Business

Town Looking for Ways to Allow More Outdoor Seating at Restaurants During COVID-19

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Watertown Town Hall

Restaurants could soon be reopening for in-house dining, but they will have limited capacity due to the state’s COVID-19 protocols. Watertown officials have started looking for ways to allow for restaurants to have outside seating, and how they can streamline the application process. Under the four phase plan outlined by Gov. Charlie Baker last week, restaurants would be allowed to reopen in phase 2, but would have to allow for social distancing inside the restaurant which would reduce capacity. This phase would start, at the earliest, three weeks after the start of the reopening plan, which began on May 18. Allowing outdoor seating at restaurants that do not have it currently, or expanding it at those that do, requires approval for both zoning and licensing changes.

Around Town

Sen. Brownsberger Surveying Residents About COVID-19 and the MBTA

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State Sen. Will Brownsberger

State Sen. Will Brownsberger’s latest survey seeks to find out how the COVID-19 outbreak has impacted how people work and if they are using public transportation. Brownsberger, who represents Watertown Belmont and parts of Boston, posted the survey on his website on Tuesday evening. Questions include what people’s work situations are (working from home, going into work, unemployed), what people did before the outbreak and their plans for when the state reopens. Also, how much people are using the MBTA now, previously, and plans in the future. There are also questions about Massachusetts’ response to the Coronavirus and how financially secure people are feeling.

COVID-19

Watch Out for Watertown’s Plan to Reopen Recycling Center, Parks, Library & More

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With Gov. Baker laying out the reopening plans for Massachusetts, Watertown’s municipal facilities will begin to reopen from the COVID-19 shutdown in coming days and weeks. As of Friday, Watertown had a total of 373 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 254 residents who have recovered. The town has lost 23 people to the virus. Four Town employees have had confirmed cases. Two of those employees are back to work, Town Manager Michael Driscoll said.

Government

Town Council to Consider Adding to Fire Dept. Repair Fund, Town Attorney’s Contract & Honoring the WHS Class of 2020

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On Tuesday night, Town Council will be asked to approve the reappointment of the Town’s attorney and to increase the amount of money for maintenance of Fire Department vehicles. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m on May 26, and will be conducted online due to the restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 outbreak. KP Law, which has been the law firm used by Watertown since 1993, will be up for reappointment on Tuesday. The attorney assigned to Watertown since 2003 has been Mark Reich. Along with offering legal opinions to the Town Council and Town officials, the firm also provides seminars on topics such as open meeting law, public records and conflict of interest, according to the letter from Town Manager Michael Driscoll to the Town Council.

Business

Watertown Will Begin Issuing Building Permits This Week

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Building Inspector:

Governor Baker has allowed construction to re-open in Phase I of the four-phase Re-opening Plan, provided that all safety guidelines are followed and each contractor signs an agreement to follow these guidelines. Watertown Town Hall continues to be closed however, building permits will begin to be issued during the week of May 19, 2020. If the work is small in nature, an email will be sent out with directions on how the permit can be printed. If the permit has multiple pages of architectural drawings, the town is developing a pickup procedure to begin during the week of May 19, 2020. Please keep in mind, you will be notified when your permit is issued and is ready to be picked up.

Business

Gov. Baker Outlines When Different Industries Will Reopen; Changes to Stay-at-Home Order

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Construction, manufacturing, and places of worship will be allowed to open this week, Gov. Charlie Baker said Monday, and more industries will follow in the next couple weeks, including offices and hair salons. Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito gave details of Massachusetts’ COVID-19 reopening plan Monday. More industries and activities will open in the next three phase. The phases will be at least three weeks apart, depending on the COVID-19 statistics and how well people are following the social distancing guidelines. The decision on when future phases of the reopening will be based on “six key public health metrics,” Baker said.

Around Town

Grant, Mitigation Funds Will Help Pay for Arsenal Park Renovations, See Project Details

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A drawing of the proposed renovation for the eastern section of Arsenal Park, near the Arsenal Yards development. The Town Council will be asked to consider funding a $1.65 million renovation of a section of Arsenal Park, but the Town will get some help paying for the project from a grant and mitigation money from the next door Arsenal Yards project. The Town received a $200,000 Housing Choice Capital Grant, which will be applied to the first phase of the Arsenal Park project, along with $500,000 in mitigation funds paid by Arsenal Yards developers Boylston Properties, Town Manager Michael Driscoll said. He added the construction bids may come in lower due to the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, so the might be lower than the original $1.65 million budget. The Town Council voted unanimously to let Town officials put the project out to bid.

Business

See the Sectors Included in Phase 1 of the Mass. COVID-19 Reopening

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The areas opening in the first phase of the governor’s COVID-19 reopening plan are construction, manufacturing and houses of worship. East End Town Councilor Angeline Kounelis shared the information about Monday’s announcement which she received from the Mass. Municipal Association. Along with the sectors reopening, Gov. Charlie Baker will also unveil specific safety protocols which these workplaces and places of worship must follow. These go along with the safety standards for workplaces that were announced last week, which include social distancing, hygiene protocols, staffing and operations, and cleaning and disinfecting.