Coolidge Square

Give Your Opinion on Changes to Parking in Watertown at Upcoming Meeting

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The public is invited to give input on Watertown’s Parking Management plan for Watertown Square and Coolidge Square which was presented earlier this year. The Watertown Planning Department provided the following information:

The Town seeks public input on draft parking strategies, presented at a public meeting on May 7. Please join the Town and project team at the Watertown Parking Management Plan Draft Strategies Public Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, May 7, from 7-8:30 p.m., at the Watertown Public Library (Watertown Savings Bank Room). Doors will open at 6:30 p.m., to review key findings from Watertown and Coolidge Squares’ parking data collection, public engagement survey and January open houses. In January, the public had the opportunity to provide input at two public open houses to review parking supply and utilization data, share parking concerns, and give the Town ideas on how to improve parking management in Watertown Square and Coolidge Square.

Government

Increases for Police, Fire, Schools Library & DPW Included in Watertown’s FY2020 Budget

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Watertown Town Manager Michael Driscoll revealed the Fiscal Year 2020 budget on Tuesday. Next year’s Watertown Budget includes money for an additional police office, a new leadership role in the Fire Department, and at the Library. Tuesday night, Town Manager Michael Driscoll presented the Fiscal Year 2020 budget to the Town Council. The total operating budget is $147.76 million, which is an increase of 3.89 percent or $5.53 million. When Driscoll presented the budget projection in October, there was a shortfall of about $800,000, but Tuesday he said the Town’s revenues came in close to $1.5 million above the projections.

Government

See Why the DPW is Drilling Borings on Streets Around Town

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A series of borings are being drilled around Watertown on behalf of the Department of Public Works to test areas where water main replacements could take place. An announcement about the borings came out Friday, and DPW Superintendent Gerry Mee said it has caught the interest of residents. While drilling of borings happens frequently in town, typically they are done for private construction projects. Because the borings are being done for a town project, Mee said, the DPW put out an announcement. “They are being done in areas of potential future water projects,” Mee said.

Environment

Dispose of Styrofoam & Tires, Shred Paper at Special Recycling Event

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Recycle your Styrofoam at the special DPW event. The Watertown Department of Public Works is hosting a special recycling event where styrofoam and tires will be collected. You can also shred papers. WHEN: May 4, 2019 Recycle Event, 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.

WHERE: Recycle Center on Green River Way

DIRECTIONS: West on Pleasant Street from Watertown Square, North on Bridge Street and West on Waltham Street to Green River Way. Details

Watertown residents only!

Development

Subcommittee Recommends Adding 15 More Liquor Licenses, Most at Arsenal Yards

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Up to 15 restaurants will be opening at Arsenal Yards, but the Town does not have enough liquor licenses for all of them. A Council subcommittee recommends that the Town of Watertown seek to add 15 more liquor licenses, but could not agree on whether to waive the license fee for restaurants if they will not open for more than a year. The Rules & Ordinances Committee met on April 17 to discuss a request from Arsenal Yards to add more liquor licenses for anticipated tenants of the project on the former Arsenal Mall site. Developers also asked for fees to be delayed until the year in which the establishment opens. Additional Licenses

Andrew Copelotti, project manager for Arsenal Yards, said that the new project has signed, or expects to sign leases with more than a dozen restaurants or other businesses seeking liquor licenses.

Government

Council Subcommittee to hear About Accessory Dwelling Units

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The Town Council’s Human Services Committee will hold the next in the series of meetings on affordable housing. This meeting will focus on accessory dwelling units. The Human Services subcommittee sent out the following information:

The Committee on Human Services will hold a meeting on Wednesday, April 24 at 7:15 p.m. in the Louis P. Andrews Conference Room on the Third Floor at Town Hall. We will continue our discussion of affordable housing . The Committee will hear a presentation on Newton’s Accessory Dwelling Units program from James Freas, Deputy Director of Planning and Development for the City of Newton.

Government

Soil Borings to be Taken on Multiple Watertown Streets

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Multiple streets in Watertown will be impacted by exploratory boring beginning April 22. The Department of Public Works announced that Pine Street, Essex Street, Nash Street and Oak Street will be the locations of bore drilling beginning Monday, April 22, at 7 a.m. Work, to be done by New England Geotech, is expected to last until 5 p.m. and occur over two days. “Disturbances to residents are anticipated to be minor, but residents may notice elevated short-term noise levels and equipment working,” according to the DPW announcement. Two-inch bores will be taken to test soil. Each bore takes between 1-3 hours to complete.

Department of Public Works

Stormwater Management Plan to be Discussed by Committee & DPW

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Find out about Watertown’s Stormwater Management Plan at the next meeting of the Stormwater Advisory Committee the information provided by the Department of Public Works below. The Watertown Stormwater Advisory Committee will meet on Thursday, April 25 at 7 p.m. in the Lower Hearing Room in Town Hall. Come to learn more about the Town’s program for managing stormwater runoff and to help us update our Stormwater Management Plan. Learn about stormwater runoff and its impact to the Charles RiverHear how the Town regulates stormwater runoff from developmentContribute to the Town’s Stormwater Management PlanBrainstorm ways to engage Watertown about stormwater

Stormwater from Watertown’s drainage system flows directly into the Charles River without treatment and contributes to pollution in the river. The EPA requires the Town to take certain measures to control and treat stormwater runoff.