Government

Council Subcommittee to Vote on Recommendation for Mt. Auburn Street Project

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A recommendation for how to renovate Mt. Auburn Street will be discussed and likely approved by the Town Council’s Public Works Committee on Wednesday, June 27, 2018. 

The Department of Public Works has been discussing proposals to repave and renovate the major artery through Watertown for several years, and has had a number of public meetings over the last year to share ideas for how the street will look. Proposals have included reducing the number of travel lanes from two to one in many places, putting right turn lanes at key intersections and adding bicycle lanes for most of the length of the roadway. The project will ultimately have to be approved by the full Town Council. See coverage of the Mt.

Real Estate

Many, Many Open Houses in Watertown Over the Weekend

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It’s an embarrassment of riches for home buyers in Watertown this week. $729,000 – 3 Quincy Unit 3, 7 room, 3 bed, 2.5 bath half duplex, Open House: Sunday 12-2

$699,000 – 1 Quincy Unit 1, 6 room, 3 bed, 2.5 bath half duplex, Open House: Sunday 12-2

$749,000 – 504 Main St. Unit 2, 8 room, 3 bed, 2 bath 2/3 family, Open House: Sunday 12-1:30

$599,000 – 504 Main St. Unit 1, 6 room, 2 bed, 2 bath 2/3 family, Open House: Sunday 12-1:30

$995,000 – 85-87 Putnam St., 2 unit, 15 total room, 6 total bedroom 2 family, Open Houses: Saturday 1-3 Sunday 11-1

$275,000 – 194 Lexington St. Unit 3, 5 room, 2 bed, 1 bath garden, Open House: Friday 2-3:30

$700,000 – 60 Hillside Road, 8 room, 3 bed, 1 bath colonial, Open House: Sunday 1-2:30

$639,0000 – 90 Edenfield Ave., 6 room, 3 bed, 1.5 bath colonial, Open Houses: Saturday 11-12:30 Sunday 12-1:30

$329,000 – 100 Summer St.

Schools

Watertown School Committee Puts Hold on Purchasing Vans with End of Year Surplus

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The School Committee balked at using funds remaining at the end of the year on two vans, at least for now, but approved spending money to prepay special education tuition and to add funds to the Town’s Special Education Stabilization Fund. The proposal came Monday night, at the last planned School Committee during Fiscal Year 2018, and if funds are not spent or designated they go back to the Town’s general fund. The Watertown Public Schools is projected to end the year with a $785,928, said School Committee Vice President Kendra Foley. The surplus came about due to lower than expected special education costs, vacancies left unfilled and hires that were not made, Foley said. The School Committee’s Budget and Finance Subcommittee discussed what to do with the funds at a prior meeting, and proposed using $400,000 to prepay special education tuitions for the first three months of the next fiscal year, put $200,000 into the Special Education Stabilization Fund and purchase two 12-seat vans (10 passengers plus the driver and the front passenger seat) with $100,000.

Government

Watertown Shuttle Will Have to Wait Until More Businesses, Apartment Complexes Sign On

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Those hoping to ride a shuttle down Pleasant Street to Watertown Square, or anywhere else in town, will have to wait. 

The proposed shuttle would be largely funded by private businesses and residential developments, with the Town also contributing. The Council’s Economic Development and Planning subcommittee heard from Transportation Planner Laura Wiener Tuesday night, who said that not enough organizations have committed to funding a shuttle to launch a viable pilot program. The current plan is to run a shuttle along Pleasant Street, Wiener said, because the street does not really have any public transportation. The estimated cost for running a shuttle for a year is $150,000, Wiener said. The Watertown Transportation Management Association (TMA) has committed $25,000, and the Town has volunteered in-kind donations of a vehicle and fuel equivalent to about $50,000.

Environment

Solar Panel Requirement for New Buildings Supported by Council Subcommittee

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New developments in Watertown would have to put up a solar energy system if the zoning amendment heard by a Town Council subcommittee is adopted by the full Town Council. Watertown would become the first community in Massachusetts to require solar energy systems on new developments, Ed Lewis, the Town’s Energy Manager, told the Economic Development and Planning Committee Tuesday night. Other communities and the state has come up with proposed ordinances, but none has enacted them, Lewis said. Town Councilor Vincent Piccirilli said it is nice to be leading the way. “I’m excited to be the first in the state to require solar on buildings,” Piccirilli said.

Police/Fire

Boy Struck by SUV While Heading to Cunniff School, Suffers Minor Injuries

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An 11-year-old boy suffered minor injuries when he was struck by an SUV while on the way to Cunniff School on Wednesday morning. The incident occurred on Highland Street at Copeland Street at about 7:50 a.m. Wednesday, according to Watertown Police Lt. James O’Connor. The incident was witnessed by the boy’s sister. The boy was either riding or walking his bicycle across the street when a Jeep Grand Cherokee heading eastbound struck him. “The child was transported to Children’s Hospital Boston with minor injuries,” O’Connor said.

Arsenal Mall

Opinions Split Over Taller Tower Request by Developers of Arsenal Yards

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The developers of the Arsenal Mall renovation got a mix of opinions Monday night about their request to build a tower even higher than the 130-foot limit in Watertown’s Regional Mixed Use District (RMUD). Watertown residents packed a room at the Arsenal Mall, a short distance from where developers of Arsenal Yards would like to put up Building G, a 197-foot condominium tower. Boylston Properties, the developer of the property, has submitted an amendment for the Town to consider which would increase the maximum height of the RMUD — located around the eastern end of Arsenal Street — by 67 feet. The people speaking in opposition to the height increase outnumbered those who like the idea of a taller tower. Why Taller?

Basketball

Watertown’s John Korte Named North Basketball Player of the Year

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Watertown High School senior John Korte collected another accolade on Sunday when he was named the North Boys Basketball Player of the Year by the Massachusetts Basketball Coaches Association. The MBCA players of the year are named in each section (North, South, Central and West) for both boys and girls. The honorees are selected from players from all divisions. Watertown competes in MIAA’s Div. 3.