Regular City Council Meeting

Agenda — 56 items

1. 1 Minutes of the Regular City Council Meeting held on June 1, 2026.
2. 2 Minutes of the Regular City Council Meeting held on June 22, 2026.
3. 1 A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to appointments to the Climate Committee.
4. 2 A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to an Arts Council Leadership Announcement.
5. 3 A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to appointments to the LGBTQ+ Commission.
6. 4 A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $2,250,000.00 from the Water Fund Balance to fund the purchase of supplemental drinking water from the MWRA.
7. 5 A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report #26-42 regarding "Know Your Rights" informational and educational materials in all police department facilities.
8. 6 A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report #26-26 regarding harmonization of institutional bus protocols.
9. 7 A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number #26-49 and Policy Order #130 regarding assessments of the economic effects of Cambridge’s 2026 summer programming.
10. 8 A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the reappointment of Albert Darling as a Constable for a term of three years.
11. 1 City Council opposition to H.R. 8870 and Increases in Federal Truck Size and Weight Limits
12. 2 That the regular City Council meeting scheduled for Monday, October 26, 2026, be and hereby is canceled.
13. 3 That the City Council hold a joint Roundtable/Working Meeting with the Cambridge School Committee on Monday, October 26, 2026, from 4:00–6:00 PM, to discuss the FY28 budget planning process and ongoing macro-economic trends in Cambridge.
14. 4 That the City Council hold a Roundtable/Working Meeting on Monday, November 30, 2026, from 4:00–6:00 PM, to discuss the future uses of City-owned properties.
15. 5 City Council support of the strike of UNITE HERE Local 26 and Teamsters Local 25 workers at Encore Casino and Resort.
16. 6 That the City Manager is requested to report back to the City Council within thirty days on the status of the negotiations between the Cambridge School Committee and the Cambridge Education Association, in executive session if the Law Department advises that a report in open session would disclose collective bargaining strategy Support for Cambridge Public Schools paraprofessionals, substitutes, and clerks.
17. 7 That the City Council go on record recognizing September 15 through October 15, 2026 as Hispanic Heritage Month.
18. 8 Postponing the roll out of the Outer Huron Bike Lanes from the Bicycle Safety Ordinance until we solve the parking problem.
19. 9 That the City Council go on record in strong support of Head Start and the Program Performance Standards that ensure the teaching, learning, health, and welfare of children, families, and classrooms.
20. 10 That the City Manager is requested to confer with the relevant staff and departments to implement the recommendations following the May 2025 Human Services & Veterans Committee meeting, such as strengthening anti-poverty measures, establishing a dedicated CARE Team call and referral line, prioritizing commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking prevention efforts for LGBTQIA+ youth, and report back to the City Council on progress.
21. 1 That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Cambridge Police Department and other relevant departments to develop a coordinated July 4th response plan for the Cherry Street, Harvard Street, and Fletcher Maynard Academy area to ensure that this spot not be utilized for the illegal use of fireworks.
22. 2 Revolving Fund Ordinance to establish a new revolving fund for the Renewable Energy and Greenhouse Gas (“GHG”) Reduction to serve the City’s municipal energy use.
23. 1 An application was received from Stuart Pritchel representing 50 Church, requesting permission for a projecting blade sign at the premises numbered 50 Church Street. approval has been received from Inspectional Services, Department of Public Works, Community Development Department and abutters.
24. 1 Resolution congratulating the MIT/Wellesley Upward Bound Program on its 60th Anniversary.
25. 2 Congratulations to Tim Toomey as he is recognized and honored by Amigos da Terça as it celebrates its annual Black Tie Dinner/Dance Fundraiser on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at the Holy Ghost Society in Lowell, Massachusetts.
26. 3 Happy 102nd Birthday to Marvin Gilmore.
27. 4 Resolution on the death of Haitham Mansour.
28. 5 Happy 90th Birthday to Ralph D'Agostino.
29. 6 That the City Council go on record honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Felton “Tony” James Earls III and extending its deepest sympathy to his family.
30. 1 The Housing Committee and the Neighborhood and Long Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts and Celebration Committee held a public hearing on June 25, 2026 to continue discussion of the 2025 Multifamily Zoning Amendments and consider potential modifications. The Committees also reviewed POR 2026-123, relative to proposed amendments to the Multifamily Zoning Ordinance. The June 25, 2026 Committee meeting recessed and reconvened on September 16, 2026. At the September 16, 2026 meeting both Committees voted favorably to recommend to the full City Council adoption of the proposed Policy Order, as
31. 1 A communication from Mayor Siddiqui transmitting a memorandum regarding information from the School Committee.
32. 2 A communication was received from Interim City Clerk Paula Crane, regarding an update regarding legislative activity.
33. 1 Awaiting Report Status Update 9.28.26
34. 1 That the City Manager is requested to work with the School Department, the Department of Public Works, and other relevant departments to ensure that all city owned parking lots, with a focus on school complexes, including the still under construction parking at Tobin/Darby Vassal school complex, could be made available for after-hours use by residents. Original Awaiting Report Item AR-25-29
35. 2 That the City Manager conduct a comprehensive review of existing safety and security measures at Cambridge City Hall, including an assessment of physical access controls, visitor screening practices, on-site security staffing and training, emergency response and evacuation protocols, and the use of security technologies such as surveillance systems and alarm monitoring.
36. 3 The City Manager is requested to direct the Community Development Department (CDD) to examine the feasibility, legal considerations, and administrative requirements of permitting qualified third-party guarantors or co-signers for applicants to Inclusionary Housing units and provide recommendations as to whether such a policy could responsibly expand access to these units.
37. 4 That the City Manager is requested to assess opportunities to improve the consistency of how meeting information is posted and accessed on the City’s website.
38. 5 That the City Manager is requested to direct the Community Development Department and the Transportation Department to meet with Harvard's Office of Community Relations and the Longwood Collective (MASCO) to harmonize institutional bus protocols with public-facing commitments.
39. 6 That the City Manager is requested to work with relevant departments to review the current legal landscape and provide recommendations for how to regulate construction of large data centers in Cambridge.
40. 7 That the City Manager be and hereby is requested work with relevant City departments to provide a report on how the decision to install artificial turf was made, the rationale for artificial turf, and what process was taken to ensure community concerns and public health considerations were fully addressed, and to ensure that construction will not move forward until a report is delivered.
41. 8 That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with relevant City staff to review City ordinances regulating the operation of food vendors in City parks.
42. 9 That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the Cambridge Department of Transportation (CDOT) and any other relevant departments to halt any further design, engineering, procurement, or construction activities related to implementing a reconfiguration of Garden Street to restore two-way motor-vehicle traffic or relocate the existing Bluebikes station and provide the City Council with a written update within six months of passage of this Order describing an alternative set of safety improvements that do not restore two-way motor vehicle traffic on Garden Street.
43. 10 That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with relevant departments and community organizations to provide the City Council with a comprehensive Food Access Report that includes, but is not limited to, an accounting of existing programs, expenditures, outcomes, and unmet needs to inform a public hearing on food insecurity and related City policies, programs, and expenditures
44. 11 That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the Cambridge Police Department and Law Department to develop and implement a policy requiring the posting of “Know Your Rights” informational and educational materials in all police department facilities.
45. 12 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.
46. 13 That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the relevant departments to explore the ability of the City to prohibit, restrict, or otherwise regulate the use of algorithmic price fixing in its rental housing market, including the potential drafting of ordinance language that would regulate algorithmic price fixing.
47. 14 That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council with an initial feasibility update no later than December 31, 2026, including possible event models, governance structure, estimated costs, potential funding sources, recommended City and community partners, community engagement opportunities, programming concepts, permitting needs, public safety coordination, logistical considerations, and an implementation timeline for launching the revived Central Square World’s Fair in September 2027.
48. 15 That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to provide a preliminary assessment of the economic effects of Cambridge's 2026 summer program include in the report already requested under Policy Order 2026-130: (1) the preliminary economic assessment described above; (2) an update on state advocacy and the legislative options available to Cambridge; and (3) a preliminary outline of the policy options the City Council could consider if the necessary state authority is granted, including possible program scope, eligibility, safeguards, and timing, with the report due no later than October 1, 2
49. 16 That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Law Department, the Department of Public Works, the Transportation Department, and any other appropriate departments to determine whether the City may require Eversource, and any contractors or subcontractors working on Eversource’s behalf in Cambridge, to submit weekly certified payroll reports or similar payroll documentation for work performed in Cambridge’s public ways and report back to the City Council within 60 days.
50. 17 That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with relevant City departments to explore options for reforming and modernizing the License Commission, including through the home rule petition process and report back to the Economic Development and University Relations Committee of the City Council in a timely manner.
51. 18 That the City Manager, working in collaboration with the Urban Forestry Department, Inspectional Services and IT, be and hereby is requested to devise a fuller, easier to navigate public accounting system that is searchable by neighborhood and report back to the City Council regarding improved tree loss accounting and reporting systems by October 1, 2026.
52. 19 That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with relevant City departments to take steps to implement as soon as possible a program for automated parking enforcement which could be piloted in targeted areas of the city to evaluate different technologies, different functionalities for various locations, and publicize regulations, ensuring that all programs are done in the most cost-effective way for the City and report back to the City Council in a timely manner.
53. 20 That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with relevant City departments to provide a recommendation and outline procedures for implementing Ch. 40U for Short-Term Rental violations, and provide recommendations for any other ordinance violations to enforce with Chapter 40U and report back to the City Council in a timely manner.
54. 21 That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to convene all departments involved in permitting, reviewing, advising on, or overseeing building related activities to develop a coordinated, transparent, and consistently communicated process and report back on progress and preliminary recommendations to the appropriate Council committee at the September 14th Council meeting.
55. 22 That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Cambridge Historical Commission, the property owner, and other appropriate parties regarding placing a historical marker on 103 Irving Street in recognition of Julia Child’s life, work, and connection to Cambridge and report back to the City Council on the available options, necessary permissions, anticipated costs, and proposed next steps in a timely manner.
56. 23 That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to explore the feasibility of establishing a citywide digital wayfinding and information kiosk program on publicproperty throughout Cambridge and report back to the City Council with findings and recommendations, including whether the City should proceed with the development and issuance of a competitive Request for Proposals for a citywide digital wayfinding and information kiosk network.

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