Summer Update
Including policy updates, community events, and ways to support artists in our community over the coming weeks!

Recovery going well!

On July 24th, I had full hip replacement surgery on my left side. My hip joint destabilized as a teenager, perhaps because I grew too fast, and I underwent surgery to have 3 screws installed to stabilize the hip (ball joint). At that time I was told I would need a hip replacement around the time I turned 50, because the joint would inevitably deteriorate faster than normal and develop arthritis. Last year I had surgery to remove the screws, thirty-some years after they'd been put in. They had done their job, and for most of those years, I enjoyed an excellent quality of life: hiking, biking and playing sports to my heart's content. But now it was time to replace the joint completely, because I was no longer able to do most of those activities. It took over a year for the bone to heal from the screw removal surgery, and this summer I was finally ready to get my new hip. Three weeks post surgery I'm recovering well and actively doing physical therapy. My goal is to get back on a bike this fall :-) I'm very grateful for all the support and best wishes I have received from so many. It has undoubtedly helped me heal even faster!

Tree Canopy Study Update

I was pleased to see a response from the City Manager to my policy order, which had asked for the next tree canopy study to be released by the end of the year, and for future studies to be done more frequently. Data for doing tree canopy studies are collected through a LiDAR flyover, and a team at the University of Vermont analyzes the results. The most recent study, released in the fall of 2017 using data collected during 2014, indicated a concerning 7% relative decline in Cambridge’s tree canopy coverage between 2009 and 2014. The response from the City Manager that the next study will be completed by Spring 2019 isn’t quite what I asked for, but at the July meeting DPW Commissioner Owen O’Riordan did say “I gave a rather conservative response, and it may be that we have the results sooner than that”. Additionally, the city has committed to collecting data every 2-3 years, which is a significant improvement over the 4-5 year timeline we have seen up until now. I expect the next study will show a further loss of tree canopy in Cambridge, particularly because citizen activists have documented recent severe loss including more than 50 trees lost over a 10-day period in April 2018. While we wait for its release, I will continue to insist on better protections for both public and private trees, and for more funding to plant additional trees, so that we can begin to stem the canopy loss and reverse the trend.

Safety improvements in Porter Square

Bird Electric Scooters

While I support the concept of using innovative technology to incentivize mode-shift away from cars, I was disappointed by the “act first, apologize later” approach that Bird took as they released their electric scooters in Cambridge. There are several basic safety concerns here, and the community wasn’t prepared. Scooters were left in places that are hazardous for those with mobility issues, including seniors, and they weren’t collected early enough to prevent unsafe nighttime use. More education is needed on proper use, including where the scooters can be ridden (no sidewalks) and stored (neatly, out of the footpath). The lack of brake lights and turn signals may be a violation of state law. Additionally, I expect that companies who want to use our streets in this way will make a significant financial contribution towards safer infrastructure in Cambridge.

Vice Mayor Devereux will chair a Transit Committee hearing on this topic: September 12th at 1 PM in the Sullivan Chamber. The hearing will be broadcast online for those who are unable to attend in person. I recently met with representatives from Bird and I'm encouraged by the productive conversation we had. I am confident that we will be able to make electric scooters and other micro-mobility devices work in Cambridge, and Massachusetts, with proper regulations and in compliance with all applicable laws. 

Climate Safety Petition

Cambridge residents recently submitted a zoning petition calling for greater protections from the dangerous impacts of climate change, including flooding and extreme heat. I supported this petition because it contained many great provisions including a Green Factor calculation that would create a flexible and quantitative way for developers to demonstrate green space adaptations. The results of the Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment (part 1, part 2) are clear, and we have a responsibility to protect those who are in harm's way. Unfortunately, the majority chose to kill the petition outright, which was in my opinion unnecessary and risky. Nonetheless, the petition has served a great purpose in raising the urgency of this issue, and the council, petitioners and city staff will be working through an advisory committee to advance the protections put forward by the petition into our zoning and other regulations. I look forward to continuing this conversation and putting in place real and much needed protections for our health and safety.

Support Cambridge Artists!