Hello everyone.

Thanks for your patience.

We're having some uh trouble uh with clerk coverage tonight.

Uh we apologize.

Um you had to wait for almost 50 minutes in the waiting room.

Um so we do have a clerk, and we will get started.

Um my name is Naima Sae, Chihe Pronouns from the World Five City Council and your traffic and parking chair.

I would like to call to order today's traffic and parking committee meeting of the Summerby City Council.

First, I will read the legal notice that allows us to have this meeting on Zoom.

Pursuant to chapter two of the act of 2023, this meeting of the city council committee will be conducted via remote participation.

We'll post an audio video recording transcript or other comprehensive record of these proceedings as soon as possible after the meeting on the City of Somerview website on local cable access government channels.

Clerk, could you please call the role to establish a quorum?

This is roll call, Counselor Mbaugh Present.

Counselor Wheeler.

Here.

Counselor Say.

Here.

With all three counselors.

President, we have quorum.

Okay.

And then uh just very quickly, it's begin with approval of the minutes from the previous meeting on the minutes, any discussion.

See none.

Clerk, could you please call the role for the approval of the minutes from the previous meeting?

Or uh if it's easier, we can lay that on the table too.

I'm just getting in on my other laptop.

Apologies, everyone, if we could just wait till the end of the meeting.

Thank you.

Sure, yeah, we'll let that until the end of the meeting.

Um we're just waiting for the agenda.

Uh, but I can read the items.

Um we're gonna take the first three items together.

I will read the items um while we wait for the agenda to be shown on screen.

But counselor um order ID 26 0123 sent for discussion by counselor Wyncampen and Counselor Scott, that the director of mobility update this council on the intersection improvements at Webster AF and Prospect Street.

We also have a public communication ID number 26-0634 sent for discussion.

64 residents submitting comments.

Um parking on O Bolton and Prospect Streets.

Order ID number 26-0373, referred to a recommendation by counselor Wheeler, that this city that this council review construction related parking in the area of Oak Street and Balton Street.

So again, we're gonna take up all these items together.

And um just before uh we okay, see the agenda on the screen now.

Thank you, Clerk.

Um I would like uh, or counselor wheeler.

Would you like to sponsor someone before we get started?

We have received the letter.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Yes, I would like to sponsor Serena Bodner to address this committee.

Serena um as an attendee, clerk.

Could you uh if you could raise your hand on the permission to talk?

Serena has her raised hand, has her hand raised.

You should be allowed to speak.

Serena, you're immuted.

Great.

You can hear me okay.

Yes.

Yes.

Excellent.

Um, okay.

Thank you for for giving me this opportunity to speak.

My name is Serena Badner.

I live at uh 31 Bolton Street with my husband.

We've lived in our home for 13 years.

Um so I appreciate the opportunity to discuss our concerns in our neighborhood.

I know that you read our letter, so I'm not gonna repeat every point that we made, but I did want to take this opportunity to highlight a few things.

Um we recognize that the city tickets regularly, um, but that's not effective enough to address the ongoing problems that we're having in our neighborhood because it's not changing anything.

I personally report contractors blocking hydrants and fire lanes to 311 pretty much every single day.

Um, and I know that other people in my neighborhood do as well.

Um, and I know that those contractors occasionally get ticketed when they get caught, but this is a reactive response, and it's not solving our problem.

One of my neighbors actually did the math, and contractors that pay $55 a month for a parking pass, plus say they receive four tickets in a month at $50 for street cleaning or for illegal parking, are essentially paying 235 dollars a month.

Uh, and so they get street parking for less than $10 a day.

So breaking the law with the legal parking parking is uh it's just a budgeted project cost for them.

Um, and it's a really good deal for them at that, to be honest.

Um ticketing is not a disincentive for these contractors to park illegally.

But the negative impact and the extra 40 plus vehicles on our three streets is significant to us.

Street cleaning last year was impacted so frequently that Bolton Street actually didn't even receive its last street cleaning of the year because there were too many cars parked there.

Uh and it there was a a very serious fire about three blocks from our neighborhood recently.

I am always so concerned about the fire truck and emergency vehicle response on our narrow streets.

Uh and the illegal, the constant illegal parking in the fire lanes puts our entire neighborhood at risk.

We should not be expected to assume the risk of our health and our safety for the convenience and the profit of a contractor just trying to find a place to park.

This morning alone, there were actually two deliveries for two different projects on opposite sides of the street on Prospect Street about 9:30 in the morning.

Cars were forced to go down to a single lane in an S curve to get it get down the block.

Traffic was backed up past Cambridge Street, past the bridge in Union, uh, and couldn't even take a turn onto prospect to get out of our neighborhood.

There was no traffic detail to help navigate this.

It was a total mess this morning.

Prominent builders on the corner of Houghton and Prospect were shutting down Houghton Street for days at a time last summer, and they were faking street closure permits.

JT Scott can attest that I reported it every single time.

Uh, but we shouldn't have to continue to face this kind of disruption that's been going on in our neighborhood for years.

We received a letter from the mayor's office after we sent our letter in saying that they do review material delivery plans.

So either the plans that they're approving are not being evaluated for the real impact to the people that live in this neighborhood, or the contractors are not following their plans.

Either way, not working.

So I would like to end by saying that we understand that the city is working within the structure of the systems that they have available.

But when there are six large construction projects within a quarter mile on these tiny streets, and there's no end to construction in sight.

The system wasn't designated, it wasn't designed to handle this.

And I think it says something about the negative impact when 64 of our neighbors are coming together to address the city with our concerns.

Uh the tickets need to be more of a disincentive.

Construction parking passes need to be pulled.

People with building permits need to be fined.

The fines need to be significant enough to deter the bad behavior and the builders profiting off the disruption and the disruption of the harmony to our neighborhood where we live, where we live, need to be held to a higher standard.

We know that construction is not going to stop, but we need to find a better way to make this work for everybody.

So thank you.

I appreciate your time, and I'm happy to answer any questions you have now or in the future.

Thank you.

Uh Serena uh Consul Wheeler.

Thank you, Chair, and thank you so much to Serena and the other people who wrote in.

Um, just to attempt to summarize some of what I've heard from people who've reached out and from this uh really well thought out letter um that this group submitted with public comment.

Um, so we'll are can I ask the clerk if it's possible to have the letter on the screen.

Oh, while you speak in.

Thank you just give me a few minutes.

I'll have to thank you.

Thank you, Clerk.

Um just to uh to summarize some of the points, not all the points.

There's a lot here, but um you know, one of one of the things that I understand is inconvenient on a daily basis is just how many contractors maybe sometimes legally parking, and that's one kind of level of issue.

And then there's how often uh contractors are illegally parking.

So it sounds like there's sort of two different um source issues here and maybe some more.

Uh it sounds like uh driveways are sometimes being blocked, sidewalk access, um, crosswalk access is sometimes being blocked, fire lanes are are sometimes being blocked, um, and bikes and pedestrians, including ways that children need to cross the street to get to school are sometimes being blocked with dangerous results.

Um turning cars are running into blocked site lines as well, and there are no parking and no stopping zones, and and that's sometimes being ignored.

So, you know, just to clarify, this is both, you know, what I'm hearing is this is both an inconvenience of you know it being hard to find parking, but it's also a safety issue.

Uh and you know, I I know uh this is something that's not what any of us on the city side were sort of designing or or intending to happen.

Um, and I also know that there are limits on the sort of levers that that we can pull, but I am hearing uh an ask for a shift from sort of reactive enforcement to um to thinking about these problems uh maybe more proactively.

Uh and some of that could involve um some more daily monitoring, towing, and enforcement without relying on residents calling in complaints.

Um, and then also uh taking a look at how we're approaching our uh parking permits, you know, in terms of price, in terms of how many we provide, in terms of their windows of time.

I'm new to this, and I'll I'll be the first to admit there's a lot that I don't know.

And I know there's lots of things where Mass General Law may constrain what we can do.

Um, so I want to, you know, uh appreciate all of that.

I know that that uh we and the traffic and parking department are are working with what we have, but uh I I want to make sure that we're um taking these questions and these suggestions of possible directions for solutions seriously.

Thank you.

Uh thank you, Counselor Wheeler for summarizing that.

Again, we have the letter on the screen, and this was also shared by the full council.

Uh, thank you, Serena, to all the uh 62 neighbors who put this together.

And um this was also shared with mobility engineering in the parking department, and they had a chance to review it.

So first they would like to recognize counselor, and then we will hear from um the different departments.

Counselor Mba.

Uh thank you, Chair Said.

Um, yeah, I think you've harmonize uh my thoughts.

I just wanted to give a chance to mobility and the administration to respond because we know exactly what this letter is stipulating.

They enumerated a problem.

They have this even provided what suggestion they need.

And so I want to be grateful to, you know, to Serena for kind of like also just that high level because you know, I'm glad that you did not repeat everything that was in your letter because we yeah, what the administration, you know, in terms of like solutions before I can ask follow-up from those, you know, uh from that thank you.

Thank you, Costan Ba.

Um, Director Rawson or um Director Renfre, who would like to go first.

Um again, you all received the letter 10 days or two weeks ago.

Um so yeah, I think it would be helpful to just give us a sense of like yeah, like what is going on here.

Um and uh how and then we'll discuss one issue at a time and how we can be addressed.

Hi counselor, I'm happy to go first.

Susan director of parking.

Um so first, I I'd like to say that it's not a proactive approach down there.

We are down there every day.

We have an open complaint in this area.

We have been issuing lots and lots of tickets down there.

Um, in fact, I I did um a spreadsheet of how many tickets they've been issuing over the years, and I'm happy to share that with the council at some point if they're interested.

Um we are doing a lot of ticketing for permit parking, street cleaning, uh restricted zones, and also using um some folks do have guest cards, like just regular people that live in the area.

Um as far as permits go, we did last year stop giving any various plate permits to Prospect Street.

So any contractors that came in and declared that they were on Prospect Street or working with that project, they had to have plate-specific permits so that they couldn't be passing permits around to other contractors.

Um I do have I know that in 2022 to 2023, we issued 485 permits in that area, 2024 to 2020, 2023 to 2024, 294, 2024 to 2025, 91, and 2024 to 2020.

I mean 2025 to 2026 so far this year, 67.

Now I did these all from April to April for the permit so that we'd have a consistent number.

On Bolton Street so far this year, we've only issued four on Oak Street 14 and on Holton Street 7 permits.

So as far as not giving trying not to give any various permits to folks.

Unfortunately, though, we do have this permit process that allows you know people to get contracted permits, because at the same time, we're in the business of the city to try to help out both businesses and residents.

Of course, we don't want everybody parking on the street, and I totally understand and I understand all of the residents' frustration.

I think it's awful.

But at the same time, we do have to offer permits to these contractors.

They can't just come into the city and get ticketed day after day after day.

I'm open to suggestions.

We are down there ticketing.

Um, and as the resident said, sometimes it does, I don't know, maybe they maybe they're really really rich people and they can afford all these tickets.

Um, but I can't think of much more that we could actually be doing.

But I'm happy to be open to suggestions.

So uh thank you, Director.

Um what I'm hearing is that we are you have staff that are going to these streets on a daily basis to ensure that they're ticketing cars that are parked illegally, or if it's street sweeping and all that.

Um we're not relying on residents to call when there's a car that's illegally parked.

Well, in that case, so counselor, we are down there ticketing.

It doesn't mean though the contractors don't see the parking control officer coming, right?

They they move and then we're out of that area, and then they move back.

And this is a habit that happens on every street that the the contractors will see, oh parking control officers coming, everybody move their vehicles, and we tell them not to park, and then they come back an hour later or 45 minutes later when that parking control officer is on another route.

We only have a handful of parking control officers, so it's not possible just to stay on those four streets the entire day.

Okay.

Um I guess the other question, the the other point that was made is that there are multiple projects happening at the same time, which means that are many contractors have permits or uh when we say contract, it could be more than one car, and they like you know, we know that, you know, contractors will come with well, they run a car, then only one car has a permit, they pay the ticket.

So when there are multiple projects like that on one narrow street, do we have like does that at all get taken into consideration either by the department or ISD when they issue the permits?

Like, or do they just your building permit and then you get they go to the traffic department to get their parking permit?

Because it sounds like here the issue is that there are multiple contractors because they're multiple projects.

So what's the yeah?

You know, this is not a question necessarily for Director Rimfret.

It's more is there coordination that's happening between ISD engineering issuing the permits and the parking department.

Maybe Director Bulsaway.

Good evening, committee.

Um I'm Brian Pulsoy, director of the engineering division.

Uh, one of the responsibilities that my team takes on is permitting site construction work.

Um and in particular the street occupancy permits that are uh involved with both construction management or bringing equipment, materials, and so forth to the site, uh, but also the construction that occurs on the sidewalks and our roadways throughout our city.

Especially every new build construction permit, because of the complications and the complexities of construction on the public ways.

So we can't restrict a contractor from accessing their property to do the construction.

Where we do have the ability to have some control is when they're blocking and occupying the roadway for intermittent construction, such as when there are crane construction, when there is uh when they're reconstructing the sidewalk, when they are um uh doing utility service connections, we do make an effort to coordinate those.

Um, and we've recently started putting together a database system so that we have better tools internally so that uh we don't have multiple contractors trying to do the same stretch of street at the same time.

Uh and we treat that on a first come, first served basis.

Uh but when it comes to deliveries that occur, those aren't scheduled.

That's a hard word to say, schedulable activities uh because uh it's just impractical to know exactly when the person with the drywall is coming in or when the the brick mason is bringing in there.

Those those aren't things that can be scheduled to a degree, and they're usually short in period.

We schedule things that usually take three, four, five, sometimes all day operations.

Um that's the that's kind of the level that we can schedule uh from time to time, week to week to avoid those uh uh uh conflicts in the roadway.

So I don't know if that really like is a satisfying answer.

I know what you're trying to get at, but the complexities of construction are just really hard to uh fine-tune down to the level to avoid the double deliveries that happen this morning that resulted in a one-lane condition.

Um yeah, like I understand that there's no like legal mechanism that allows us to like have restrictions, but as neighbors have mentioned, this is creating safety, like this is like a this is like a safety issue.

It's not just about like, oh, this, you know, this is when it's parked here legally, um, where blocking fire hydrants and um and I know that in my ward they've had to deal with this very recently, and and I know like city staff would like show up and issue fines and when they're there, things are working, whether or not they are what the neighbors are dealing with the same issues.

I think to me, when it becomes like this is a safety issue, we need to think about what can we what kind of solutions we you know we can put in place.

Um, and I'm not hearing that, and I understand like when legally, you know, you cannot ask a homeowner to not you know get into their property at the same time.

Uh like this is like a really good example of you know, like we're a city, you know, there will be a lot more development.

We do want more, you know, to build more housing, more that, you know, like we are in the process of like sewer separation and um, you know, a lot of things are being done.

Like, yeah, like think about what can we do there and how can we coordinate all these different projects.

Um because you know, God forbid, you know, there's a fire, and it just like every single second matters, and the fire truck cannot get to you know, the place.

So this is like literally where I I don't know how like if we encounter if as a department you can encounter these situations, uh like do we dealing with more of these situations throughout the city?

Because I know in my ward they had to deal with that lately, and it was a big project on a very busy street, and the you know, um counselor uh two counselor.

This is in his ward, um, his in attendance is dealing with that, and I'm sure other counselors are, but like just as uh engineer, you know, like is the engineering department seeing more of this.

Um, because all these 311 tickets are coming to you to mobility to uh parking, because if it's the case, then we have to find we have to come up with solutions.

We have to coordinate all these different projects.

So would you say, Director Post away that we have more of these situations during construction season, especially to be honest, the amount of current okay.

First, I'm gonna recognize my rear facing trajectory is eight years, uh, nine years that I've been in the city.

So I know some people have a longer backwards view than I do, but I would say for the last eight to nine years, the level of construction that we've seen in the city has not been appreciably different.

Um when I look at the permit numbers that we've been receiving over the past, we had probably there was probably a jump in 18 and 19, um, or from 18 to 19 and 2019 to 2020.

But since and there was been a slight lull during COVID, but for the most part, our construction permits over that period of time is rather consistent.

Um so I don't think that we've received a substantially greater amount of construction over the past few years.

And I think it's worth noting that all of these construction projects were started three or four years ago.

So these have been in the pipeline for a while.

Um what we might be seeing is a slight lull in construction moving forward, because I believe 2025 had a slightly smaller number of permits, but it wasn't significant.

I guess what I'm saying is that the construction volume in the city hasn't changed a huge amount.

Um what I think this neighborhood is observing, and I do agree with that the number of development is greater in this particular neighborhood at this particular time than we usually see.

Um I know number of the construction that you're referring to in uh in your ward.

Um, and uh, and honestly, the construction in ward five has been paced out further apart.

There hasn't been less or more of it, but it has been spread out a little bit different.

Like we know that there's been more construction along prospect in this, frankly, one block um than many other single blocks in the city, but we can't control when property owners choose to develop their properties.

That's this just there's not a tool that we have available to do that, and and there and we probably shouldn't have that tool aside from just general zoning requirements.

Okay.

Um I think I'm gonna let Council Mbago um see his hand raised, and then I'm interested in talking more about the fines, because this was one of the uh one of the requests.

Um, Director Renfrey talked about the fines, and um, I think it's also worth talking about the you know how like we're talking about increasing the fines.

Do we actually have can we actually do that?

Uh so again, uh counselor and then uh would like us to discuss that.

So constituents understand.

Thank you, Chair Said.

Um Dr.

Pasoi, thanks for being here, and thank you, Director Renfrey as well.

I guess where I want to start is to make it clear that um the neighbors, this I did not see anywhere in their petition that they say they are against construction, you know, they have standing.

If somebody has standing that this thing is an issue, it's an issue and we need to address it.

And I don't hear that, which is one problem that I find with the responses that I'm getting.

So, which actually begs the question is of asking if we need to start issuing conditional, you know, permits, because there's no way you're gonna have a permit, and then you violate your own permit regulation.

These they are citing regulations.

Not like somebody saying do not construct.

Yeah, making very clear that is you know, there's no designated parking spaces for construction uh uh walkers, which is absolutely strange.

One question I have is can the city can we designate, which is part of their their request, can the city designate uh uh uh construction workers to park in city parking garages so that that alone will eliminate part of the problem.

So they've actually suggested solutions.

If these solutions are not, you know, uh uh uh something that is worth considering why that is exactly where that's my number one question.

They've had very clear uh uh suggestion in terms of how to you know address these issues without you know they have not, I have not seen any way that says stop constructing.

So it so this is not even a problem.

Can they does it can we designate if you know uh construction worker to park somewhere else that have the designated zones for delivery and stuff, they've they've had very clear uh uh uh problems well articulated and very clear solutions.

And I guess yeah, we'll go back from the beginning to say uh I wasn't sure also you know, if we have some data in terms of like the number of calls that have gotten in tonight to 311, just so we can put something into scale and say this is a real problem, and yes, how is they identified the problems?

I'm more concerned about speaking to the solution that they've provided.

Can you speak to each solution that they've that they've suggested and why it's not implementable?

I can read, I can I can read whatever the I can so the first suggestion is they say you know, we request we request the following actions.

The first action they requested consistent enforcement and towing, implement consistent daily enforcement of parking regulations, including towing and posting a detail to ensure vehicles don't return during scheduled street cleaning hours and where vehicles pose a clear safety hazard or block access without residents needing to constantly report to 311 discuss.

Okay.

This is director.

Through the chair.

So parking does not allow, we don't issue towing.

That's a police, that's a police matter.

We can issue tickets, and we are down there issuing tickets.

But as the counselor said, and and as this this is saying that the folks do come back.

And so unless somebody's there the whole day in that one area, they're going to continue to come back.

But we are down there ticketing.

For it to be a tow, the police would have to be involved.

We do not order tows from the parking department.

Thank you.

Yes.

Oh, sorry, just follow questions on that.

So could you explain to constituents uh what's the process for towing?

Um that would be you'd have to call the police for a tow.

The police would have to come for a tow.

Um constituents call neighbors call the police, right?

Okay.

Right.

And police, you know, that would really be a police matter.

I can't answer for the police.

That would be a question for them.

Okay, but that is the process.

So neighbors know.

For towing, you call police.

Okay.

Uh sure.

Thank you, Chair.

So at least now we we've extracted something from the solutions.

We've heard the response.

It might not be exactly what we want, but these are clearly articulated suggestions that I want to hear why it is not why we cannot accomplish this.

With whole additional parking permits, withhold the insurance of additional temporary on-street parking permits for construction projects in this densely affected neighborhood until the current issues are resolved and a better system is in place.

I guess before you know, I let Director Puss away, you know, chime in here.

This is exactly why I said, yes, we are in a very dense city, but the densest city in New England, and yet I don't hear these neighbors saying they don't want construction.

But if there's an issue, how you know how do we address this issue based on their suggestion?

Uh looks like yeah, okay, yeah.

Director was away, you unmute.

Through the chair.

Uh Councilor Mba, I know you were directing that to me.

Um, but the parking department does handle the parking permits.

And I do believe Director Renfred mentioned that they've already begun with holding um parking permits for the particular construction sites.

Um, so I I believe this one we we've already been doing for the past year or so.

Okay.

Uh thank you, Dr.

Postawais.

And then the next uh uh um suggestion also to the problem is a proactive contractor parking solution, explore solutions that move contractor parking off of residential side streets, such as providing contractors with parking access to city-owned garages, as I mentioned before, not issuing parking permits to large construction projects on residential side streets.

I guess I want to hear about the city-owned garages.

Um, through you to the chair.

So the city doesn't own any garages.

We don't have any parking garages.

Okay.

Yes, yes, and it is good that you're providing, you know, Dr.

Renfrey, this information is say it's good that the residents are also hearing in real time.

So we don't live from here.

I also met with a bunch of them.

So that's why you know, some of them I don't also see them on here.

They will probably be calling me out to work and asking me this thing.

So that's why I want this thing, you know, uh to come out as clearly as possible so that we can determine next step, either here or offline.

Ensure safety protocols for delivery, ensure that construction sites proactively implement measures for large deliveries, including the installation of temporarily no parking signs well in advance, requiring a police officer or detail present to manage traffic and ensure two-way flow during deliveries, requiring contractors to provide a materials delivery and storage management plan as part of the building permit submission.

I think this last piece seems to be like a no-brainer.

Don't they provide that?

Um through the through the chair, um, councilor.

Uh actually, this is a is a I actually like this one because we we started requiring construction management plans about uh five to six years ago, uh, in large part because we were running into many of the same challenges that um the residents here are experiencing now, but on much smaller projects with much fewer um uh issues around it, uh, in large part because we had no management structure for construction aside from utility uh utility work and cranes and the like.

Um so we did institute uh what we call a construction management plan, uh, which does look at both um uh uh how large construction vehicles travel through the city um to bring um construction materials to the site, as well as large construction equipment such as cranes and so forth.

Um not to mention what's becoming more common, moving entire buildings um prefabed onto sites.

Uh so this is actually a pretty big area of our practice right now, uh, but it also includes deliveries and uh and the actual regular use of a construction site, especially where it meets the public way.

Um the things that are um so that kind of discusses the third bullet item on here, but the first two bullet items um also exist.

Uh so when we do a construction management plan and for isolated things, what we call traffic management plans, um uh we provide authorization to the traffic department to uh issue no parking signs for construction, and and only those no parking signs are enforceable from a no parking perspective.

Um, and each of those signs by city regulation has to be posted 48 hours prior to those parking signs going into effect um and requires notification to the city upon placing them.

Uh so we do have a pretty robust process um for putting up no parking signs, and that's an essential process because those do turn in, those are effectively tow zones for the duration of those no parking signs, and the police will not tow unless those steps are all taken into account.

Um when it comes to uh police officers uh details present, uh this is something that honestly is a police department function.

Um, and they have a huge amount of responsibility for traffic safety throughout the city, and they're every day prioritizing and triaging and making sure that their officers are in the most important places throughout the city.

Um, and I know oftentimes they can uh they're able to attend uh what to them is a smaller traffic issue.

Um, but many of the times they're responsible for uh frankly more important and more impactful traffic issues throughout the city that they have to attend to.

Uh but I but we really have to leave it to the police professionals to uh prioritize the best location for them to be Dr.

Postwit through your chair, you can see that even the residents they are all technocrats, they thought through the providing all this stuff.

This is why for me I'm all about solution oriented.

We've already well articulated a problem.

You know, why we cannot adopt this recommended, you know, like solutions.

I guess we are all here listening and if they have follow-up at the discretion of the chair, they can ask.

But and then and then last.

Just on that point, because that's an important one about the police officer on site.

Do we know for this?

Does this live just like in the police department, the the park the traffic department?

Does that get share that all with other departments?

Do you know if there is police officer on days when a lot of deliveries and or on streets that have multiple um multiple projects other near each other?

important one about the police officer on site do we know for this does this live just like in the police department the the park the traffic department does that get share that all with other departments do you know if there is police officer on days when a lot of deliveries and or on streets that have multiple um multiple projects other near each other do you have access to the information or is that something we need the police department to speak to the the way that we manage that is the police department is notified we have a notification process to the police department um that uh effectively for construction in the public way especially on major streets like prospect the the contractor is required to notify the police department and request a detail now the police department chooses whether or not to send a detail because they have the priorities that they have to do um uh but the but the contractor is required to request the detail from the police department and the police department determines where are the the highest priority locations on any particular day um and and they're required to notify a day sometimes two depending on how big the construction is um ahead of time because they will at times bring in additional police officers for larger construction but I'm talking about larger construction like major street or utility construction um that has substantial uh uh traffic and uh safety hazard issues beyond like beyond this level um which is actually a very good point in case is ever source electric had been out there um uh a few I think last summer uh along the prospect corridor and regularly details were out there particularly to manage that um and it was a particular help because of all the construction along there they prioritize that over many other work that they had because uh thank you director for clarifying like how the process goes um so do we know if this location is being prioritized by the police department do we have that information or is that a question for the police department chair that would be a question for the police department okay so we know what kind of order to put in um okay uh counsel there's I think two more yes I've could walk us through that and sure sure chair uh the third uh um last but one is staggered construction approvals construction approvals should be staggered so that basic city services like street sweeping bus service snow remover and the regular flow of traffic are not completely obstructed on the same corridors simultaneously is that something you can tell that this is all this is this is not saying we don't want construction so can you speak to that yeah so counselor again through the chair uh the the my rather long responses earlier in the conversation predominantly covered the staggered construction approvals we can't stagger construction on private property um we do stagger construction in the public way on a first come first serve basis so it is especially on a prospect street you're not gonna see two utility constructions going on at the same time unless there's really really good reason and good coordination I make that caveat because I know at this very moment I have both ever source gas and ever source electric working together on bow street to get a really critical piece of utility work done so that we can move forward with some street construction there but generally we keep every utility construction on any particular block staggered for that very very reason okay um whether it's multiple developers or a utility company etc um so that is that is something that we already do um and that goes the same with crane approvals but we can't stagger we can't say okay you at um oh at uh 109 prospect you have you get to go first and once you've gotten your CO then 118 can go and once they got their CEO um CO CO being certificate of occupancy then the next contractor go we do we we wouldn't have the tools to do that no that makes sense but again they have to be a process and the mechanics of it need to be walked out and if it's you know if somebody violates that process then there are consequences which builds into like the next you know last piece about at what point do you issue stop walk audit

We did we we wouldn't have the tools to do that.

No, that makes sense.

But again, they have to be a process, and the mechanics of it need to be walked out.

And if it's you know, if somebody violates that process, then there are consequences, which builds into like the next, you know, last piece about at what point do you issue stop walk order.

All right.

I'll carry this one too.

Um, because this is an ISD function.

Uh the none of the directors that you have here um have the authority, have the legal authority to shut down a construction project.

Um it is it is actually challenging for us to shut down projects in the roadway without police support, because the police have the legal authority to do that.

Um, and on private property, ISD has the legal authority to do that.

Um so I and both of them generally work on an eminent life health and safety issue.

Um not a um uh not an inconvenience, traffic backing up is not considered an imminent life health safety issue.

Um in some respects, slower traffic means less likely of an imminent safety issue, but it is inconvenient.

Um it is really hard to do stop work orders at the at the level that you're suggesting here.

And and uh thank you for that response, Dr.

Paso Way.

And through your chair, I guess, you know, I did not hear the um I'm reading at the that that line.

I don't hear the residents talking about inconvenience.

I I see them saying disregard for safety regulations.

I think that's pretty big.

That's like that's and and and then existing residence consent.

I get it, you know, it is a lot in there, but if the residents have standing and they point to one thing, safety regulation, that is grounds to issue a stopwalk order in my books.

I guess ISD isn't here, but like you said, I thought about ISD before I asked that question because we've counselor said and I we were involved in you know some other uh issue around another neighborhood where ISD was present, where in the mayor's office trying to resolve like if you're gonna uh how to stop projects, you know, because of safety issues.

And it we we write this policy, we write this regulation, so we can put a clause that you know there's like it we need to go beyond fines first, second, third, and then it's a stopwalk order.

As when it comes to safety regulation, there's no you cannot debate that.

Yeah, so so counselor uh through the chair and this is your meeting, so feel free to redirect as appropriate.

Um the we we do have the authority based off of violating violation of permit requirements.

Um we have the authority to stop issuing permits.

Um, but again, it is the police departments and ISD as the um official authorities that have the enforcement capability to stop contractors to force contractors to physically stop working in the roadway.

Um so it if that's the direction that you're really thinking of going, that's that's gonna be a conversation for for ISD, SPD, and arguably the law department.

Thank you.

Thank you, Chair.

Actually, I am interested, um, you know, if my colleagues also on board to just keep some of these items in committee and invite ISD director and um yeah, someone from the police department to speak to what they're doing currently in this area.

Um and uh yeah, so it I understand you know, direct capital wait, this is not uh, you know something that's not what you do.

This is not uh, you know something that's not what you do.

You shouldn't stop work orders is not what you do.

However, I do I want you to explain to everyone here, um the process scenario, one of these construction projects has a traffic management uh plan, and the contractor did not follow the regulations to the traffic management plan.

What how do you so imagine your department would need to communicate that to ISD?

So can you tell us what because you mentioned earlier some projects have traffic management um plans?

So when they don't respect the regulations, what happens?

Uh yeah, I think I'm answering this question the way you're asking it.

So please please redirect if you need it.

Um so there have absolutely been times when a contractor has created a clear and imminent safety and health um problem.

Uh uh.

And in those cases, if we notice it first, we notify either the police or ISD as appropriate.

Sometimes they come and ask us for our opinion um uh about a particular situation.

And so I and I don't remember exactly which project here.

I think it might be 118, where we did have ISD shut down the project because they undermined the public way.

Um due to the construction on their site, they created a clear structural problem in the roadway that could have led to a collapse.

And we shut them down and we had them repair that before they proceeded work.

Um we've had other cases where a contractor was doing utility work in the roadway in a way that was substantially and recklessly um uh both undermining the roadway, but also limiting the ability of emergency vehicles to pass through, even if we could clear out all the traffic physically enable for the emergency vehicles to pass through.

Um and we've had to shut down projects, but those are extraordinarily extreme events um that have happened.

Um to date, aside from the one that I noticed, I believe at 118.

I haven't neither myself nor any of my staff have witnessed anything that rises to that level.

But yes, we do reach out and have the ability to reach out to ISD and police when that is at a critical nature.

And both of them through 311 and direct lines, um do listen to constituents and have responded to constituents um with things that are of imminent life safety issues.

Okay.

I think here is when you say imminent imminent safety issues are it it's not a contractor parking in front of a fire hydrant.

It's not yeah, I think that even though that's extremely unsafe, that's illegal, but that is not a reason for issuing a stop work order again.

ISD not being here, but in your experience, but again, we'll keep this in committee so we have ISD because anything that's enforcement, we need ISD to speak to it.

Um just other question is um do any of the projects in this area right now have traffic management plans as part of the application of their permits.

I believe they all do.

They all do.

Okay.

For various components of their work, yeah.

Okay.

Uh, those all public.

Can those be yeah, just send us a public records request.

Okay, public records request, and you can see what the regulations are what they should be following.

Okay.

Um, I think this is all very helpful as counselors and also as neighbors uh and abutters to be construction projects.

And again, none of these residents are against construction.

We're just uh trying to find solutions.

And Council Wheeler, thank you for waiting very patiently.

Thank you, Chair.

But before I start, I know that we're in sort of an unusual time crunch.

And clerk, I just want to double check.

You have to, do you have to stop and do we have to stop the meeting at 7:30?

Yes.

So we didn't mention this, but find if someone else can hop on.

Yes, unfortunately, to those listening, I am pinch hitting and have a grad class at 740, but let me see if I can get someone to hop on before this conversation ends.

Thank you so much.

Okay.

Go ahead, Consulwinner, that we can.

Yeah, I'm I'm trying to decide.

I I've I've been writing out different questions.

It's probably too many to ask.

Um, and yeah, I I think some of these conversations will have the chance to uh continue, you know, with with city staff to learn more after uh this committee meeting.

But um first, I you know, I want to appreciate, you know, I'm hearing, we're hearing about uh lots of different work and thought that has gone into um to addressing uh you know the the way construction happens in the city to mitigate it in different ways, to plan for it.

I I appreciate what you said, Director Plus Late about um making a database and coordinating timing around work that blocks public ways and public routes, and about you know, the ability in those extreme situations to um to intervene.

Uh I think in you know, a couple of these pieces of conversation, I think sometimes we've gone a little bit far afield um in talking about something that is a real issue or really matters, but isn't the situation that I think this group of residents is specifically talking about here.

So, you know, for example, you were talking about times that um uh a developer or a contractor might be doing work in the middle of a roadway that's you know fully blocking that roadway and um you know, even might pose it pose a danger to the structure of the roadway.

Hugely important thing.

I'm really glad that the engineering department is on that, because you know, there'd be a disaster if there weren't.

I don't think that's what the situation that this group of residents is um is trying to sort of call out, though.

And um, you know, uh again, another distinction that I just wanted to make sure we were sort of having on the table is um yes, you know, there there's possibilities that we can talk about of when we might um issue a stop work order or pull, you know, cancel the building permit or something like that in an extreme.

Um I think what I'm curious about learning more about um is more about how the parking permits themselves work and what what our sort of um what our choices are and could be around uh the types of parking permit that we issue, the windows of time for those parking permits, and the sort of follow-up if there are repeated violations.

Um so you know, that's an open open-ended set of questions.

I I am curious, and maybe this is a question more for Director Rinfred.

I'd be happy to hear from anybody.

Um and again, I appreciate that it sounds like there was a shift made from um you know, issuing uh a permit that could be used by any vehicle to issuing one that's plate specific.

And I'm curious about you know, what are these different parking permit types?

Uh, what are the sort of physical scopes and the time scopes of them?

Uh and uh is it possible for us to be looking at the patterns of violations of parking violations by a given contractor or or developer in deciding whether to issue those and for how long?

Um thank you through the chair.

So we have um one contractor's permit, which can be address specific with various plates or plate-specific various addresses.

So you have contractors in the city that may have more than one project going on in the city at the same time.

So they'll get a plate-specific permits so that they can visit each one of their sites.

Um we stopped issuing any various, which would be address-specific, various plates permits to Prospect Street last year and said anybody that is coming in, they have to be plate specific.

We're no longer just gonna let anybody use this permit because that if it's plate specific, typically that person's probably not there every day if they are a contractor that's going from site to site to site.

So it does kind of alleviate a little bit of the pressure down there.

Um as far as the permits go, they are issued on a monthly basis, but somebody could get the permit for three months, six months, nine months.

Currently they're $35 a month.

July 1st, they will be going up to $50 a month.

Because all the permits in the city will be going, most of the permits in the city will be going up July 1st.

Did I answer that?

Or do you have another question?

Thanks.

That's hugely helpful.

There's so much you know about that that I don't know.

So I appreciate that.

If if there is a contractor or a developer that um that has been, you know, that's been issued permits, but their vehicles have been, you know, ticketed for being on sidewalks or ticketed for blocking a driveway or even towed for blocking a driveway.

Uh, is that something that's currently tracked so that that can be used in deciding whether to issue permits in the future?

So through the chair, no one can get a permit if they have outstanding tickets.

As far as being tracked by the contractor, they don't wouldn't necessarily know the contractor who owns the vehicle.

So it could be, you know, it could be Tom Smith working for some big contractor, it's his private vehicle, so we wouldn't know what contractor he's working for.

But no one gets a permit unless all their tickets are paid in full.

So if you have an outstanding ticket, whether you're a resident or you're a contractor, you're a home health care aide, anyone getting a permit in the city of Somerville must have all of their plate must be in good standing.

Thank you, Director.

So just to make sure I'm understanding, um, let's say there were uh a vehicle and the that contractor was issued a parking permit for work, and maybe that was you know, one of these two different types, the one address various plates or the one plate various addresses, and maybe you know, is is that basically uh you know a fancy piece of paper that's displayed in their windshield?

Through the chair, it's a green hang tag permit, yes.

Thank you.

Um and uh if uh a parking control officer were to issue a ticket, um, is there any noting down like uh this vehicle has a green hang tag permit with this permit number?

Um well they'd only be ticketing it then for a restricted or a hydrant or some other illegal parking.

Um they we would know that if they came in to appeal a ticket, we could look up and see, oh yeah, you had a hang tag, but you just disregarded the the rules, otherwise they wouldn't be getting.

So some of these people, um, counselor will get a lot of tickets before they come in and get a permit.

We often see that a lot of permit parking tickets, a lot of street cleaning tickets, then they come in and then they get their permit.

We collect the money for all those tickets, and then they have a permit to park, but we tell them they have to provide, you know, they have to abide by all the rules, obviously.

Some of them do, just like any other constituent.

I I guess thank you, director.

Uh I guess the scenario that I'm kind of imagining is if there were someone who had been ticketed many times for um parking on the sidewalk, blocking a hydrant, blocking an intersection, you know, blocking a crosswalk or driveway.

Uh if that contractor or that vehicle um were coming in to apply for a parking permit, I might hope that there's some point where the city either says no or says this parking permit's gonna cost you more than it would cost somebody else.

Um, or we're not gonna give you a six-month parking permit.

We're gonna give you a one-month, we're gonna see if you have any tickets.

Um, is that a kind of thing that the parking department looks into?

You know, I I'm not obviously I'm just spitballing a possible policy.

I know this is not a full-fledged policy proposal, but are policy proposals along those lines something that at least right now the parking permit, the the parking department sees as being sort of in your purview to explore.

Um, through the chair.

So what you're asking is that the clerk at the front basically look up the history on each plate before they're given a permit.

Um I don't, I'm sure it's something we probably could do that is administratively a lot more steps with our clerks that are working the front windows.

I'm not gonna say no to you, counselor.

Um perhaps I would have to look into that.

Okay, thanks.

Um in terms of sort of the legal constraints around the city, you know, charging more for parking permits based on you know the history of uh of a contractor or uh you know issuing issuing a parking fine that might be escalated because there have been other recent parking fines.

Do you know if there's any anything that prevents us doing that besides our own city policies?

Uh through the chair, I do not know.

We do not have an escalation fee currently for we don't have that for parking.

I know they have that in isd for trash.

The first time you get a ticket, it's one and second time it could be another, it does escalate, but for parking tickets, it doesn't.

Um we might have a lot of upset people if we start escalating fees, but again, um we can look into anything.

I I don't know.

I I think our system might be able to do it.

I would have to check with our vendor to see if that is even something that it's able to do.

And we'd have to have a set of rules for it.

Like what does the second escalation?

Is it after a month?

Is it after a year?

Does it stop?

Or you know, this there's a lot of rules and administrative procedures that would have to go into place for that.

Thanks.

I appreciate your uh helping me just get some orientation towards those possibilities.

Thank you.

And um just on that, counselor wheeler, are you specifically asking the director to look into this for for like the escalation fees for contractors or just in general?

Um for for for everybody.

Uh I am not intending to be talking about just residents um doing repeated uh violations.

Um I'm just thinking about the the contractors and yeah, you know, contracting related permits.

Yeah.

So through the chair, that could be also an issue because they're based on plate.

So we would have to assume that the person that's issuing the permit would know if they're a contractor or they got that ticket with that plate while they were being a contractor in the past.

There's a lot to go into it with this there's a lot of what ifs, and I'm sure that we can discuss them, but there is a lot of what ifs with that.

Thank you.

I appreciate that.

And um, I I want to be mindful of time.

Uh and yeah, you know, just note that I I know we'll be able to have continued conversations about this.

So thank you.

Yeah.

Um so it is 725 uh right now, and our clerk needs to leave in five minutes, maybe 15 minutes.

Um, I just want to be clear for tonight.

Um, the our clerk is on vacation and there was an issue with coverage there.

Um, so I really wanted us to discuss the three items.

Um, and the rest of the items will stay in committee.

Uh, so we can discuss them um next month.

Um the items to let me just see what's the agenda.

This is the letter.

So item they're not numbered here, but the items that we just discussed 260123, 260634, 260673.

So the public communication and the two orders.

Um, I would like to have to keep them in committee so that we can have ISD and the police department next time spook to speak to the enforcement piece.

Um, clerk, if you could keep those in committee.

And then um for the rest of the items.

Let's me just check with the clerk.

Look, how many uh how much time do we have here before you have to leave?

Five.

I can give five more minutes.

Okay.

So um I would like to uh could uh actually the clerk, could you read the last item resolution ID 260279?

Yes, 260279, a resolution by counselor link that the director of public works and the director of mobility update this council regarding plans to keep bike lanes protected bike lanes and other separated micro-mobility facilities clear and passable on major throughways with particular attention to school routes, timelines after snowfall, staffing and equipment capacity.

Uh thank you, clerk.

So for this item colleagues, uh, we had a lot of snow items.

Counselor Klingon was calling them that were discussed in um a different committee, sustainability and infrastructure.

This one was sent to traffic and parking, but this was or this is covered, uh was covered last month in the different committee.

Uh, I would like to mark this item as completed.

And then we have three items 2603.

This one I would like to keep it in committee so we can discuss it uh next month.

This is a big item.

And then uh director, would you be able in two minutes or three minutes discuss the results any of the resolutions there?

260121 or 260363, or would you rather prefer just to discuss them next month?

Chair, thanks for the question.

Um, my recommendation to you and the committee would be to deal with those uh with a little bit of time for actual discussion and QA.

I wouldn't want to race through important items that counselors have submitted um given the time.

So thank thanks for the opportunity for the question.

Okay.

All right.

Um great.

So we'll keep all the rest of the items in committee.

And um, yeah, so it is uh 729 again.

Uh thank you, neighbors, for um bringing all these issues to our attention.

And again, we'll keep those items in committee so that we can have the ISD inspection of services in the police department next time, speak to the enforcement piece.

And um, yeah, I just like also for the fines.

Um, Councilor Wheeler asked the questions they wanted to ask Director Bossui.

So all good there.

Um yeah, and if there are no further questions, Clerk, could you please call the roll for adjournment and approval of the minutes at the same time?

Yes.

So for approval of the minutes of the traffic and parking committee meeting of March 16th, 2026 and on adjournment, Councillor Mbaugh.

Yes.

Counselor Wheeler.

Yes.

Counselor Saint.

Yes.

We are adjourned.

Right.

Thank you, everyone.

Thanks, all.