Around Town

OP-ED: MBTA Communities Law Part 3 – Our Current Watertown Square Housing Situation

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Watertown Square

By Linda ScottWatertown Resident

First, Let’s Nerd Out a Bit:

A study was commissioned by Watertown to set a dollar amount to charge non-residential projects in the City. This was to off-set some of the costs of these projects to Watertown, and the aim was to put this money towards affordable housing in the City. This money is called a “linkage fee.” Part of this 2022 study was to project housing needs for Watertown. Here’s what that report (called the “Watertown Commercial Development and Housing Nexus Study”) says:

“Since new employees will live in a variety of communities, it is necessary to determine the share that will demand housing in Watertown. To estimate the percent of new employees who will demand housing within the city, the results from a survey of employees in office, laboratory, hotel and retail buildings conducted in February and March 2022 were used.

Around Town

Jobs: Watertown Housing Authority Hiring for Facilities Maintenance, Plumbing Positions

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The Watertown Housing Authority seeks to fill two maintenance job openings. See details below. MAINTENANCE POSITION – MAINTENANCE LABORER MECHANIC 1/ FACILITIES MAINTENANCE

Posted: MARCH 28, 2023

Description: THE WATERTOWN HOUSING AUTHORITY IS SEEKING A FULL TIME POSITION OF MAINTENANCE LABORER MECHANIC 1. THIS IS A HIGHLY SKILLED POSITION IN WHICH THE INDIVIDUAL MUST HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF AND EXPERIENCE IN BUILDING MAINTENANCE AND IS SKILLED IN THE USE OF TOOLS AND OPERATION OF POWER EQUIPMENT USED BY BUILDING AND GROUNDS PERSONNEL. VARIED DUTIES INCLUDE BUT NOT LIMITED TO RESTORATION OF VACANT UNITS, CLEANING, PAINTING, DOOR/LOCK REPAIR, ELECTRICAL, CARPENTRY, FLOORING REPLACEMENT, APPLIANCE MAINTENANCE, LANDSCAPING, GROUNDS KEEPING, SNOW REMOVAL USING SHOVELS, SNOW BLOWERS AND PLOW-EQUIPPED TRUCKS.

Around Town

Big Discussions Over the Future of a Small Pond in East Watertown

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Maya ShwayderThe future is uncertain for Sawin’s Pond, a small body of water between Arlington Street and Coolidge Avenue. It’s easy to miss Sawin’s Pond in Watertown. The little body of water sits squished between where Arlington and Coolidge streets come together, behind a UPS outlet that’s across from the Home Depot. It’s not much to look at: some scraggly trees and browned earth, and rubber is sticking up in some places. But the privately-owned space has been the center of a long-running debate: what, exactly, should happen to the land?

Around Town

OP-ED: The MBTA Communities Law Part 2 – What It Is, What It Isn’t

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mass.gov

By Linda ScottWatertown Resident

What the MBTA Law (MGL 40A Section 3A of the Zoning Act) is:

A zoning plan to address building multifamily housing in areas where there is public transportation. What it is for Watertown:

A zoning plan for 1,701 housing units in the form of three family structures or more. These units must be non-exclusionary, meaning without any age restrictions, and suitable for families with children. Why 1,701? Because that’s about 10 percent of the housing we have right now.

Around Town

UPDATED: Committee Will Consider Which Community Preservation Projects to Support in 2023

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The Community Preservation Committee will deliberate over the proposed projects for 2023, and vote on which ones to recommend to the City Council for final approval. The Community Preservation Committee (CPC) makes recommendations on how to spend the funds raised after Watertown passed the Community Preservation Act (CPA) in 2016. The money can fund projects in multiple areas: historic preservation, affordable housing, and open space and recreation. In February, the CPC heard six proposal for projects to be funded. On Thursday, March 30, at 7 p.m. the Committee will discuss the proposals and vote on recommendations.

Around Town

OP-ED: MBTA Communities & How it Could Impact Watertown

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By Linda ScottWatertown Resident

Part 1

In January 2021, surrounded by some very happy building tradespeople, Charlie Baker signed the MBTA Communities Law into effect, and I missed it. Totally. Apparently, so did a whole lot of us! In August 2021, I was having lunch with a friend who lives in Boston. We were catching up.

Around Town

Watertown’s Yard Waste Pickup Begins in April, See the Schedule

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Yard waste pick up will begin in Watertown on April 3, and there will be two a month, except in September when there are four pick ups. Department of Public Works provided the following announcement:

Here is the Yard Waste Pick-Up Schedule for Spring 2023. Yard waste will be picked up on your scheduled trash day during the weeks of April 3, 17, May 1, 15, June 5, 26, July 10, 24, August 7, 21, 28, Sept 4, 11, 18, 25. For more information, call: 617-972-6420, email: recycle@watertown-ma.gov, or visit: www.watertown-ma.gov/zerowaste