Government

Help Shape Watertown’s Future by Taking Community Preservation Survey

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The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

Help shape Watertown’s future in the areas of open space, community housing, outdoor recreation, and historic preservation. Learn about the first Watertown Community Preservation Act (CPA) projects to be recommended for funding in the process too. Please take a few minutes to complete our survey to inform the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) in updating the Community Preservation Plan. According to CPA law, we must hold a public hearing and prepare an annual update of the Preservation Plan—that means hearing from you. Take the survey –  Community Preservation FY 2021-22 Community Survey

Thanks in advance for your input.

Capital Projects

Capital Projects Include Community Path, Work at Middle School, Reuse of Old Police Station

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The City Council approved the recommendations for the Fiscal Year 2023-27 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), which includes extending the Community Path, improvements to Watertown Middle School, reusing the old Watertown Police Station, along with road repair and other projects. The 34 recommendations of the FY23-27 CIP includes $27.6 million in capital spending in Fiscal year 2023, which would be 7.71 percent of the total projected City revenues not including the funds for the Building for the Future school projects (16 percent with them). That figure fits within the City Council’s budget guideline to spend between 7.5 percent and 8 percent of the City Operating Budget on capital projects, said Council Vice President Vincent Piccirilli. Community Path

Three of the CIP recommendations related to extending the Community Path, which currently goes from Arlington Street, behind Target to School Street, and runs along Arsenal Street. The path will be extended from Taylor Street (off Arsenal Street) to Saltonstall Park.

Development

Major Residential, Retail Project Proposed for Main Street, Near Watertown Square

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Icon ArchitectureA view of the proposed project at 104-126 Main St. from Main Street. A five-story mixed use project with housing units on top of retail and commercial space may be coming to Main Street. The development would include properties that currently include the Post Office, a restaurant, a boutique and other properties. The pre-application plans were sent to the to the Watertown Planning Department for review on March 31 show 146 residential units in four stories.

Around Town

Semifinalists Interviewed by Library Director Search Committee

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Watertown Free Public LibraryThe Watertown Free Public Library. The semifinalists for the Watertown library director were interviewed last week and finalists will be chosen by the Preliminary Screening Committee. The job posting closed on March 18, and 15 people submitted applications, said Leanne Hammonds, chair of the Board of Library Trustees. “We reviewed the applications in an executive session and narrowed down to five candidates,” Hammonds said. “At this point in the process, the candidates are not public knowledge and our interviews this week will be in executive session.

Government

Deadline to Apply for Residential Property Tax Exemptions Coming Up

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Some Watertown resident qualify for residential tax exemptions, but to take advantage they must apply by April 1. There are several exemptions or reductions for qualifying veterans of the military, as well as for the blind and qualifying seniors. All owners of residential property in Watertown who make it their primary residence can qualify for the residential exemption of more than $3,000. Some of the exemptions are:

Seniors 65+, $1,000

Seniors 70+, surviving spouse or minor child of deceased parent, $350

Blind, $1,000

Community Preservation Tax Exemption, low or moderate income, entire surcharge

Disabled veteran, 10% disability letter, $800

Disabled veteran, letter for permanent loss of one hand, foot or eye, $1,500

Disabled veteran, letter for permanent loss of two hands, feet or eyes, $2,500

Disabled veteran, total disability letter, $3,000

Veteran, died in combat, all property taxes

Veteran, 100% disability letter, $2,000

Senior Tax Work off, up to $1,500

Veteran Tax Work off, up to $1,500

Click here to see the exemptions offered by the City of Watertown with basic qualifications. 

Exemption applications can be submitted to the Watertown Assessor’s office online by clicking here

City Council

City Council Wants to Talk to DCR About Closing of Greenough Blvd.

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City Councilors have invited representatives from the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) to talk about the status of Greenough Boulevard in 2022, and whether it will once again be closed to traffic for several months. City Council President Mark Sideris said he would like the Council to have discussions with officials from the State agency that owns the roadway known as “Little Greenough,” which runs along the Charles River from Arsenal to North Beacon streets. “A year ago, this came before Council and we wrote a letter saying we want to have discussions, and DCR basically closed Little Greenough without any further talks with the City,” Sideris said. “I have spoken to (state) Sen. (Will) Brownsberger and he thought it was appropriate that we ask that they come talk to the Committee.” 

A screenshot of a Google Map showing the section of Greenough Boulevard closed by the DCR for recreation use in 2021. It stretches from North Beacon Street to Arsenal Street.

Government

Council Approves $2.5 Million for Road Projects, See Which Roads Are on the List

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Funds to repair road in 2022 were approved by the City Council this week. The $2.5 million will go toward reconstructing four roadways in Watertown. Department of Public Works Superintendent Greg St. Louis said the streets on the list for repairs this year are: Boylston Street (from Fairfield Street to Porter Street), Chester Street, Locke Street, and Chapman Street (from Main Street to Highland Avenue). The work will include fully replacing the roadway surface, installing granite curbing and replacing sidewalks.

Government

Funding to Renovate, Expand Lowell School Approved by Council

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Ai3 ArchitectsA view of what the renovation to the Lowell School, including the addition seen on the right, which has tall windows, including on the corners. The funds for Watertown’s third elementary school project got approval from the City Council Tuesday night. The Lowell Elementary School project, unlike the first two, will not be a brand new school. Instead the historic building will undergo a major renovation and will have some additions. The approval for borrowing $48.895 million for the Lowell project on Tuesday came on the same night that the Council approved borrowing $198 million to construct the new Watertown High School.