inclusionary Housing and Incentive Zoning studies; and
WHEREAS: Such a study should analyze existing housing stock across tenure type and affordability level (including the short-term rental market), housing currently under production; and unmet housing needs across income levels, age groups, household types, and unit sizes; and
WHEREAS: The Town of Provincetown, MA has recently engaged the UMass Donahue Institute to conduct a comprehensive housing needs analysis, which has meaningfully informed the community’s housing policies, resource allocation, and land use regulations; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with relevant staff to explore options for commissioning a comparable housing needs study through a qualified research institution, to establish a clear evidence-based understanding of existing housing conditions, resident needs, and measurable housing goals to guide future decision-making; and be it further
[proposed Al-Zubi amendment: ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the Community Development Department (CDD) to present pros and cons of options for a housing needs study and to identify key data gaps such a study could address; and be it further]
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back with a plan for conducting such a study and an assessment of its impact on the City’s current housing work plan by June 2026.