CHARTER RIGHT
1. Zero Waste Master Plan Ordinance changes. [Charter Right – Simmons, June 1, 2026] (PO26#110)

O-3     June 1, 2026  Charter Right - Simmons
COUNCILLOR NOLAN
COUNCILLOR AL-ZUBI
COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN
COUNCILLOR ZUSY
WHEREAS: The Health and Environment Committee met on May 26, 2026 to review and discuss implementation of Zero Waste Master Plan (ZWMP) 2.0, adopted by Council in June 2025, including review of draft ordinance changes as recommended by the ZWMP 2.0; now therefore be it
RESOLVED: That the Health and Environment Committee recommend to the full City Council to adopt the proposed changes to Cambridge Municipal Code Chapter 8.24: REFUSE AND LITTER and Chapter 8.68: Bring Your Own Bag, and to adopt Chapter 8.72: Skip The Stuff, as soon as possible.

COMMUNICATIONS
1. Amanda Beatty – Do not put the brakes on affordable housing
2. Anne Warner – Tree Protection PO#4 support
3. Annette LaMond – Wyman Road NCD – Please Vote to Study
4. Aram Harrow – oppose Tree Protection Ordinance
5. Arti Pandey – Sidewalk Work
6. Barbara Anthony – Strengthening Tree Protection Act
7. Hans-Peter Biemann – Vote to help restore tree volume in Cambridge Vote Yes PO#4
8. Bjorn Poonen – PO26#111
9. Brendan Hickey – Please amend PO#4
10. Candace Young – Tree protection
11. Carol Lynn Alpert – Pass the PO to strengthen the Tree Protection Ordinance
12. Caroline Lowenthal – Please keep Ahern field grass
13. Catalina Arboleda – Stronger Tree Protections
14. Christina Mork – Ahern Field
15. Courtney Cogswell – Sustainability in East Cambridge
16. Dan Phillips – Continued support for by right multifamily housing
17. Dana Niu – Continued support for by right multifamily housing
18. Dave Halperin – Oppose PO#4
19. David Hattis – Please Don’t Weaken Multifamily Zoning
20. Debby Shapiro – Great, Elena! Let’s hope it has the impact it deserves.
21. Deborah Galef – Zero Waste Master Plan 2.0
22. Ed Henley – City Council Public Comment on Monday, 6/1/26
23. Elena Tate – I am writing in support of more affordable housing in Cambridge.
24. Emily Lee – Please enact ZWMP 2.0 on June 8
25. Federico Muchnik – Busted elevator at Winn’s 21 Walden Sq. Road going on 1 year.
26. Genevieve Coyle – Little Boxes (written in 1962 by Malvina Reynolds and popularized by Pete Seeger)
27. Jessica Grimsby – June 1 PO#4, Updates to Tree Protection Ordinance
28. Hannah Larsen – Continued Adjustments to Housing Overlay
29. Heddi Siebel – Public Comments for Tonight
30. Helen Snively – Please support Policy Order for Greater Tree Protection
31. Ira Nichols-Barrer – tree ordinance please protect the MZA
32. Jamie Sabino, Richard B. Klibaner – Vote NO on efforts that will block multifamily housing
33. Jan Puibello – Tree Protection Ordinance amendments
34. Jason Alves – Sign Applications
35. Jay Luker – Your Tree Canopy Will Be Fine.
36. Jill Linnell – PO#4
37. Jonathan Cohen – Support for by-right MFH zoning alongside Tree Ordinance
38. Jonathan Haber – Of Trees and Labs
39. Jonathan Haber – PO#4
40. Jules Kobek – Moderna just received 50M grant to study EBOLA; Cambridge does not allow BSL4 Labs required by EBOLA
41. Karen Biemann – Vote to help restore tree volume in Cambridge. Vote Yes – PO#4.
42. Kate Hanks – Ahern Field
43. Kathleen Moore – Vote no on PO#4
44. Kelsey Harris – Vote No on PO#4, Missing the forest for the trees
45. Larry – Tree Ordinance
46. Neal Leavitt – Health and Ahern Field
47. Marie Elena Saccoccio, Betty Lee Saccoccio – Please reconsider allowance of labs on Cambridge Street
48. Marie Elena Saccoccio – Moderna just received 50M grant to study EBOLA Cambridge does not allow BSL4 Labs required by EBOLA
49. Marie Elena Saccoccio – Moderna joins race to develop EBOLA vaccine
50. Marilee Meyer – Moderna just received 50M grant to study EBOLA Cambridge does not allow BSL4 Labs required by EBOLA. Please save significant trees as part of urban planning and the greater good.
51. Mary Dockray-Miller – support for ZWMP 2.0 ordinance
52. Mary Jane Kornacki – Tree Protection
53. Michael Buck – Traffic Sign Issue City of Cambridge
54. Michael Hoff – Multi-Family Housing Amendment
55. Nonie Valentine – PO26#111, Tree protection
56. Ovadia R Simha – Cambridge Street Zoning
57. Pat McCarthy – Please vote for the Tree Protection Ordinance
58. Jules Kobek – Re: Moderna just received 50M grant to study EBOLA; Cambridge does not allow BSL4 Labs required by EBOLA
59. Rebecca Pries – Please protect our Cambridge trees!
60. Reeva Meyer – PO#4
61. Rob Vandenabeele – Zero Waste Master Plan 2.0 Ordinance Change Enactment
62. Robert Kinch – Mayor’s letter (Western Ave. concerns)
63. Sam and Melissa Allon – Do you live in a treehouse
64. Sara Nelson – Tree Ordinance Amendments
65. Sarah Block – Please vote NO on PO#4 making tree ordinance more difficult. Support for multi-family housing development
66. Sarah Wharton – Vote No on PO#4
67. Sean Joyce-Farley – Where is City Pride this year?
68. Stephanie Wasiuk – Zero Waste Master Plan 2.0 Ordinance Changes
69. Su Chiang, Yakov Bart – please avoid new restrictions on MFH Ordinance
70. Sue Wentworth – Tree Protection Ordinance
71. Susan M. Carter – Housing Regulations
72. Susan Miller-Havens – Tree protection
73. Susanna Ryan – A resident against putting turf in at Ahern Field
74. Todd Chapin – Comments on June 2 Cambridge St rezoning
75. Valerie M. Bonds – Senior Parking Fee Exemption
76. Young Kim – My Comment at 6/1 Council Meeting
77. Susan Miller-Havens – Tree Protection

RESOLUTIONS
1. City Council thanks and warmest congratulations to S&S owners Gary Mitchell, Aimee Baum, and the entire Mitchell-Wheeler family on 107 extraordinary years of service to Cambridge and the Inman Square community, and in expressing its profound admiration for their dedication to preserving a beloved neighborhood institution across six generations.   Councillor Simmons, Councillor Flaherty, Councillor McGovern, Mayor Siddiqui

Resolution #1     June 8, 2026
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS
COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY
COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN
MAYOR SIDDIQUI

WHEREAS: The S&S Restaurant and Delicatessen, located in the heart of Inman Square, first opened its doors in 1919, when Rebecca “Ma” Edelstein greeted her neighbors with the warm Yiddish expression “es and es” – “eat and eat” – a phrase that gave the restaurant its name and defined its spirit of nourishment, welcome, and community for more than a century; and

WHEREAS: The S&S has remained in continuous family ownership across six generations – from Ma Edelstein through the Wheeler and Mitchell families to present-day co-owners Gary Mitchell and Aimee Baum – each generation tending this institution with devotion, creativity, and enduring pride in the legacy entrusted to them; and

WHEREAS: Over 107 years, the S&S has been far more than a restaurant: it has been a gathering place, a neighborhood anchor, and a living archive of Cambridge history, surviving the 1918 flu pandemic, the Great Depression, multiple relocations and renovations, and generations of change, always remaining a hometown favorite where residents could find generous portions, reasonable prices, and a warm welcome; and

WHEREAS: The S&S has been celebrated for its classic deli fare – pastrami sandwiches, matzo ball soup, knishes, blintzes, bagels and lox, corned beef, and the legendary chicken wings featured on the Phantom Gourmet – while adapting its menu across decades to reflect the diverse tastes of the Inman Square community; and

WHEREAS: The S&S has long been woven into the civic fabric of Cambridge, catering to City Council meetings, Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, and countless City functions, and its walls – graced with hand-colored historic photographs, old menus, and decades of press coverage – have served as a neighborhood museum, preserving the story of Inman Square and the immigrant families who built it; and

WHEREAS: Gary Mitchell, who began working at the deli counter at age twelve, has been the heart of the S&S for decades, guided by the generations before him and sustained by his sister Aimee Baum and a loyal staff – many of them with the restaurant since the 1970s and 1980s – who together kept the S&S open and serving its neighbors even through the hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic; and

WHEREAS: The City of Cambridge is deeply grateful to the Edelstein, Wheeler, and Mitchell families for 107 years of generosity, hard work, and genuine love for this city and its people; now therefore be it

RESOLVED: That the City Council go on record extending its deepest thanks and warmest congratulations to Gary Mitchell, Aimee Baum, and the entire Mitchell-Wheeler family on 107 extraordinary years of service to Cambridge and the Inman Square community, and in expressing its profound admiration for their dedication to preserving a beloved neighborhood institution across six generations; and be it further

RESOLVED: That the City Council honors the memory of all those who built and sustained the S&S – Ma Edelstein, Lottie and William Wheeler, Robert Mitchell, Doris and Chester Mitchell, and the many loyal staff members who made it a home away from home for generations of Cambridge residents; and be it further

RESOLVED: That the City Council wishes Gary Mitchell, Aimee Baum, and their families every happiness and success as they turn toward new pursuits, confident that the legacy they have tended so faithfully has left an indelible mark on Cambridge, and that the warmth of the S&S – its spirit of welcome, generosity, and community – will endure long after its doors have closed; and be it further

RESOLVED: That the City Clerk be and hereby is requested to forward suitably engrossed copies of this resolution to Gary Mitchell and Aimee Baum on behalf of the entire City Council.

COMMITTEE REPORTS
1. The Human Services and Veterans Committee held a public hearing on Wed, Apr 8, 2026 to review and discuss the final research report on Rise Up Cambridge, CM26#28. [text of report]
Present: Al-Zubi
Remote Present: Flaherty, Simmons, Sobrinho-Wheeler
Also Present: Siddiqui, Nolan
Absent: McGovern

2. The Finance Committee held a public hearing on Thurs, Apr 9, 2026 to continue the discussion from Feb 25, 2026, on establishing future Budget Priorities. [text of report]
Present: McGovern, Nolan, Simmons, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Zusy, Siddiqui
Remote Present: Al-Zubi, Azeem
Absent: Flaherty

TEXT OF ORDERS
O-1     June 8, 2026
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS
COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN
COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY
WHEREAS: Hidden behind and between properties near Winthrop Street, Charlie’s Kitchen Beer Garden, and Eliot Street is a dry-laid fieldstone retaining wall known as the Old Stone Wall, believed to have been built in the late 1700s and early 1800s to help channel the spring-fed Town Creek toward the Charles River and stabilize what is now Winthrop Square; and
WHEREAS: This wall is one of the most significant surviving physical links to the earliest planned settlement of Newtowne, which later became Cambridge, and has been described by the Cambridge Historical Commission as the largest and most significant historic stone wall in Harvard Square; and
WHEREAS: Despite its historic significance, much of the wall is hidden from public view and remains unknown to many residents, visitors, and passersby, making it all too easy for this important piece of Cambridge history to be overlooked, neglected, or lost; and
WHEREAS: A portion of the wall collapsed in 2020 and has not yet been repaired, while the remaining structure continues to face threats from age, erosion, weather, surrounding development, and severe rodent activity that may be further destabilizing the site; and
WHEREAS: An earlier repair effort stalled after the estimated cost exceeded the available Community Preservation Act funding and no final agreement was reached among the City and abutting property owners regarding funding, access, and long-term responsibility; and
WHEREAS: As Cambridge approaches its 400th anniversary in 2030, the City should make every reasonable effort to protect historic resources that tell the story of its earliest settlement, while also addressing any related public health and safety concerns; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Cambridge Historical Commission, the Law Department, the Department of Public Works, Inspectional Services, the Cambridge Public Health Department, Community Preservation Act staff, the Harvard Square Business Association, and the owners of properties abutting the Old Stone Wall, for the purpose of developing a practical plan to stabilize, preserve, and restore this historic resource; and be it further
ORDERED: That said plan should include an updated assessment of the wall’s current condition, estimated repair costs, immediate stabilization needs, the impact of rodent activity and other environmental conditions, and the legal or practical responsibilities of the City and abutting property owners; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to identify potential funding and partnership options, including Community Preservation Act historic preservation funds, private contributions, preservation grants, easements, public-access agreements, and other public-private partnership models; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council with findings, options, and recommended next steps within 120 days.

O-2     June 8, 2026
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS
COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY
WHEREAS: The City Council recently voted to discontinue the City’s use of ShotSpotter technology following concerns regarding the accuracy, reliability, privacy implications, civil liberties impacts, and overall efficacy of the technology, yet the underlying public safety concerns that led to the original deployment of the technology have not disappeared; and
WHEREAS: Residents in every neighborhood of Cambridge deserve to feel safe in their homes, on their streets, in their parks, and in their public spaces, and they deserve to know that the City is taking practical, visible, and effective steps to prevent violence and respond quickly when serious incidents occur; and
WHEREAS: The discontinuation of any public safety tool should be accompanied by a serious review of what additional resources, strategies, staffing, partnerships, or investments may be needed to ensure that the City is not merely removing an existing tool, but actively and concurrently strengthening its broader approach to neighborhood safety; and
WHEREAS: Such a strategy may include, but need not be limited to, targeted and community-oriented patrol presence, expanded violence prevention and youth outreach efforts, improved coordination following serious incidents, environmental safety improvements such as lighting and visibility upgrades, strengthened community reporting practices, and any technology alternatives that may be considered in compliance with the City’s Surveillance Technology Ordinance; and
WHEREAS: Any future public safety strategy should be evidence-informed, transparent, equitable, respectful of civil rights and civil liberties, and subject to meaningful public accountability; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Police Department, the Community Safety Department, the Emergency Communications Department, the Department of Human Service Programs, the Department of Public Works, the Law Department, and any other relevant City departments and community partners to develop a Neighborhood Safety Additions Plan for the areas of the City previously served by ShotSpotter technology, as well as any other areas where residents, neighborhood groups, or City departments have identified recurring concerns regarding gun violence, violent incidents, or serious public safety conditions; and be it further
ORDERED: That this plan should identify concrete resources, investments, staffing strategies, operational changes, interdepartmental protocols, community partnerships, and public-space improvements that may be added or expanded to improve neighborhood safety following the discontinuation of ShotSpotter; and be it further
ORDERED: That this plan should specifically address the feasibility and potential impact of increased foot and bicycle patrols in targeted areas, expanded community-based violence prevention and youth outreach resources, improved follow-up after serious incidents, strengthened public reporting and communication practices, environmental safety improvements such as lighting and visibility upgrades, and any technology alternatives that may be considered in full compliance with the City’s Surveillance Technology Ordinance; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council within sixty days with a written report that includes recommended actions, estimated costs, implementation timelines, responsible departments, opportunities for community input, and proposed metrics for evaluating whether these added investments are improving neighborhood safety.

O-3     June 8, 2026
MAYOR SIDDIQUI
COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN
COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER
COUNCILLOR ZUSY
WHEREAS: The Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance (MOVA) provides critical funding, supported by federal dollars, for services to victims and survivors of crime, including domestic violence, sexual assault, housing instability, legal advocacy, counseling, crisis response, and related supports; and
WHEREAS: Cambridge-based and Cambridge-serving organizations have reported significant FY27 MOVA funding reductions, affecting Transition House, Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers, De Novo Center for Justice and Healing, Boston Area Rape Crisis Center, and On The Rise; and
WHEREAS: The City has been in communication with representatives of affected organizations that requested a combined total of $4,224,675 for FY27 and were awarded $2,548,104, resulting in an estimated funding gap of $1,676,570; and
WHEREAS: This gap will have serious impacts on direct services, including reductions in clinical support, legal advocacy, housing stabilization, food and transportation assistance, culturally responsive services, multilingual services, and staffing capacity; and
WHEREAS: Survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, immigrant survivors, unhoused residents, youth, LGBTQIA+ residents, elder survivors, and transgender survivors may face longer wait times, fewer available supports, and greater barriers to safety as a result of these reductions; and
WHEREAS: These reductions are the result of a federal funding crisis and not a reflection of reduced community need, organizational performance, or importance of these services to Cambridge residents, and the City recognizes the need to engage the wider nonprofit community to fully understand the scope and consequences of federal funding reductions on Cambridge’s safety net services; and
WHEREAS: The City of Cambridge has a responsibility to protect essential safety net services and ensure that residents that rely on them are not left without support during a period of federal disinvestment; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to use the Federal Stabilization Fund to provide one-time stabilization payments to Cambridge-based and Cambridge-serving organizations impacted by FY27 MOVA cuts; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council with a proposed funding plan, including the balance of the Federal Stabilization Fund and a proposed timeline for disbursement; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the Mayor’s Office and other relevant City staff to engage with the broader Cambridge nonprofit community to assess the full scope of federal and state funding reductions and their impact on the City’s safety net services; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Council go on the record reaffirming its commitment to standing with victims and survivors of crime, and preserving Cambridge’s network of victim services, violence prevention, legal advocacy, housing stabilization, and culturally responsive community-based support during this extraordinary period of federal disinvestment.

O-4     June 8, 2026
COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS
WHEREAS: On June 1, 2026, the City Council voted to disapprove further use of SoundThinking’s Acoustic Gunshot Detection Technology (“ShotSpotter”) pursuant to the Surveillance Technology Ordinance, Section 2.128.060; and
WHEREAS: Section 2.128.060 sets forth clear and unambiguous procedures that the City Council must follow before voting to approve or disapprove the use of surveillance technology; and
WHEREAS: The City Council did not follow the required procedures outlined in Section 2.128.060(c) before voting to disapprove ShotSpotter; and
WHEREAS: Section 2.128.060(c) requires, as a condition precedent to any such vote, that the City Council examine the information contained in the Annual Surveillance Report; and
WHEREAS: The City Council did not conduct such an examination; and
WHEREAS: Section 2.128.060(c) further requires the City Council to determine, based on the Annual Surveillance Report, whether the benefits of continued use of the technology outweigh its financial and operational costs; and
WHEREAS: The City Council did not make such a determination; and
WHEREAS: Section 2.128.060(c) also requires the City Council to determine whether reasonable safeguards exist to address concerns regarding privacy, civil liberties, and civil rights; and
WHEREAS: The City Council did not make such a determination; and
WHEREAS: Section 2.128.060(c) provides that only after making these determinations may the City Council consider one of the following actions:
  1. Recommend modifications to the Surveillance Use Policy to the City Manager;
  2. Request a report from the City Manager on steps taken to address concerns; or
  3. Disapprove further use of the technology; and
WHEREAS: The City Council did not make the required threshold determinations and did not consider these options in the manner prescribed; and
WHEREAS: On May 11, 2026, the City Council adopted Policy Order 2026-98, which states that the Annual Report was reviewed by the Public Safety Committee rather than the full City Council, and identifies concerns about the technology but does not make the determinations required by Section 2.128.060(c); and
WHEREAS: These actions are inconsistent with the requirements of the Surveillance Technology Ordinance; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Council shall comply with the procedures outlined in Section 2.128.060 of the Surveillance Technology Ordinance; and be it further
ORDERED: That the June 1, 2026, vote to disapprove ShotSpotter be declared null and void; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Council shall complete the required review and determinations prescribed by Section 2.128.060(c) before taking any future vote regarding the continued use of ShotSpotter or any other surveillance technology.

O-5     June 8, 2026
COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY
COUNCILLOR ZUSY
WHEREAS: On February 10, 2025, the Cambridge City Council voted to adopt a zoning petition to allow multifamily housing citywide; and
WHEREAS: The zoning changes were intended to enable multifamily housing across all Cambridge neighborhoods, increase overall housing production, prioritize income-restricted affordable units through the City’s Inclusionary Housing Program, and eliminate certain requirements such as minimum lot sizes, limits on the number of dwelling units, and restrictions on floor area; and
WHEREAS: The zoning code amendments established a unified residential zoning district, “Residence C-1,” applicable across all neighborhoods, allowing buildings up to four stories in height, or up to six stories for projects that meet inclusionary housing requirements (20% affordable) and are located on lots of at least 5,000 square feet; and
WHEREAS: The amendments eliminated minimum lot size requirements, limits on dwelling units, and the total allowable floor area for housing; and
WHEREAS: The amendments also reduced setback requirements and imposed new open space and Green Factor standards for new buildings; and
WHEREAS: The adoption and implementation of the multifamily zoning ordinance have led to significant unintended consequences across all neighborhoods, as real estate development activity has increasingly focused on maximizing profits while avoiding the provision of income-restricted affordable housing; and
WHEREAS: The Cambridge Community Development Department has undertaken extensive and detailed analysis to develop proposed amendments to the multifamily zoning ordinance aimed at addressing unintended consequences while advancing the goal of increasing housing production, particularly income-restricted affordable housing; and
WHEREAS: Residents across all Cambridge neighborhoods have expressed widespread concern and dissatisfaction regarding the unintended consequences of the multifamily zoning ordinance; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the Community Development Department, and other relevant City departments, to examine and report back to the City Council with a feasibility analysis with findings, options, and recommendations regarding the following proposed amendments to the multifamily zoning ordinance;

1. Require front, side, and rear setbacks totaling at least 35 feet, with at least one side setback of no less than 10 feet;

2. Explore possibility of relating building height to width of right of way; 6 story buildings only on major thoroughfares, not on narrow residential streets. Consider right of way widths of 55’ and greater;

3. 30% open space should be green open space at grade. Green roofs and balconies should not qualify as part of green open space, nor should permeable pavers;

4. Max building wall length 25-40 long side setback line (length to be studied). Building wall longer than 25-40’ to set back an additional 5’ to allow for privacy, light, new plantings, etc.;

5. Require one off-street automobile parking space for each dwelling unit above four units in any new construction, whether in Residence C-1 or otherwise.

ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council within 60 days with a feasibility analysis, including findings and options regarding the above-referenced items.