3. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appointment of the following members to the Board of Zoning Appeal (BZA) effective Dec 22, 2025. (CM25#307) [text of report]
Appointments Confirmed 8-0-1 (Simmons - Absent)

To the Honorable, the City Council:

I am writing to appoint the following Cambridge residents to the Board of Zoning Appeal (BZA) effective December 22, 2025:

Member (five-year term)
• Wendy Leiserson (currently an Associate Member)

Associate Members (two-year term)
• Miranda Cecil

• Michael LaRosa (reappointment)

• Zarya Miranda (reappointment)

• Esrom Negash

• Bran Shim

• Brendan Sullivan

The BZA has an important role in decisions that help shape the use and appearance of buildings in our community. Under the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance, certain uses and types of development may require a variance, special permit, or a comprehensive permit from the BZA, a quasi-judicial body that conducts public hearings on all applications and appeals before it and issues decisions. The Board also hears appeals of Zoning Determinations made by the Commissioner of Inspectional Services. The City Manager’s office posted a request for applications for the BZA on the City website and via a news release on November 5, 2024. The call for applicants was also posted in several of the City’s daily email updates and in postings on the City website. The posting resulted in thirteen applicants as of its closing date of December 2, 2024. The panel to review applications and conduct interviews included representatives from the City Manager’s Office, Inspectional Services, and the Law Department.

The recommended appointees bring a wide range of skills and experience to the BZA.

• Miranda Cecil is an attorney representing clients on real estate and land use matters. She has extensive relevant experience working with municipal clients. She was also a law clerk for a judge in the Massachusetts Land Court.

• Michael LaRosa is a life-long Cambridge resident whose general practice law firm in East Cambridge includes a focus on real estate. He has served as an Associate Member of the BZA since 2023.

• Wendy Leiserson is an attorney focused on land use, non-profit and environmental law. She recently began working for the City of Somerville’s Law Department assigned to the Inspectional Services Department. She has served as an associate member of the BZA since 2021.

• Zarya Miranda is a long-term resident and graduate of Cambridge Public Schools. She is a realtor who has volunteered at Margaret Fuller House and is on the board of Transition House. She has served as an associate member of the BZA since 2023.

• Esrom Negash is an engineer who works as a Building envelope consultant. He is certified as an Engineer-In-Training and a LEED Green Associate. He is a graduate of the Cambridge Public Schools and brings lived experience as an immigrant and with the City’s housing programs.

• Bran Shim works as a Senior Advisor to the Massachusetts Secretary of Administration and Finance (A&F) with a focus on economic development and housing production. He has volunteered as a Cambridge Participatory Budgeting Delegate on multiple occasions and has served on the Human Services Commission since 2018.

• Brendan Sullivan is a lifelong Cambridge resident who has had a long career as a General Contractor. He brings extensive prior experience as a BZA member.

I appreciate the willingness of these community members to serve on the BZA and, with your approval, look forward to their appointments.

Sincerely,
Yi-An Huang
City Manager

CHARTER RIGHT
1. That the City Manager is requested to instruct the Community Development Department to reduce the recommendations for the Massachusetts Avenue subdistrict (MAS-12) from a maximum of 12 stories to 11 stories with ground floor active use/retail as consistent with the recommendation of the Mass Ave Planning Study. [Charter Right – Siddiqui, Dec 15, 2025] (PO25#171)
Brought forward along with Manager’s Agenda #6; initially Passes 5-4 (PN,SS,AW,CZ,DS - Yes; BA,MM,JSW,PT - No); discussion re: substitute language; Simmons changes vote to No, so Charter Right #1 Fails 4-5 (PN,SS,AW,CZ - Yes; BA,MM,JSW,PT,DS - No)

O-2     Dec 15, 2025  Charter Right - Siddiqui
COUNCILLOR NOLAN
COUNCILLOR ZUSY
COUNCILLOR WILSON
WHEREAS: The Mass Ave Zoning Petition proposes to establish new zoning districts, allow additional residential height in key locations, and incentivize Active Uses on the ground floor as outlined in the Mass Ave Planning Study (MAPS); and
WHEREAS: MAPS was an 18-month community engagement project that touched hundreds of residents, business owners, stakeholders, community members, and experts that developed goals and strategies for a revitalization and 15-year vision plan for Mass Ave in support of an inviting neighborhood and destination, a vibrant and walkable corridor, and more housing options; and
WHEREAS: Page 81 of the MAPS indicates a preference for 11 stories along Mass Ave: “rezoning the corridor to allow building heights of 8-11 stories for the majority of the corridor, with 12-18 stories in Porter Square, would support the gradual, organic evolution of Mass Ave, creating opportunities for denser residential development over time;” and
WHEREAS: Under the draft zoning for MAS-12, the maximum residential building height is over 74’, which allows AHO projects to take advantage of 11.207.5.2.1c, which allows for AHO development of 13 stories and 150 feet; and
WHEREAS: Maintaining incentives for non-residential use, residential use, mixed use, and 100% affordable housing are important to allow different use-types and to promote city planning goals of achieving greater socioeconomic diversity and a more equitable distribution of affordable housing citywide; and
WHEREAS: Under the current draft of MAS-12, mixed use residential building height is capped at 12 stories, which is higher than the recommendation by MAPS, only maintaining a one-story advantage for AHO projects; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to instruct the Community Development Department to reduce the recommendations for the Massachusetts Avenue subdistrict (MAS-12) from a maximum of 12 stories to 11 stories with ground floor active use/retail as consistent with the recommendation of the Mass Ave Planning Study; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council in a timely manner.

45. Nonie Valentine, re: Pause on extreme upzoning on Mass. Ave. and Cambridge St.

From: Nonie Valentine
Sent: Sunday, December 14, 2025 10:25am
To: City Council; City Clerk
Subject: Pause on extreme upzoning on Mass. Ave. and Cambridge St.

Dear City Council,

It has been baffling.

I took part in CDD’s online discussions on Mass. Ave. in the very beginning. The others in my breakout group were contributing such good ideas, such good sense - to do with design, green space, interactivity between building and street, and of course, the essential: heights. CDD facilitated the meeting very skillfully but none of the fundamentals from that thoughtful crowd were taken on board. Why? The outcome seemed to have been pre-ordained. To do with density and numbers, not quality and coherence of neighborhoods, despite the language. It was an odd sidelining of historical considerations, the people who actually live here, green space, and architecture, in order to reach some quotas. I had never understood why former Councilor Dennis Carlone’s proposals for development that largely fits with neighborhoods was entirely written off. As if it somehow signaled lack of interest in housing.

This is to say that I reluctantly join with others who have been disillusioned by public process on upzoning. Comment itself exists, yes. We say what we say, but there is no exchange. It doesn’t really matter. It has come to feel true that upzoning is just what some people call it: a developer giveaway and a done deal.

At last City Council Meeting, one of the councillors fell back on the old NIMBY charge for those of us who oppose the extreme heights of upzoning. Cut that out. It’s a false charge that is irresponsible to continue to feed.

I lived in a country where the previous Communist regime behaved as we are starting to now. There it was a heavily ideological approach to housing that amounted to an assault on everything that came before: livability, human scale, neighborhood, and trees and gardens that hold stormwater and help us breathe. The relentlessness of our upzoning honestly feels like an F. U. to life here before excessively tall buildings.

Of course traffic congestion and parking are serious issues. I’ll let others speak to that horror. The changes to our cityscape will be grievous and sad, and not smart.

Lastly, what troubles me the most that views like mine don’t matter to the majority of councilors, is that it undermines the solidarity I want to have with my City Council – as it faces brutal pressures from the federal administration for having been a caring city. We residents and our governing body need to be able to stand together. But it’s hard to do that if you don’t care about what so many of us think.

Sincerely,
Nonie Valentine
4 Washington Ave.

4. Congratulations to Kathleen Rawlins on her retirement from the Historical Commission.   Councillor Toner, Mayor Simmons

R-4     Dec 22, 2025
COUNCILLOR TONER
MAYOR SIMMONS

WHEREAS: The City Council has learned that Kathleen (Kit) Rawlins retired on September 27, 2025, after 30 years of dedicated service to the City of Cambridge; and

WHEREAS: Kit was a native of Scituate, but has resided in Cambridge for over 30 years, and began her employment with the city in 1995, bringing with her a deep passion for public history informed by her earlier work as a first-person interpreter at Plimoth Plantation (ow Plimoth Patuxet) and her service at the Quincy Historical Society and the Bostonian Society; and

WHEREAS: During her tenure with the Cambridge Historical Commission, Kit served as Assistant Director, where she not only managed the day-to-day operations of the office, but also prepared budgets, grant proposals, and annual reports coordinated the city’s historic marker program; and developed and delivered educational programs for local elementary schools; and

WHEREAS: Kit was known throughout the department for her exceptional writing and editorial skill, earning the affectionate nickname “Red Pencil Rawlins” and contributed significantly as copy editor to major CHC publications, including Building Old Cambridge by Charles Sullivan and Susan Maycock, as well as multiple Cambridge oral history volumes by Sarah Boyer; and

WHEREAS: Kit’s commitment to historical preservation and community storytelling extends beyond her formal role, as she is a working member of both the Cambridge Black History Committee and the Cambridge Women’s Heritage Project, helping to ensure that the city’s history is inclusive, accurate, and accessible; and

WHEREAS: Kit was recognized in 2002 with the Outstanding City Employee Award, honoring her professionalism, expertise, and longstanding contributions to her preservation and interpretation of Cambridge’s history; and

WHEREAS: Beyond her service to the city, Kit has been an active member of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, where she serves as Senior Warden of the Vestry, and she continues to enjoy reading and paper crafts in her personal time; now therefore be it

RESOLVED: That the City Council go on record expressing its gratitude to Kathleen “Kit” Rawlins for her decades of extraordinary service, her stewardship of Cambridge’s historical resources, and her unwavering dedication to preserving and sharing the city’s rich and diverse heritage; and be it further

RESOLVED: That the City Clerk be and hereby is requested to forward a suitably engrossed copy of this resolution to Kathleen Rawlins on behalf of the entire City Council.

9. Congratulations to Patrol Officer Devon Brooks on his retirement from the Cambridge Police Department.   Councillor Toner, Councillor Wilson, Mayor Simmons

R-9     Dec 22, 2025
COUNCILLOR TONER
COUNCILLOR WILSON
MAYOR SIMMONS

WHEREAS: The City Council has learned that Patrol Officer Devon Brooks will retire on January 17, 2026; after 32 years of dedicated service to the City of Cambridge and its residents; and

WHEREAS: Officer Brooks was sworn in as a Police Officer in April, 1995, after previously serving the city for 10 years as a Youth Counselor at the Area IV Youth Center, where he developed strong relationships with young people across Cambridge, an experience that would shape his career and make him a natural fit for community and youth-focused policing; and

WHEREAS: Throughout his distinguished tenure, Officer Brooks served in numerous units, including Operations, Training, both within the Academy and with student officers, Community Relations and the Family and Social Justice Unit, reflecting a career deeply rooted in mentorship, education, and community engagement; and

WHEREAS: Officer Brooks played a major role in police training statewide, serving for over 20 years as a Lead Staff Instructor at the regional Lowell Police Academy, where he oversaw the physical and academic development of student officers, often arriving early or staying late to support those who needed extra help, and ultimately helping to graduate more than 1,200 police officers across the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS: Officer Brooks also served for more than 20 years on the Department’s Special Response Team, demonstrating dedication, readiness, and professionalism in high-risk and critical situations; and

WHEREAS: As a Youth Resource Officer, Officer Brooks served the Graham & Parks, Baldwin, and Haggerty Schools, and continued his longstanding work with teens at the Gately Youth Center, earning the admiration of teachers, staff, families, and especially students, who saw him as an integral part of their school communities; and

WHEREAS: Officer Brooks’ exceptional service is reflected in the recognitions received, including the 2020 CPD Specialist of the Year, 2021 Outstanding City Employee Award, a 2018 Letter of Commendation from Commissioner Bard, and a 1999 Letter of Commendation from Commission Watson, each honoring his leadership, mentorship and commitment to excellence: now therefore be it

RESOLVED: That the City Council go on record expressing its sincere gratitude to Officer Devon Brooks for his decades of dedicated service, his exceptional leadership in training future police officers, and his deep commitment to Cambridge youth and families, and extends its warmest wishes for good health and happiness in his retirement; and be it further

RESOLVED: That the City Clerk be and hereby is requested to forward a suitably engrossed copy of this resolution to Patrol Officer Devon Brooks on behalf of the entire City Council.

TEXT OF ORDERS
O-1     Dec 22, 2025  Charter Right - Simmons
COUNCILLOR TONER
MAYOR SIMMONS
VICE MAYOR MCGOVERN
COUNCILLOR ZUSY
WHEREAS: The City Council suspended the Street Sign and Bench Dedication program at its meeting on Dec 16, 2024 PO24#160; and
WHEREAS All previous requests for consideration that were voted on and approved by the City Council prior to December 16, 2024, are being reviewed and processed by the Dedication Committee; and
WHEREAS: There is a desire to end the practice of naming Streets and Benches and consider new opportunities and criteria to honor and commemorate residents in our public spaces; now therefore, be it,
ORDERED: The City Manager and Dedication Committee permanently end the Street and Bench Dedication program and work to process any remaining outstanding requests; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager works with the Government Operations and Civic Unity Committee to hold hearings to discuss new ideas to honor and remember individuals (i.e. communal memorial garden, wall or path), criteria for eligibility, a committee structure with diverse representation of the city residents, and a means for recording and maintaining our current and future memorials.

O-2     Dec 22, 2025  Charter Right - Simmons
COUNCILLOR ZUSY
COUNCILLOR AZEEM
COUNCILLOR NOLAN
WHEREAS: Increased automobile ownership associated with new residents moving into the City raises concerns related to traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions, while also affecting residents who rely on automobiles, including families with young children, individuals with disabilities, seniors, and service workers; and
WHEREAS: It is estimated that a substantial share of residents in new transit-oriented developments (within a half mile from the MBTA) will nonetheless own vehicles, increasing demand for limited on-street resident parking spaces; and
WHEREAS: The City seeks to encourage the use of public transit and other sustainable modes of transportation, while recognizing that some residents are choice-limited and unable to forgo car ownership; and
WHEREAS: The City of Somerville has addressed similar challenges by making most residents of new transit-oriented developments ineligible for on-street resident parking permits, while providing exemptions through an application process for choice-limited residents, including individuals with disabilities and residents of affordable housing units, pursuant to Somerville Traffic Rules and Regulations, Article XV, Section 15-2.1; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager request legal, transportation and planning staff to identify policy options to achieve the above stated goals and communicate the impact of proposed policy choices on other stated City goals so Council can make an informed decision on how to move forward by March 1, 2026.