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.

Government

Affordable Housing Efforts in Watertown to be Addressed at Two Meetings

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The Town Council’s Committee on Human Services announced two upcoming meetings on the subject of affordable housing. Meeting on Affordable Housing – Tenant Based Rental Assistance

The Committee on Human Services will hold a meeting on Thursday, April 18 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 Waltham’s Tenant Based Rental Assistance program from John Shirley, Housing Specialist for the City of Waltham. Meeting on Affordable Housing – Accessory Dwelling Units

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.

Government

Roadwork Project Will Impact Multiple East End Streets

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A road work project that will impact multiple streets in the East End begins this week, Department of Public Works officials announced. The project includes installation of the “final asphalt wearing surface” on Edgecliff Road, Woodleigh Road, Westland Road and Templeton Parkway. According to the DPW announcement, work will begin on Wednesday, April 17, weather permitting. “The area will be closed to motor vehicle traffic during the paving process,” the announcement states. “Please park your motor vehicles out of the construction area on the intersecting side streets if necessary.”

Government

OP-ED: Sen. Brownsberger’s Update on Proposed MBTA Bus Changes

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The following piece was provided by State Sen. Will Brownsberger, who represents Watertown, Belmont and parts of Boston. The MBTA has been listening carefully to public feedback about the 47 cost-neutral bus route changes that service planners are proposing across the region. At their meeting on April 8, the MBTA’s board offered a “sense of the board” supporting 36 of the proposals. Board members deferred final approval to give themselves time to review in full detail the equity analysis for the whole package. When final approval is provided, as appears likely, the package will be the most significant set of route changes in memory.