Government

Get Rid of Your Styrofoam, Shred Your Paper at the Public Works Recycling Event

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If you have styrofoam piling up after all your gifts have been opened, the Public Works Department will offer a chance to recycle it – and also shred paper and dispose of old tires. The Recycling event will be held Saturday, Jan. 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Watertown Recycling Center (on Green River Way off  Waltham). Bring your styrofoam cups, peanuts and takeout containers to the event. You can also have your sensitive documents shredded while you watch.

Development

Approval of Arsenal Mall Renovation Delayed, Planning Board Wants More Info on Traffic

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The redesign of the Arsenal Mall will have to wait until next month for approval after the Planning Board told developers they wanted results of the traffic study to be approved by the town’s consultants. Representatives for Boylston Properties and The Wilder Cos. appeared before the Planning Board for the second time Wednesday night, focusing on the traffic impact of the project. The proposal includes removing some portions of the current mall, leaving the historic buildings and adding new buildings. The project calls for 503 units of housing, some of which would be in a 12-story residential building.

Development

Town Council Increases Requirement for Affordable Housing in New Projects

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Developers will be required to provide more affordable housing in most residential projects built in Watertown after the Town Council’s vote on Tuesday night. The Council approved changes to the Town’s Inclusionary Zoning Requirements, but there were questions about who would qualify to live in the affordable units. Previously the requirement was 12.5 percent of the units for most areas of town, but that amount was increased for projects of 20 units or more. The requirement for projects with 6-19 unit projects will remain at 12.5 percent. Also, the income requirements change for the projects that would have to provide 15 percent affordable units. For projects of 20 or more units, 10 percent of units in a rental project (or 2/3 of the affordable units) will be for people who meet the 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) standard, and 5 percent of the units are for those meeting the 65 percent of the AMI threshold, which would be $63,800 for a family of four, according to the Boston Redevelopment Authority.

Government

Recreation Department Announces Schedule for Open Forums

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The Recreation Department will host a series of monthly open forums in 2017. This is an opportunity for residents, youth organizations, civic groups and businesses and other interested parties to ask questions, make recommendations, express concerns and hear plans for the future. These meetings will be held in the Lower Hearing Room of the Town Hall on the first Tuesday of each month in most cases. Tuesday, July 4 was moved to Wednesday, July 5 due to the holiday. All meetings will begin at 7 p.m. and end by 8 p.m. unless additional time is needed.

Arsenal Street

Town Working With Developers to Fix Issues on Arsenal Street

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Travelers of Arsenal Street will have noticed the sticking point as you head west toward Watertown Square near the Lexus dealer. Town officials are working with the developers of a nearby apartment complex to fix the situation. The problem has been caused by the new raised bicycle path that runs in front of the block of businesses on that area of Arsenal Street and stretches a bit too far. The extra section causes a choke point when drivers try to turn left onto Louise Street because cars have no room to go around, said Town Engineer Matt Shuman. “The bump out was supposed to end west of Louise,” Shuman said.

Government

Planned ‘Road Diet’ for Mt. Auburn Street Gets Mixed Reviews

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The town’s plans to renovate Mt. Auburn Street include a “Road Diet” where the roadway will be reduced to one lane each way for most of its length, and bike lanes will be added, along with some new traffic lights. Plans were presented at the Watertown Library on Thursday night at a meeting where the Department of Public Works sought input from the public. The residents at the meeting had a mixed reaction to the ideas for changing the stretch of Mt. Auburn Street between Watertown Square and School Street.

Elections

Town Council Looking for Ways to Make Early Voting Work More Smoothly

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Early voting was a hit in Watertown during the Presidential Election, but the influx of people sometimes overwhelmed the staff of the Clerk’s office. The Town Council began looking for ways for it to work better next time. There were 5,855 early votes cast, with another 796 and 86 e-voters – military service men and women and others who qualify, Town Clerk John Flynn told the Town Council’s State, Federal and Regional Government Committee Tuesday night. That made up 36 percent of the votes cast. That well exceeded the number Flynn expected to see.

Government

Find Out About the ‘Road Diet’ Proposed for Mt. Auburn Street

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On Thursday, Dec. 8, the Department of Public Works will discuss proposed changes to Mt. Auburn Street, including the Road Diet. 

The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at the Watertown Free Public Library, 123 Main St., in Watertown, and will focus on the stretch between Patten Street and School Street. In the meeting announcement, the DPW said the project will information on how:

The proposed “road diet” will enhance bicycle and pedestrian safety, while also maintaining smooth vehicular flow on Mount Auburn Street. Upgrades at the Irving Street, Common Street, Walnut Street signalized intersections will accommodate new pedestrian and bicycle features.