Development

Changes Made to Hotel Proposal Do Not Satisfy Concerned Residents

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Despite a local developer’s efforts to redesign plans for a proposed hotel at 80 Elm Street, Town Councilor Angeline Kounelis and a group of East end residents said they still don’t want it in their neighborhood last week. “It does not belong on Elm Street,” Kounelis said. The residents and several Town Councilors gathered at he Apartments at Coolidge School’s Function Room on Arlington Street, May 7 for an option neighborhood meeting about the proposed five-story, 104-room hotel. Despite already meeting the required number of neighborhood meetings, developer Cherag Patel held the meeting to address concerns residents had previously expressed. The project is scheduled to by heard at a special planning board meeting on May 21.

Government

Watertown Will Have A Voice on Issue of Airplane Noise

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Watertown will get a say on a board that advises Boston’s Logan Airport about the noise and air quality related to the airport. Along with Belmont and Arlington, Watertown will have a new regional committee that advises the MassPort Community Advisory Committee – which also overseas airports in Bedford and Worcester. They got the seats thanks to State Sen. Will Brownsberger, who passed an amendment to the supplemental budget adding representatives from the three town with the support of several colleagues, including Watertown State Rep. Jonathan Hecht. Although the Federal Aviation Authority has control over air traffic, MassPort controls airport operations and “the inclusion of Arlington, Belmont and Watertown on the CAC will ensure that our communities have a seat at the table,” Brownsberger’s Legislative Aide Andrew Bettinelli told The Belmontonian. The problems started in the summer of 2013 when the FAA changed the pattern of flights from runway 33L.

Development

After Long Process, Watertown’s Comprehensive Plan Nears Completion

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The Town Council, and the Planning Board gathered with residents at the Watertown Middle School this week to put the final touches on the town’s long anticipated Comprehensive Plan. The Council and the Board presented the plan during a joint conference Wednesday, May 6. The comprehensive plan outlines the town’s goals through 2025, and is the town’s first since 1988, according to the town comprehensive plan website. The plan calls to “reinforce Watertown Square as a town center” transform Arsenal Corridor into a “dynamic mixed-use-corridor.”

The town original aimed to have the plan completed in 2013, but the process took longer than expected, Steve Magoon, Director of Planning and Development said. The Planning Board and the Town Council will vote on the proposed plan at upcoming meetings.

Government

Town Council Looking at Approving Water Main, Roofing Projects

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The Town Council will hold public hearings about $1.6 million in projects to work on water mains on several streets, and the roofs of two town buildings. The Council will take up the items at the May 12 meeting at 7:15 p.m. in Town Hall. The roofs of Town Hall and the North Fire Station will cost $262,800. Town Manger Michael Driscoll proposes take out a loan and issuing bonds to pay for the work. The low bid for the work was $219,000 and a contingency of $43,800 has been added.

Design Guidelines

Planning Board OKs Design Standards, Debates Which Projects it Should Cover

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The Planning Board gave its endorsement to Watertown’s design standards and guidelines, but made some changes to what size residential projects the to apply the new rules for what can be built in town. Thursday evening, the Planning Board held the second public hearing on the design standards, and voted 3-0 to approve the new rules. Members of the town’s Planning Department made some changes to the original proposal which was discussed on March 31 (click here to see the new draft). One of the proposed changes was to a apply the rules to residential projects of 10 units or more. The original proposal called for applying the rules to projects of four units or more.

Government

Council Subcommittee Wants to Require Residents to Shovel Snow from Sidewalks

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This winter’s heavy snows left many Watertown residents fed up with not being able to walk sidewalks covered with feet of snow, and many came out to support having an ordinance to require residents to clear snow off their sidewalks. 

The Town Council’s Public Works subcommittee discussed a possible residential snow shoveling requirement Wednesday night. After hearing from a largely pro-requirement set of residents they approved supporting a residential snow ordinance and sent it on for more study. The town already has a commercial snow shoveling requirement, and this is not the first attempt at adding a residential one. In 2012 a proposed ordinance made it to the full Council, but it was soundly defeated, recalled Council Vice President Steve Corbett, who supported it then and still wants to have a residential requirement. Bevin Croft said she did not feel safe walking with her son around her neighborhood during the snowy months this year, and prior years have been almost as bad.

Government

Town Budget Adds Teachers, Helps Police, Fire and Social Services

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Watertown’s Fiscal 2016 budget will provide a boost for the town’s schools, bolster the Police and Fire departments and look to improve public transportation. 

Town Manager Michael Driscoll presented the $119,115,250 Fiscal 2016 budget to the Town Council Tuesday night. The figure is 4.5 percent more than Fiscal 2015 – the current budget year – an increase of $5.1 million. “I believe the submitted Fiscal Year 2016 Budget focuses on achieving the long-term goal of sound financial management and fiscal stability,” Driscoll said. Watertown’s schools will add 21.2 new positions as part of the $41.9 million budget. Education funding got a 6.87 percent, $2.7 million boost in Fiscal 2016.

Development

Residents Invited to Learn About Proposed Eastside Hotel

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A community meeting will be held to give the latest update on the hotel proposed to go on Elm Street on the Eastside of Watertown. Elm Hospitality LLC will host the presentation and discussion of the revised project design for the new hotel proposed to be built at the former Atlantic Battery Site at 80 Elm St., Watertown. The meeting will he held on May 7, 2015 starting at 7 p.m. at the Coolidge School Apartments Function Room, 319 Arlington St. in Watertown. When developers made the first presentation for the hotel in January, they said it would have 102 rooms and would be an “upper, mid-range” hotel.