Summer Simmer - What’s Cookin’ on the Aug 1, 2022 City Council Agenda?

Summertime and the livin’s easy, but the boys and girls of summer are back for their annual Midsummer meeting this Monday. Here are a few notable votables:

Manager’s Agenda #1. Transmitting communication from Owen C. O’Riordan, Acting City Manager, relative to a COVID-19 and Monkeypox update.
Placed on File 9-0

Order #13. That the City Manager report back on ways in which we can prepare for a Monkeypox outbreak in the City of Cambridge.   Councillor Azeem, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Simmons, Mayor Siddiqui
pulled early by Azeem; Order Adopted 9-0

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Manager’s Agenda #18. A communication transmitted from Owen C. O’Riordan, Acting City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 22-31, regarding funding received through the housing linkage program.
pulled by Zondervan; Placed on File 9-0

Order #10. Incentive Zoning Program Data.   Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Azeem
Order Adopted 9-0

Order #15. That the City Manager work with the City Solicitor to ask for a legal opinion on whether a tiered linkage fee system by square footage and/or a marginal rate system would be permitted under the current petition parameters and what was previously advertised.   Councillor Azeem, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor McGovern
Order Adopted 9-0

The Incentive Zoning Program has been in existence now for decades and the only changes have been the relatively recent increases in the linkage fees. If commercial development was the great concern back in the late 1980s that justified Incentive Zoning, it's pretty clear that a lot has changed since then and that a deeper dive than just uniformly jacking up the rates is overdue.

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Manager’s Agenda #19. A communication transmitted from Owen C. O’Riordan, Acting City Manager, relative to the submission of the Affordable Housing Overlay Annual Report.
pulled by Mallon; most AHO projects (as many of us predicted) are on existing properties of CHA, Just-A-Start, etc.; McGovern celebrates the lack of any process; Referred to Housing Committee 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #20. A communication transmitted from Owen C. O’Riordan, Acting City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 21-35 regarding options to update the HomeBridge and Homeownership Programs.
pulled by Mallon; notable that CDD shows at best lukewarm support of increasing homeownership opportunities and building of wealth; Referred to Housing Committee 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #21. A communication transmitted from Owen C. O’Riordan, Acting City Manager, relative to a request that the City Council extend its prior authorization for the City Manager to grant street obstruction approvals, which are required for restaurants to operate outdoor dining on the sidewalk or street until June 30, 2023.
pulled by Toner; Order Adopted 9-0

As much as I would like to see Covid retreat into obscurity by next season, it's pretty clear that some of the accommodations made in the state of emergency have worked out pretty well in some places (like Central Square) and should continue.

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Charter Right #1. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of appropriation and authorization to borrow $4,500,000 to provide funds for the design and construction of building renovations to the vacant City owned property at 105 Windsor Street. [Charter Right – Zondervan, June 27, 2022]
taken w/Order #11 and Comm. & Reports #8 by Zondervan; debate primarily about nature of community process; allocation is primarily for design, much more money expected later for construction; Azeem suggests expanding building; Tabled (Mallon) 9-0

Order #11. 105 Windsor Community Process.   Councillor Zondervan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Carlone
pulled early by Zondervan; Tabled (Mallon) 9-0

Communications & Reports #7. A communication was received from Councillor Zondervan, transmitting historical information about the city-owned property at 105 Windsor Street.
pulled early by Zondervan; Placed on File 9-0

This definitely reminds me of what Bob Healy was reported to have said when informed that The Foundry building was being donated to the City: “This is going to be a problem.” As soon as the asset became available political people and activists alike all began competing for it. I hope things are more rational (and quick) with 105 Windsor.

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Applications & Petitions #5. An application was received from Andy Layman representing Tasty Burger, requesting permission for three (3) projecting signs at the premises numbered 21 Prospect Street. approval has been received from Inspectional Services, Department of Public Works, Community Development Department and abutter. [Note: The agenda brief gives the address as 353 Prospect Street (near the intersection with Cambridge Street), and one of the included maps suggests this, yet all of the photos indicate the address as 21 Prospect, in the large building at the corner of Mass. Ave.]
Address Corrected, Tabled 9-0 to allow for proper notification of abutters

Lotsa Communications opposing the planned Brattle Street Separated Bike Lanes.

Resolution #36. Resolution on the death of Rosemary Dorothy O’Neill.   Councillor Toner

Resolution #39. Congratulations on the Retirement of Maryellen Carvello from The City Manager’s Office.   Councillor Toner

I will simply say that for people like me who have been in and out of City Hall for over 3 decades you make a lot of friends, and retirements always bring a touch of sadness and a sense of the relentless passage of time.

Order #1. That the Ordinance Committee of the City Council meet to amend the Cambridge Municipal Code by adding a chapter numbered 6.24, titled Sale of Fur Apparel Products.   Councillor McGovern
Order Adopted 9-0

Memories are dancing in my head of a past Order calling for the banning of large sugary drinks. I really wish city councillors would spend as much time winning people over to their point of view rather than enacting bans to force people to do as they’re told.

Order #5. City Council support of additional MBTA bus service in Alewife and East Cambridge.   Councillor Azeem, Councillor Carlone, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Zondervan
pulled by Nolan; Order Adopted 9-0 as Amended (details to follow)

I met some of the MBTA staff involved in planning these changes. Fresh out of “planning school” with little grasp of how people actually use public transportation or how they’ll be using it in the future.

Order #6. Policy Order re ID Badges For City Employees.   Councillor Simmons, Councillor Azeem
Order Adopted 9-0

Badges? We don’t have to show you no stinking badges!

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Order #7. Policy Order re Establishing a Task Force on Cambridge’s African American/Black Residents.   Councillor Simmons
pulled by Simmons; Order Adopted and Referred to Civic Unity Committee 8-0-1 (Nolan ABSENT)

Order #8. Black Men and Boys Commission.   Councillor Zondervan, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Azeem, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Simmons
pulled by Simmons; Order Adopted and Referred to Civic Unity Committee as Amended 8-0-1 (Nolan ABSENT)

Order #9. Cannabis Industry Information PO.   Councillor Zondervan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Azeem
Order Adopted 9-0

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Order #14. Water Drought Emergency.   Councillor Nolan, Councillor Azeem, Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon
pulled by Nolan; Order Adopted 9-0

Order #16. Policy Order to investigate shared free bus service and E bike delivery program.   Councillor Toner, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Carlone, Councillor Azeem, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Simmons, Mayor Siddiqui
pulled by Zondervan; Order Adopted as Amended 8-0-1 (Nolan ABSENT)

Order #17. That the City Council goes on record in support of the alternative route (S11C) instead of the preferred route (S1A) for Eversource’s plans to connect the proposed substation to existing substations.   Councillor Azeem, Councillor Carlone, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Toner, Councillor Zondervan, Mayor Siddiqui
pulled by Azeem; Order Adopted as Amended 8-0-1 (Nolan ABSENT)

Committee Report #1. The Neighborhood & Long-Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts & Celebration Committee met on Mar 17, 2022 to conduct a public hearing to discuss the appropriateness of laboratories in neighborhood retail districts. [Text of Committee Report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 8-0-1 (Nolan ABSENT)

Committee Report #2. The Human Services and Veterans Committee met on Mar 23, 2022 to hold a public hearing on Wed, Mar 23, 2022 at 5:00pm to discuss the final report from the Ad Hoc Working Group on Homelessness released on Jan 31, 2022. [Text of Committee Report]
Report Accepted as Amended, Placed on File 8-0-1 (Nolan ABSENT)

Committee Report #3. The Ordinance Committee met on June 22, 2022 to continue a public hearing on proposed amendments to the Building Energy Use Disclosure Ordinance (Ordinance #2021-26). [Text of Committee Report]
Report Accepted as Amended, Placed on File 8-0-1 (Nolan ABSENT)

Communications & Reports #2. A communication was received from Councillor Nolan, transmitting updated version of the final CCWG report, amended per the last Health & Environment Committee meeting.
Placed on File 8-0-1 (Nolan ABSENT)

Communications & Reports #3. A communication was received from Mayor Siddiqui and Councillor Azeem, transmitting information regarding the Fare Free Working Group. [Ridership Information] [Cost-Estimate] [Bus Routes and NRS Areas] [Fare-Free Bus Report]
Placed on File 8-0-1 (Nolan ABSENT)

Communications & Reports #4. A communication was received from Mayor Siddiqui, transmitting information regarding the Charter Review Committee.
Placed on File 8-0-1 (Nolan ABSENT)

There is apparently a first meeting scheduled for Tuesday, August 16 at 5:00pm (remote meeting - how very disappointing). Time will tell if this group turns out to be objective, rational, and reasonable.

Communications & Reports #6. A communication was received from Mayor Siddiqui, transmitting updates from the UPK Ad-Hoc meetings.
Placed on File 8-0-1 (Nolan ABSENT)

Additional comments may follow as the spirit moves. - Robert Winters

Comments?

Photo by Mutsuko

Linh Phan: Project Manager, Cambridge Jazz Foundation; Larry Ward, Executive Director, Cambridge Jazz Foundation; Robyn Culbertson, Executive Director, Cambridge Office For Tourism; Ron Savage, Artist Director & Co-founder Cambridge Jazz Foundation, Dean of the Professional Performance Division, Berklee College of Music.

June 29, 2022
After a two-year interruption, Cambridge Office for Tourism and Cambridge Jazz Foundation are thrilled to announce the return of the 7th Annual Cambridge Jazz Festival on Saturday, July 30th and Sunday, July 31st. This free outdoor festival features live music from 12 pm–6 pm at Danehy Park in Cambridge.

GRAMMY-winner Eguie Castrillo headlines Saturday’s line-up. Eguie has performed with Tito Puente, Steve Winwood, Michael Brecker, Ruben Blades, along with many other greats. Chelsey Green and The Green Project will follow as Sunday night’s headliner. Often described as passionate, vivacious, electrifying and innovative, Chelsey soloed in New York’s prestigious Carnegie Hall at age 16. Her resume includes performances at the GRAMMY Awards, CBS Late Show, NPR Tiny Desk and The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History’s grand opening.

“We are delighted to help present this year’s talented line-up,” says Robyn Culbertson, Executive Director of Cambridge Office for Tourism. “Cambridge is home to a vibrant music scene; these two days will really showcase that. We’re excited to welcome jazz fans to Cambridge and share the city’s culture with them!”

In addition to performances, a college scholarship will be presented at the festival as well as Cambridge Jazz Foundation’s very own CAMMY Awards. The festival weekend also includes a jazz museum, music therapy, food trucks, plus a kids’ area with face painting. The MIT Museum will even display an interactive pop-up exhibit around the science of sound.

Saturday July 30 Afro-Caribbean Jazz Connections 12:30pm – Zahili Zamora 2:00pm – David Rivera y la Bambula (sponsored by Medalla Beer) 3:30pm – Anna Borges and Bill Ward, Receita de Samba​ 5:00pm – Eguie Castrillo and the Eguie Castrillo Orchestra Host José C. Massó III

Sunday July 31 12:00pm – Zeke Martin and Oracle 1:00pm – EL ECO with Guillermo Nojechowicz 2:00pm – The Ron Savage Trio with guests Bill Pierce and Bobby Broom 3:15pm – Gabrielle Goodman Celebrates Aretha Franklin 4:30pm – Chelsey Green and the Green Project Host Valerie Stephens

Visit cambridgejazzfoundation.org

City of Cambridge asks Residents for Assistance in Supporting its Urban Forest During this Summer’s Heat and Drought Conditions

July 28, 2022 – The City of Cambridge today announced it is asking residents and local business for assistance in maintaining its healthy urban forest, which includes trees on streets, in parks, on private property, and campuses. Recent extreme heat and the current drought have significantly stressed many new and mature trees throughout the city. These trees provide essential shade, clean the air, and support a living ecosystem.

“The most important thing people can do is help by watering trees near their home,” said Public Works Superintendent of Urban Forestry Andrew Putnam. “This is the most sustainable way to water, and we’re asking any residents and businesses who are able to please do their part by filling a Gator Bag on a tree or drenching the soil in a nearby tree well.”

The City’s Urban Forestry Division is responsible for planting, watering, and maintaining all trees on city property, and crews have deployed proactive strategies. Currently, staff are operating three water trucks to water street trees across the city from early morning until evening. The Parks Division, along with the Cambridge Water Department, are also assisting in watering, and the City’s Water-by-Bike staff water trees 8 hours daily. The city’s tree planting contractor is also running multiple trucks to water newly planted street trees that are two years and younger, six days per week.

“Protecting our Urban Forest is a top priority of the city, and our residents and businesses can play a critical role in this effort by assisting us by watering street trees adjacent to their property,” said Owen O’Riordan, Acting City Manager. “While we are in a level-3 critical drought, the amount of water we are asking residents to provide street trees is insignificant in terms of drought impact on our water supply.”

Given the size of the city’s Urban Forest, the city alone cannot water every tree. In drought conditions like this, residents and businesses can play a critical role in protecting street trees in their neighborhoods by watering trees. Generally, street trees need approximately 20 gallons of water per week from May to October. However, in heat and drought conditions, it is recommended that trees are watered at least 2-3 times a week.

Many young trees can be easily watered by filling the green Gator Bag attached to the tree with 20 gallons of water using a garden hose or container to fill the bag. Water can be slowly poured on the base of the tree directly if it does not have a Gator Bag or is well-established. Compacted soil reduces water’s ability to infiltrate the soil and can lead to water runoff. Residents can gently loosen the soil with a trowel in such situations so water can better penetrate the ground. If a tree is small enough and doesn’t have a Gator Bag, residents can go to DPW at 147 Hampshire St and get a Gator Bag from the Front Desk to attach to the tree to assist with the watering.

Residents who see a tree in distress should report it through SeeClickFix so DPW can try to assess and/or water the tree.

Additionally, residents are encouraged to participate in the Cambridge Urban Forest Friends program. City crews cannot get to every tree enough in the warmer months to water, mulch, and weed all of the new and young trees in the city. The public’s assistance in ensuring these trees get a good start is needed. Members of the public, groups, or organizations looking for a one-day volunteer opportunity can contact Cambridgetrees@cambridgema.gov.

As of July 21, 2022, Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Bethany Card declared that the Cambridge drought level has changed to a Level 3-Critical Drought, and the Cambridge Water Department is actively monitoring Cambridge’s drought status.

The significant drought conditions require close coordination among local, state, and federal agencies, with a substantial emphasis on water conservation and more stringent watering restrictions. Watering street trees is an acceptable use for outdoor watering as protecting the tree canopy is a critical strategy in the city’s climate change mitigation efforts.

As a reminder, the Cambridge Water Department strongly recommends practicing the following water conservation tips:

• Stop or minimize all unnecessary outdoor watering (street tree watering is an acceptable use);
• Look and listen to see if you have any water leaking, checking toilets often;
• Never let water run while doing dishes, brushing teeth, or washing hands;
• Flush toilets only when needed.

Learn more about water conservation at https://www.cambridgema.gov/Water/administration/droughtstatusandwaterconservation/waterconservation.

Linkage Increases - June 22, 2022 Ordinance Committee
To: Cambridge City Council
From: Patrick Barrett

Dear Ordinance Committee,

Attached is a brief synopsis of my point of view on the proposed linkage increases on the table for June 22. When the change was made in 2015 I made the sole protest of going down to 30k sq ft and thought the idea of tallying existing square footage would funnel development toward only the “highest and best use” which was laboratories and R&D. The 2019 nexus study shows exactly this. In an effort to capture dollars from the gold rush of lab uses throughout the city we have squelched infill development, repurposing existing sq ft for anything other than lab use, and obliterated the entertainments uses for the City. Further that this nexus study was done in December of 2019 should at least give some pause as the pandemic has changed this real estate landscape for decades to come. I kept it to one page … but I urge any of you concerned about livability and providing a fertile landscape of ideas and development in this city to read it and rethink what linkage is and what its actually supposed to do. I also urge this Council to expand their thoughts on what this city needs beyond simply affordable housing and to see this city from 30,000 feet not 2".

Good Luck,
Patrick W. Barrett III
617 778 3521

Incentive Project. Any new development that consists of at least thirty thousand (30,000) square feet of Gross Floor Area devoted to one or more of the following uses listed in Section 4.30 of the Zoning Ordinance: Sections 4.31 i-2 (Hotel or motel), 4.32 f (Radio and television studio), 4.33 b-5 (College or University not exempt by statute, specifically including those uses and facilities listed in Subsection 4.56 c-4, c-5, and c-6), 4.33 c (Noncommercial Research Facility), 4.33 d (Health Care Facilities), 4.33 e (Social Service Facilities), 4.34 (Office and Laboratory Use), 4.35 (Retail or Consumer Service Establishments), 4.36 (Outdoor Retail or Consumer Service Establishments), 4.37 (Light Industry, Wholesale Business and Storage), and 4.38 (Heavy Industry). For the purpose of this definition, new development shall mean (1) construction of new buildings or additions to existing buildings to accommodate uses in the above list, (2) substantial rehabilitation of buildings to accommodate uses in the above list for which the buildings were not originally used, or (3) Gross Floor Area whose use is changed from a use not included in the above list to a use included in the above list. In no case shall Gross Floor Area devoted to a Municipal Service Facility or Other Government Facility be considered an Incentive Project.

As the Council contemplates the change in linkage fee I ask that they review the policy and its effect on all uses allowed in our business and industrial districts other than just focusing solely on lab uses. In the 2019 nexus study which reviewed the effect of changes made to the inclusionary ordinance shows succinctly that 79.9% of all commercial development was categorized as “office/RD.”  The Council should ask for a further breakdown of this number as our ordinance that conflates Lab and Office uses as essentially the same category of use. Further of that commercial build 0% was in the hospitality area and only 4.7% of this was in the retail category, which includes anything from a shoe store to an opera house. I believe this heavily weighted development scheme is by design and to further increase linkage would not only hurt the city it would continue to funnel all development towards lab use. This is an unsurprising result coming from a study that claims restaurants have a 5 times greater impact on housing cost than R/D and lab.¹

In the pursuit of extracting a maximum tax on commercial development in the City of Cambridge the City has employed a “scorched earth” methodology where a restaurant, a hotel, a gym, a level 3 lab, and an opera house all have the same impact on the costs of housing and lack of supply, and all pay the same rate. As part of the change in 2015 Cambridge lowered the project threshold to 30,000 sq ft; based on the 2019 nexus report nine (9) projects were built under 30k sq ft for a total of 167k sq ft and twenty eight (28) projects were built over the 30k threshold of which each individual project was more than the total combined sq ft of the 9 under 30k.² Thus no one even attempted to build a project within the 30-50k threshold. Imagine trying to build a 30-50k sq ft theatre in the Cultural District of Central Square or trying to take the tens of thousands of commercial office space abandoned due to Covid and trying to make the math work for anything other than a lab use which currently can command as high as $200/sq ft? Why are we discouraging owners to “substantially rehabilitate” existing buildings? Further the date of this study is December 2019! At the very least two years plus of a pandemic ought to prompt some questions from this Council on the viability of an increase in the post Covid world.

Thus we have an overly aggressive tax scheme that disincentivizes any use other than lab, punishes restoration of existing parcels for anything other than lab, and overburdens arts, entertainment, and uses that could enhance and bring life to our business districts and communities. Please reject the increase in linkage fees, exempt existing sq ft for uses other than lab, and retore the project threshold to 50k sq ft as the current scheme doesn’t draw any revenue and it forces developers to make bad decisions that will greatly impact our business and cultural districts for decades to come.

1  Cambridge Nexus Study       pg 61 (Table 35)     Karl F. Seidman Consulting Services

2  Cambridge Nexus Study       pg 60     Karl F. Seidman Consulting Services

Ad Hoc Selection Committee Announces 15 Charter Review Committee Members

July 1, 2022 - The Ad Hoc Selection Committee (Alanna Mallon, Sumbul Siddiqui, Patricia Nolan, Paul Toner) reviewed 122 highly qualified applicants and has selected 15 Charter Review Committee members: Kaleb Abebe, Jessica Dejesus Acevedo, Mosammat Faria Afreen, Kathleen Born, Nikolas Bowie, Kevin Chen, Max Clermont, Jennifer Gilbert, Kai Long, Patrick Magee, Mina Makarious, Lisa Peterson, Ellen Shachter, Susan Shell, and Jim Stockard.

All Committee members are registered Cambridge voters as required by the Charter. Per the passage of the ballot initiatives in November 2021, the Committee will review the current Plan E Charter, hold community forums, and gather input from all stakeholders and residents. The Committee will recommend changes they believe will improve and modernize Cambridge’s structure and governance to the City Council. Any recommendations the City Council accepts will be put before all voters in a municipal election prior to adoption. The Committee is expected to take up to one year to complete its work with the first meeting to be held at the end of this month or beginning of August.

More information will be available on a dedicated City webpage in the coming weeks.

Please direct any questions to the Mayor’s Chief of Staff, Michael Scarlett at mscarlett@cambridgema.gov.

Current (Plan E) Cambridge City Charter (as amended)

There was an Ordinance Committee meeting on April 13 “to conduct a public hearing on Ordinance #2022-2 charter change municipal code amendments.” At this meeting the following language was proposed by the City Solicitor and amended by the City Council:

Be it ordained by the City Council as follows:
That Cambridge Municipal Code Chapter 2.02 entitled “City Council” shall be amended by the addition of the following two sections:

Section 2.02.090 Annual Review of City Manager’s Performance

A. As provided in G.L. c. 43, § 116(a) the City Council shall prepare and deliver to the City Manager an annual written performance review of the City Manager’s performance.

B. The annual written performance review shall address the City Manager’s performance during the prior year and the issues work that the City Council would like to be addressed performed by the City Manager in the following year.

C. The written report of the annual performance review of the City Manager conducted by the City Council should be based upon written information submitted to the City Council by the City Manager in the regular course of the business of the City, and upon an oral performance review meeting conducted individually or severally by and between the City Councillors and the City Manager.

D C. The annual written performance review shall be completed and delivered to the City Manager by no later than March 30 of each year and shall encompass the City Manager’s performance during the preceding calendar year.

Section 2.02.100 Special Committee to Review the City Charter Every Ten Years

A. As provided in G.L. c. 43, §116(b), no later than July 1 in each year ending in 2, beginning in 2022 and every 10 years thereafter, the City Council shall establish a special committee tasked with reviewing the City Charter and recommending any proposed changes the special committee deems necessary or desirable.

B. The special committee shall:

(i) be made up of [NUMBER] 12-18 of registered voters of the City, not currently holding any elective office in the City;

(ii) include [NUMBER] [be made up of members selected by an ad hoc committee of four councillors appointed by the Mayor] of special committee members appointed by the Mayor, [NUMBER] of special committee members appointed by the City Manager, and [NUMBER] of special committee members appointed by the Superintendent of Schools;

(iii) hold all of its meetings in accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law and keep written minutes of all meetings which shall be submitted to and approved by the special committee at its next meeting;

(iv) hold not less than [NUMBER] of duly posted and advertised public meetings to seek input from members of the community on whether any changes to the City Charter should be made and the reasons why any proposed changes would be desirable, the beneficial effects that any such changes would have upon the electorate and the community in general, and the beneficial effects that any such changes would have upon the reasonable operation and effectiveness of City government;

(v) submit a written report to the City Council within one (1) year of its appointment, unless the special committee seeks an extension of the one-year period for enumerated reasons stated by the special committee and the City Council approves the requested extension of the one-year period by majority vote. The written report shall include any charter changes the special committee recommends as necessary or desirable by a two-thirds vote of the special committee, and shall include the reasons for the recommended changes to be made and the anticipated effects of the changes as set forth in subsection (iv) above; and

(vi) dissolve once it files its written report with the City Council.

C. Action on any proposed Charter changes shall be as authorized by law.

Both sections (as amended) were forwarded unanimously to the full City Council with positive recommendations.

Exit, Stage Left - June 27, 2022 Cambridge City Council meeting

This will be the last regular City Council meeting until the Aug 1 Midsummer Meeting and then in the fall on Sept 12. This will also be Louis DePasquale’s last regular meeting as City Manager. Here is my first pass at the interesting stuff:

Manager’s Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a COVID-19 update.
Placed on File 9-0

The case numbers and other statistics are already easily accessible. I would really like to hear more from the experts about what we might expect for the rest of the summer and into the fall - especially in regard to some of the newer Omicron variants.

Manager’s Agenda #2. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to new appointments and reappointments of the following persons as members of the Cambridge Health Alliance Board of Trustees. New Appointments: Danielle Allen (Cambridge, 1-year term), Joseph Curtatone (Somerville, 3-year term) Reappointments: Lori Lander (Cambridge, 3-year term), Claire Laporte (Cambridge, 3-year term), Bryan Simmons (Somerville, 3-year term)
pulled by Zondervan; Placed on File 9-0

A former gubernatorial candidate and a former Somerville mayor - not your typical Board appointments.

Manager’s Agenda #3. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a request from the Board of Election Commissioners recommending the relocation of polling sites, in accordance with Chapter 255 of the Acts of 2020, as amended by Chapter 5 of the Acts of 2021 and Chapter 29 of the Acts of 2021.
Order Adopted 9-0

These are relatively simple changes in polling sites. I have heard that there are some people associated with the Cambridge School Department who object to the use of school buildings as polling sites, and that’s just ridiculous. School buildings are used for this purpose just about everywhere.

Manager’s Agenda #6. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 22-32 relative to an update on progress made in regard to LGBTQ+-Friendly Housing efforts.
pulled by Simmons; Placed on File 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #7. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $500,000, from Free Cash to the Public Works Public Investment Fund Extraordinary Expenditures account to fund the purchase of a Mack LR Electric rubbish packer.
pulled by Nolan; Order Adopted 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #8. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of appropriation and authorization to borrow $4,500,000 to provide funds for the design and construction of building renovations to the vacant City owned property at 105 Windsor Street.
pulled by Simmons; Charter Right - Zondervan
[Note: Councillor Simmons has been seeking a site for a Cambridge history museum for a number of years. Whether this site is appropriate for this use (among other uses) is an open question. An ideal site would be one that would draw a critical mass of visitors, and it's not clear that this would meet that criterion.]

“Possible uses include community meeting spaces, spaces for public art, education and exhibitions, as well as a Cambridge history museum and City offices.”

Manager’s Agenda #11. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the authorization of a spending limit of $1,650,000 for Fiscal Year 2023, for the Renewable Energy and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction revolving fund (Revolving Fund), pursuant to Chapter 3.24 of the Municipal Ordinance titled “Departmental Revolving Funds.”
pulled by Zondervan; Order Adopted 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #12. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a request from Boston Properties Limited Partnership (“Boston Properties”) asking to modify two existing open space restrictive covenants on two parks, Broadway Park (also known as South Park) and Binney Park (also known as North Park). Boston Properties has indicated that this request is being made to facilitate the relocation of Eversource’s proposed electrical substation from its property at 135 Fulkerson Street to the so-called “Blue Garage” site within the Mixed-Use Development (MXD) District in Kendall Square owned by affiliates of Boston Properties Limited Partnership (“BPLP”), as contemplated by the zoning amendment ordained by the City Council on February 3, 2021 as Ordinance No. 2020-17 (the “2021 MXD Amendment”) and the further build-out of this site as described below and will include replacement of the open space that will be lost due to this project. [12A Late Order] [12B Late Order] [12C Late Order]
pulled by Zondervan; 3 (Late) Orders Adopted 9-0; Reconsideration Fails 0-9

I look forward to hearing what neighbor Heather Hoffman might have to say about this. The Manager’s letter notes: “The current Broadway and Binney Park covenants total 21,785 square feet of public open space in the area. This plan will increase the overall amount of publicly dedicated open space to 28,455 total square feet, resulting in a new open space that is larger in area and more functional for the public than the existing Broadway and Binney Parks.” I have to also note the following: “Broadway Park (also known as South Park)”. I have a few interesting ideas now that I know Cambridge has within it a place called “South Park.”

Unfinished Business #4. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to order requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $49,000,000 to provide additional funds for the construction of the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper Schools project located at 197 Vassal Lane. [Passed to 2nd Reading June 13, 2022; To Be Adopted on or after June 27, 2022]
pulled by Carlone; Order Adopted 8-1 (Zondervan NO); Reconsideration Fails 0-9

This will simply finalize the appropriation vote from two weeks ago.

Multiple Communications re: bikes lanes, the Cycling Safety Ordinance, and lawsuit filed by Cambridge Streets for All.

Resolution #8. Congratulations to Louis A. DePasquale on his retirement from his position as City Manager for the City of Cambridge.   Councillor Toner, Councillor Simmons
pulled by Toner; Resolution Adopted 9-0

Resolution #11. Congratulations to James P. Maloney on the occasion of his retirement from the position of Chief Operating Officer of the Cambridge Public Schools.   Councillor Toner, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Azeem, Councillor Carlone, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Zondervan, Mayor Siddiqui
pulled by Toner; Resolution Adopted as Amended 9-0

Resolution #14. Congratulations to Arthur Goldberg on his retirement from the position of Deputy City Solicitor for the City of Cambridge.   Councillor Toner, Councillor Azeem, Councillor Carlone, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Zondervan, Mayor Siddiqui
pulled by Mallon; Resolution Adopted as Amended 9-0

Resolution #15. Congratulations to James Monagle on his retirement from the position of City Auditor for the City of Cambridge.   Councillor Toner, Councillor Azeem, Councillor Carlone, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Zondervan, Mayor Siddiqui
pulled by Mallon; Resolution Adopted as Amended 9-0

I have known all of these men for a long time and they all deserve praise for all that they have contributed over the years.

Order #2. That the City Manager is requested to more fully review the dramatically growing need for expanded Traffic Calming, Traffic Signals and Vision Zero infrastructure through the city.   Councillor Carlone, Councillor Azeem, Councillor Nolan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Zondervan
pulled by Carlone; Amended 9-0; Charter Right - Simmons

What the Order really should say is: “ORDERED: That the City Manager, along with his staff, be and hereby is requested to more fully review the dramatically growing need for expanded Traffic Calming, Traffic Signals and Vision Zero infrastructure through the city; etc.” Not everything the City has done in recent years has been without criticism and much of it could have been done better. The Order as stated simply wants to spend another $5,000,000 on more of the same, and I hope City staff is willing to evaluate what has been done before prior to simply spending more money.

Order #5. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department, the Harvard Square Business Association, the Office of Tourism, and the Harvard Square Advisory Committee, and other area stakeholders on a plan for piloting more street closures for pedestrianization.   Councillor Nolan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Carlone, Vice Mayor Mallon
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

I’m interested in seeing where this might lead. Selective street closures can make for better venues for events and street entertainment, but it could simply relocate traffic to other streets or create more obstruction than opportunity. This is also something we talk about in Central Square (you know, that other Zip Code).

Committee Report #1. The Transportation and Public Utilities Committee met on Apr 5, 2022 to conduct a public hearing on Ordinance #2022-8, an ordinance amending Parking minimums and maximums. [Transcript of meeting]
Accept Report, Placed on File 9-0; One Order Adopted 9-0; 2nd Late Order (zoning petition) referred to Planning Board and Ordinance Committee 9-0

Nothing like a 25-page computer-generated meeting transcript to really cut to the chase. Let me know how the novel turns out. Relevant quotes from staff: (1) “The parking study will take about a year.”; (2) “…one change could be to make it easier for people to use that parking. So that even if the number of spaces is reduced, it doesn’t make people’s daily lives any harder.” [Now there’s a shockingly sensible thing to hear.]. All of the Public Comment was from the density boys of ABC. Personally, I think there are parts of the city where it makes sense to eliminate parking minimums and other parts of the city where it makes sense to keep them. Such a nuanced point of view - very out of fashion. - Robert Winters

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Late Order #6. That the Cambridge City Council go on record stating its enduring commitment to the protection of abortion rights, reproductive health care rights, and individuals' rights to make reproductive decisions about their own bodies; and that the Cambridge City Council declare its support for the Executive Order signed by Governor Charlie Baker on June 24th, 2022.   Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Azeem, Councillor Carlone, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Toner, Councillor Zondervan
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

Late Order #7. That Chapter 5 of the Municipal Code be amended to ban “limited services pregnancy centers” that present themselves as providing pregnancy related services but instead seek to persuade people against having an abortion.   Councillor Zondervan, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Nolan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor McGovern
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

Comments?

Plague Report (Aug 2) - New Covid cases continue to fall, but let’s see where the BA.5 variant takes us.

There were 62 new COVID positive tests reported on Tuesday, and the 7-day daily average increased to 25.9. The total number of residents who have tested positive is now 31,493. The Cambridge total increased by 62 on Tuesday, 52 on Monday (covering 3 days), and 30, 31, 35, 26, 97 (covering 3 days), 28, 58, 41, 73, and 57 (covering 3 days) in recent days. Time will tell where this is headed, especially as the BA.4&5 variants work their way through. The 7-day averages had been dropping for the last 5+ weeks, leveled in the 45-50 range, and now appear to be settled into the 20-35 range. The percentage of positive tests (measured over the last two weeks) stands at 7.32% (previous rates 7.55%, 7.69%, 6.88%, 5.98, 6.47%, 7.66%, 7.41%, 7.08%, 7.45%, 7.36%, 6.11%, 4.65%, 4.2%, 3.85%, 3%, 2.3%, 1.94%, 1.63%, 1.71%, 1.56%, 1.09%, 0.87%). Most importantly, the effects of the virus appear to be much milder than previous variants.

Experts expect subvariants to cause ‘substantial’ summer cases of COVID-19 (June 26, 2022, Boston Globe)
Dr. Dan Barouch, director of the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, said he anticipates the subvariants will spawn a summer of “substantial infections,” but low rates of hospitalization and death.… “I expect that BA.5 will likely become the dominant virus in the United States this summer,” Barouch said. Barouch published a study in the New England Journal of Medicine on Wednesday that found that BA.4 and BA.5 are far better at avoiding antibodies than any prior strains — three times better than BA.1 and BA.2, and 20 times better than the “original” COVID-19.… Omicron and its subvariants also tend to be less severe than variants like Delta, said Mokdad, who estimates 80 percent of infections with Omicron are actually asymptomatic.

Click on graph above for latest Cambridge data.

Aug 2, 2022 Breakdown of Cases:
31493 tested positive (total) - an increase of 62 since Monday
167 confirmed deaths - 86 in long-term care facilities, 81 in general community
(1 new death recorded July 14)

Thanks to vaccinations, even though the 7-day averages were dreadful
the impacts were not as bad as they could have been.

City of Cambridge Covid Information     Harvard University COVID-19 data     MIT COVID-19 data

High vaccination rates have helped to blunt what might have been a larger surge and far more deaths.

Covid Cases by Age Group - through Aug 1, 2022

(click on above graph for the latest)
MWRA Biobot wastewater data - July 28, 2022

MWRA Biobot recent wastewater data - North System - July 28, 2022
The 7-day average reached as high as 8644 in January before dropping to as low as 101 in March. The recent
rise due to the BA.2 variants brought it back up to 1273. BA.5 is now dominant and the 7-day average now stands at 580.

Sample Date	7/7	7/8	7/9	7/10	7/11	7/12	7/13	7/14	7/15	7/16	7/17	7/18	7/19	7/20	7/21	7/22	7/23	7/24	7/25	7/26	7/27	7/28
North System (copies/ml)	871	861	793	579	676	808	822	742	592	592	683	509	533	482	586	695	479	530	554	576	648	605
Northern 7-day Avg.	728	804	803	775	764	763	766	749	710	681	697	669	631	584	565	578	561	541	548	554	577	580

The main Omicron wave crested over three months ago, and the Omicron BA.5 subvariant is now the predominant threat, though the percentages detected in wastewater samples in Middlesex County are now BA.5 at 73.3%, BA.4 at 16.7%, BA.2* at 9.9%, and 0.1% other as of July 13.

Omicron Variant Overview - week of July 13, 2022

Region	BA.2*	BA.4	BA.5	Other
Nationwide	13.9%	9.2%	76.5%	0.4%
Midwest	12.4%	7.7%	79.1%	0.8%
Northeast	15.0%	10.0%	74.6%	0.3%
South	15.4%	11.0%	73.2%	0.4%
West	10.6%	6.0%	83.2%	0.2%

An asterisk (*) indicates that sub-lineages are included. BA.2.* includes BA.2.12.1 and other sublineages. “Other” indicates all other lineages of SARS-CoV-2.

Featured recent stories in the Cambridge Chronicle (the paper of record) - with some comments:

If you would like to subscribe or pick up a free paper copy at various sites, I encourage you to do so. It really is The Paper of Record.

Cambridge has almost 300 pieces of public art, have you seen them? (July 21, 2022)

Legislatures’ concerns this year: plastic and mattresses (July 21, 2022)

How a city (Cambridge) and a small town (West Tisbury) found success in reducing waste (June 20, 2022)

What went wrong with single-stream recycling? (June 19, 2022, subscribers only)
‘The magic blue bin’: Unfulfilled promise of single-stream recycling… The rise of single-stream simplified recycling, but there are significant downsides, too.

As Maine limits landfill use, Massachusetts seeks answers and trash issues pile up (June 19, 2022, subscribers only)

THE CHRONICLE COMPANION: Mimosas, wine going down fine (July 18, 2022)

Get the kids out of the house: Cambridge Parks and Playgrounds guide (July 18, 2022)

Monkeypox cases are growing in Massachusetts. Here’s what to know. (July 15, 2022, updated July 18)

Mini golf has held secure place in Americans’ hearts for a century (July 14, 2022, subscribers only)
“It’s survived because it’s the one thing that you can do with your children, you can do with your grandparents, you can go on a date, you can go with a bunch of people. It’s the one thing that’s still family oriented. It’s something that all demographics do and enjoy and is still affordable.”

15-member review team to take first look at the Cambridge town charter (July 13, 2022)

Conserve your water: ‘Significant’ drought conditions in Bay State (July 13, 2022)

Cambridge gives ‘Michael’ a proper sendoff; unhomed man touched many (July 6, 2022)

DePasquale’s 45-year career in Cambridge marked by fiscal excellence (July 5, 2022)

Antisemitic map targets local Jewish community, security now the focus (July 6, 2022)

Facial recognition: Civil rights groups argue racial bias, inaccuracy (June 30, 2022)

Cambridge cuts ribbon on transformed Foundry 101 building, a new space for artists (June 29, 2022)

Group takes Cambridge to Superior Court over bike lanes (June 24, 2022)

Cambridge stages inaugural Juneteenth parade (June 21, 2022)

Can you score a hole in one? Mini-golf courses to try this summer (June 17, 2022)
Note: We could really use one in or near Cambridge. A small portion of the Volpe Center property in Kendall Square would be a great location.

For Juneteenth, learn about court cases that helped end slavery in MA (June 17, 2022)

Weekend of hiking, paddling, art planned at 23rd annual Riverfest (June 16, 2022)
RiverFest to celebrate Sudbury, Assabet, Concord Rivers with hiking, paddling and more

Harvard Square at the center of Cambridge native’s new novel (June 15, 2022)

Cambridge to celebrate Juneteenth with citywide events (June 15, 2022)

Cambridge Public Library celebrates Juneteenth (June 15, 2022)

Historic industrial building transformed into Cambridge arts center (June 15, 2022)
The Foundry will become a new creativity hub for Cambridge. Ribbon-cutting set for June 22.

The Chronicle Companion: Week of June 13-19, 2022 (posted June 13, 2022)

Harvard President Lawrence Bacow to step down next year (June 10, 2022)

PHOTOS: CRLS graduates Class of 2022 (June 10, 2022)

Full text of the 2022 CRLS valedictorian address (June 10, 2022 by Jade Backwater)

Cambridge nonprofit left in the dark about City-owned building (June 8, 2022)

New Moderna COVID-19 booster is showing superior response to Omicron (June 8, 2022)

Nonprofit executive Yi-An Huang to be next Cambridge city manager (June 6, 2022, updated June 7)

Justice still being sought for Charlene Holmes 10 years after fatal Willow Street shooting (June 6, 2022)

The Chronicle Companion: Week of June 6-12, 2022 (posted June 5, 2022)

Harvard Square cobbler, Felix Shoe Repair owner, discusses life at 87 (June 7, 2022, subscribers only)

Taking a trip this summer? Don’t get stuck in traffic because of road work on these routes (June 2, 2022)