Development

Changes to Pleasant Street Zoning Approved, Some Still Have Concerns

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Tuesday night, the Town Council approved some major changes in what kinds of developments will be allowed in the Pleasant Street Corridor. The changes to the Pleasant Street Corridor District Come just seven years after the area first got special zoning. Town Council President Mark Sideris said the original intent to provide a variety of new developments on unused or underused property did not turn out the way the Council had intended. Instead of a mix of properties, the town got several large residential projects. “Several members were on the Council when we put in the Pleasant Street Corridor District zoning,” Sideris said.

Elections

Find Out About the Candidates Running for District B Town Councilor

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This year’s town election is full of interesting races, and the perhaps the most interesting one is District B where four candidates are running for Town Council. With such a crowded field, the town must hold a Preliminary Election to narrow the field to two. The election will be held on Thursday, Sept. 17. Watertown News sent each candidate a questionnaire to find out more about why they are running and who they are.

Elections

Candidate Questionnaire: Patricia van Dinter

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Patricia van Dinter is running for District B Town Councilor. The Preliminary Election is on Thursday, Sept. 17. Why did you decide to run for District B Town Councilor, is there an issue that drew you in? I decided to run for District B Town Councilor because of all the sudden development being done on this side of town.

Elections

Candidate Questionnaire: Kevin MacDonald

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Kevin MacDonald is running for District B Town Councilor. The preliminary election is on Thursday, Sept. 17. Why did you decide to run for District B Town Councilor, is there an issue that drew you in? To be honest, I did not have any intention of running for Town Council.

Elections

Candidate Questionnaire: Lisa Feltner

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Lisa Feltner is a candidate for District B Town Councilor. The preliminary election is on Thursday, Sept. 17. Why did you decide to run for District B Town Councilor; is there an issue that drew you in? Concerned Citizens Group has provided a wonderful opportunity to learn about the concerns and hopes of District B residents, particularly in precincts 4 and 5 from which CCG draws its members. Even before the surge of new developments, I have focused on issues such as traffic, storm water management, curbs and sidewalks, trees, planting strips, and neighborhood preservation, block parties, garden competitions, and educational forums. My passion for community building has evolved into creating partnerships across the district.

Elections

Candidate Questionnaire: Cecilia Lenk

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Cecilia Lenk is running for reelection in the race for District B Town Councilor. The Preliminary Election is on Thursday, Sept. 17. 
Why did you decide to run for District B Town Councilor, is there an issue that drew you in? I first decided to run for Town Councilor, because I thought that I could bring my work and life experience to give back to the community that my family and I love so much. Since first being elected to the Town Council, I’m proud of the work that I’ve done on a host of issues that matter deeply to me – increasing the budget for the Watertown public schools, making our community greener and more sustainable, and making government more efficient, effective, and transparent through the better use of technology and data.

Around Town

Watertown Art Students Bring Life to Wall in Coolidge Square

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A group of Watertown High School students have transformed a once gray wall in East Watertown now overflows with colorful fruit, vegetables and flowers. The mural went up on the wall next to Uncommon Grounds at the corner of Mt. Auburn Street and Melendy Avenue. This is the third collaboration between students from Watertown High School and artist Gregg Bernstein. The first two – the first along the path between Whites and Waverly avenues and second on Baptist Walk in Watertown Square – were large walls.

Government

Public Invited to Share Ideas About Renovation of Filippello Park

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The Grove Street entrance of Filippello Park will be renovated, and town officials want to hear from residents about what they would like to see in the renovated area. A public community meeting to discuss ideas for the renovation of the Grove Street entrance at Filippello Park will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 30 from 7-9 p.m. at Town Hall in the Town Council Chambers. Part of the entrance used to be the town’s recycling center, but that has moved to Green River Way on the Westside of town. One of the ideas that has been considered is building a dog park in that section of the park.