2026-09-15 - City Council

Summary

Built from the official minutes. No video is posted, so there is no transcript or timing.

Fifteenth Regular Meeting; all seven members present, President Bears presiding. City Clerk Siegel sat inside the rail. Adjourned at 11:52 PM on a 6-0 roll call (Leming recorded absent).
Boston Avenue zoning adopted 7-0 after a first vote, a reconsideration (6-1) and a second round in which Purpose-Built Student Housing in BA-3 became by right (4-3).
Council declaration in Chertok v. City of Medford adopted 6-1 after about 25 speakers.
Public Tree Ordinance waived three readings (5-2) and was ordained 7-0.
Police Chief interview panel: Vice President Lazzaro named, 6-0.
Sentry Ford litigation settlement approved 6-0; board and commission appointments approved 6-0; both with Leming absent for the later votes.

Speakers: Alicia Hunt, Emily Innes, and six residents and advocates including Simon Alcindor.
Scarpelli moved (seconded by Tseng) to adopt the Community Development Board recommendations, remove footnote 6 on the North Street stepback, limit non-students to 20 percent of residents in Purpose-Built Student Housing, and ordain the zoning.
First round: Leming's amendment making Purpose-Built Student Housing in BA-3 by right (seconded by Lazzaro) failed 3-4. A B paper sending the residency language and the by-right question to legal counsel passed 7-0; the main motion passed 7-0.
Tseng moved to reconsider (seconded by Callahan); approved 6-1, Bears opposed.
Second round: the same amendment passed 4-3 (Callahan, Mullane and Scarpelli opposed). The legal counsel referral passed 7-0 and the main motion, as amended, passed 7-0.

Resolution 26-161 adopting a Council declaration supporting resident or Attorney General intervention. Speakers included Senator Jehlen, Robert Carney, Nick Giurleo, Simon Alcindor, Micah Kesselman and many other residents.
Bears moved to adopt and execute the declaration, Callahan seconded; approved 6-1, Scarpelli opposed.

Paper 19-070, offered by Callahan. Waiving three readings passed 5-2 (Scarpelli and Bears opposed). Robert Carney spoke. Ordained 7-0 on Callahan's motion, seconded by Tseng.

Paper 26-142B (Council response to the Law Department appropriation) tabled to September 29 on Scarpelli's motion, voice vote 6-0.
Paper 26-142 tabled to September 29 on Lazzaro's motion (seconded by Callahan), 6-0.

Resolution 26-155 appointing a Councilor to the interview panel and asking the Administration to brief the Council publicly. Tseng moved naming Lazzaro (seconded by Callahan), 6-0; Callahan moved approval, 6-0.

Resolution 26-159 by Scarpelli asked whether the Building Height definition had been formally adopted. Nick Giurleo spoke. Director Hunt's written response of September 14 said the finished-grade definition was adopted with the April 28, 2026 zoning vote and applies city-wide. Scarpelli moved to approve and attach the response to the minutes; voice vote 6-0.

Resolution 26-165 to draft an ordinance accepting M.G.L. c. 40U, offered by Scarpelli. One resident spoke. Referred to the Committee of the Whole on Lazzaro's motion, voice vote 6-0.

Resolution 26-160 on private ways, offered by Scarpelli. Micah Kesselman spoke. Referred to the Public Health and Community Safety Committee, voice vote 6-0.

Resolution 26-154 by Lazzaro calling a Public Health and Community Safety Committee meeting with the MBTA and the state delegation; approved 7-0 (seconded by Tseng).

Resolution 26-148 inviting residents to the Ward 1 meeting on September 23 approved 7-0 (Mullane moved, Tseng seconded).

Resolution 26-156 calling for the release of a Medford resident held in ICE detention in Atlanta; offered by Leming, Bears and Tseng. Eight speakers, including Simon Alcindor and Micah Kesselman. Leming moved, Tseng seconded; 7-0.

National Recovery Month resolution (26-153) approved 7-0; memorial resolution (26-157) approved 7-0.
Records of August 4 found in order; Committee of the Whole (August 4) and Resident Services and Public Engagement (August 5) reports approved together, 7-0.
National Recovery Month resolution speakers: Social Services Coordinator Jason Stone and a recovery coach. The TreesMedford request was presented by Community Preservation Manager Theresa Depont with eight speakers.
Three common victualler licenses approved 7-0; Community Preservation Committee request for TreesMedford plantings at Barry Park and College Avenue approved 7-0.
Board and commission appointments (Affordable Housing Trust, Civic Auditorium and Convention Center, Council on Aging, Board of Health) approved by voice vote 6-0.
Litigation settlement with Sentry Ford (26-152) approved 6-0 after Tom Lane of KP Law spoke.