The Issues page includes information about key issues and projects in Watertown. I invite you to comment on any item you find interesting.

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Below please find my presentation at my campaign Kick-Off held on a rainy Sunday in September to learn about what I have accomplished, what I would like to do next term, why I think you are so important to the fabric of Watertown, and my top ten lessons learned after being your Councilor-at-Large for 14 years.  I end the presentation with the three reasons I think it is important that I run a robust campaign even though the Councilors-at-Large have no competition this election. I hope you agree with my reasoning.

Kick-Off Speech, Sunday, September 10, 2023

Thank you Daniel for that very complimentary introduction.  If you do not know it, Daniel is on the staff, as Director of Marketing and Communications, at Essential Partners. For almost 35 years Essential Partners has been doing the challenging work of bringing diverse individuals and organizations, who often hold different views, together to have a positive impact on their community. Check out whatisessential.org.  He has also been one of the initiators, along with Josh Rosmarin, of Watertown’s new citizen housing group, Housing for All Watertown.  

Thank you to my committee and advisors for sticking with me as we organize a campaign for the 8^th time!  My State Legislature Steve Owens, my colleague, Councilor –at-large Caroline Bays, our School Committee member Jessica Middlebrook, as well as Maria Saiz who serves as the campaign’s treasurer and stalwart committee members Deborah Peterson, Ann Munson, and Bevin Croft. 

A special thanks to Eileen Ryan and Deborah for pulling all the pieces together to make this event possible.  Also, thank you everyone who took the time to prepare a sweet or savory for our enjoyment. A thank you to Tyler Kemp Benedict who created the campaign’s materials and to someone you only see sticking my signs in your yard – Will Trombly.

Of course, I would be remiss if I forgot to mention our hosts Dewitt and Connie Henry for allowing us to have the gathering here.  Don’t forget to thank Connie and Dewitt for the leadership role they played in last month’s Watertown Arts Market.  This year marked the second Arts Market and what I am sure will be an annual event. 

Finally, and most importantly, a very sincere thank you for showing your support for my re-election by being here today.  I greatly appreciated your presence.

I have written 7 previous messages for kick-offs.  Some were harder to write than others.  But I have to say up to three weeks ago, I had no idea what I was going to say today.  Thanks to a suggestion from Ann and the editing of Bevin, Tyler, Eileen and others, I pulled this together.

First I want to quickly share a few accomplishments, none which were possible without residents, colleagues and members of City government, and offer a look at what I hope will happen in the next term.  Then I want to share my feelings about some wonderful folks in Watertown.  And finally I want to share the top ten lessons I have learned during the 14 years I have been your councilor at large.

Some accomplishments-

1) I am so pleased, that after many years of advocacy, that Watertown now has an Affordable Housing Trust and an all important Linkage Fee on commercial development to support the building of affordable housing.

2) I have taken seriously my role of Chair of the Council’s Committee on Climate and Energy.  The Committee has held three meetings with the goal of monitoring and encouraging the implementation of the City’s Climate and Energy Plan.  Our next meeting is Monday, September 18.

3) It took a bit of work, but the City has contracted for a Health and Human Services study.  It was awarded last month to Health Management Associates.  I am happy to say that both City Manager Proakis and City Council President Sideris mentioned how important they felt the study is at their first State of the City in August.

4) In an effort to increase public engagement in the planning process, I initiated and co-sponsored a program titled “Planning and Development in Watertown” and supported the funding of a Community Engagement Specialist and the implementation of a 311 service.

The Specialist was one of the 21 changes in the 2021 Charter Review, along with the State of City, the City Councilors’ Community meetings and the creation of a Human Rights Commission.

Apropos to one for the top ten lessons learned  I want to remind folks that the initial call for greater communication with residents and the 311 idea were the result of the Kitchen Table Conversations (organized with Community Conversations) and the Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on Media and Public Outreach effort three years ago.

5) Finally, and again reflecting another of the top ten, I heard the call to do something about our rodent problem and have been holding committee meetings to discuss a citywide rodent control program. Our next meeting is this coming Thursday, September 14.

OK so what is on tap for next term?

1) Implementation of the Linkage Fee and continue advocacy for the creation of affordable housing, including passing an amendment to the zoning code to allow for Accessory Dwelling Units, and important tool in the affordable housing tool box.

2) Pushing for diversifying major development and actively participating in the review of our zoning code and in the implementation of the recommendations in the Comprehensive Plan well as participating in the Watertown Square Study community meetings.

3) Continuing to monitor the Climate and Energy Plan and specifically support the Building Energy Use Disclosure Ordinance and efforts to mitigate vehicle transportation by exploring on-demand transportation options and micro transit.  

4) Finalizing and monitoring the implementation of the citywide rodent control program, and hopefully, beginning the discussion of amending the winter parking ban.

5) Reviewing and evaluating the outcome of the Health and Human Services study during meetings of the Committee on Human Services and making priority recommendations to the full council.

6) Advocating for a Miracle Field at Walker Pond during community meetings focused on how best to develop this new open space.

There is much more, but these are some of my priorities.

So what do I want to say about you and many other residents of Watertown?

Put simply, I extend a sincere thank you for what you do to make Watertown a wonderful place to live, work, raise a family, and be a senior.

• 1) You value local politics by voting in local elections. You attend city council and school committee meetings. You initiate citizen petitions to bring issues to the attention of the public, administration, and council. You volunteer on one of our many boards and commissions and on school site and diversity councils.
• 2) You engage with elected officials, city employees, and councilors advocating for affordable housing, diverse development, and open space. You work to address the climate crisis at the local level while remembering that Watertown is not an island and link this work with regional, statewide, and national efforts to address the existential climate crisis.
• 3)  You support our Community Fridge, food pantries, and Social Service Resource Specialists at our Multi-Service Center, as well as attending the Watertown Farmers’ Market, Annual Arts Market, and Summer Concert Series.
• 4) You are patrons of our parks, playgrounds, and dog parks, library and our Senior Center, and participants in Live Well’s health and wellness events.
• 5)You attend cultural events at the Mosesian Center and the Armenian Museum, and joyfully join gatherings that honor our diversity, such as the Pride celebration, Indigenous Peoples Day, and Juneteeth.
• 5) You give financial and moral support to our many civic and community organizations, including  the Watertown Community Foundation, Watertown for All Ages, Boys and Girls Club, World in Watertown, Watertown Business Coalition, Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice and the Environment, the Rotary Club, Watertown Cares, and Trees for Watertown.
• You do all this and much more.  It is your contributions to the political, civic, and community life of Watertown that makes it a vibrant, democratic, and welcoming community – thank you.

So now that I am here to ask you for your support for my 8^th term, let me take a moment to share the top ten lessons I have learned in the last 14 years about local government and governance. 

1) Be Patient, but Persistent.  The wheels of government move slowly. But they do turn.  If there is something you are passionate about, something you would like city government to do, go for it but be prepared to devoted years of time and energy to make it happen.

2) Plant a Seed Even If You Don’t Know What Will Grow.  If you have an idea but you have not attached it to a specific policy, don’t let it sit.  Share it with a few residents, city officials, or councilors.  Nurture it, keep it alive, and be ready to move it forward at any time. I tried this recently around the issue of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion that I can tell you more about later.

3) Develop a Hard Shell!   This is a tough one, but critical.  Most elected officials have a bit of ego in the game and so do I.  When you hear or read what you consider unfounded criticism or name calling, it can ruffle bruise ego and ruffle your feathers. Pick yourself up, smooth your feathers and stay in the game.  It gets easier the more you do it.

4) Show Some Respect. If there is anything people want, it is to be respected.  So whether you agree with them or not, approach your work as a councilor with respect for your colleagues, the members of City government, and, most importantly, the residents of Watertown.

5) Do What is Best for Watertown.  This is a big part of being a Councilor, that is, figuring out what you think is best for Watertown.  There are other factors to weigh when you need to make a decision, but considering what is best for Watertown should be a big one.

6) Think Outside the Council Chambers.  While it is important that we develop our budget guidelines as they are the only real input we have to the budget we pass each year. And while it is important to advocate for and pursue public policy, it is also critical to remember that our job is to respond to the requests and concerns of residents.  Here is where you win some and lose some.  I relish the time when a phone call or calls, an email or emails, or a letter helps resolve a problem that a resident is having.  But I am also disappointed when after much effort I am unable to help.

#7 and #8 fall under that all important category of LISTEN and LEARN

7) Build on the Ideas of Those You Serve.  When it comes to making policy remember there are plenty of smart people in Watertown who have good ideas, who want to make a difference, and who want to contribute to making Watertown an even better city.  Work with them to raise an issue and develop a policy proposal.

 8) Show You Care.  Whether by attending events, holding a zoom meeting, communicating through newsletters and social media, you need to place a priority on engaging with residents.

9) I had to add a bit of humor in the top ten and #9 is that – Don’t do it for the money! 

10) For me #10 is the most important of all.  I have learned you must –

Walk Your Talk.  Bring your values and principles to the job.  The same values and principles that guide your daily activities, your personal and family decisions, your interactions with co-workers and friends, how and where you spend your free time must be front and center as you try to do what is best for Watertown.  Your votes, your advocacy, your public positions must be grounded in your values and principles.  You can be sure that this will lead to some folks disagreeing with you and some folks saying they know “how you will vote”, maybe so and maybe not. But they will know that my vote is based on my values and checked against the principles that guide me in my daily comings and goings.

So, let me end with hoping you think I have accomplished a few things and have worthwhile priorities for next term.  I hope you that you recognize how much I value you and your participation in the life of Watertown.  And I leave with the promise that I will continue to serve you and Watertown based on my values and principles. Finally, I ask for your vote on November 7.

 Thank you.

The Appeal!

At this time, we usual have someone from the Committee ask you to volunteer and make a contribution to the campaign. Given that the race is uncontested, I wanted to take on this important task and explain why I need both.

I made the decision quite a while ago that whether it was a contested race or not, that I would run the same campaign as in the past.  People have asked me “Why? When all you need to do is vote for yourself and you are re-elected”?

Why are you holding a kick-off, spending almost nearly $4,000 on copying letters and envelopes and mailing to 2,500 residents, designing and  printing  a palm card to use when knocking on doors, and printing a GOTV card that will go to over 3000 good voters?

For me the answers are clear –

1) I do not want voters to think I am taking their support for granted.  I want them to know I believe I still need to earn their support.

 2) I believe that voters, including newly registered voters, deserve a campaign. They deserve hearing from me, learning what I have done and what I hope to do, and weighing my actions and votes.  If the like what they hear I hope they will vote for me, if not they have the option to blank me.

3) Finally, I believe that not every race is about beating someone, but every race is about reaching someone.  The mailing inviting folks to the kick-off is the first step in my campaign to reach voters – both those who have supported me in the past and those who may have never heard of me.

So I ask you to help me provide residents with a robust campaign by agreeing to take a yard sign, inviting me to speak at a house party or a civic or community meeting, and by making a donation to the campaign.

If you did not sign in, please do and if you did not receive a volunteer and donation card in the mail you can pick one up at the table.

And once again, thank you for being here today!

Principles Underlying the 2023-2024 Budget and Accomplishments from the 2022-2023 Budget The 2023 – 2024 Watertown Budget presented by City Manager Proakis was both different and refreshing.  He began his budget by referencing the shared values, goals, and policy priorities that are reflected in the Preamble to our new Home Rule Charter, in his conversations with residents about the revision of the 2015 Comprehensive Plan, and in the City Council’s 2024 Budget Guidelines.  He referenced that Charter directly saying “The guiding principles for civic and environmental stewardship in the Home Rule Charter highlight the need to prioritize safety and tranquility; health and well-being; education & excellence; creativity & innovation; equity & diversity; and accountability & transparency“.  The Manager goes on to present a five-part leadership formula for City staff, including; 1) Maintaining the highest ethical standards, 2) Ensuring collaborative departments, 3) Providing ACE (accurate, courteous, and easy) customer service, 4) Transparency in process and outcomes, and 5) “Be abnormal” – finding new and unique solutions to the challenges of leading local government.  He also offered six strategic priorities – 1) Enhance the leadership team, 2) Building an effective organizational structure, 3) A commitment to planning, 4) Climate mitigation and resiliency, 5) Continued fiscal stability, and 5) Building for the future.  He then provided examples of accomplishments in FY 2023 driven by these strategic priorities. Here are a few of these examples –  hiring a Deputy Manager, appointing a Residents Advisory Committee (required by the Charter), Conducting Meet and Greet meetings in each district, initiating studies of human resources, compensation and job classification, and health and human services (which I and my colleagues on the Committee on Human Services pushed hard for), implementation of housing linkage fee (more on that below), joining the state’s opt-in specialized stretch code, maintaining strong reserves (free cash and stabilization funds), buying Walker Pond ($11,500,000 from the land acquisition stabilization fund), and the Parker Annex Building ($12,000.000 from free cash and $1,227,579 from the O’Neil Property Fund), and conducting a study of municipal office space.  Before I speak about highlights of the FY 2024 budget I want to extend my appreciate to Manager Proakis for following the adage that a budget reflects a community’s values.  It is not always perfect and there is not always agreement, but following this principle goes a long way in yielding, as he Charter reads, “vibrant and welcoming neighborhoods, high-quality and inclusive schools, transparent and accountable municipal operations – including performance, excellence, responsiveness, and collaboration – and thriving local business”.  What to Look for in the $190,325 Budget for Fiscal Year 2024The highlights of the 2024 budget has to be the hiring of more staff and a complementary “Administrative Reorganization Plan” of  City departments.  For years many of our departments have been under staffed. I and others have advocated in our annual Budget Guidelines for increased staff in the Department of Community Development and Planning and the Department of Public Works in light of the ever increasing development in Watertown.  I have called for more communication staff. ( A recommendation of the 2018 Council Ad hoc Committee Media and Public Outreach which I chaired.), and I joined my colleagues in prioritizing funding for a Community Engagement Officer.  Here us a glimpse at the new positions and the reorganization plan. 1) A new Chief of Finance Officer, who will oversee Assessing, Treasurer/Collector, and Procurement (formerly Purchasing) and if funds allow, a new Grants Development Staff. 2) A new Constituent Service 311 Director under the the Deputy Manager 3) A new Community Engagement Specialist, and the existing Social Media & Web Coordinator under the Deputy Manager 4) A new Assistant Clerk 5) A new Assistant Procurement Director 6) A new Parker School Custodian 7) The Department of Public Works will see a new Engineer and a new Program Manager.  There are also major reorganization plans in the Department  8) The Department of Community Development and Planning will see a new Senior Planner for Economic Development a new Senior Planner for Open Space, and an Assistant Building Inspector.  This department will also see major reorganizational changes.  9) Finally there will be a new Associate Assessor, a new IT Help Desk Technician, and a new Health Officer.These changes reflect commitment to managing growth, increasing public engagement, and greater efficiency.  For a complete review of the budget and the reorganization plan, please visit https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/DocView.aspx?id=20793&repo=r-5ece5628.  You can also find at the link the detail personnel and service costs for each department. Thirty-on Proposals Have Been Submitted.  What are They and What’s Next? During a 2 month window, city departments, community organizations and individuals were invited to submit proposals for use of the $10.5 million that Watertown has available from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA).  There were four general categories, of which three are relevant to Watertown on how the funds could be spent.  1) Responding to the public health and impact of the pandemic. 2) Providing premium pay to essential workers. 3) Providing government services to the extent of revenue loss. (Watertown did not experience revenue loss so this does pertain to us.) 4) Making investments in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure. The 31 proposals that were submitted were to consider the Guidelines for Submitting ARPA Proposals and Criteria for Assessing ARPA Proposals that were developed by the Council’s Committee on Economic Development and Planning. Per the federal regulations funds need to be appropriated by the end of December, 2023 and completely spent by the end of December, 2025.  I did a quick summary of the amounts requested and found that the Department of Public Works submitted 5 water and sewer infrastructure proposals costing $9,400,000, nearly all of the $10.5 million and nearly half of the approximate $20 million total for all submitted proposals. Drawing on the analysis of resident Deborah Peterson, there are a number of programs one might consider “infrastructure for those in need” that totaled $5,135,000 and included proposals like McSherry Gardens Improvements and the Study for City Supported Local Transit.  Then there are programs that provide “direct services to those in need” that totaled $813,000 such as a Direct Assistance Program for Emergencies, an additional Social Service Resource Specialist, and a two-year substance use campaign.   The next steps in the process are for the three member Committee on Budget and Fiscal Oversight to review the proposals an make recommendations to the full City Council. I find that this is an unusual situation for three members to make recommendations to the full council and I suspect there will be a robust discussion among the Councilors about what proposals are eventually awarded ARPA funds.  As for myself, I will be supporting those proposals that: a) serve those who have been most impacted during the pandemic and afterwards, b) serve those who are least resourced and most in need, and c) those programs that are not already budgeted by the City or programs that are not forecasted to be in future City budgets. May I suggest that you take a look at the proposals and prepare for both the Committee meeting and the Council meeting. Click here to see them.   Linkage Fee for Affordable Housing is a Reality! It has finally happened.  After years of effort Watertown has an Linkage Fee for Affordable Housing.  I and others have made the linkage fee a priority if we are going to build affordable housing in town. In April, the City Council passed the ordinance establishing a fee of $11.12 per square foot for commercial developments over 10,000 square feet. (I advocated for a $15.00 fee and explained why this was not an arbitrary number but based on a compromise in the last Update, but my colleagues did not agree.)  The funds from the fee have to be used for affordable housing and will be directed to the new Watertown Municipal Housing Trust which was established last year and is another key tool in an affordable housing toolbox.  I can’t say enough about how these two factors will serve as the basis for acquiring financing, accessing tax credits, leveraging state and federal grants, and receiving Community Preservation Act monies.  What was only a dream many years ago is now a reality.  I am proud of my contribution to this effort and extend a congratulatory note to everyone who helped make it happen including residents, community organizations, city officials. and past and present city councilors. More Good News As a sign that the City is ready to make use of these critical tools, the Trust is in the midst of surveying all available locations in town – private and public – against a list of criteria to see which provides the best opportunity to initiate an affordable housing project.  Of course there are many steps involved, but land acquisition is the first step.  I hope the Trust has more information to share in the coming months. Also, our Comprehensive Plan, which I will discuss below, includes a recommendation to increase affordable housing by allowing accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in one- and two- family neighborhoods as well as identifying areas where multi-family housing should be allow as of right to meet the requirements of the recent “MBTA Communities” legislation.  Finally, I put another plug in for the newly formed housing group in Watertown.  If you are interested in affordable housing and housing in general, please contact Josh Rosmarin at  josh.rosmarin@gmail.com Citizen Petitions Highlight Resident Frustration with Development In March and in April, the City Clerk’s office received two Citizen Petitions requesting changes in the City’s Zoning Code.  The March petition was signed by nearly 215 residents asking that the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) in the Central Business District be reduced from the present ratio of 4.0 to a new ratio of 2.2.  FAR determines how tall a development can be.  While the petition was initiated in response to two housing developments on Main Street, the intent was also to regulate large multi-family structures in the Central Business District including Watertown Square.  The April petition was signed by over 415 residents and primarily focused on the need for a greater buffer zone between large developments and neighborhood residences.  This was initiated because of the proposed life science development on Pleasant, Rosedale, and Acton Streets.  Both petitions were referred to the City Council on April 25 who sent them to the Planning Broad for review.  At its June 14 public meeting, the Planning Board discussed both petitions and heard from many residents, in-person and on zoom, for and against the two petitions.  After the Board reviewed the staff report and discussed the specifics of the petitions, they ruled against both.  While there were a number of reasons for this decision, in my opinion two stood out. 1) There will soon be a Watertown Square Study that will look at all aspects of the Square and the adjacent arteries, including zoning. The City Manager has allocated $200,000 for this study.  2) The Comprehensive Plans calls for a review of our zoning, specifically in Goals 2 and 5. The City Manager has allocated $50,000 to assist in the implementation of the Plan.  Thus the Board members felt the petitions were not necessary as their content will be addressed in a larger more comprehensive community process. The Planning Board sent the recommendations back to the City Council and at its meeting on July 11 the Council held a public meeting and vote on the petitions.  Once again there was robust discussion for and against the petitions and once again the petitions were defeated.  However a number of Councilor’s spoke to appreciate those who engaged in the dialogue.  I specifically made two points:  1) The residents deserve to be acknowledged for using the citizen petition process, for drafting the petition language, and for gathering the signatures. This is not an easy task and involves significant time and energy. 2) The petitions were the result of a logical process.  When residents raise concerns about a development – its height, massing, design, etc.- I am often have to say it is private property and a developer can do what they want to do as long as it abides by the zoning code. This leads one to think, “Ok, let’s change the zoning code”.  This is the commonsense logic that I believe motivated the petitions.   3) Finally, as I said at the City Council meeting, these petitions were the end result of many years of frustration by residents about how development was taking place in Watertown.  I tried to respond to this reality by offering a zoom meeting on the pluses and minuses of development in 2021 and a co-sponsored event with the DCDP called, “Planning and Zoning in Watertown” last year. Also, in the last Update I made suggestions about the “Developers Conference” that would increase transparency and provide residents information prior to the community meeting organized by the developer.  However, I admit that I should have done more to acknowledge the growing resentment and raise it as a major community issue.  What now?  The Zoning Board of Appeal has continued the discussion of the 104 -126 Main Street housing and retail development for a second time. They are concerned that the project did not provide enough public amenities which were a condition for allowing the developer build a sixth floor.  The ZBA will take up the case at its next meeting in July.  In regard to the life science development on Pleasant, Rosedale, and Acton Streets, there will be two community meetings in July hosted by the developer.  The first is an in-person meeting at 6:00 PM on Monday, July 17 at 60 Acton Street and the second is a virtual meeting at 6:00 PM on Tuesday, July 18.  You can get more details on the meetings on the City’s website at https://watertownma.portal.civicclerk.com/. New Faces at City Hall But We Need More! The process of hiring at City Hall is never ending – with the creation of new positions in the 2024 budget and with recruiting for fill existing vacancies, the Human Services staff including Thu Nguyen, Maureen Aquilano, and William Robbins have been stretched to the limit!  However they are  making progress.  We welcome  Glen Gregoire as our new Facilities Project Manager and Cindy Gleason as the new Program Services Assistant at the Department of Senior Services.  Congratulations to Megan Langan who is our new City Auditor and to Michael Albano who is the new Director of Administration and Finance at the Department of Public Works.  City Manager Proakis announced at the recent City Council meeting that there are two candidate for the position of Fire Chief and he will be making a decision soon.  He also hopes to hire the new Director of Human Resources within two weeks. Most importantly the search for a new Police Chief will begin with a survey of the present members of the Police Department, followed by a public meeting on Monday, July 24th at 6:00 PM in the Watertown Free Public Library.  That will be followed by a meeting with the Council’s Committee on Public Safety and then a final decision by the Manager.  There are many positions to be filled, including the long sought after Transportation Planner.  So please take a look at the list above of the new staff  positions in the 2024 budget and share the information with friends, family and colleagues.   More Progress on a Citywide Rodent Control Plan The Committee on Human Services met for the May 11 for the fifth time to continue the discussion of a citywide rodent control plan.  The good news is that the results from the first two months using the SMART technology traps that electrocute the rodent have proven relatively successful.  There were 63 catches so far based on the data provided by the vendor.  The five month pilot is nearly completed and the Committee, composed of myself and Councilors Bays and Gannon,  will hold another meeting in the near future to review the final data and hear whether the City will recommended expanding the use of the technology.The Committee also received a draft report presented by Larry Ramdin the Director of the Health Department.  The members of the Committee considered the report “Rodent Control and Management Activities” a major step forward in the eventual completion of a robust citywide plan.  The report detailed what the various departments are doing, all who are members for a city working group, to address the issue and a list of action steps they would take.  Mr.Ramdin foresees that the working group will meet regularly to eliminate duplication and fill in the gaps in the effort to resolve the problem.  He was asked to include “timelines for implementing the action items, a determination if the timelines are being met, and an evaluation of the action items to measure if they are effective”.  Please click here to read the latest report. More Staff and Funds for Rodent Control!Maybe one of the most exciting developments regarding this difficult community problem, which many think will only get worse as more development takes place and as Mt. Auburn Street is reconstructed, is the fact that the City Manager has allocated funds for a new Health Office who will focus on rodent control and has added an additional $20,000 to the rodent control line item in the Health Department’s budget.  The Comprehensive Plan is One Step from Final Approval On Monday, July 10 the Committee on Economic Development and Planning  received and reviewed the final draft of the Comprehensive Plan.  Click here to view it. The final draft incorporated many of the comments and suggestions from the March 9, 2023 Visioning Forum held at the Watertown Free Public Library and attended by 105 residents.  It also reflected some of the comments from the 110 residents who completed a survey that was open from March 9 to March 24, as well as comments from five residents who sent emails and from Watertown Faces Climate Change, Watertown’s Environmental & Energy Efficiency Committee, Trees for Watertown,  Bicycle-Pedestrian Committee, Live Well Watertown, and Watertown TMA.  I also submitted comments specifically asking that there be an additional subheading to Goal 7 – Support community wellness through inclusive programs and events, diverse arts and culture, enhanced natural and historic resources, and livelier public and private spaces.  While recognizing the importance of the arts, natural resources, and access to public and private space as critical for community wellness, I felt what was left out of the definition of community wellness was “the presence of health and human services that provide what is needed to live a full, healthy, and productive life whether that be health care, food security, job training, employment services, or affordable housing”.  Thus I suggested a subheading of “Health and Human Services” and suggested that we reorder some of the specific action items to appear under this topic and to add additional action items. The Committee did not accept all of my suggestions, though they incorporated some of them.  There is no date set for when the Committee will make a report to the full Council.  Eventually there will be joint meeting of the Planning Board and the City Council to vote on the Committee’s recommendation.  Please keep an eye on the Calendar section of the City’s website for when the meeting will take place.

IT IS TIME TO SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING – PLEASE JOIN ME IN THIS EFFORT!

It is with great pleasure that I share the good news that our home rule petition to establish a linkage fee ordinance in Watertown has passed both chambers of the State Legislature and was signed by Governor Baker in December.  Once again our thanks to State Representatives Owens and Lawn and State Senator Brownsberger for their leadership in making this happened.  I also want to thank the Administration, particular City Manager Proakis, Steve Magoon, the Director of the Department of Community Development and Planning (DCDP), and Larry Field, Senior Housing Planner at DCDP for their contributions to this effort.

I want to particularly thank my former colleague Susan Falkoff and my colleague Councilor Caroline Bays as well as some very dedicated residents and housing advocates.  Many years ago I initiated a series of meetings over a two year period that focused on affordable housing.  Though years passed, eventually some of the recommendations from those hearings were implemented.  For example, we now have a Municipal Affordable Housing Trust and the City supported a rental assistance program during the pandemic.  However, for me the linkage fee program was the most important recommendation. For years we watched the ongoing explosion of life science developments in Watertown and yet we did not have the mechanism to require the developers to contribute to the creation of affordable housing as happens in our Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville.

We now will be able to require developers of non-residential projects over 30,000 square feet, whether it is new construction or rehabilitation of existing structures, to pay a certain dollar amount per square foot.  The funds from the program can only be used to develop affordable housing.  While this is a wonderful success, our work is not over.  The ordinance presented to the City Council on Tuesday, January 24 called for the dollar amount per square foot to be $11.12.  (This was the high end of the recommendation from the nexus study conducted in the spring of 2022.)  However the home rule petition allows the dollar per square foot to be up to but no higher than $18.00.  I will be advocating for a $15.00 per square foot fee. I seek your help in making this happen!  A couple of important notes:

1) The ordinance that came to the Council on Tuesday was sent to the Planning Board for their review.  They will discuss it at one of their regularly scheduled meetings, which are on the second Tuesday of each month.  This is the first time you can advocate for a $15.00 per square foot fee.  The next step is for the Planning Board to send the ordinance back to the City Council where it will either be passed immediately or sent to the Committee on Rules and Ordinances.  This is the second time you can advocate for the $15 fee, specifically at the Public Forum portion of the meeting. If it goes to committee that will offer one more opportunity to advocate.  Finally, when it comes out of Committee and back to the full Council, you can advocate once more, again during the Public Forum portion of the meeting.  I realize this is complicated, in part because this is not your standard ordinance, but an ordinance that changes the Zoning Code.  I will be posting updates throughout the process on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  Of course, you can also call me.

2) This is particularly important. Due to the open meeting law I am not allowed to speak to my colleagues about the ordinance.  However you can call the other members of the council to discuss the issue and to advocate for a $15 fee whenever you would like.  Contacting and engaging your councilors by email or a phone call prior to meetings is very effective.  They expect, and often look forward to, engaging with residents. 

3) There will be some opposition to the ordinance.  Business leaders are pointing to articles about the changing economic environment that is affecting bio-tech and life science businesses.  They forecast a dire situation where Watertown will become less competitive and will no longer attract new life science development.  What they do not tell you is that for every article or quote from a financial analyst predicting doom, there is an article that announces yet another new approved project and quotes from analysts that forecast a bright future for development.  In regards to Watertown and future redevelopment, whether more life science, new office space, or light manufacturing, I think our past (and present) experience speaks for itself.  When a developer will pay whatever is asked to acquire property in Watertown, a linkage fee will not deter them.  

4) Let’s be clear – new development, particular life-science development, in Watertown has contributed to the high cost of housing, as clearly noted in the nexus study.  Now is the time to ask developers to contribute to the creation of affordable housing that will help maintain the diversity of our community.

As you can tell by the length of this entry, I am passionate about this issue.  I hope you will find your way to be equally passionate.

Climate and Energy Plan  – Another First
(or tied for First!) for Watertown

At its January 10 meeting the Watertown City Council adopted the Specialized Stretch Code. Brookline did the same thing at a special Town Meeting on the same day.  Adopting the Specialized Stretch Code is an important step if the City is to reach its net-zero goals by 2050. Adopting the Code also means we have accomplished a high priority goal of our Climate and Energy Plan.  The Code, which applies to only new construction, requires a developer to build an all-electric building – that means on fossil fuels – and to be solar ready or to build a mix-fuel building – that means fossil fuels and electric – and install photo-voltaic systems. The fact that in the second case the developer has to pre-wire the building to be ready to go completely electric may lead some developers to conclude that it is not worth building for fossil fuels if they have to be all-electric ready. The requirements of the the Specialized Stretch Code will go into in July 2023. If you would like to learn more about the details of the Code, please contact our Energy Manager, Silas Fyler at sfyler@watertown-ma.gov. 

More good news!  Watertown is making great strides in reducing its trash tonnage and moving in the right direction to meet the Commonwealth’s requirement that cities and towns reduce the tonnage they send for disposal by 30%.  Watertown reduced its tonnage from 9,518 tons in 2021 to 8,581 tons in 2022.  This decrease is due to a number of factors including the City’s new Free Curbside Composting program, as of January there are 2000 households in the program, the Textile Recovery Program, and recycling of mattresses and box springs.  To learn how you can get involved in this important effort visit the Department of Public Works’ Trash and Recycling page on their website. 

Finally, after a bit of a hiatus, the Council’s Committee on Climate and Energy will be holding a meeting on Thursday, March 16 at 5:30 PM to hear an update on the Climate and Energy Plan from Laurel Schwab our Environmental Planner and Silas Fyler our Energy Manager.  Stay tuned for the location of the meeting.  I am hoping it will be hybrid.

 More Amendments of the New City Charter Fulfilled! 

Last month I mentioned that I was holding three Community Meetings – all at the Library at different times and days – to fulfill one of the more than 20 amendments in our new City Charter which was passed by the voters last November.  The Charter required City Councilors to annually hold a community meeting open to all residents in an effort to increase public engagement.   I want to thank everyone who attended one of the three meetings and those who emailed me with suggestions and comments but were unable to attend.  I look forward to doing this again in the late spring/early summer of 2023.

The good news is that the effort to fulfill amendments to the new Charter continues.  The City Manager has met with the Committee on Human Services to discuss the appointment of a new Senior Center Director and he will be appearing soon at a meeting of the Committee on Public Safety to discuss the process for selecting a new Fire Chief.  By doing so, the City Manager is fulfilling an amendment that requires him to consult with the members of the City Council on all appointments of department heads.  Also he has charged our new Deputy City Manager (see below) with the job of serving as the new Community Engagement Officer. Creating the position of Community Engagement Office was another requirement in the new Charter. 

In addition, the Committee on Rules and Ordinances will hold an important meeting on Tuesday, February 7 at 6:30 PM in the City Council Chambers to discuss a draft ordinance that will create a Human Rights Commission.  This was one of the key recommendations of the Charter Review Committee. 

Finally, I am happy to report that the City Manager has appointed a new Residents’ Advisory Committee. This was one of the major changes to the Charter.  It reads, “the city manager shall establish a Residents’ Advisory Committee (RAC) to assist with recruitment, evaluation, and selection of candidates for appointment to multiple-member boards.  The city manager shall work with the RAC to establish policies and practices to actively encourage a diverse pool of applicants for multiple-members bodies“.  City Manager Proakis has selected five residents from a very diverse and qualified pool of applicants to work with him.  These include:
1) J. ELizabeth Cremens who is a retired Associate Justice of the Massachusetts District Court.
2) Kathryn J. Madden who is the founder and principle of Madden Planning Group which works with cities and towns to shape future development.
3) Sim Ling, Ph.D. who is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Science at Boston University.
4) Theophilus Offei, who has served as a manager, founder, and CEO of technology companies.
5) Thomas J. Tracy who is our former Auditor and Acting City Manager.

You can learn more about this diverse group of residents, their charge, and how to contact them here.  

What’s Happening in City Hall!

Exciting News About the Search for a New City Manager
The search for a new City Manager took a big step forward on Wednesday, April 27 when the Screening Committee presented the full City Council with its three finalists.  In alphabetical order the three finalists are:
1) John C. Curran, the present Town Manager of the Town of Billerica
2) Norman Khumalo, the present Town Manager of the Town of Hopkinton
3) George J. Proakis, the Executive Director of the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development in the City of Somerville.
You can see the cover letters, resumes and comments from references at https://content.civicplus.com/api/assets/56f37bb5-7a3c-4510-af79-c611a4fb9102
The next step in the process is a community meeting for residents to ask questions of the three finalists.  It is scheduled for Monday, May 9 at 6:00 PM.  It will be a hybrid meeting so you can attend in person at the City Council Chambers on the 2nd floor of City Hall or on zoom. I urge you to read the finalists’ resumes and prepare your questions.  This meeting will be facilitated by Bernie Lynch of Community Paradigm Associates, the consultant firm hired to coordinate the search. On Thursday, May 12 at  6:00 PM the City Councilors will have the opportunity to interview each of the finalists.  This will also be a hybrid meeting.  I encourage you to attend by coming to the City Council Chambers or by participating on zoom. The meetings will soon be posted on the City’s website at https://www.watertown-ma.gov/ and I will post them on my FB page. If additional meetings, either for the community and/or the Councilors, are necessary they will also be posted on the City’s website and on my FB page. You may be interested in reading the results of the Public and Employee Survey while you are formulating questions for the finalist.  The survey results can be found at  https://content.civicplus.com/api/assets/e7f21694-6c36-4f20-8b32-afa9498a9f38 
Michael J. Driscoll’s Retirement Party
There will a very special party to celebrate Town Manager Driscoll’s 45 years of service to the residents of Watertown, the last 29 years of which he served as our Town/City Manager. It will take place on Saturday, May 21 from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the Commander’s Mansion, 440 Talcott Avenue.  Tickets are $50.00 and include a cocktail style dinner reception and there will be a cash bar. You can get tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/michael-j-driscoll-retirement-celebration-tickets-266403990507  If you are unable to attend but would like to make a monetary donation to the Michael J. Driscoll Retirement Celebration Fund, please visit our website here.
New Library Director
The Trustees of the Watertown Free Public Library voted to appoint Ms. Caitlin Browne to be the new Library Director.  Ms. Browne has served for 10 years as the Assistant Director.  Congratulations to Ms. Browne. We wish her the very best in her new role.
Police Chief Announces His Retirement
Chief of Police Michael Lawn has announced that he will be retiring on June 3 of this year. Our thanks to Chief Lawn for his 32 plus years of service to the residents of Watertown.
Director of Senior Services Resigns
Anne-Marie Gagnon, the Director of Senior Services, has announced that she will be resigning.  Ms. Gagnon was responsible for expanding services for our seniors during her 6 year tenure.  We wish her the very best.  
Provisional Fire Chief Announced
Acting City Manager Tom Tracy announced the appointment of Assistant Chief Ryan Nicholson the Provisional Fire Chief until a permanent chief is appointed. Chief Nicholson is replacing Fire Chief Robert Quinn who retired after serving 35 years. 
New Recycling and Sustainability Coordinator at DPW and a New City Purchasing Agent
Ms. Anya Pforzheimer has been appointed as Watertown’s first Recycling and Sustainability Coordinator and Mr. Brian Wyncoop will serve as our new Purchasing Agent replacing Raeleen Bandini who retired in January after 14 years of service. 

Update on Development 

Russo’s Transformation
The rush to build more life science facilities continues, though the latest news is not unexpected.  The property that formerly was Russo’s is proposed to be another life science development along with a parking garage in the rear of the building and a retail building immediately to the left if you were facing the site from Pleasant Street.  The date the developer filed for a building permit with the Department Community Development and Planning (DCDP) was April 7. The first step is a meeting with the developer and City departments at what is known as a “developer’s conference”. This is not a public meeting.  The next step is a required community meeting which most likely be followed by a second community meeting given the size of the project.  These meetings will be followed by presentations of the project to the Planning Board. A link to the materials regarding the development can be found here.  You can drill down to find more detailed documents and renditions.  
146 Unit Housing Development Proposed on Main Street
A developer has submitted a request for a building permit to DCDP on March 31 to redevelopment of 1.4 acres on Main Street as a mixed-use project with 146 residential units and 5,450 square feet of commercial space. The site begins at the intersection of Cross and Main Streets and continues west to include the building that houses the Main Street Post Office. The depth of the development would go to Pleasant Street. There will be a developer’s conference followed by community meetings and presentations to the Planning Board and possibly the Zoning Board of Appeals. The link for more information is here.

Affordable Housing – New Opportunity

Appointees to New Municipal Affordable Housing Trust

In the February Update I announced that the City Council approved the creation of a Municipal Affordable Housing Trust (Trust). I am a happy to tell you that the Acting City Manager has selected six residents to serve on the Trust along with the new City Manager. Three of the residents, David Leon, Clifford Clark, and Helen Oliver, are members of the soon to be dissolved Watertown Housing Partnership. The other residents are Jill Hyde, Leo Patterson, and Zoe Weinrobe.  The Committee on Human Services will interview the candidates and make a recommendation to the full City Council.  I am confident that both the Committee and the Council will approve these nominees.

Initial Funding for the Trust

The Trust will receive its first funding in 2023.  The proposed FY23 budget includes an allocation of $250,000 to the Trust. Additional sources of funding could include grants from the Community Preservation Committee, possible mitigation funds from new developments, and a linkage fee.  Urging developers, like those behind the renovation of the Watertown Mall and Russo’s, to see their impact not only on the immediate area in proximity to their development but on the City as a whole would be a major achievement and could lead to mitigation monies for affordable housing.  The nexus study, that is anticipated to be completed in May,  will determine the effect of commercial development on the housing stock in Watertown, and the possibility of a fee per square foot on new development.  It will be up to the City Council to approve the linkage fee and to seek a home rule petition from the Massachusetts Legislature to implement it. Please check out my FB page and Twitter posts for updates on the results of this important study.

News from the CPC

CPC Approves Its First Two Projects
The Community Preservation Committee (CPC) recently approved two proposals for funding and has forwarded their recommendations to the City Council.  The CPC is responsible for soliciting proposals for the use of $12.8 million dollars which has been raised through a surcharge on property taxes and allocation from the State since the Community Preservation Act was passed in 2016. Proposals must be for community housing, open space and recreation, or historical preservation.  The two projects, the first projects since the CPA was passed, are for preservation and open space/recreation.  The Historical Society of Watertown’s proposal for the repair and preservation of two paintings in City Hall was approved for $33,000.  The Department of Public Works’ request for $294,195 for the rehabilitation of Irving Park was also approved. You can see the CPC recommendations for funding here.
New CPC Survey – PLEASE Take a Moment to Complete It!
The CPC is seeking your input in planning for next year by asking that you participate in a new CPC survey. The first year funding cycle had its strengths and challenges and the CPC wants to know what you think. The Committee may use your responses in considering how to improve the application materials and application process it has created. The survey asks what projects you have in mind, however if you do not have a particular project to mention you can simply indicate your preference for one of the three areas that the Committee funds. Maybe the most important question is the final open-ended one where you can state your feelings and/or concerns about the program. You can find the survey here.

Solid Waste and Recycling Advisory Committee

Members Nominated by the Acting City Manager
The volunteer members of the new Solid Waste and Recycling Advisory Committee (SWRAC) have been selected by the Acting City Manager and the names have been submitted to the City Council.  The members include Russ Arcio, Eileen Ryan, Judy Fallows, Leslie Evans, Eileen Zubrowski, and Alexandra Lahr. The Committee on Public Works will interview the nominees and most likely recommend that the full City Council approve the appointments. The SWRAC will be responsible to “research and make recommendations relating to recycling and reduction of solid waste so that Watertown can meet the Commonwealth’s Solid Waste Master Plan milestones”. Once sworn in by the City Clerk, the SWRAC can meet to select a chair, develop meeting protocols and a regular meeting date, and begin its important work.
City’s First Recycling and Sustainability Coordinator
The selection of the Committee closely coincidences with the hiring of the City’s first Recycling and Sustainability Coordinator. Ms. Anya Pforzheimer will officially begin serving the residents of Watertown on Monday May 2. I anticipate that Ms. Pforzheimer will staff the SWRAC and work closely with the members to craft proposals and recommendations.
Solid Waste Contract Renewed for Only One Year
Recognizing the role of the SWRAC, the Department of Public Works will renew the City’s present solid waste contract with Republic for only one year (the contract ends on June 30 of this year). This will give the SWRAC an opportunity to participate in crafting a new multi-year contract.
Very Exciting News in the FY 2023 Proposed Budget
One of the most exciting proposals in the FY 2023 Proposed Budget is the inclusion of $425,000 for a new Organics/Composting Program.  The budget proposal reads as follows, “The Organics/Composting Program will be offered in conjunction with Black Earth.  This is an “opt-in” program at no cost for participating Watertown residents which will include curbside pick-up, start-up kits, and totes“. This is a huge step forward by the Department of Public Works and the result of years of advocacy on the part of a small, but determined group of residents. 

AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT

ARPA Funds for Watertown – $10.5 million.
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) established the Coronvavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, designed to deliver $350 billion to state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments to bolster their response to the COVID-19 emergency and its economic impacts.  It is estimated that Watertown will received $10.5 million in ARPA funds.  (A good source to understand ARPA can be found here.)
BFO’s Plans and Role of Residents
There are many questions surrounding these funds, for example, how can they be used, by what dates must the funds be allocated and spent, and how should the City Council make spending decisions.  The City Council’s Committee on Budget and Fiscal Oversight (BFO) has set out to answer these questions and include residents in the process. Their plans include: 
– a ARPA webpage on the City’s website which “will include links to reference materials on ARPA, and a survey inviting resident to share how they would distribute $100 of ARPA money”.  Residents can also call, text, or email their suggestions.
– a community meeting (hybrid) where an outside expert will present an overview of ARPA, explain intended uses, opportunities, limitations and requirements. Residents will have the chance to ask questions and share their ideas. 
– a second community meeting (hybrid) where the BFO will present its draft spending recommendations based on the survey, input from the Acting City Manager and Department Heads, and the results from the first community meeting. 
The BFO will then make its final recommendations to the full City Council for review and debate. I urge you to visit the City’s website to learn about the dates of the community meetings and explore the ARPA resources.

Charter Review Committee Has Finished Its Work – Now It is Up to You to VOTE!

After nine months of meetings the 15-person Charter Review Committee (CRC) put the finishing touches on their review of our Charter.  Watertown’s Home Rule Charter is our constitution and it is reviewed every 10 years by the 9 members of the Town Council and 6 residents appointed by the Town Council President.  You can learn more about how the Committee operated and read the very detailed minutes of each meeting by visiting the CRC page on the Town’s website at https://www.watertown-ma.gov/596/Charter-Review-Committee

the Charter, I want to mention two important aspects of the proceedings.  The first is that the majority of the members were committed to addressing the need for improving government performance, strengthen government accountability, transparency, and communication, and enhancing government commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. While there was not universal agreement on every issue discussed, there was an understanding that what changes we made would be based on these principles. 

The second aspect of the effort that deserves a shot out is the role residents played in the meetings and the role of a community group, Watertown Forward, (Full Disclosure – I serve on the steering committee of the group) played in educating and empowering residents to participate in the CRC meetings.  Significantly, residents not only attending the meetings but they were actively involved in suggesting changes and voicing their support or disagreement with specific proposals.  Thank you to everyone who stepped up to participate in a meaningful way, to Town Council President Sideris for encouraging this participation, and to Watertown Forward for its efforts, including their informative and engaging Charter Chats.  Finally a very big thank you to the CRC’s Subcommittee on Communications who, among other things, produced a on-line survey and a flyer describing the CRC process that was delivered to over 15,000 households, and to the CRC’s Subcommittee on the Preamble who recommended a robust preamble based on the Ethic of Civil and Environmental Stewardship and a set of Guiding Principles.   
OK, so what is new and what will the voters be asked to consider on November 2? 
It would be impossible to list all the changes that were made to the Charter so I suggest that you read the red lined version available at the CRC website at https://www.watertown-ma.gov/596/Charter-Review-Committee.  Here are some of the changes that you will be asked to vote on in November.

1) Change the name from “the city known as the town of Watertown” to “city of Watertown”
2) Clarify some of the duties and responsibilities of the council president
3) Reiterate the Council’s role as the chief policy-setting body
4) Continue to improve communication with the public
5) Bolster Town Council capacity
6) Create a Human Rights Commission
7) Hire a Community Engagement Officer
8) Find a balance between legislative and executive in appointment process
9) Expand the voices in government
10) Improve the Town Manager’s evaluation process.
11) Make improvements in the next charter review
You can see a description of each of these on the CRC website https://www.watertown-ma.gov/596/Charter-Review-Committee.

But what does all this mean when you go to the polls on November 2?
What we know now is that the question on the changing Watertown’s name from the “Town of Watertown known as the City of Watertown” to the “City of Watertown” will be the first question on the ballot.  There will be a written explanation of the question followed by the voter selecting “yes” or “no“.  There will be a second question asking the voters to “yes” or “no” on all the other changes to the Charter.  There will be a written summary of the changes. 

Pre-November education and outreach will be key if voters are to feel confident to vote on the changes to the Charter that will guide Watertown’s future.  The Town Council’s Committee on Medial and Public Outreach has been charged to create and implement a strategy to education residents on the implication of the Charter and how the questions will appear on the ballot, and to do this in cooperation with the IT Department and the Town Clerk as well as with community-based organizations.  The first meeting of this Committee took place on Wednesday September 8. There will be more meetings given the enormity of the task, so visit the Town’s website to learn when and where they will take place. Also, the Town Clerk will be responsible for distributing an explanation of the Charter changes to every household in Watertown.  Finally, one way to learn more about the Charter changes and plans to encourage residents to vote is to connect with Watertown Forward.  It is a non-partisan civic action group.  Check our their website at https://www.watertownforward.org/ and their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1082426438850771.  

CLIMATE and ENERGY PLAN

In March 2021, the Town, through Resilient Watertown, has embarked on an Climate and Energy Plan with the support of the consultant team of Kim Lundgren Associates (KLA).  The purpose of the Plan is to minimize greenhouse gas emissions as well as prepare Watertown for climate hazards. The effort will include actions steps and detailed strategies to achieve its goals. The project was to be completed by the end of 2021 but has been extended to March 2021 to allow for more community engagement.  It should be noted that the process has been criticized by some residents for the lack of formal community input and suggestions.

The Plan is being carried out by the Resilient Watertown Stakeholder Advisory Group (RWSAG) which is composed of Town staff, local scientists, members of the Town’s boards and commissions, and a number of climate activists.  There are six areas of study including, Natural Resources, Transportation and Mobility, Buildings & Energy, Infrastructure and Waste Management, Public Health & Community Preparedness, and Community Engagement.  Each working group meets to discuss the issues related to their topic and then meets together to exchange information.  To date, the RWSAG has meet twice in public. The public was allowed to participate indirectly by emailing questions and comments to the Town personnel who where staffing the meeting.

There is some exciting work taking place in the six working groups.  There are discussions about a Building Energy Use Disclosure Ordinance, retrofitting buildings with heat pumps, treating trees as infrastructure, requiring permits to remove trees on private property, instituting curbside organic recycling, expanding our existing solar ordinance to include more buildings, requiring net zero buildings, including scaling up to life science and biotech buildings, and much more.  The ultimate goal of the project is to produce a series of achievable policies that if put into place would drastically reduce our GHG emissions  It would be up to the Town Council to pass and the Town Manager to implement the recommended policy suggestions. Unfortunately the information about this project is not particularly easy to find, unless you are familiar with google docs!  You should start at 
https://www.watertown-ma.gov/777/Energy-and-Sustainability and stroll down to Resilient Watertown, then click onto Resilient Watertown Planning Website for a high level explanation of the plan as well as interesting videos. You can also click on https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Zi9lkHDfwIIuOlfAwOS6iqmkb9Uvtlky?usp=sharing to see the minutes of the working group meetings and the list of the members of RWSAG.  Unfortunately, I could not find the “Resilient Watertown Climate and Energy Plan: Planning Process Update” document from August which I used to write this portion of the UPDATE and which provides a user-friendly explanation of the project as well as the tasks that are completed or in progress.  Keep an eye out for it, since it may be posted soon. 

CPA MONEY IS AVAILABLE – ARE YOU READY TO APPLY?

The Community Preservation Act  (CPA) passed in November 2016.  Now, after nearly five years, CPA monies will be available to fund projects in Watertown for Open Space/Recreation, Historic Preservation, and Community Housing!  This is a tremendous achievement and we all owe a debt of gratitude to the nine-member Community Preservation Committee (CPC) which has been meeting since June 2018.  Our thanks also to the consultant, JMGoldson, to Lanae Handy, who staffs the CPC, and to the Town officials who provided financial and organizational assistance.

During the past year the CPC has published three important documents –
1) Community Preservation Act – 5 Year Plan 2021-2021
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2) CPC Application Manual
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3) CPC Community Engagement Report – 2020. 
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Each of these reports are useful, but if you are interested in applying for CPA funds, please review the 5-Year Plan and carefully read the Application Manual. The CPC has designed a series of steps with corresponding deadlines that begin in August-September and endin June-July and repeat again for the following year.  They are

1) Read CPA Plan and Attend Application Workshops                – August-September
2) Project Eligibility Form Due                                                     – October
3) CPC Project Eligibility Review and Notification                       – October
4) CPA Funding Application Due                                                 – December
5) CPC Application Review & Applicant Presentations               – January- March
6) CRC Deliberates and Votes on Funding Recommendations  – March – April
7) Town Council Votes on Funding Recommendations               – April – May
8) Award Letters and Grant Agreements Executed                     – May – June 

There are a couple of important things to remember the application process:

1) There is a Cash Balance of $8.9 million, but it does not all have to be award this round.
2) The funds are allocate in such a way that 10% goes to each of the three categories mentioned above and then there is a general fund where 65% of the funds sit.  (Five percent of the funds are used for overhead as allowed by state law.)
3) For example, there many be a historic preservation project that is applying for all of the money allocated for historic preservation as well as a portion of the general fund.
4) It is possible to allocate funds, for let’s say a housing project, to be used to leverage outside funding. 
5) And this is the most important, anyone can apply for funding – a town department, a town committee or board, a non-profit organization, a community group, etc. As you can imagine large organizations and Town departments have more experience and expertise when it comes to applying for grants.   Do NOT let this deter you.  If you have an idea and can find partners to turn the idea into a proposal – go for it.  The CPA money is everyone’s money, you have as much right to apply for it as has any town department or major non-profit.

Finally, the CPC held two training workshops in August that were recorded by WCATV.  I am working with Lanea Handy to get the links to the recordings and will share them with you ASAP.  Consider bring a few friends together who have been mulling an idea to watch the workshops and review the Application Manual.  If not this year – maybe next year! 

What Happened at the Zoom Meeting on Development in Watertown
held on Sunday, July 25 at 7:00 PM

 On July 25 I hosted a discussion on development in Watertown focused on the explosion in life science/biotech development.  The attendance was a bit less than expected but the comments and suggestions were extraordinary.  (A special thanks to friend and supporter, Abby Yanow who helped organize and facilitate the meeting.)  The purpose of the meeting was for me to hear what folks think about development. We began by asking “What are the Upsides of Development?” and then “How Can We Build on the Upsides?“.  Then we asked, “What are the Downsides?” and “How Do We Address the Downsides?“.  This simple format produced a wealth of information. I invite you to spend 90 minutes watching the YouTube video of the meeting.  You can find it athttps://youtu.be/s1_fR7RUmm0.  Some of the upsides included increase tax revenue, higher property values, new and diverse workforce, and more energy efficient use of existing buildings.  There was an interest in expanding partnerships between companies and our High School Science and Math curriculum teachers as well as providing jobs and career opportunities for residents and first floor retail space for local businesses.  Traffic, congestion, loss of green space, less diversity and fewer small businesses as rents increase, and anxiety over biohazards and contamination were some of the downsides mentioned. Zoning changes to require more environmental regulations and net-zero buildings, more mitigation, greater resident involvement in determining mitigation, and balancing tax revenue with social, environmental, and cultural impacts were suggestions on how to address the downsides of development. I found it instructive that increasing the capacity of the Planning Department, revising the Comprehensive Plan, and creating a framework, with greater community involvement, for what is developed were mentioned a number of times. Closing of Russo’s was mentioned as a worry.  Unfortunately, that worry has come to pass.  I want to thank everyone who participated for their thoughtful suggestions. I hope to continue the discussion with an eye toward making specific proposals to the Town Council.  

There is a New Pleasant Street Shuttle that Will Serve Businesses and Watertown Residents   

After more than four years in the making, there will now be a new Pleasant Street shuttle.  Here is the recent announcement from the Town.
The Watertown Connector Shuttle launched this week, offering Pleasant St. residents and employees transportation from Pleasant Street to Watertown Square and Harvard Square.  The WATConnector will stop at Watertown Mews, Riverworks, Watermills/Aver, Watertown Square and Harvard Square during the am and pm commute times. 
 
Watertown residents can ride for $1.00.  There are 2 ways to pay.  Download the Tripshot App (Service Name is “Pleasant”), and pay with a credit card or ApplePay.  If you don’t have a smart phone, you can buy a 10-ticket pass for $10.00 at the Town Clerk’s office, on the ground floor of Town Hall, 149 Main Street. 
 
For more information go to Watertown Connector Shuttle – Pleasant Street (watertowntma.org), or contact Laura Wiener, Sr. Transportation Planner, at lwiener@watertown-ma.gov. 

SOME IMPORTANT AND INTERESTING HAPPENINGS

Community Fridge
Here is information about a new initiative organized by Sophia Suarez-Friedman, Community Coordinator for Wayside and our Social Services Resource Specialist.
The Watertown Community Fridge will be at Francis Market, and will be a fridge protected by a shed with pantry space as well. The Fridge will be open 24/7 for people to donate or take what they need, and volunteers will be clean and monitor it daily. You can read more about other fridges in the area here and look out for a Watertown News article soon!
Ways to get involved now:

• Help planning and coordinating the fridge by emailing WatertownCommunityFridge@gmail.com (currently we have a fridge and are building the shed)
• Monetary donations for costs in building and running the fridge – we are accepting donations by Venmo to Watertown Community Fridge or by check made payable to Watertown Community Fridge which you can mail to Nancy Dutton at 198 Bellevue Rd. Watertown MA 02472.  You can visit the website, receive updates from our Instagram. 

Presentation on Synthetic Turf 
If you are interested in attending an organizational meeting to help strategize against the plastic tidal wave that is Synturf, please RSVP to Megan Wolff at mjw132@gmail.com. The meeting will take place on Monday, September 13 at 7:00 PM.  The meeting’s Zoom URL is https://bennington.zoom.us/j/91228011105.

Possible Area Coop
A group of people are exploring the possibility of forming a co-op in Watertown or one with the surrounding towns. If you’re interested in this Watertown co-op project or would like to join the co-op when it opens, check out the link at https://watertownfoodcoop.org or contact Nick Quaranto at nick@quaran.to

WFPL Zine Fest
WFPL Zine Fest will take place on Saturday, October 2. It is a marketplace with 30 zinester-vendors, zine talks on topics like identity, social justice, and DIY publishing, and a new circulating zine collection with over 700 titles. As a medium of empowerment and expression for marginalized voices, we are excited to add zines to our collection and spotlight some stories and perspectives that are often overlooked by traditional publishing. Check out the webpage at watertownlib.org/zinefest and the Facebook event at facebook.com/events/379897817078908

DRAFT Remarks for My Campaign Kick Off on Sunday, July 11

And as I run up to 70 in a couple of months I find myself eager to wax philosophical.  So grab another glass of wine, find a seat, and be ready to take notes!

Only kidding!  No momentous statements or quotes from famous leaders or mentors, but a few reflections on what I have learned as a Town Councilor.

I have learned it is that to make positive change in local government it takes patience and persistence. One without the other is not enough, both are necessary. Patience requires a willingness to let events unfold and to listen to opposing voices, while persistence requires vigilance and consistent strategic pressure.  There are few successes of the early years that were a product of patience and persistence, including the establishment of the Social Services Resource Specialist, the passage of the Community Preservation Action, and the creation of two Watertown dog parks. 

I have also learned the value of listening; respecting and including the opinions and ideas of residents and the indispensible role community engagement and public participation play in shaping change and making improvements.  This has been so clearly highlighted in the proceedings of the Watertown Charter Review Committee and the community-centered work of Watertown Forward. 

However, you also need to be humble and accept responsibility when you fail to balance community engagement with listening to your colleagues.  A case in point was my failure to get a new noise ordinance passed by the Town Council, something I mentioned two years ago at a previous kick off. 

But these important factors – patience, persistence, listening, community participation, and accepting responsibility for failure – they are not enough if one wants to fully embrace the role of Town Councilor.

You also need to be accessible and responsive to all residents who approach you with a problem and be able to communicate the problem in a clear and convincing manner to Town officials.  No matter if you are able to satisfy the resident or not.

Maybe two characteristics that are most important to voters and residents are accountability and transparency.

In the spirit of accountability, I want to share some successes and new initiatives.  And in the spirit of transparency, let me be clear that my role in these efforts varies from initiator to advocate, from promoter to supporter.  And I recognize that they have been accomplished  because of the sustained efforts of others including  my colleagues on the Council, Town employees, Town committee and board members, and community/citizen organizations. 

– Efforts to achieve more affordable housing in Watertown, an issue that has been my passion, took a big step forward with the creation of a Municipal Affordable Housing Trust which will make it easier for the Town to build affordable housing.

– A recommendation from the Community Engagement Project and the Kitchen Table Conversations has come to fruition with the creation of an Assistant Town Manager whose focus will be on communication and community engagement and with a potential contact to establish a 311-type service in Watertown.

–  Guided by the energy local climate activists, I joined with my colleagues to pass a resolution endorsing the Declaration of a Climate Emergency. In addition Watertown will be developing a climate action plan, based in part on the goals of the Declaration.

– It is a credit to a small but determined group of residents, that Watertown will soon have a new solid waste reduction advisory committee and quite possibly organic waste collection.

– I am delighted to have supported the community efforts to create a public arts plan and to urge funding to staff the implementation of the plan by theTown and/or by contributions from developers.

– Finally, I am proud of my public statements condemning racism and recognizing systemic racism in public and private institutions and standing with those who are asking for equity, diversity and inclusion in Town practices, programs, and hiring.

The next two years will bring new challenges for the Town Council including the hiring of a new Town Manager. My hope that this position will be filled by someone who values the characteristic I have spoken about, including transparency, accessibility, communication, engagement, accountability, and a commitment o equity, diversity and inclusion.

I want to end by sharing two initiatives that I will take make a priority for the next term. Collecting the data to support an expansion of the services provided by our present Social Services Resource Specialists, whose case load has skyrocketed during the pandemic, and will seek funding for a community-wide social service/public health assessment with a focus on identifying the needs of those experiencing substance use disorder and mental health challenges.

Not if that is not challenging enough, I want to follow Don Quixote and tilt at windmills by begin a discussion on how to manage the explosion of life science development in Watertown. To that end I have schedule a zoom meeting on Sunday, July 25 from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM to hear residents about this issue and ideas about how to approach the problem.  Check my website or FB page or the last email I sent to learn how to register for this meeting.

Let me end with a promise – you have my word that I will be a patience, persistence, transparent, accountable public servant who is committed to community engagement, robust communication, and equity, diversity and inclusion  and occasionally tilting at windmills!  Thank you.

Two District Council Seats Open in November!

Recently District D Councilor Kenny Woodland resigned from the Town Council.  He has taken a new position with the Commonwealth which does not allow him to hold an elected office.   And two weeks ago District A Councilor Angie Kournelis informed us that she will not be running for reelection in November.  Both Angie and Kenny have given many years of dedicated service to Watertown.  They have been principled councilors always abiding by their values when voting on the many issues affecting Town government.  They have been unabashed cheerleaders for their districts and will be sorely missed by the residents of District A and District D.  I wish them the very best in the new endeavors they pursue.

Supporting Connie Henry
I can’t state how unusual this situation is.  District Councilors very rarely have a competitive race and easily win re-election. Having two open seats provide an opportunity for those who have been thinking about running a campaign to do without challenging an incumbent.  One such person is Connie Henry, a lifelong resident of Watertown who is watching her grandchildren grow up in town, She is running for election in District D.  I have known and respected Connie for many years.  She is committed to serving the residents of District D as well as helping to make Watertown a more vibrant, respectful, and inclusive community. I am proud to offer my support for her election bid.

There is only one candidate who has announced for the District A seat.  Mike Hanlon is a long-term resident of Watertown who is presently a Library Trustee. It would be greatly appreciated if you know of other residents who might be interested in running. I know there are some residents of District A  who are convening a meeting to discuss the race. Please reply if you would like to be invited to attend the zoom meeting. 

Speaking of Elections!  I am Running for Re-election!

I am eager to begin my campaign for re-election as an At-Large Town Council and have recently picked-up my nomination papers.  I realize it is a bit early to asking for your help since the election is not until November 2.  However, the first step is to get enough signatures from each of the four districts to get my name on the ballot.  It would be great if you could:

a) Let me mail you a nomination paper and ask that you collect 15-20 names from your neighbors, friends and colleagues who are REGISTERED voters. The voter needs to sign their name and address clearly so they can be easily read by the Town Clerk.  If you can’t read the name, ask the voter to print their name above their signature.  Please do not worry about filling out the “District” or “Precinct” columns.  I can do that later.  I can collect the papers in two or three weeks after you receivethem. 

b) Stop by my porch at 14 Bates Road and sign a nomination paper.  I will have a table set up with pens and the same instructions about signing clearly as noted above. You can also pick up a nomination sheet and collect signatures from your neighbors and friends and return them to the porch whenever you would like.  It makes no difference how many signatures you get – everyone counts.

THANK YOU

New Effort to Revisit the Memorandum of Understanding with BB&N

In the last Update I mentioned that there are residents who are upset with the decision of the Town to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with Buckingham, Brown, and Nichols (BB&N) because BB&N plans to build two football fields using artificial turf on the property they purchased from Mt. Auburn Cemetery.  Since then a number of residents spoke eloquently and forcefully about the dangers of artificial turf both for the users of the fields and for the environment at a community meeting held by BB&N.  In addition, an ad-hoc group has begun collecting the 150 signatures from Watertown residents on a Citizen Petition to the Town Council that would require the Town Council to take up the issue.  (See Section 7-8 of the Watertown Charter )  If you are interested in signing the petition or learning more, please contact Janet Buck by phone or text at 617-319-1322.  This is time sensitive, so if you are interested you need to act soon. 

Charter Review Commission Needs Your Input

The Charter Review Commission (CRC) is continuing to meet every two weeks to review and process proposals for changes to the Charter proposed by CRC members.  We are still working out the way that proposed changes developed by residents will be collected and presented for review and deliberation, but I am confident that will happen.  Granted it has been a bit of a slow process  – the CRC has only voted on two measures since it began in October – but things will be picking up fast.

What can you do in the next two months to get involved to register your opinions or possibly submit a proposal around a topic of interest be it communication and responsiveness, transparency, evaluation and disclosure, balance of power between the Town Council and Town Manager, the capacity of the Town Council , or justice equity, diversity and inclusion?

a) Attend the CRC meetings on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM.  Attend the Charter Chats of Watertown Forward at which the CRC meetings are discussed, resident proposals are presented, and hear from CRC members about their priorities. The Charter Chats are on the Sunday following every CRC meeting beginning at 5:00 PM.

b) Visit the CRC webpage at the Town’s website.  There you can read the proposals that have been submitted at “Suggested Charter Changes“, read the comments and ideas from residents at “Read Comments“, and submit your ideas or suggestion at  “Submit Questions and Comments” 

c) Visit the interactive website of Watertown Forward where you can get links to a long template or a short template the can guide you to complete a proposal, as well as information about to whom you should send your proposals – crc@watertown-ma.gov,townclerk@watertown-ma.gov, and michael.wade@umb.edu.  The website is also the home of many resources and a great Platform of Ideas that has been generated from the suggestions of residents attending the Charter Chats.  Time is running out, so get the juices flowing and join the effort.
Note:  A special message of appreciation to the members of the Communication Subcommittee of the CRC who wrote, designed, and distributed, with the help of hundreds of volunteers, 15,000 brochures about the CRC review process.  This beautiful tri-fold is a must read for those new to the Charter Review Process.

Finally, I ask that you take a moment to complete the Watertown Survey developed by Watertown Forward.  Nearly 500 residents have taken the survey that asks residents about what works in Watertown and what doesn’t, how they communicate with Town government, and what they would like to see done differently.  Take the survey here.

Development in Watertown – Sale of Watertown Mall, Stop and Shop, and Possibly Russo’s

The latest indication that Watertown is the new hub for life sciences and bio-tech is the purchase of the Watertown Mall by Alexandria at a cost of $130milion.  There are no firm plans what the developer plans to do but given the company’s acquisition of the Arsenal on the Charles from Athena Health and the creation of labs and office spaces there, as well as its participation in constructing more life science labs at 99 Coolidge Avenue (home of the former Mt. Auburn Health Club) we can be pretty sure the Mall will converted to more of the same.  Target has a lease through 2033 but it is unclear what the leases are Best Buy, the Registry of Motor Vehicles and a number of other small business. My guess is that if you can build Arsenal Yards across form the Mall and still have Home Depot you can develop the maul for lab space and still have a Target near by.

In may last Update I failed to mention that a developer has purchased 700 Pleasant Street were Stop and Shop is located and plans a 70,000 square foot life science campus.  Finally, and I have not been able to confirm this, but I have heard that Russo’s is being targeted by developers for more life science and bio-tech.     

Early I invited those interested in discussing the rapid development in Watertown to contact me.  I receive replies from 15 – 20 folks.  My goal is to set up a zoom meeting at the end of June.  If you have not replied with your interest, please email me at councilorpalomba@gmail.com.

One pieced of good news is the Department of Community Development will receive, if the Town Manager’s 2022 budget is passed by the Town Council, a new planner which will enable the Department to keep up with the pace of development in Town as well as updating development related ordinances and guidelines and existing policy documents like the Comprehensive Plan and the Recreation and Open Space Plan.  Speaking of the Comprehensive Plan, the present 2021 budget was amended to include $100,000 for a consultant to review and update the Plan.  Finally the new planner will also assist in the implementation of the Public Arts and Cultural Plan.  (See next item.)

Do You have Experience in the Visual Arts, Performing Arts, or Landscape Architecture?  

If so, you may want to apply for a position on the newly created Public Arts and Cultural Committee (PACC) recently approved via a resolution by the Town Council.  This is a direct result of the Master Arts Master Plan I reviewed in the last Update.  The new PACC will be composed of nine members and include two members who will be working artists and at least one member with knowledge of public art installation and maintenance. Two members must be age 21 or under.  The Committee will be staffed by the Department of Community Development and Planning via a portion of the new DCDP position mentioned above. It will be responsible for making recommendations in two core program areas: Art in Public Places and Cultural and Community Life. As an official Town committee, the Town Manager will recommend  members to the Town Council for its approval. Contact Steve Magoon at smagoon@watertown-ma.gov to get the details on when the PACC will be formed and how to apply. 

What Can You Do with $7 Million Plus?

Well you should start thinking about it!  After more than four years the Community Preservation Act will become a reality with the publication by the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) of its DRAFT Community Preservation Plan 2021-2025 and the accompanying Community Preservation Application Manual and the Community Engagement Report 2020.

On Thursday, May 20 there will be a zoom meeting from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM at which the Draft Plan will be presented for review and comment.  This is a very important meeting were residents will have the opportunity to critique the Plan. You might feel that one of the three areas for which CPA funds can be used – open space and recreation, housing, and historic preservation – is being given  more of a priority than others.  You may be concerned that the regulations to apply for funds are too restrictive and will eliminate smaller community-based organization at the expense of well-heeled government or business organizations. Or you may simple feel the plan is perfect.
The important thing is to attend the meeting!  Here is the link to the agenda and meeting access information: https://www.watertown-ma.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/5203.

If time is a problem, I would read the available documents in the following order
Draft Plan – found here 
Application Manual – found here
Community Engagement Report – foundhere

Unfortunately I will not be able to be at the meeting since the TC has a budget meeting that same date.  But I will be sure to watch it on WCA-TV.

Good News on Reducing Our Solid Waste 

The Town Council recently passed three important action items related to waste disposal and relevant to meeting the Commonwealth’s goal of reducing solid waste by 30% between 2020 and 2030 (ten years!).

The first action item called on the Administration to investigate implementing a no-cost program that collects textiles, curtains, towels, shoes, etc.  The second action item called on the Administration to conduct a recycling survey of capacity per toter to help determine a need for weekly recycling pick up. The third called on the Department of Public Works to produce a draft  organic/food waste recycling program with a cost/benefit analysis in order to develop a proposal for the Town Council.  All these steps would lead to a reduction of solid waste and lower our tipping fees.

Equally exciting was the decision of the Committee on Public Works to task the Chair of the Committee to work with DPW and the Town’s attorney to draft a resolution to create a new Solid Waste and Recycling Advisory Committee (working title).  If citizen engagement, public education and waste disposal research is your passion, get your resume out and get ready to apply to be a member of this committee!  To top off the good news the 2020 budget calls for a Recycling/Solid Waste Coordinator position.  This is a major step for the Department of Public Works and I am sure this person will work closely with the new Advisory Committee.

Special Announcement – Textiles, Paper Shredding and Styrofoam Recycling 

There will be Textiles, Paper Shredding and Styrofoam Recycling for Watertown residents only on Saturday, June 12 from 10:00 AM-2:00 PM. Please enter at Stanley Avenue. These items can be dropped off at the Jewish Day School parking lot at the entrance of Stanley Avenue. This is a free event for Town residents only – please bring an ID with you. For all standard recycling, please enter on Green River Way.
It Took a Long Time, but It Happened!  

Some of you may remember that one of the major recommendations coming from the 2019 Community Engagement Project and the Kitchen Table Conversations conducted by the Town Council’s Committee on Media and Public Outreach and Watertown Community Conversations was the creation of a new position for a communication and engagement officer.  That  position was not in the 2000 budget or the 2021 budget.  However the good news is that the 2022 budget includes the position of Deputy Town Manager “with responsibilities to include managing communication content and enhancing public engagement, and other duties as assigned.”  As with all hires, the devil is in the details, but this is a major accomplishment that clearly recognizes a need for better communication and engagement with Town government that has been voiced by residents for many years.  

It is Not Perfect but a Step in the Right Direction

Earlier this year, I brought a resolution to the Town Council calling on the Town to declare a climate emergency.  The resolution was initiated by Watertown residents, many of whom are young voters and students, who are members of Sunrise Watertown and Extinction Rebellion.  Unfortunately it did not pass.  However it was reassigned to two Town Council committees for further discussion.  After a robust and at times conflictual meeting on March 25 a revised Resolution Endorsing the Declaration of a Climate Emergency was recommended for approval by the full Town Council. On May 11 it was passed by the Town Council. You can read the Resolution here.  I will be the first to acknowledge that the final version was a compromise centered on the date by which Watertown should end town-wide greenhouse gas emissions.  The advocates requested that date be 2035, similar to what other communities in the Commonwealth declared, while some of the Councilors felt that 2035 was unrealistic and recommended it be 2050. The final version read “the goal of ending town-wide greenhouse gas emission as quickly as possible and before the Commonwealth of Massachusetts target of 2050.”  On the positive side, the Town administration has committed to using the goals in the Declaration as one of the sources for establishing the goals of the Town’s new Watertown Resilient Climate and Energy Plan.  (Note: The consultant for this Plan is Kim Lundgren Associates, Inc. and the committee they will be working with includes town employees, local scientists, some of the most active climate activists in Watertown.  The meetings of this committee are not open to the public.  I am hoping this decision can be re-visited.)

Great News – No Vote On Debit Exclusion, but Concerns about Temporary Location

At a recent meeting of the Town Council the Town Manager presented his 2022 budget.  He announced that the Town would be able to build the new high school without the need for debt exclusion. This means we can borrow the money for the construction of the new high school but not have to ask residents to vote for a debt exclusion override. Borrowing and a grant from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) will pay for the estimated $200 million project. 

At the other end of the spectrum there is growing public concern about the proposal to use Moxley Park as the temporary location of a two-story module high school and parking lot.  Residents are upset that the park will be unavailable for approximately five years and that there will be increased congestions and traffic since the temporary high school would be directly across from the Middle School. The School Building Committee (SBC) will have to make a decision soon in order for the final proposal to be presented to the MSBA for their July meeting.  To stay abreast of the SBC meetings and the elementary schools’ and high school’s building projects please visit the Building for the Future webpage, at https://www.watertown.k12.ma.us/building_for_the_future.

A Municipal Affordable Housing Trust and Possible Linkage Fee in the Future

I am pleased to share some great news about the ongoing effort to increase affordable housing in Watertown.  On May 11, the Town Council approved two recommendations from the Committee on Human Services and the Committee on Economic Development and Planning.  The first was a motion for the Department of Community Development and Planning (DCDP) to work with Town’s attorney to prepare an ordinance for the establishment of an Municipal Affordable Housing Trust (MAHT).   Having a MAHT will position Watertown to leverage state and federal housing revenue, apply for CPA funds, work with non-profit developers to create housing, and move quickly when opportunities to purchase real estate becomes available.  Since the Town Council passed the recommendation, we can be assured they will pass the ordinance and soon after the members of the Trust, which must be a diverse body, can be selected and it will become operational.  The second motion called on the DCDP to prepare a memo on linkage fees and the required Nexus Study for review by the committees at their next meeting.  Without getting lost in the details, this is a major step in the process to require developers to pay a fee per a certain square footage of development for affordable housing.  The fees most likely would be deposited into the MAHT.  Given that the nexus study may take a year, at a estimated cost of $50,000, this is a long-term effort to address the lack of affordable housing in town.  But is a major step forward.  I want to take a moment to thank the members of the Watertown Housing Partnership and DCDP’s senior planner, Larry Field, for their work to make both of these initiatives possible. 

New Director of Equity and Inclusion and a New Social Media/Web Coordinator

The Watertown School District recently announce that Dr. Kimberlee Henry has been appoint as the Director of Equity and inclusion, a newly created position.  Dr. Henry has been a pubic teacher and principal at both the elementary and secondary level and has extensive experience creating and leading professional development sessions on equity.

Also, Watertown’s Chief Information Officer, Chris McClure announced that Ms. Jeanne Williamson-Ostroff has been selected as the new Social Media/Web Coordinator.  She began her role on May 3.  Once the final position of  Information Technology Munis Database Administrator is filled, the IT Department will be fully staffed by six employees. For many years, Watertown’s Information Technology Department was staffed by two employees. 

1st Annual Sue Kuder Memorial Lecture

The 1st Annual Sue Kuder Memorial Lecture hosted by First Parish Watertown will take place on Thursday, May 20 at 7:00 PM by zoom.  It will feature Beverly and Barbara Smith. Sue Kuder was a member of First Parish Watertown who was an advocate for social justice. Beverly Smith is a current member of First Parish Watertown. Beverly and her twin sister, Barbara, were founding members of the Combahee River Collective in the 1970s.  All are welcome to this free virtual presentation. Please register here to receive the link to the lecture: https://fpwatertown.breezechms.com/form/1b516a.

Community Fridge in Watertown?

If you are interested in organizing a community fridge in Watertown you are welcomed to a zoom meeting hosted by Watertown resident, Sarah Pardo and Watertown’s Social Services Resource Specialist, Sophia Suarez-Friedman on Wednesday, May 26 from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM.  Community fridges have popped up all over the country since the pandemic. They are 24/7 access outdoor fridges enclosed in a shed for protection and dry good storage space. The ethos is “Take what you need, give what you can”; the idea is for neighbors to help each other out by direct donations of fresh and delicious food, as well as through partnerships with local non-profits, groceries, and neighborhood associations. The link to the zoom meeting is https://wellesley.zoom.us/j/99516420582.

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 Fiscal Year 2018 Budget

Medical Marijuana Dispensaries in Watertown

As you may know over four years ago Massachusetts voters approved a referendum allowing the establishment of Medical Marijuana Dispensaries (MMD) in Massachusetts.  At this time there are nine MMD in the Commonwealth including ones in Newton, Boston, and Brookline.  Two companies are seeking to establish a MMD in Watertown. NSAJO Holdings is seeking to locate at 23 Elm Street and Alternative Therapies Group (ATG) is hoping to locate at 36 Arlington Street.  These locations are in close proximity to each other in the East End.  Per the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) regulations a business seeking to establish a MMD must receive a letter of support or a letter of non-opposition from the local legislative body in order to proceed.

NSAJO Holdings has presented its proposal to the Town Council’s Committee on Economic Development and Planning and has held a community meeting earlier in the month.  The Town Council will vote on whether to give the business a letter of support or a letter of non-opposition at its meeting on Tuesday, March 28.  ATG has also presented its proposal to the Committee and will hold a community meeting on Thursday, March 30 at 7:00 PM in the Town Council Chambers.  The date for a vote on ATG by the Town Council has not been scheduled.

I have received phone calls and emails in favor and opposed to MMD in Watertown.  Those urging that the TC provide neither a letter of support nor a letter of non-opposition are concerned about the message a MMD will send to Watertown’s young people and feel that the only reason either company wants to establish a MMD is so they will be positioned to sell recreational marijuana.  (Voters overwhelming passed a referendum approving the sale of recreational marijuana in November of last year.)

Those supporting a MMD in Watertown believe that it provides a much needed service to patients who have been approved to use medical marijuana as a treatment for a medical condition.

I have considered these and other arguments carefully and have concluded that MMD should be allowed in Watertown.  I view medical marijuana as a medical/health remedy that should be available to patients who have been approved by a physician.  The MDPH has established stringent regulations that guarantee a MMD will not have a negative impact on the community.  My support for MMD however is predicated on the commitment of the applicant not to engage in the sale recreational marijuana, if and when State regulations allowing the sale are in place, without first seeking the permission of the Town Council.

Some have asked how I can be an active member of the W.A.T.E.R. town (Watertown Accessing Treatment, Education and Resources for Substance Use Disorder) Coalition and be in favor of MMD.  I do not see a contradiction.  My commitment to prevention and education of people of all ages about the dangers of substance use disorders does not mean I oppose the use of opiates for the treatment of medical conditions, particular for those suffering from chronic pain.

I am proud of the work of the Coalition.  W.A.T.E.R. town sponsored a very successful community forum with the members of St. James Armenian Church in September of last year and a major educational program in November that included presentations by a medical professional, a person in recovery and a parent who lost a child to a substance disorder.  The event’s keynote speaker was US Representative Katherine Clark.  Plans are under way for another community forum with the members of the Taxiarchae Greek Church in May and a new Watertown High School club, RADS (Raiders Against Drugs) is taking shape with the support of the Coalition.  If you are interested in getting involved with W.A.T.E.R. town, please contact Deborah Rosati, Director of the Watertown Health Department or Lt. Dan Unsworth of the Watertown Police Department.

Development

Watertown continues to be a popular location of residential and commercial development.  The Gables Arsenal Street has begun renting its 296 units and work is underway at the site of the Elan Watertown project, also on Arsenal Street, which will put an additional 282 units on the market.  Both are mixed use developments that are required to have both residential and rental components.  The Gables continues to look for retail tenants. Between the two projects is a yet to be developed retail site owned by the Cresset Group.  Initial plans called for a grocery store on the lot, but at this time the “For Lease” sign remains in place.   There are two residential developments in the Pleasant Street area.  The Roverpark Lofts at Howard Street/Bacon Street development will have 65 rental units and 12 commercial flats and the latest development to be approved is Water Mills at Bridge Point at 330-350 Pleasant Street The development includes 99 rental units along with a new restaurant overlooking the Charles River and additional retail shops.

Commercial development also continues to grow in Town.  Boylston Properties is developing the old Verizon building on Arsenal Street and renaming it the Linx.  It is 185,000 square feet of commercial and lab space.  The Cresset Group has completed development of the old Ionics building at 65 Grove Street and has leased a portion of the available 118,000 square feet.  Athenahealth has begun the renovation of its campus after receiving approval of its proposed Master Plan.  The first phase includes a new garage on the west side of the campus which was the subject of many months of negotiation with area residents around a number of issues, including the building’s height and density.

Finally, the biggest news in recent months has been the approval of the master plan for the Arsenal Yards, formerly the Arsenal Project. This is a 1 million square foot development by Boylston Properties and the Wilder Companies that will include 428 rental units, new retail shops, a specialty grocery store, a cinema complex and a variety of restaurants.

What does all this development mean?  For one thing it means more tax revenue for municipal services and for our schools.  But also means that the face of Watertown is changing.  Development can’t be stopped, but it can be managed and residents throughout Watertown have become involved – attending Planning Board and community meetings, voicing their opinions about the nitty-gritty of development such as height, density, setbacks and step backs, asking questions about design review and mitigation for infrastructure improvements, raising concerns about traffic impacts, and advocating for bike and community paths, shade trees, and landscaping.  It is important to remember that their efforts make a difference in how a development looks and how it complements and contributes Watertown’s character.  I am grateful to these residents for their diligence and persistence.

Transportation

What a better topic to follow a discussion of development than an update on transportation.   I was fortunate to be assigned to the Town Council’s Ad-Hoc Committee on Transportation this term.  I serve with the Chair, Councilor Dushku and the Vice-Chair, Vincent Piccirilli and have had the opportunity to work on two initiatives that are designed to reduce single occupancy vehicle (SOV) trips and thus reduce traffic congestion.  The first is a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Ordinance which has a goal of reducing SOV trips by 20% over the baseline data for residents and employees from the US Census Bureau’s America Community Survey.  The proposed OrdinanceTransportation Committee\Ordinance Drafts and Final\2017-03-14 TDM Ordinance_FINAL._201703101006109938.pdf would required new developments of a certain size or projects that generate a certain number of daily trips to develop a TDM plan.  A TDM plan would include goals and targets, TMD and monitoring measures, ongoing reporting, and if necessary, corrective measures. The Ordinance would be implemented via a set of TMD regulations Transportation Committee\Regulations Drafts and Final\TranspProj_Watertown_TDMRegulations_FINAL Draft_20160913.pdf . The Regulations provide developers and employers two option depending on size, number of units and number of employees.  Small projects will follow the requirements for a “Basic TDM” plan while larger projects need to file a “Comprehensive TDM” plan.   Bottom line – the Ordinance is a major step in addressing traffic congestion and developing an overall transportation plan.

The second initiative is the creation of Transportation Management Association (TMA) and the implementation of bus shuttles along Arsenal and Pleasant Streets.  The proposed “Watertown TMA” is composed of the Town large businesses/employers, and major residential developments.  The TMA would provide a series of alternative (to SOV trips) transportation options to its members, such as ride-sharing, MBTA passes, bicycle-related accommodations, emergency ride services, workshops, and employee benefits related to a reduction in SOV trips.  I am pleased to report that the consultant hired to create the Watertown TMA is moving quickly to establish by-laws, secure non-profit status, draft an annual budget, and sign memorandum of agreements with a number of major employers and developers.  The target date to announce the TMA is July of this year.

Related to the Watertown TMA is the creation of a shuttle that would service employees of major businesses and those living in major residential developments as well as Watertown residents not connected to these businesses and developments.  This effort has faced a number of hurdles including an initial overly optimistic timeline and there remain major funding, administrative and, operational issues to be resolved before a shuttle service can be implemented.  It would be foolish of me to predict a start date for the shuttle.  What I can say is that the Committee has been adamant that a shuttle service be a priority for the Watertown TMA.

Still Waiting for a New Transportation Planner

Unfortunate the position of Transportation Planner, which was approved in the FY 17 budget, has yet to be filled. The position has been advertised and candidates have been interviewed twice since July 2016. It was offered to one candidate in early 2017 but the offer was rejected. Given the number of transportation issues in Watertown, it is important that the Town fills this position as soon as possible, hopefully before the end of the fiscal year in June.

New Animal Control Ordinance

As the chair of the Town Council’s Committee on Human Services I had the privilege of working with our Animal Control Officer and others to update our Animal Control Ordinance file:///C:/Users/Family/Downloads/2017-01-24%20WATR_Animal_Control_Ordinance-final.pdf   which had not been revised since 2005.  The new Ordinance reflects changes in State law and establishes an Animal Control Fund that can be used by for Department of Health for programs and activities conducted by the Animal Control Office.  For example the funds could be used to support the Rabies Vaccination Clinic being held in Watertown Town Hall on Saturday, April 9. (Cats in carries will be vaccinated between 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM and dogs on leash between 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM.) The Ordinance increases the fines for violation of the Ordinance and allows for dogs on leash to be allowed in certain parks previously prohibited.

New and Renovated Dog Parks Coming Soon

I am very pleased to report that the Town will break ground on the new dog park at Filippello Park Grove Street entrance in the summer.  Funding for the complete renovation of the park entrance ($800,000) is in the FY18 capital improvement budget and an application has been submitted to the Stanton Foundation for a grant of $225,000 to helpful the cost of the dog park portion of the renovation.   In addition there is funding in the FY17 operating budget for upgrading the dog park at How Park.   The upgrades will include making the entrance handicap accessible, resurfacing, and building a retaining wall to level the park area.

September, 2016

Watertown Schools

There have been two important School District developments.  One is an enrollment study conducted by the consultant firm, DecisionInsite.  Looking at data from the Commonwealth and projects driven by kindergarten counts and new residential development projects the firm estimated the district would see an increase of 194 students over the next five years.  Click here  to see the firm’s presentation. Based on an estimated class size of 20, the district would need to accommodate about 10 new classes.   The second study was a School Facilities Master Plan conducted by SMMA, a Massachusetts architectural, engineering, and planning firm.  Throughout the summer an ad hoc committee of school and town council members, teachers, district administrators and parents worked with SMMA to assess our five school buildings. There were also three community meetings held during the summer.  At the last meeting held on August 24 SMMA presented estimated costs for three options for each school.  The cost range from $165 million for basic renovation to $203 million for renovation with education layouts designed to facilitate 21 century learning, to $389 million for new construction.  In addition there was a $46.7 million price tag for new construction of a Universal Early Learning Center.  You can see agendas, minutes, videos, and power point presentations for all committee and community meetings here.

What’s next?  The dates have not been sent but tentative plans are that SMMA’s final report will be presented to the ad hoc committee, then to the School Committee and Town Council and finally to the community at a special town-wide meeting.

Community Preservation Act

I am happy to report that the Community Preservation Act (CPA) will appear on the November 8 ballot. We anticipate that the ballot question will be #5.  During the summer volunteers from Invest in Watertown collected nearly 1,600 signatures that were submitted to the Town Clerk for certification.  The organization now turns to educating voters about the benefits of the CPA, raising funds, and conducting a campaign to win passage of the measure on Election Day.  I have endorsed this effort, along with colleagues on the Town Council, our state senator and state representatives, community leaders and local organizations, because I believe it is in the best interest of Watertown.  You can learn more about the CPA and what specific projects it could support by visiting the Invest in Watertown web site here.  The short version is that the CPA will create a dedicated fund in Watertown for outdoor recreation and open space, historic preservation, and affordable housing.  Funds would be generated through a surcharge on property tax bills with the average homeowners seeing an increase of $2.40 per week on their annual tax bill.  We estimate that adoption of the CPA will raise $1.7 million which will be partially matched by the State every year.  The funds will free up Town revenue for other projects and can be used to leverage funds from state agencies.   The Invest in Watertown campaign needs volunteers!  Contact them at cpawatertown@gmail.com.

I invite you to a fundraiser to bring the Community Preservation Act to Watertown,  “Conversation, Food and Drink with Warren Tolman, former State Senator and Fox 25 Commentator discussing the 2016 Election” on Sunday, October 2 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM in the Community Room at the new Marriott Inn on Arsenal  Street in Watertown.  Suggested donation is $50.00.  RSVP to cpawatertown@gmail.com.

Residential Design Guidelines

The Town, through the Department of Community Development and Planning, has contracted with David Gamble, the consultant who developed the Design Guidelines for larger commercial and residential developments, to prepare residential design guidelines (RDG).   This process began in late 2015 and included three community Listening Sessions followed by a Community Forum where RDG were discussed as one of a number of available neighborhood preservation tools.   The idea of RDG has generated a great deal of discussion, controversy and confusion.   Others and I believe the guidelines process, if properly developed, can protect the character of our many diverse neighborhoods, increase property values, streamline approval processes, and provide resources for builders and architects.   It is important as the process unfolds that there is open-minded and thoughtful discussion of the issues.

As I understand it, in the near future, the Town will bring the first draft of the proposed RDG to the Watertown community for review and discussion and that everyone in Town will be notified in a timely manner when the meeting will take place.

Development in Watertown

Development in Watertown continues at a brisk pace with some projects nearing completion, some just breaking ground and others in the planning stages.  The Marriott Inn on Arsenal Street has recently opened for business and the new office building at 65 Grove Street is seeking tenants.   The Cresset Group’s apartments (approximately 300 units) at the 202-204 Arsenal Street will be ready soon, while the Elan development (about another 300 units) next door at the corner of Arsenal and Irving Streets has only begun.  Progress can be seen at the two new developments on Pleasant Street near Howard Street.  athenahealth has received its approval of its Master Plan and has submitted its plans for a commercial building and parking garage, the first of many buildings it will erect on its Campus on the Arsenal, while Boylston Properties and its partners have held a number of community meetings and has submitted its master plan proposal for the Arsenal Project.

This summary is only a glimpse at the development processes underway in Watertown.  Paragraphs can be written about each project, the status of its proposal, the role of the community, the impact of traffic, the potential new tax dollars, and more.  What is clear is that development in Watertown is going full steam ahead and this is causing some residents serious concerns.  The question I hear often is, “What are we going to do about all this development?”  Short of a moratorium there is not a lot that can be done to curtail development.  But what can be done and what we have been doing is looking closely at each project’s benefits and impact, requiring design review and infrastructure mitigation, and encouraging community participation at required community meetings and Planning Board meetings.  Development results in greater tax revenue and thus allows for the Town to hire much needed additional staff and expand services.   It also results in significant change.  We need to be vigilant and actively involved in the process if these changes are to benefit us and future Watertown generations.

It is not easy to keep up with the community meetings and meetings of the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals.  One way to do this is to sign up for notices from the Town by visiting the “Notifiy Me” page on the Town’s web site.  Click here to do that.

2017 Town Budget

In late June the Town Council passed a $126.3 million Town Budget for FY 17 that included important new positions that I and other Councilors had highlighted the Budget Guidelines that we present to the Town Manager each year.  I am very pleased to announce that after many years of partial Town funding, the Social Service Resource Specialist program was fully funded at approximately $68,000.  Those residents, like the members of the Watertown Public Transit Task Force, who have been working hard on transportation issues will be delighted to know that the Department of Community Development and Planning received funds to hire a Transportation Planner.  The Department also will be able to hire an Assistant Building Inspector a position clearly needed to keep up with the development in Town and a Code Enforcement Officer whose responsibility it will be to enforce Town codes and ordinances that are often overlooked.  Finally the FY 17 budget included funding for three new police officers and four new firefighters.   The ability to fund these new positions is the result in part of increase tax revenue from new growth and increases in permit fees.

Transportation

I am fortunate to serve as the Secretary of the Town Council’s Committee on Transportation where we have been discussing, with Town officials, consultants and residents two major initiatives.  The first is the development of a Transportation Management Association (TMA) and the second is the creation of a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) ordinance.  Watertown has chosen the 128 Business Council as the consultant responsible for encouraging local employers and large residential developments to join the TMA.  In addition to providing resources and training to member organizations to help reduce traffic congestion and increase alternative modes of transportation, the 128 Business is responsible for developing the TMA’s shuttle service.  The Town hopes that the shuttle service, which will initially service businesses and developments on Arsenal Street and Pleasant Street, will be up and running by the end of the year.  The creation of a TDM ordinance is a major undertaking.  The ordinance would require developments of a certain size to produce a transportation demand management plan that would reduce the number of single occupancy vehicles (SOV) coming to and from their location.  The elements of a TDM plan including such things as riding sharing, subsidizes public transportation vouchers, emergency rider service, car pooling,  and incentives to encourage the use of bicycles.

W.A.T.E.R. town

W.A.T.E.R.town (Watertown Accessing Treatment, Education and Resources on Substance Use Disorders) is continuing its efforts in 2016 to address the opioid crisis.  While there have been many local and statewide initiatives designed to decrease opioid use and increase prevention and treatment services, the crisis continues.  In 2016 there have been 33 overdoes reported in Watertown with 6 of them being fatal. That figure may have been greater if it was not for the administration of NARCAN by our firefighters and police supervisors.   W.A.T.E.R. town, the local coalition of Town departments, the school district, community organizations, service providers and individuals guided by the leadership of the Watertown Health Department, recognizes that only through on-going education, prevention and treatment will the crisis be slowed.

 March, 2016 

Development, Transportation, Stormwater, Complete Streets, W.A.T.E.R.town, and Dog Park.

January 2016 Entries

Regional Mixed Used District (RMUND)

Watertown is facing one of the most important zoning-related issues since we completed the Comprehensive Plan. There is an effort to rezone the area including and around the Arsenal Project and the Watertown Mall, specifically this would create a new zoning district known as the Regional Mixed Use District or RMUD. The zoning will determine what can be built, how it will look, whether there is ample open space, how close buildings can be to the river, how traffic and parking will be considered, and much, much more. There are four citizen-initiated conversations, organized by Sustainable Watertown that I hope you will be able to attend. It is critical that the community have the opportunity to discuss the many aspects of the RMUD before it is taken up by the Town Council. Please find the time to attend as many of these sessions as possible. Thank you.

OCTOBER 18 ENTRY

Meeting on Filippello Park and a New Dog Park at the Grove Street Entrance

The recent meeting on the redesign of the Grove Street entrance to Filippello Park was marked by strong community dissatisfaction with the size and placement of a proposed dog park. Members of the Dog Park Task Force and I were disappointed by the conceptual design presented by the Recreation Department and the design consultant. It was the understanding of Town Council’s Public Works Committee, which held two meetings on the issue, that a dog park would be a central component of the redesign and be located on the site of the old recycling center. There was also concern raised by residents that greater effort could be made to incorporate community garden space. The input from the meeting will be considered when the ad-hoc town committee responsible for the project meets again. The Dog Park Task Force has asked to be represented on this committee in the past and that request was reiterated at the meeting. I urge those interested in a state-of-the-art dog park at Filippello Park to send an email to Town Manager Michael Driscoll (mdriscoll@watertown-ma.gov) and Town Council President Mark Sideris (msideris@watertown-ma.gov) asking that a representative of the Dog Park Task Force be invited to join the ad-hoc town committee. No date has been set for a future community meeting on this topic at this time.

Community Input Into the Hiring of a New Police Chief

There was a good turnout at the October 7 meeting of the Town Council’s Committee on Public Safety to discuss suggestions from the community regarding the design of the assessment center which will be used to evaluate candidates applying to be our next Chief of Police. The consultant hired to create, implement and score the assessment center was present along with the Town Manager who will ultimately choose the new Chief from a list of three candidates submitted by the consultant. Town councilors, representatives of community organizations and residents spoke thoughtfully and with passion about the characteristics, abilities and priorities they hoped our new Chief would possess. These included an understanding and commitment to community policing, the ability to work well with the schools and school service agencies to address community-wide issues (e.g., the ongoing opioid crisis), and commitment to protect civil liberties and connect with minority and marginalized communities, and a promise not to apply for or accept surplus military-style equipment from the federal government. It is my hope that the consultant and the Town Manager will take these and other suggestions into consideration when creating the assessment center and selecting the final candidate.

W.A.T.E.R.town (Watertown Access to Treatment, Education and Resources on Substance Use Disorders)

I hope you have seen the billboards on Arsenal Street, Mt. Auburn Street and Pleasant Street, the banners on the Watertown Savings Bank and the fire station on Main Street, and the smaller banners at the Boys and Girls Club and local churches all saying the same thing – we are coming together as a community to address the opioid epidemic in Watertown. Be assured there is an epidemic – since January of this year there have been 47 reported heroin overdoses, 10 of which were fatal. In 2014 there were 15 overdoses and 1 fatality. In an amazing display of collaboration, the Town Council, community organizations, prevention advocates, treatment providers, clergy, first responders, concerned families and individuals in recovery have joined to form a new coalition, W.A.T.E.R.town, and have developed an Opioid Action Plan.

The flyer (click here ) announcing, Erase the Stigma: A Week of Awareness and Education for All Ages to Build Hope, Health and Healing Around Opioid Addiction, is a key accomplishment of the coalition. I am proud of the role I played as the chair of the Town Council’s Committee on Public Safety in encouraging and participating in this effort. I urge you to take a close look at the activities listed in the flyer that will take place between October 18 and October 25. I particularly ask that you, your family, neighbors, co-workers and others attend the program, “Coming Together to Erase the Stigma” event this Wednesday, October 21 from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM at the Watertown High School Gym. The flyer lists the speakers, film and entertainment for the evening as well as the availability of childcare, interpretation for the hearing impaired, and Spanish and Portuguese translation services. And there will be pizza and free raffle prizes. If there is a community-wide event you do not want to miss it is this one!

Residential Design Guidelines and “Preserving Our Neighborhoods

Now that the Town has created Design Guidelines and Standards for large developments, attention has turned to the creation of residential design guidelines. David Gamble and his team from Gamble Associates have been hired as consultants to develop the guidelines. The first step in the process is to gather community input about what is important to Watertown residents when they think about how their neighborhood looks and feels. There will be three “Listening Sessions“, with an identical format and content, held in three areas of Watertown all from6:30 PM to 8:00 PM. Here is the schedule:

– Tuesday, October 20 at the Apartments at Coolidge School, 319 Arlington Street
– Monday, October 26 in the Lower Meeting Room at Town Hall, 149 Main Street
– Thursday, October 29 in the Community Room at the Police Station – 552 Main Street

Preserving Our Neighborhoods is the title of a community forum scheduled for Thursday, November 12 at 6:30 PM at the Middle School, 68 Waverly Avenue. The program will look at some of the key issues facing Watertown’s neighborhoods and the tools available to preserve neighborhood character, including design guidelines, ordinances, zoning and regulation, and neighborhood conservation districts. This initiative is the work of the Neighborhood Advocacy Committee which includes neighborhood advocates and members of the Town Council, including myself, and the Town’s Department of Community Development and Planning. Save the date -Thursday, November 12!

Mitigation Proposal Defeated

I recently proposed that the Department of Community Development and Planning (DCDP) create a “migration summary” for each major development that would clearly list the mitigation steps a developer has taken such as street and sidewalk improvements or traffic and intersection enhancements. I saw this as an effort at to let the public know, with a few clicks on DCDP’s web site, what the Town is getting from each new development. The proposal, which was to be piloted by the DCDP, was viewed favorable by the Town Council’s Committee on Economic Development and Planning, but defeated by the full council. This was a disappointment since it was a limited, but positive, effort to increase transparency around development issues. I hope to reintroduce the proposal to the new Town Council in 2016.

August 3, 2015 Entries

Dog Parks – Exiting and Planned

Opioid Action Plan

 Firefighter’s Contract

New Initiative – Preserving Watertown Neighborhoods

I have had the opportunity to be involved in a new initiative focused on defining what Watertown residents value in their neighborhoods and how to preserve and enhance the character of our neighborhoods.  Spurred on by the growing number of demolitions of single family homes, the group is looking at residential design guidelines, neighborhood conservation districts, a demolition by neglect ordinance, and zoning amendments.  This is an important but challenging effort that must also consider the need for affordable housing, the value of a diverse community, and individual property rights.  The work of the group has been reviewed at a meeting of the Town Council’s Committee on Economic Development and Planning on July 30 and will be discussed again at a future committee meeting.

 June 29, 2015 Entries

Development in Watertown – Update on Key Projects

Construction has begun a large mixed used development at 202-204 Arsenal Street.  It will have 297 rental units, the majority of which will be one and two bedroom and significant retail space as well as a separate parcel for a proposed supermarket.  The demolition you see at the corner of Arlington and Mt. Auburn Streets is where the new CVS, the source of considerable neighborhood opposition, will be built.  Also you may have noticed that the old Saab dealership on the corner of Arsenal and Elm Street has been razed. This will be the site of the new Marriott hotel that should open in September of 2017.

There are two recently approved developments worth noting.  The abandoned Ionics building at 65 Grove Street will be renovated as new office commercial office space.  Leasing of the space has already begun for early to mid 2016.  The second large mixed use development on Arsenal recently received its final approval from the Zoning Board of Appeal.  Located at the corner of Irving and Arsenal Streets, the Elan Union Market development will include 282 rental units and limited retail space.  This is the first project in Watertown to be developed in tandem to the creation of the Design Guidelines and Standards.

The renovation of the old Verizon building (480 Arsenal Street) located between Arsenal Street and Nichols Avenue is proposed to be renovated into new, modern office space.  The project still needs approval by the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeal. Also a proposal to build a new hotel on Elm Street on the site of the old Atlantic Battery business behind Target is being reviewed by the ZBA.  This would be a 104 room hotel.  There has been mixed reaction to this proposal with some neighbors opposing its size and others feeling it is appropriate for a industrial zoned area.

Upcoming Development-Related Meeting

On Tuesday, June 30 at 7:00 PM there will be a Special Meeting of the Town Council to discuss the amendments to the Zoning Code based on the new Design Guidelines and Standards.  This is a very important meeting as it related to major zoning amendments that will determine how future large developments in Watertown can be designed.  Materials are available at watertown2.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/17209

On Wednesday, July 8 at 7:00 PM the Planning Board will meet in the Town Council Chambers in Town Hall.  The fore-mentioned office development at 480 Arsenal Street will be presented.  The documents related to this project can be found at http://www.watertown-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/Index/844

On Thursday, July 2 at 6:00 PM there will be joint meeting of three Town Council committees to continue the discussion of a proposed ordinance to allow BYOB permits in Watertown.

Opioid Crisis is Watertown

The figures tell the story – Watertown is not immune to the opioid crisis surging across the Commonwealth.  In Watertown there were two deaths from opioid overdoses in 2013 and one death in 2014, but since the beginning of 2015 eight people have died from a drug overdose.  During the weekend of June 13 and 14 alone police and fire personnel responded to three overdoses emergencies.  One of the individuals was saved by the use of Narcan but two individuals died.

The Human Services Committee, which I chair, held a meeting on Tuesday, June 16 at Town Hall to discuss the epidemic and how the Town and others can respond.  For three hours, I and Councilor Dushku heard from town officials from the Departments of Health, Police, and Recreation, as well as medical and health experts, representative of recovery organizations and individuals suffering from the disease of addiction about the opioid crisis, the challenges in poses, and the steps that can be taken to address it.  I cannot do justice to the presentations here, but I can share the message that was repeated over and over. If we are to meet this crisis we must remove the stigma associated with addiction through education and outreach so that it is understood of what it is – a chronic, relapsing, treatable medical disease.   The Committee on Human Services will be holding a follow-up meeting on Monday, July 27 at 7:00 PM in Town Hall.  I hope you can attend and bring a friend to learn about the action plan being developed and how you can get involved.

May 18, 2015 Entries

Development in Watertown

The Comprehensive Plan, began in early 2013, has been completed!  The Plan was formally presented to the members of the Planning Board and the Town Council at a public meeting on Wednesday, May 16.  Comments and suggestions from the meeting have been incorporated into  final version of the Plan.  It was approved by the Planning Board at its May 13 meeting and will then be presented to the Town Council.  The next step is the may be the most difficult – translating the goals for the plan into public policy! http://projects.vhb.com/watertowncompplan/pdf/Watertown%20Comp%20Plan_FINAL_04-14-15_small.pdf

The Design Standards and Guidelines are completed and the Planning Board has approved the related zoning amendments at a public meeting on Thursday, April 30.  The proposed amendments will be presented to the Town Council for their approval at a public meeting in late June.  http://www.watertown-ma.gov/index.aspx?nid=831

Hard work pays off!  A number of councilors, community groups, and residents have been urging that the Town expand the capacity of the Department of Community Development and Planning (DCDP) to assist with the implementation of the Comprehensive Plan and to address pressing transportation-related projects.  I am very happy to report that the Town Manager and the Town Council have allocated $130,000 to the DCDP’s 2015 budget for consultant services for these two purposes.

See http://www.councilorpalomba.com/calendar/ for list of upcoming meetings related to development issues in Watertown

2016 Budget

The Town Manager presented his 2016 budget to the Town Council on Tuesday, April 26.  I am happy to report that it included increases in the fire and police budgets (including money for a new school resource officer at the Middle School), full funding of the school department budget as requested by the School Committee and $25,000 for the Social Service Resource Specialist!  The next step in the budget process is a series of Town Council meetings to review each of the 29 budgets.  For a complete list of the hearing dates and what budgets will be discussed when, please visit the calendar on the website at  http://www.councilorpalomba.com/calendar/

Transportation Meeting

The Watertown Public Transit Task Force, in cooperation with the Watertown/Belmont Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a comprehensive educational program on Transit Management Associations or “TMAs”.  The program entitled, Watertown Shuttle Buses? will take place on Thursday, June 4 Aat 6:30 PM in the Watertown Free Public Library and will feature presentations from representatives from the Charles River TMA, the 128 Business Council TMA, MassCommutes and the Metropolitan Area Plannin Council.

Opioid Crisis Touches Watertown

We have read many articles of late about the opioid crisis the Commonwealth is facing as demonstrated by over 1,000 deaths since January 2015.  The crisis touches Watertown as we learn from the fact that in 2013 there were two deaths from a drug overdose and in 2014 there was one death, but since January 2015 six Watertown residents have died from a drug overdose.  On Tuesday, June 16 at 7:00 PM in the Louis Andrews Conference Room on the 3^rd floor of Town Hall, the Committee on Human Services, which I chair, will hold a public meeting to discuss the crisis and the related issues of prevent and education.  This is a continuation of a committee meeting held in March of 2014.  Representatives from Town departments including Fire, Police, School, and Public Health as well as community-based organizations have been invited to attend.

Liquor License Update and BYOB

Recently the Town Council passed a motion that, on the approval of the State Legislature, would increase the number of liquor licenses the Town has by 15.  Now the Council is looking at establishing a permitting process for BYOB (“bring your own bottle”) at Watertown restaurants.  Both efforts are seen as contributing to our economic vitality as well as adding to the tax base since Watertown adopted a hotel and meals tax option a couple of years ago.  The next meeting to discuss the BYOB permitting process will take place on Thursday, June 24 at 7:00 PM in the Town Council Chambers.

 February 23, 2015 Entries

 SNOW CHALLENGES

January 3, 2015 Entries

My Vote on the Firefighters Contract

On December 9 the Town Council voted to rejected the budget resolution presented by the Town Manager which would fund the contract between the Town and the Waterown Firefighters Union.  The resolution was defeated 8 – 1.  My vote was the only vote in favor of the resolution and thus in favor of the contract.  Some of the reasons I voted in the affirmative are outlined in a recent Letter-to-the-Editor penned by Rob Mannix, the President of Local 1347.  http://watertown.wickedlocal.com/article/20141223/NEWS/141228768/2011/OPINION

However I would like to share my main reason for voting “yes”.  I believe that the Town and the Union engaged in a process that was accepted as valid from the beginning by both parties.  During negotiations there were concessions made, however unresolved issues forced the parties into arbitration.  The subsequent ruling and award  favored the Union on some points and the Town on others.  From my perspective it was the responsibility of the Town Council to respect the process and vote to support the budget resolution.  (It should be noted that the cost of the award was to be paid from a stabilization fund created to fund collective bargaining agreements as well as from the FY ’15 Town Council Reserve.)

In my opinion not funding the contract has sent an unfortunate message to other Town employees who are members of collective bargaining units.   The question they may be asking is whether the Town will in the future respect the process of union negotiation.  If the the budget resolution was passed, I think this question would be answered in the affirmative.  If you would like to discuss my vote, please do not hesitate to contact me by replying to this email.  I would be happy to have a phone conversation or meet with you.

 Watertown Public Transit Task Force Takes Shape

There is a new community-based group in Town.  The Watertown Public Transit Task Force was formally announced in mid-December with the release of its mission statement.  Composed of residents and community leaders the Task Force is working to improve the quality and quantity of transit services available to Watertown residents.  I am happy to be part of this new group along with my colleague, Councilor Aaron Dushku.  For a excellent report on the Task Force, see the recent article in the Watertown Tab at http://watertown.wickedlocal.com/article/20141230/NEWS/141239525?Start=1

Proposed CVS in Coolidge Square

The proposal to build a CVS at the corner of Mt. Auburn Street and Arlington Street met strong opposition from abutters, residents of the Coolidge Square area and others at the December 10 meeting of the Planning Board and the December 19 meeting of the Zoning Board of Appeal (ZBA).  The Planning Board refused to support the proposal by a 3 – 1 vote while the ZBA voted to continue the case by a vote of 5 – 0.  The the proposal is scheduled to be hear again by the ZBA on Wednesday, January 28.

The key issues raised by residents included traffic congestion, noise and light disturbance for the immediate abutters on Wells Avenue,  the size of the building (13,000 sq.ft) and whether the design of the store was in line with the ideas set forth in the draft Comprehensive Plan.  Residents had collected over 200 signatures on a petition (65 collected by one resident within two hours!) opposing the proposal which they presented to the Boards along with the results of a survey completed by nearly 100 Coolidge Square residents and conducted by the community group, East Enders, which demonstrated serious reservations about the proposal.  It is unclear what will happen next, though there is the possibility that the developer could revert to an earlier proposal that would not require approval of the two Boards.

Waterown Seeks More Liquor Licences

The Town Council may soon vote on a proposal to seek Legislative authority to issue 15 new liquor licenses.  The licenses would be leased from the Town for a fee yet to be determined and would not be transferable, that is the license holder could not sell the license.  The licenses are targeted to both particular developments/owners such as the Arsenal Place, the new hotel on Arsenal Street, and the mixed used development on Howard Streets, as well as specific areas of Town including Union Market, South Square, Watetown Square, and Coolidge Square.

Town Councilors Submit Budget Priorities

The members of the Town Council recently ranked their revenue and spending priorities for the FY ’16 budget.  The rankings were tallied and the final list of priorities was approved at the December 9 meeting and submitted to the Town Manager who is to consider it when developing his 2016 budget proposal.  If you are interested in learning how I and other Councilors ranked the priorities that were sent to the Town Manager, please drop me an email at councilorpalomba@gmail.com and I will send you the file.

December 1, Entries 

Design Standards and Guidelines

On Saturday, November 22 over 60 residents attended the second community meeting about the development of new Design Standards and Guidelines.  This meeting delved into the structure and content of the Guidelines and discussed a test case for a project at the corner of Arsenal and Irving Streets.   The meeting presentation included graphics for the draft guidelines and looked at a test case (Pirolli Site at Irving and Arsenal Streets) for how design guidelines could affect one area.

There is a new web site dedicated to this effort at http://www.watertown-ma.gov/index.aspx?NID=831.   Of particular interest are the nine categories included within the Design Guidelines Framework showing examples of protypical development. The descriptions and images are a starting point for additional diagrams that will be included under each category. In addition, specific Standards will be developed moving forward which will be included as an amendment to Watertown’s Zoning Ordinance.

New material will be added to the top of new web site on a regular basis so check back frequently.  Also, I hope you will forward this information on to anyone you think might be interested.

CVS in Coolidge Square and Renovation of 65 Grove Street

December 5 Update! – 65 Grove Street (GE Ionics Building) redevelopment has been postponed until the Board’s January meeting.

On Wednesday, December 10 at 7:00 PM in the Town Council Chambers of Town Hall the Planning Board will review the request for a Special Permit by the developers of the proposed CVS at the corner of Mt. Auburn Street and Arlington Street in Coolidge Square. This will be the second time the Board has heard this request.  At their November meeting the Board asked that the developers to respond to issues of increased traffic congestion, noise from deliveries scheduled after 8:00 PM and before 8:00 AM, and the scale of the proposal in relationship to the smaller stores in the area.

The Planning Board will also hear, for the first time, from the developers who are proposing to redevelop the GE Ionics Building at 65 Grove Street into commerical and office space.  There appears to be fewer concerns raised about this proposal, though abutting residents and others are worried about increase traffic.

Historical Commission to Discuss Home Demolitions and Speaker on Preserving the Character of Watertown’s Neighborhoods

The Historical Commission will meet on Thursday December 11 at 7:00 PM in the Lower Meeting Room of Town Hall. There are two particular agenda items worth noting. One is the discussion of single family home demolitions in areas that are zoned for two family homes. The other is a discussion regarding an invitation to a City of Somerville Planner to speak in Watertown about the measuring/preserving character of the Town’s neighborhoods. The complete agenda can be found at  http://www.watertown-ma.gov/index.aspx?nid=346

November 18, Entries

Design Standards and Guidelines

The next public meeting regarding the creation of Design Standards and Guidelines will take place on Saturday, November 22 from 10:00 AM to 12 Noon in the Watertown Middle School Auditorium.  The agenda for the meeting is:

1. Recap from October 15th meeting
2. Design Guideline draft structure
3. Prototypical development that addresses draft Design Guidelines
4. Test application of Guidelines to Greystar’s “Elan” project
5. Mechanisms for enforcement

Visit  http://www.ci.watertown.ma.us/index.aspx?NID=831  to learn about the project goals and timeline, to view the October 15 power point presentation and see the graphic template that David Gamble, of Gamble Associates, has created.

202-204 Arsenal Street

With the Historical Commissions approval for demolition of buildings on Arsenal and Irving Streets, the 202 – 204 Arsenal Street and 58 Irving Street developments have passed the final hurdle.  Site preparation and demolition will begin soon.

CVS at Mt. Auburn Street and Arlington Street

The Planning Board reviewed the proposal for a CVS at Mt. Auburn Street and Arlington Street at its meeting on Monday, November 10.  Residents of Coolidge Square and others raised many of the same concerns that were discussed at an earlier community meeting. Top on the list was increased traffic congestion as well as noise from deliveries scheduled after 8:00 PM and before 8:00 AM.  There were also concerns about the appropriateness of a big chain store in an area occupied by smaller stores and whether the 13,000 square foot CVS would take business away from the smaller convenience stores.  The Planning Board continued the hearing on the proposal until its December meeting.

October 30, 2014 Entries

Design Standards and Guidelines

On October 15 over 100 residents attended the presentation by David Gamble of Gamble Associates on the creation of design standards and guidelines for future developments in Watertown.  It was a very informative meeting and the audiences’ reactions were generally positive.  Mr. Gamble provided an overview of design standards and gave specific examples of where they have been used in other communities.  He led the audience through a survey to gauge what residents felt were key issues that should be addressed by the design standards and guidelines.

I encourage anyone who is interested in development in Watertown to become involved in this process.  Visit  http://www.ci.watertown.ma.us/index.aspx?NID=831  to learn about the project goals and timeline and to view the October 15 power point presentation.  I urge you to take a moment to submit your ideas and comments on the key elements of design guidelines by visiting, docs.google.com/forms/d/1zAhodBZg4H4Iav-lgyxd2BJsknH0TXAtC-Vhlc7cidg/viewform?c=0&w=1     

Important Planning Board Meeting – Monday, November 10 – CVS, G.E. Ionics and Pleasant Street Corridor Amendment

http://www.watertown-ma.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/2609

The Planning Board will hear a request for a special permit from the developers of CVS and from the developers of G.E. Ionics as well as discuss the Pleasant Street Corridor text amendment at their meeting on Monday, November 10.  The meeting begins at 7:00 PM. (Note: the Planning Board usually meets on the second Wednesday of each month but due to the Veterans Day holiday and other conflicts the Board is meeting on Monday.)  In the October 1 entries below there is a quick summary of these three topics, however for more details and link to the developers’ plans, traffic studies and more visit:

CVS Development – http://www.watertown-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/Index/796

G. E. Ionics Redevelopment – http://www.watertown-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/Index/786

Pleasant Street Corridor Text Amendment – http://www.watertown-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/15006

New Requirements for Affordable Housing

At its October 14 meeting the Town Council approved an amendment to the Town’s inclusionary zoning such that all developments of 5 units or more  would be required to have 12.5% of the units affordable rather than 10% of the units.  While the amendment will only increase Watertown’s affordable housing stock slightly, from 6.5% to 6.8%, it is an important step toward reaching the State requirement of 10% affordable units in a community.  Visit http://ma-watertown2.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/15711

One Step Closer to a Third Dog Park!

The Town moved one step closer to having at third dog park, this one in the East end, when the Public Works Committee of the Town Council approved a recommendation to request that the full Town Council approve a dog park at the Grove Street entrance to Fillipello Park.  The Committee met on Wednesday, October 22.  The Town Council will take up the recommendation at its November 12 meeting.  If approved the dog park will be incorporated into the plans to redesign the entrance on Grove Street that in the past was the site of the Town’s recycling facility.  It is anticipated that the state-of-the-art dog park will be ready in approximately a year.

I want to extend my congratulations to the members of the Watertown Dog Park Task Force for all they have done to make it possible for Watertown’s four- legged friends to have parks.

Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Process Has Begun

On Tuesday, October 28 the Town Manager presented his Preliminary Budget for FY ’16 to the Town Council.  The budget showed a deficit of nearly $2 million, however so have the last three preliminary budgets.  Fortunately by the time the FY ’16 budget is formerly presented to the Town Council in April by the Town Manager it will be a balanced budget.

What is important about the presentation of the Preliminary Budget is that it marks the beginning of the FY ’16 budget process.  While the creation of the budget is the responsibility of the Town Manager there are specific points between now and April that the Town Council and the public can have input to the process.  The first opportunity is  the development of the Town Council’s budget guidelines and budget priorities.  The Council’s Committee on Budget and Fiscal Oversight has scheduled two meetings, November 17 and November 24, to review the priorities and guidelines offered by the members of the Town Council.  Both meetings will begin at 7:00 PM and take place in the Town Council Chambers at Town Hall.  I strongly urge residents to attend this meetings.

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October 1, 2014 Entries

Development in Watertown

Watertown is in the midst of an unprecedented surge in development of two and three unit residents and large mixed use developments.  Projects that required approval by the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals included 33 Mt. Auburn Street which will have 24 residential units and approximately 2,000 square feet of commercial space and a major development at 202-204 Arsenal Street with 297 residential units, an 80-seat restaurant and 33,000 square feet allocated for a grocery store.  In addition, approvals have been granted for a new Residence Inn Marriot hotel at the corner of Arsenal Street and Elm Street on the site of now closed Saab dealership.

The rush to develop in Watertown has triggered a groundswell of interest among residents beyond those whose property abuts a specific development.  More and more folks are concerned about increased traffic congestion, building design, transition zones between a development and neighborhoods, public transportation enhancements, green space, walking and bike paths, street scrapes, parking, and the use of energy-efficient materials.

There is little anti-development sentiment in Watertown but there is a growing awareness that development can have positive and negative long-term consequences. The question is not whether there will be development rather the question is what type of development will both maintain the unique characteristics of Watertown while improving the quality of life for all residents of Watertown.

In addition, neighborhood organizations, community groups and individual residents are asking for a more comprehensive approach to development within specific areas of Watertown such as the Pleasant Street Corridor, the Arsenal Street Corridor, Watertown Square and Coolidge Square.  They are looking to the Town’s Community Development and Planning Department, the Planning Board (CDPD) and the Zoning Board of Appeals to look at these areas as a whole and evaluate a development project on how well in complements the overall vision for that area.

Consultant to Develop Design Standards and Guidelines

In response to the concerns raised by residences the CDPD hired, with Town Council approval, David Gamble of Gamble Associates to develop a new set of design standards and guidelines. The contract with Gambles Associates calls for two community meetings, one at the beginning of the project during the information gathering phase and a second meeting to review the draft before it is submitted to the Town Council.  The first meeting will take place on Wednesday, October 15 from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM in the Auditorium at the Middle School on Waverley Avenue.

Greystar Development on Irving and Arsenal Streets

Geystar is proposing to develop a second large mixed used development immediately adjacent to the 202-204 Arsenal Street development being built by Cresset/WS Ventures and Hanover R.S. that is mentioned above.  The preliminary design calls for 278 residential units which, similar to the 202-204 Arsenal Street development, will be one-bedroom or two bedroom units.  In addition there are 15,600 square feet of retail space.

Greystar has agreed to be the first development to work with the Town and Gamble Associates on creating and implementing new design standards.  There has been one community meeting on the project and a second will be held in late October/early November.

A new CVS and Renovation of the GE/Ionics Building

There are two projects being considered in the East End of Watertown.  CVS is proposing to build a new store at the corner of Arlington Street and Mt. Auburn Street that would be approximately 14,000 square feet and create 40 parking spaces in the lot behind the store.  A community meeting was held in early August at which residents raised concerns about parking, traffic congestion, the building’s design and the appropriateness of a national chain building in a business district that is primarily made up of small, local businesses.

The second proposed project is the renovation of the GE/Ionics Building at 65 Grove Street. Cresset, the developers of 202-204 Arsenal, plans a 4-story garage and approximately 116,500 square feet of office space. At a recent community meeting, residents generally felt positive about the development though once again traffic congestion on Arlington and Grove Streets was a major concern.

Renovation of the Verizon Building

Boylston Properties who are developing the Marriot Residence Inn and co-owners of the Arsenal Project have recently purchased the Verizon building on Arsenal Street.  Their plans call an industrial-to-office conversion of the 160,000 square foot property at an estimated cost of $50 million.

At this time (10/5/14) none of the four projects mentioned above has been presented to the Planning Board or the Zoning Board of Appeal for a public hearing.

The Arsenal on the Charles

Athenahealth, the new owners of the Arsenal on the Charles (Arsenal) has requested an amendment to the Arsenal Overlay Development District which specifies the zoning regulations for the Arsenal property.  The request has been approved by the Planning Board which sent it to the Town Council.  Only the Town Council can approve changes in the Town’s zoning code.  There has been on public hearing at the Council, though there has been no vote on the request.

While supportive of the preliminary plans proposed by athenahealth, residents in the surrounding area are opposing the request to change the height allowance from the present 50 feet to the requested 79 feet.  In addition a number of Town Councilors, including myself, would like to see a Master Plan from athenahealth before a zoning amendment would be considered.

Comprehensive Plan

The Comprehensive Plan took another step forward on Thursday night, October 9 when the Planning Board and the Town Council’s three-member Planning and Economic Development Committee (Joint Committee) approved the revised Comprehensive Plan.  The next steps in the process are as follows:

1)      Department of Community Development and Planning will create a revised draft of the Plan incorporating the changes made by the Joint Committee during its six public meetings.

2)      The revised draft Plan will be posted on the Town’s web site and will include an Executive Summary as well as a revised “Chapter 10 – Implementation”.  (I believe Chapter 10 is the most important piece of the Plan and the one I recommend all residents read carefully.)

3)      There will be a public meeting of the full Town Council and the Planning Board at which time residents and others can comment on and make suggestions for changes in the revised draft Plan.

4)      The Planning Committee will meet to review and accept or reject the suggestions and then vote on the revised draft.  They will send their version of the Plan to the Town Council.

5)      The Town Council will meet to review the version of the Plan submitted by the Planning Board.  The Council can choose to accept it as presented, amend it, or reject it.

I believe it is important to see the Comprehensive Plan as a living document that needs to be revisited on a regular basis to monitor the implementation schedule and review the goals.

Dog Park in East Watertown

I am excited that Watertown may have its third dog park in the not too distant future.  On Wednesday, October 22 at 5:30 PM the Committee on Public Works of the Town Council will meet to hear the most recent proposal from the Town on a dog park in the east end of Town.  Two sites have been mentioned in the past for the dog park – Arsenal Park and Filippello Park (Grove Street side).  Both have advantages and disadvantages, but I believe Filippello Park would be great home to our third dog park.  There is a large flat area, away from residential homes, with access to water and plenty of off-street parking. I hope everyone who is a dog park advocate can attend the committee meeting.

Victory Field Renovations – Phase II

The proposal by the Town’s Recreation Department for the Victory Field Renovations – Phase II has been very controversial.  The renovations include a new artificial turf multi-purpose field, track and field appurtenances, a new all-purpose court, upgraded tennis and basketball courts, bleachers, new lightening, 28 new parking spaces, and a resurfaced tot lot.  The estimated cost is between $3,000,000 and $3,375,000. Two public meetings were held in September at the Library and over 130 residents attended each of the meetings.  The majority sentiment was in opposition to the renovations based on concerns about the safety of artificial turf, the cost, noise and traffic congestion, and whether the proposal would convert the park to an athletic complex.

I have received many emails on this issue with the vast majority of residents opposing the proposal.  My feelings about the plan can be summarized as:

–          no artificial turf
–          make improvements in the track and the track and field appurtenances
–          repair the existing tennis and basketball courts
–          resurface and enhance the tot lot
–          provide space for a bus turn around
–          improve the existing lights
–          add amenities such as picnic tables, benches, etc.
–          spend/borrow much less money

Following the public meetings the Town Council sent the proposal back to the Recreation Department with a request for a new proposal.  The revised proposal will be presented to the Town Council at a public meeting that will be held in the auditorium at the Middle School.