All:
Happy June. June is a very exciting month and a lot is going on in Cambridge. Happy graduation to CRLS students, happy pride, and an early happy Juneteenth. There are tons of events and things to do in Cambridge – enjoy!
A short newsletter this week, as I’m off to Utah for a long planned family vacation to enjoy some rafting and the natural beauty of the region. I will not have access to the internet for much of the time, which is part of my goal to reduce screen addiction and immerse myself in nature at times. If you need anything from a Council perspective while I’m away, please reach out to my aide, Patrick Hayes phayes@cambridgema.gov.
Two issues on the Council agenda are highlighted below. I hope you will contact the council about both – they are important and timely. There is also a zoning petition on the agenda related to moderating the Multifamily zoning we passed last year. As I have always said, I fully support a full dramatic change to allow multifamily housing everywhere. However, while I was glad to have moderated the initial proposal which was very extreme by working with Paul Toner to ask two of the supporters of the original proposal – councilors McGovern and Azeem – to moderate, we successfully collaborated on the zoning proposal. And I do believe that given the projects like the one at 9 Wyman Road, which show an inappropriate design not close to major transit, we should make some adjustments which will address concerns. I am very interested in continuing the discussion and I will engage with the rest of the Council to work for improvements in the zoning that will still allow buildings and more housing, but hopefully limit more negative impacts. I always thought the Ronanyne petition, which the Council decided to pass over in favor of another more extreme version, was a very sensible approach. This new petition includes some important and appropriate ideas for the Council to consider, and I look forward to the discussion.
Below are comments on a few top line items and a few quick notes from Monday’s meeting. If you have questions or comments on these or anything else, please feel free to reach out at any time.
Patty
Please write to the Council (at council@cambridgema.gov) or come speak at the meeting (sign up here) about any of the items below.
City Council Meeting - Monday, June 8, 2026
Ahern Field Turf Installation
Over the last few months I have been engaging with many community members about the City’s plan to install an artificial turf field as part of a redesign of Ahern Field. I sponsored a policy order asking for more information about the plans and to ask the City to present an analysis of their decision-making process. I also encouraged the City to meet directly with concerned neighbors. This Monday, the City administration has delivered a response with their rationale for moving forward with a turf field. This is a very divisive issue with lots of tradeoffs on both sides. There are serious health and safety concerns with turf field installations, and also there is a real need to increase playable hours for organized sports in Cambridge, which provide immeasurable impacts to children throughout the city. There are costs to either option as well, including the installing, replacing, and disposing of artificial turf materials, and also the increased cost of maintenance for natural grass. There are always tradeoffs. After spending several months talking with neighbors, experts, and City staff, I am not supportive of the City’s decision to go forward with a turf field at Ahern and would support a grass option. I wrote about my perspective on the issue and sent it to Cambridge Day. Please take some time and read it if you are interested.
Zero Waste Master Plan 2.0 Ordinance Updates
Last week we began to discuss the ordinance changes called for in the update to the Zero Waste Master Plan (ZWMP). These changes include updating the Litter and Refuse Ordinance, requiring Zero Waste Management Plans from large building owners (residential and commercial), mandatory food waste diversion (residential and commercial), updates to the Bring Your Own Bag Ordinance, and a new “Skip The Stuff” Ordinance, among other changes. These are important ordinance changes which will codify a number of important initiatives within the ZWMP 2.0. I put together a memo that outlines all of the proposed changes as well as the process that led to the development of the ZWMP 2.0. It is extremely important that we pass these ordinance changes that will help us in a number of ways citywide:
- SAVE MONEY: Trash is expensive for the City to collect and haul. Recycling and food waste is less expensive. Which means reducing solid waste costs for the City will save taxpayer dollars in the long-term.
- CONTROL RATS: Food waste diversion and waste management planning are the best rodent reduction strategy. By mandating food waste diversion and mandating Zero Waste Plans for large properties, we can significantly reduce food resources for rodents.
- ENCOURAGE LESS TRASH: Average household trash is 23 gallons – so allowing 45 is double the average. Plus, if households put all eligible items in recycling and food waste bins, the trash will be cut in HALF. That is because audits show that half of trash is recyclables or food waste. Importantly, this limit (45 gallons) is already the internal City policy, as that is the size of standard-issue bins. This ordinance just codifies existing practice.
Local Events/Notes
Draft Updated Combined Sewer Overflow Control Plan
The City of Cambridge, the City of Somerville, and the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority are proud to present the Draft Updated Combined Sewer Overflow Control Plan (Draft Plan) – an achievement that reflects years of collaboration, innovation, and shared commitment to a cleaner and healthier future for the receiving waters and the communities that rely on them. Grounded in rigorous data analysis and shaped by extensive public and stakeholder engagement, this forward-thinking plan balances environmental responsibility with community priorities, construction impacts, and affordability. With an estimated investment of $1.3 billion, the Draft Plan will dramatically reduce CSOs across all three waterbodies and, even in the face of increased precipitation driven by climate change, is projected to eliminate CSOs in a 2050 Typical Year. Learn more. And despite this advance I remain supportive of the MWRA and the city doing more to contain CSOs – as the Charles River Watershed Association is urging. I agree with their work.
DHSP Hiring for Summer Camp / Program Positions
The Department of Human Service Programs (DHSP) has a variety of open positions working with elementary school children, middle schoolers, and teens this summer. The positions, open to applicants ages 18 and older, are seasonal from end of June through mid or late August. They include Camp Instructors at Community Schools, Pre-Teen Youth Workers at Cambridge Youth Programs, Assistant Coordinators and Liaisons with the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program, Inclusion Facilitators, and lifeguards at War Memorial and Gold Star Pools. View all positions and apply!
Apply to Lead a Cambridge Plays Event
The Community Development Department is looking for Cambridge small businesses, artists, and nonprofits to propose public outdoor events this summer. Draw neighbors in and build visibility for your business or organization. Grant recipients receive up to $2,000 reimbursement for supplies and staff time. We waive the costs of applicable park permits and entertainment licenses. We work with you to schedule the event and choose a park or plaza in one of our commercial areas. Applications due May 7. For more information and to apply, visit: www.cambridgema.gov/plays. Questions: Sarah Jane Huber, shuber@cambridgema.gov, 617-349-4624.
Thank You
Thank you to everyone for reading. If there are any topics you want me to cover in future newsletters, I’m always happy for the input! As always, please feel free to reach out to my aide, Patrick (phayes@cambridgema.gov), or me for any of your City Council needs.
You can find all previous newsletters on my website. Please share with anyone you think would be interested: https://pattynolan.org/news/