Government

Watertown’s Veterans’ Agent Seeks to Create Memorial to Town’s Vietnam Veterans

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The Town of Watertown has memorials to veterans of several wars, including World War I, World War II and Korea, but not for Vietnam. Watertown Veterans’ Agent Mark Comeiro wants to change that. 

Watertown has around 600 Vietnam veterans, Comeiro said, but nothing to honor them. “The Vietnam Memorial would be for all Vietnam veterans of Watertown — killed in action, combat, Vietnam era,” Comeiro said. “It wouldn’t have names on it. It would be stone representing our Vietnam veterans of Watertown.

80 Elm Street

Proposal for Self Storage Facility in East End Will be Discussed at Community Meeting

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The developers of a proposed self storage facility sent out the following announcement:

Please join 80 Elm Street Partners for a presentation of the plans and discussion of the new self storage facility it proposes to build at the former Atlantic Battery site located at 80 Elm St., Watertown, MA. 

DATE: Wednesday, June 20, 2018

TIME: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

PLACE: The Apartments at Coolidge School, 319 Arlington St., Watertown

For more information contact HDS Architecture, Inc.’s Hans D. Strauch at 617-714-5870

(See the schematic design drawings by clicking here.)

Town Council Votes Down Prohibiting Self Storage in Watertown

Government

Town Water and Sewer Bills Include Incorrect Charges, To be Resent

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Town officials announced that the latest batch of Water/Sewer bills included an incorrect charge on them, and a corrected bill will be resent. 

The error was due to an error made when inputing the dates for the interest, according to a memo from Department of Public Works Superintendent Gerald Mee. Residents who paid the incorrect amount will have the extra charge credited toward their next bill. The town sent out the following announcement:

The quarterly water and sewer bills dated May, 30, 2018 with a due date June 29, 2018 included an incorrect interest charge. Please be advised that no incorrect interest charges were ever applied to those accounts but were unfortunately printed on the bill. A corrected bill is being mailed which properly reflects the current interest charges, if any.

Development

Taller Building Heights at Arsenal Yards to be Discussed at Community Meeting

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The Watertown Planning Department announced the developers of the Arsenal Mall will host a community meeting about the proposed zoning change to allow a height increase in the Regional Mixed Use District. Developers sent out the following information:

Boylston Properties will hold a Community Meeting to review the proposed zoning change in regards to Building G located within Arsenal Yards. The purpose of this meeting will be to present and discuss the proposed zoning amendment which requests an increase the overall height of the building from its previously approved 130 feet to 197 feet. If approved, the height within the Regional Mixed Use District (RMUD) could be 197 feet by “Master Plan Special Permit within a defined Mixed-Use project, using adopted Design Guidelines provided the project includes a diversity of building heights and furthers the intent and purpose (§5.18.a) of the RMUD.” (From WZO) Building G will contain approximately 140 for-sale residential condominium units and 193,000 GSF (versus the previously approved 189,000 SF). Discussion will include the massing of the Building as well as the buildings location relative to the Charles River and Arsenal Park. The Meeting will be held on Monday June 18, 2018 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at the “Arsenal Yards Development Office” located within the Mall.

Government

Charles River Path, Parking Lot Closing Briefly for Installation of Pedestrian Bridge

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The long awaited installation of the Joseph Thompson Pedestrian Bridge will happen at the end of May, and will require the closure of a section of the path along the Charles River in Watertown, as well as a parking lot near the Dealtry Pool. The Department of Conservation and Recreation sent out the following information about the closure of the path:
DCR Pedestrian and Traffic Advisory: Charles River Greenway/Dealtry Pool in Watertown
WHAT: On Wednesday, May 30, 2018, and Thursday, May 31, 2018, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) will implement a closure of the Charles River Greenway along Pleasant Street between Bridge Street and Galen Street in the Town of Watertown, and the parking lot at the Dealtry Memorial Pool. The closure will accommodate the delivery and placement of the new Joseph Thompson Pedestrian Bridge. Work will be conducted from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Pedestrians and bicyclists are encouraged to utilize California Street, and traffic delays are anticipated. A detour route and traffic signage will be clearly marked, a police detail will be on site, and DCR Rangers will assist pedestrians and bicyclists.

Business

Town Council Votes Down Prohibiting Self Storage in Watertown

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The Town Council split on whether to prohibit self storage facilities from operating in Watertown on Tuesday, ultimately noting not to ban the use. 

The proposed amendment to the town’s Zoning Ordinance came about after the Town Council approved a change to the parking requirements for self storage facilities in January. Some Councilors and residents opposed the parking change — which reduced the parking requirement to one spot for every three storage units to two spots per every 10,000 sq. ft. of gross floor area — in part because the amendment came from the owners of the property at 80 Elm St., a potential spot for self storage. The question of banning self-storage as a use in Watertown went to the Planning Board in April.

Government

See How Much Watertown’s Water, Sewer Rates Will be Going Up

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Watertown residents will see a slight rise in water rates in the next Fiscal Year, and sewer rates will rise even more. The average of the combined water/sewer rate increase is 2.5 percent. Tuesday night, the Town Council heard the proposed rates for water and sewer service in Watertown from Dave Fox, a consultant from Raftelis. The water and sewer accounts are self funding, and the most of the basis for the rates comes from the forecast use of water and sewer in Fiscal 2019 (which begins July 1, 2018). “It is based on the number of accounts and consumption,” Fox said.

Elections

Republican Announces Bid for Mass. 5th Congressional Seat

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The following announcement was sent out by Congressional candidate John Hugo:

Woburn Republican John Hugo officially announces his candidacy for Congress in the MA 5th Congressional district. “I’ve submitted well over the required amount of certified signatures with the Elections’ Division of the Massachusetts Secretary of State and I’ve been certified as a candidate,” said Hugo. 
For nearly a year, John Hugo has been actively reaching out to various Republican and Independent voters throughout the District. “I’ve met with many if not most Republican Ward and Town Committees, along with other grassroots activists. Everywhere I go, I hear the same things: ‘We need someone willing to challenge Katherine Clark. Clarke is out of touch with the District and needs to be held accountable for her extreme views and actions,'” said Hugo … adding “The residents of the 5th Congressional District need a Congressman or woman that will represent the needs of the District and will uphold the Constitution.