Cambridge City Council meeting - December 23, 2024

CITY MANAGER’S AGENDA
1. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to a request for authorization to allow the Purchasing Agent to award a five (5) year contract to a successful bidder on the School Bus Transportation Bid. (CM24#268)

ORDERS
1. That the City Manager is requested to direct the City Solicitor to provide the City Council with a legal opinion on the City Council’s ability to levy a tax or fine on store fronts and commercial properties that remain vacant for more than two years, including any applicable definitions of “vacancy” and relevant legal precedents, and provide such opinion no later than the February 17th City Council meeting. Councillor Toner, Mayor Simmons, Councillor Siddiqui (PO24#161)

2. That the City Manager is requested to direct Community Development Department (CDD) staff to draft proposed amendments to the Cannabis Business Permitting Ordinance that would accomplish adding select HCA requirements into the ordinance so the city can waive the HCA requirement and that the City Manager is requested to ask the CDD staff to draft a zoning amendment to remove the repackaging prohibition. Councillor Toner, Councillor Siddiqui, Councillor Wilson, Mayor Simmons (PO24#162)

UNFINISHED BUSINESS
1. An Ordinance 2023 #8B has been received from City Clerk, relative to Amend Chapter 14.04 – Fair Housing. [Passed to 2nd Reading Oct 2, 2023; Amended Nov 6, 2023; to remain on Unfinished Business pending legislative approval of Special Act needed prior to ordination] (ORD23-8B)

2. An Ordinance has been received from City Clerk, relative to Flexible Parking Corridor Zoning Petition. [Adopted as a City Council Zoning Petition and Passed to 2nd Reading Dec 2, 2024; Eligible to be Ordained Dec 23, 2024; Expires Feb 19, 2025] (ORD24#5)

3. An Ordinance has been received from City Clerk, relative to the Parking and Transportation Demand Management (PTDM) Municipal Ordinance. [Referred to Ordinance Committee Oct 21, 2024; Passed to 2nd Reading Dec 2, 2024; Eligible to be Ordained Dec 23, 2024] (ORD24#6)

4. An Ordinance has been received from City Clerk, relative to the Commercial Parking Space Permits Municipal Ordinance. [Passed to 2nd Reading Dec 2, 2024; Eligible to be Ordained Dec 23, 2024] (ORD24#7)

5. An Ordinance has been received from City Clerk, relative to proposed amendments to the Cycling Safety Ordinance to extend the deadline associated with the completion of those sections of the ordinance that are required to be completed by May 1, 2026. [Passed to a 2nd Reading Dec 16, 2024; Eligible to be Ordained on or after Jan 6, 2025] (ORD24#8)

APPLICATIONS AND PETITIONS
1. An application from Katinka Jeffs, requesting permission for a curb cut at the premises numbered 6-R Eaton Street; said petition has received approval from Inspectional Services, Traffic, Parking and Transportation, Historical Commission and Public Works. No response has been received from the neighborhood association. (AP24#39)

2. An application from John Winslow, requesting permission for a curb cut at the premises numbered 8 Whittier Street; said petition has received approval from Inspectional Services, Traffic, Parking and Transportation, Historical Commission and Public Works. Response has been received from a neighborhood association not in the area of the application address. (AP24#40)

8. Carter Williams, re: Vote NO on the Cambridge Multifamily Housing Zoning Petition.

10. Daniel Norman, re: Vote NO on the Cambridge Multifamily Housing Zoning Petition.

16. Justin Smoltz, re: Conversion of Garden Street in Cambridge to Two-Way Traffic.

23. Megan and Daniel Cuzzolino, re: Support for a Joint Roundtable to Discuss CPP.

25. Patrick McNeal, re: Support for Field Improvements and Permitting Process_ Cambridge Youth Soccer.

30. Suzanne Blier, re: Agenda Items 1-4 & Reports – Please read (I also thank you).

31. Young Kim, re: HELP! Urgent Request to postpone this week’s hearings on MFH Petitions.

RESOLUTIONS
1. Condolences on the death of Francine H. (Salvato) Giannasca. Councillor Toner, Councillor Nolan

2. Congratulations to Doug Johnson on his retirement from the Kennedy School and the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard University. Councillor Nolan

COMMITTEE REPORTS
1. Economic Development & University Relations Committee - Committee Meeting - Dec 17, 2024. [text of report]
Present: McGovern, Siddiqui, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Toner, Wilson
Also Present: Simmons, Zusy, Nolan

COMMUNICATIONS & REPORTS FROM CITY OFFICERS
1. A communication from Diane LeBlanc, City Clerk, transmitting an update regarding legislative. (COF24#161)

Wed, Jan 8
5:00pm The Ordinance Committee will hold a public hearing on two Multifamily Zoning Petitions from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. There will be public comment at this meeting. This is a continuation of the public hearing that began on Nov 19, that reconvened and recessed again on Dec 4 and Dec 19. One additional meeting has been scheduled for Jan 16.

Thurs, Jan 16
3:00pm The Ordinance Committee will hold a public hearing on two Multifamily Zoning Petitions from 3:00pm to 5:00pm. There will be no public comment at this meeting. This is a continuation of the public hearing that began on Nov 19, that reconvened and recessed again on Dec 4, Dec 19, and Jan 7.

Mon, Jan 27
11:00am A Special Committee of the Whole will hold a public hearing to resume the review and discussion of recommendations from the Charter Review Committee and any additional suggestions from the full City Council pertaining to the Cambridge City Charter. This public hearing is a continuation of the meeting that was recessed on Dec 9, 2024.
5:30pm City Council Meeting

TEXT OF ORDERS
O-1 Dec 23, 2024
COUNCILLOR TONER
MAYOR SIMMONS
COUNCILLOR SIDDIQUI
WHEREAS: The City Council, residents, and business associations have repeatedly expressed concern regarding the number of vacant storefronts and commercial properties throughout the City of Cambridge; and
WHEREAS: Many commercial properties have remained empty for extended periods, suggesting that property owners may be “land banking” properties, a practice in which owners hold onto vacant properties as long-term investments, often waiting for market conditions to improve, instead of actively seeing tenants or developing space for immediate productive use; and
WHEREAS: This practice has negative consequences for surrounding neighborhoods and commercial districts including reduced economic activity, diminished neighborhood vibrancy, and a lack of available commercial spaces for small businesses; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the City Solicitor to provide the City Council with a legal opinion on the City Council’s ability to levy a tax or fine on storefronts and commercial properties that remain vacant for more than two years, including any applicable definitions of “vacancy” and relevant legal precedents, and provide such opinion no later than the February17th City Council meeting.

O-2 Dec 23, 2024
COUNCILLOR TONER
COUNCILLOR SIDDIQUI
COUNCILLOR WILSON
MAYOR SIMMONS
WHEREAS: As discussed at the Dec 17, 2024, Economic Development and University Relations Committee the retail, adult use, cannabis industry has matured and changed in the past six years since Cambridge adopted local ordinances to permit its use; and
WHEREAS: The City has previously revisited, and revised as necessary, local retail cannabis regulations to help improve and expedite the process for existing and future retail cannabis operators, especially those operators participating in the MA CCC Equity Program; and
WHEREAS: The Cambridge Host Community Agreement (HCA), and its associated Statement of Interest Application for a cannabis business, has remained unchanged since 2018 and the Cannabis Control Commission now allows a waiver of the HCA requirement, there is an opportunity to improve the process and reduce the number of local approvals required for future and existing retail operators; and
WHEREAS: The current prohibition on repackaging in the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance is in conflict with Massachusetts regulations (935 CMR 500.140(8)); now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct Community Development Department (CDD) staff to draft proposed amendments to the Cannabis Business Permitting Ordinance that would accomplish adding select HCA requirements into the ordinance so the city can waive the HCA.

AWAITING REPORT LIST
24-31. Provide an update to the Municipal Facilities Improvement Plan (MFIP) including revised cost estimates to help inform the FY26 and ongoing capital budget priorities in a timely manner.
Councillor Pickett, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Toner (O-1) from 6/10/2024

24-53. at the City of Cambridge assist companies, institutions, and other organizations in adopting truck safety requirements for their fleets and finding trucking vendors who are able to comply by providing an informational resource and publicizing those that comply.
Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor McGovern, Councillor Azeem (O-1) from 9/16/2024

24-54. t the City Manager is hereby requested to work with relevant departments to review Cambridge’s curb cut policies and report back on if they can be improved to help meet the City’s transportation and sustainability goals with some proposed updates and draft ordinance language designating City staff as the final approval authority for curb cuts.
Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Siddiqui, Councillor Azeem, Councillor Wilson (O-2) from 9/16/2024

24-58. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Finance Department, Law Department, and other relevant departments to explore the feasibility of a successor program to Rise Up Cambridge.
Councillor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor McGovern, Councillor Wilson, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler (O-6) from 9/23/2024

24-60. That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to report back to the City Council on the Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO Housing) NOFO as soon as possible.
Councillor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor McGovern, Councillor Wilson, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler (O-5) from 9/30/2024

24-62. The City Manager is requested to work with the Community Development Department to provide an update on the status of the Resident Experiences of Inclusion and Bias in Inclusionary Housing in Cambridge report’s recommendations, including progress on implementation and planned next steps.
Councillor Siddiqui, Mayor Simmons, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Wilson (O-3) from 10/21/2024

24-63. The City Manager is requested to direct the appropriate City staff to prominently incorporate recognition of the Massachusett Tribe during key official events, documents, websites, and communications, establish a living memorial in Cambridge that honors the Massachusett Tribe, with special recognition of Sqa Sachem for her leadership and enduring legacy and place a plaque with this language in a prominent location within City Hall, ensuring that this acknowledgment remains visible and lasting and report back.
Mayor Simmons, Vice Mayor McGovern, Councillor Toner, Councillor Wilson (O-2) from 11/4/2024

24-64. The City Manager is requested to work with relevant City departments to prepare a Home Rule Petition to enact legislation which would allow the City of Cambridge to prohibit associations from unreasonably restricting the use of a solar energy system.
(Calendar Item #1) from 11/18/2024

24-65. The City Manager is requested to work with the Law Department to draft a home rule petition for the creation of a Cambridge Jobs Training Trust, and report back to the City Council in a timely manner.
(Calendar Item #2) from 11/18/2024

24-66. The City Manager is requested to work with relevant City departments to prepare a draft home rule petition to authorize the City of Cambridge to implement automated parking enforcement technology; and to continue to work with the City of Boston to collaborate on the home rule process.
(O-1) from 11/18/2024

24-67. The City Manager is requested to work with relevant City departments to review with a robust and inclusive community process the Cambridge Bicycle Plan, most recently updated in 2020, and identify potential improvements and consider next steps for a network of Separated Bicycle Facilities, and Separated Bicycle Facilities on streets across the city in order to facilitate safer travel and ways to coordinate routes with neighboring communities including Arlington, Somerville, Watertown, Belmont, Boston, and others.
(O-1) from 12/2/2024

24-68. The City Manager is requested to work with the Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department and Harvard University to restore Garden Street to two-way automobile traffic while preserving two-way protected bike lanes, preserving as much parking on and/or near Garden Street as possible and identifying potential areas for resident parking on neighboring streets and communicating the changes to the affected neighborhood.
(O-1) from 12/9/2024

24-69. The City Manager is requested to work with relevant City departments and encourage the state Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and the MBTA to adhere to Cambridge local ordinances, including the Cambridge Asbestos Protection Ordinance, during Alewife Construction.
(Calendar Item #1) from 12/9/2024