Development

Sideris Calls for All Developers in Town to Come Talk About Their Plans

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Town Council President Mark Sideris wants to get developers of all projects planned for Watertown to come and tell residents what they have planned for their property. Tuesday night the Town Council declined to approve a moratorium on developments on Arsenal Street, but decided to fast-track creating design standards and design guidelines for all developments in town. Sideris said he ran the idea past Director of Community Development and Planning Steve Magoon, who advised against having a developer summit. “I am not going to listen to him,” Sideris said. “All people with projects in the East End, the West End and the rest of town will come and talk about what they want to bring forward.

Development

Town Council Rejects Moratorium, Will Fast Track New Design Guidelines

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The proposed moratorium that would have temporarily halted development on Arsenal Street was rejected by the Town Council Tuesday night, but instead voted to quickly develop guidelines and standards for how projects can be built across town. A group of residents petitioned the Council to put in the moratorium, and Tuesday’s special Town Council meeting was scheduled to address the issue. Community Development and Planning Director Steve Magoon advised the Council that a moratorium would send the wrong message to developers. “It can send the message we are a community closed for business and not a place to invest in,” Magoon said. In addition, the moratorium can take time to go into effect.

Government

Board Sends Housing Section of Comprehensive Plan Back for Overhaul

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The Housing section of the Watertown Comprehensive Plan focuses too much on affordable housing and does not have a clear stance on what kind of residential developments should be built in town, said the boards reviewing the plan. Looking at the goals in the housing section of the Watertown Comprehensive Plan, the members of the Town Council’s Economic Development and Planning Committee and the Planning Board said the recommendations focus too much on creating affordable housing and not enough on what kind of housing should be added. Town Councilor Susan Falkoff said she has heard differing views from residents. “Do we want families or do we not want families,” Falkoff said. The large developments with mostly one- and two-bedroom units tend to attract single people or childless couples.

Environment

Long Awaited Charles River Improvements Will Have Something for Everyone

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Efforts to upgrade the path and park along the Charles River, east of Watertown Square, started more than seven years ago, and Monday morning workers officially broke ground on a project that will improve the path, the park and add a special feature for the visually impaired. 

The park sits just blocks from Perkins School for the Blind, and a chorus from the school kicked off the ceremony by singing the National Anthem. The school is just one of several groups who helped make the project a reality, said Jack Murray, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. The $1.4 million project is a partnership between the state, the town, private organizations, foundations and more. The Lawrence and Lillian Solomon Foundation donated $175,000, the Town of Watertown added $100,000, the Bilezikian Foundation added $50,000, Perkins School for the Blind gave $25,000, the Watertown Commission on Disabilities put in $15,000 and the Watertown Community Foundation added $5,000. Improvements

One of the new features of the park will be a Sensory Garden and Braille Trail, which will allow the blind and visually impaired to learn about nature.

Development

Council, Planning Board Worry Comprehensive Plan is Too Specific

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As they started to delve into the draft of the 200-plus pages of the Watertown Comprehensive Plan, members of the Planning Board and Town Council said some of it has too many details that could lock the town into something that does not make sense. The group, made up of the Planning Board and the Council’s Economic Development and Planning subcommittee, looked at the vision statement and the Land Use portion of the plan on July 14. Some of the things that worried them was that some of the goals had specific numbers for how to change zoning or building requirements. Planning Board Chairman John Hawes said he is not comfortable the statement in the Arsenal Street Corridor section saying that residential projects with frontages right on the street should be allowed, as well as the statement that the setback should be reduced from the current 25 feet. “I think that needs more discussion,” Hawes said.

Government

Town Council Approves Medical Marijuana Zoning

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The Town Council approved a zoning change that would allow medical marijuana dispensaries in certain parts of Watertown. 

The facilities would only be allowed in areas zoned for industrial use (I-1, I-2 or I-3). The marijuana dispensaries would not be allowed to operate within 500 feet of a place where children commonly congregate, such as schools, parks and child care facilities. The Council voted 6-1, with Councilor Angeline Kounelis, who represents East Watertown, voting against the proposal. “There was a statement that these would be in ‘out of the way locations.'” Kounelis said. “The out of the way locations are all in East End of Watertown.

Development

Zoning Board Approves Major Arsenal Street Project

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The major residential and retail project at 202-204 Arsenal Street received final approval from the Zoning Board of Appeals Wednesday night. 

The project includes a four-story, 297-unit apartment building (with 30 affordable rate units), as well as an 80-seat restaurant and a 33,000-square-foot market on Arsenal Street, a little east of Irving Street. The Zoning Board gave its approval after a lengthy discussion and with certain conditions, said Watertown Community Development and Planning Director Steve Magoon. Among the conditions that were already recommended by town Planning staff were that the developers contribute to a transportation management association (TMA) to provide additional public transit to the area. Also, the project will also make improvements to the Community Path along the length of the project. Tuesday night the Zoning Board added some conditions, Magoon said.

Development

Residents Want Developments to Take Account for Nearby Neighborhoods

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With developments along Arsenal Street coming closer and closer, residents have requested that new projects take into account the residential areas near where they will be built, and get that these areas get the some of same protections as the Charles River. Many projects focus on the front of the development and the look from the street, but residents at the Comprehensive Plan Review meeting said their homes should also be taken into account. “Developments need to be blended into the fabric of the neighborhood,” said resident Rena Baskin. She suggested having rules about where green space should go so that developers know what to expect. “They should have green space, not in the middle of the building but near the neighborhood or on the river,” Baskin said.