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.

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.

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.

Development

LETTER: Welcoming SMART Development in Watertown

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First off, I would like to say that no one I have spoken to about a moratorium is anti-development. I do not feel that this is a black and white issue; on the contrary, I feel this is an exciting opportunity for the town—if done well. Whether it’s a moratorium, or hiring a dedicated consultant to help us get the Comprehensive Plan in place, we need to do something fast before it’s too late. Let’s face it: developers need a strong incentive to do the best for the town. Unless we have a good vision, codified into our laws, we negotiate with all developers from a position of weakness and rely on their mercy for our requests.

Development

Town Council, Planning Board to Begin Examining Comprehensive Plan

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The Comprehensive Plan will get a thorough examination by the Planning Board and a subcommittee of the Town Council beginning Monday, July 14. The joint meeting of the Planning Board and the Economic Development and Planning subcommittee will be held at 7 p.m. in Town Hall inside the Council Chamber. The meeting is the first of three scheduled to go over the details of the document that will help shape the future of Watertown. Other meetings will be held July 21 and August 18, and will also be in Town Hall. The first meeting does not have a set agenda, Planning Board Chairman John Hawes said during a board meeting last week.

Business

Planning Board Wary of Volkswagen’s Plans for Sullivan Tire Site

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Boston Volkswagen wants to turn the site where Sullivan Tire is located into a used car showroom, but the Planning Board and others said the plan does not fit with the vision to improve Watertown Square. The Comprehensive Plan, which is currently being worked on by the Town Council and Planning Board, calls for making Watertown Square more attractive to shoppers and pedestrians. Boston Volkswagen’s plans would be to keep the same building at 21 North Beacon St., but make some upgrades. The building is just down the street from the current Boston Volkswagen dealership, at 43 North Beacon St. Greg Sampson, the attorney for Boston Volkswagen, said that the new use would have a smaller portion of the building used for auto service, and it would improve the look of the building.

Development

New Hotel on Arsenal Street Passes Muster With Planning Board

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The proposed 148-room Residence Inn by Marriott hotel proposed on Arsenal Street took a major step forward Wednesday night when the Planning Board gave its support to the project. The hotel would go on the former Charles River Saab site and would be owned by Boylston Properties, which also owns the Arsenal Project. The hotel would have a modern look, with a mix of materials, including metal, a product that looks like wood and light colored tiles, said Fred Kramer, an architect with ADD Inc.

The hotel will not be a full service hotel, said Bill McQuillan, principle of Boylston Properties, meaning it will not have room service, bell hops, a place to buy coffee, a bar and a small meeting room. It will also have a pool and a patio on the top floor, both of which are only for guests. Planning Board members and the public said they would like to see the hotel more welcoming to the public.