Affordable Housing

Planning Board Supports Increasing Affordable Housing Requirements for New Developments

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The Planning Board voted to support a zoning change that would require developers building medium and large housing projects in Watertown to include more affordable housing. 

Last Thursday, the Planning Board discussed the zoning amendment and voted unanimously to recommend that the Town Council adopt the changes. The proposal was brought to the Town Council by the Watertown Housing Partnership. It was considered first by the Economic Development and Planning Subcommittee and then by the full Council, before being sent to the Planning Board to sign off on it, said Andrea Adams, senior planner in the Watertown Community Development and Planning Department. The town has a requirement that projects of 6 more units have 12.5 percent of units be rented or sold at an affordable rate. When the Town Council approved the Regional Mixed Use District (RMUD) for the section of east Arsenal Street earlier this year, the affordable housing requirement was increased to 15 percent for that area, Adams said.

Pedestrian Killed

UPDATED: Watertown Man Killed When Driver Strikes 2 Pedestrians in Waltham

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A Watertown man died after being struck by an SUV in Waltham on Tuesday morning. WCVB Channel 5 reports a 65-year-old Watertown man was killed when a vehicle driven by a Waltham man in his 60s struck him on Wyman Street. Neither the name of the man killed or the driver have been released. The accident occurred in a crosswalk at 6:15 a.m. Tuesday. The man was taken to Newton-Wellesley Hospital to be treated for injuries and was pronounced dead there, according to an Associated Press story posted by the Boston.com.

Development

First Phase of Arsenal Renovation Approved, Including Large Parking Garage

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The first phase of the renovation of the Arsenal on the Charles, including a garage with more than 1,300 spaces, was unanimously approved by the Planning Board last week.  
The first phase of athenahealth’s master plan to expand and upgrade the Arsenal Complex consists of the new west parking garage, along with a new building on Arsenal Street and a pocket park along North Beacon Street. The new garage will have it has 1,390 spaces and is expandable to 1522 if stackers are put on the bottom floor of the garage, said Bob Corning, principal with Stantec. Using the stackers, one car will be put on a lift, raised up leaving space for a second car to park underneath. Some of the goals of athenahealth’s master plan is to make the campus more permeable for pedestrians, and accessible and inviting to the public, said Mark Blair, director of athenaenvironment. 
One way they are doing this is by widening the sidewalk in front of the new commercial building on Arsenal Street, near School Street. Landscaping and places to gather will be installed in that area.

Charity

Watertown Boy Collects Cans, Not Gifts, at His Birthday Party

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Instead of asking for gifts for himself, Watertown’s Brady Gleason asked guests at his birthday party to bring some canned food. 

Saturday Gleason celebrated his birthday and his wish list was for people to bring 10 cans each. Overall, he collected 350 cans, Gleason’s father, Shane, said. The items will be donated to Operation American Soldier, a Watertown organization that sends care packages to members of the U.S. Military. Gleason has already dropped off 180 cans!  

Police/Fire

Police Log: Man Eats Lunch in Middle of Arsenal Street, Car Tires Stolen at Motel

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests
Oct. 5, 12:30 p.m.: A car was stopped in the middle of the eastbound lane of Arsenal Street, straddling the two lanes. When police arrived and spoke to the driver the officer detected an odor of alcohol coming from the driver and he had food on his shirt. When asked what he was doing, the driver said he was eating his lunch.

Sports

Raiders Roll Over Wilmington in Friday Night Football Game

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The Watertown football team’s successful season continued Friday night when the Raiders traveled to Wilmington and shut out the hosts. Watertown scored 21 points in the second quarter to surge past Wilmington. Running back Zach Rimsa scored the first on a one-yard run. Then quarterback Deon Smith took it in himself from four yards away. Running back Vasken Kebabjian then exploded for a 49-yard touchdown run.

Business Services Director

UPDATED: Watertown Schools Looking for Interims to Replace 2 Top Administrators

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Last Friday was the final day for two of the highest school administrators in Watertown – Superintendent Jean Fitzgerald and Business Services Director Charles Kellner – and now the School Committee must figure out what to do in the short and long terms. 

Fitzgerald announced her retirement in September following calls for the School Committee to have a vote of no confidence, and despite many speaking out in support of her. Kellner is officially retiring in December, but he is using vacation time so he will not be back before his official final day. He will also help with the transition to the interim business manager. For both positions, the School Committee has decided to appoint an interim for the post, and then search for a permanent replacement. A group of parents, teachers, administrators, a high school student and a School Committee member make up the Interim Superintendent Screening Committee, said Assistant Superintendent Theresa McGuinness, who will serve as acting superintendent until an interim is chosen.

Some applications have been received, said Human Resources Director Craig Hardimon, and the screening committee met Thursday, Oct.