Government

Meeting Planned to Discuss Bike/Pedestrian Path in East Watertown

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The Watertown-Cambridge Greenway and Bike Path will be discussed at a meeting on Nov. 30. The public is invited to the meeting, which includes discussion of the extension of the Watertown Community Path from Nichols Avenue and Arlington Street eastward into Cambridge and ending at Fresh Pond, according to State Rep. Jonathan Hecht’s office. The project has been in the planning for a few years, and earlier this year the Town of Watertown and City of Cambridge purchased a former Boston & Maine Railroad line. The tracks go from Arlington Street, through the neighborhood south of Mt.

Development

Athenahealth Reveals Latest Plans, Residents Worry About Parking & Traffic

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Athenahealth’s latest draft of its campus master plan includes fewer buildings, but slightly more parking in its new multi-story parking garage, which concerns nearby residents. Tuesday night, athenahealth officials presented the master plan during the first of two planned community meetings on the project. The company owns the Arsenal on the Charles Complex and plans to add more office buildings, create a large glass enclosure over the “finger” buildings near the Arsenal Center for the Arts and remove much of the surface parking to make way for more open space and storm water management systems.

Along with making the campus big enough for it to be the healthcare technology company’s headquarters, the plan calls for making it more welcoming to residents, said Larry Beals, of Beals Associates, who has been hired by the company. “For years it was an Army facility with iron fences around it and entry by the public forbidden,” Beals said. “(athenahealth President and CEO) Jonathan Bush would like to do the opposite.

Development

Controlling Residential Development Weighed Against Property Rights

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A group of residents have joined with the town to try to come up with a way to prevent Watertown’s neighborhoods from being changed drastically and overbuilt, while at the same time not creating “design police.” During last week’s “Preserving Our Neighborhoods” forum at Watertown Middle School, some in attendance wanted to look for ways to control the teardown of smaller homes and replaced with larger ones. Others did not want any new rules that limit what they can do on their property. David Gamble, a consultant hired by the town to come up with the Residential Design Guidelines – ways to control the development in residential neighborhoods. He said there must be a balance.

Charles River

Pedestrian Bridge Over Charles River Will be Replaced

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The pedestrian bridge over the Charles River west of Watertown Square will be replaced by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. The bridge will be completely replaced so it will be accessible by people with disabilities, said Dan Driscoll, DCR’s Director of Recreation Facilities Planning and Design. “The current bridge does not meet ADA requirements,” Driscoll said. The new bridge will be a prefabricated one, but for a short time there will be no pedestrian access at that point in the river, Driscoll said. The project will be bid this fall, and work will be done in the spring of 2016, he said.

Arsenal Project

Impact on River by Arsenal Mall Rebuild, Height of Buildings Worry Residents

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The Planning Board gave their OK to changes to zoning in the area of the Arsenal Project and Watertown Mall which could lead to a major project with commercial, residential and/or office elements including taller buildings. The issue is now in the hands of the Town Council. Residents at last week’s Planning Board meeting about the Regional Mixed Use District (RMUD) brought up several concerns about how a new complex at the Arsenal Mall site could impact the town and the nearby Charles River, and said the taller buildings would be too big for Watertown. The RMUD impacts a much larger area than just the Arsenal Project. It also includes the area on the other side of Arsenal Street where the Watertown Mall and Target are located, most of Elm Street and about half of Coolidge Avenue.

Government

Town Council Votes to Close One Entrance to Road Near Arsenal Street

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Residents of Beacon Park will not have to worry about their street becoming a cut through for traffic from the new apartment complexes on Arsenal Street. 

Tuesday night, the Town Council voted to close off the entrance to the Beacon Park off Arsenal Street. The small street has two other entrances on North Beacon Street. Residents worked with the town and with District B Councilor Cecilia Lenk to close off access, said Beacon Park resident Dan Clark. “It is an example of local government working great,” Clark said. Another resident of the street, Bob Menton, said the traffic from the current light and another one being installed for the new apartment complex at 202-204 Arsenal Street would back up past the entrance to Beacon Park, making it difficult to get out.

Elections

LETTER: District C Councilor Says Thanks, Looks Forward to Continuing Work

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To the editor:

I want to thank the District C voters for re-electing me to serve for another term as their Town Councilor. Over the past eight years I have worked hard to represent both my constituents in District C as well as all of Watertown residents, and I look forward to continuing that effort with renewed vigor. I am grateful to the many volunteers, friends, and my family for the effort they put into the campaign. My success would not have been possible without their help. I remain committed to finding the best solutions through analysis, teamwork and building consensus, and to our shared vision for Watertown as a vibrant, diverse, safe community with pretty tree-lined streets and great schools.

Development

LETTER: Resident Supports Residential Design Standards

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To the Editor:

Mr DiMascio’s letter that posits Residential Design Standards as a property rights issue and a function of big, bad government is a Red Herring. What is a Red Herring? It is a distraction, a false lead. I’d guess that the rest of us are happy that drivers, doctors, and restaurants are licensed; that zoning won’t allow a drive-through eatery on a row of two family houses; that dogs have to get rabies shots; that day care centers are inspected. It’s a trade-off when we choose to live in community, on streets with neighbors, and share civic space with others.