Government

City Council Votes to Make Renovating Watertown Middle School a Priority

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Watertown Middle School

Watertown Middle School will be the next major project constructed by the City of Watertown. Tuesday night, the City Council voted to move the school to the top of the Capital Projects list. One of the primary reasons was to take advantage of the cost savings provided by using the modular classes set up on Moxley Field for students while the school is under construction. The City Council held a special meeting after City Manager George Proakis asked Councilors said a decision must be made about when to take on the middle school project because the modular classrooms currently serving as the temporary Watertown High School will be removed in 2026 unless the City extends the lease. The Middle School is not the only project on the list of priorities.

Government

City to Add Section to Community Path with Taking of Land, Memorialization Committee Could be Created

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Watertown City Hall

(CORRECTION: The easement payment was incorrectly listed at $374,000. It is $37,400)

Watertown’s Community Path will get a bit longer with the addition of a section that sits on private land right next to Main Street. The Council also heard about the committee proposed to decide how to name streets, buildings, and other places in someone’s memory. That section of the Community Path that runs from Waverley Avenue and Main Street has been constructed, City Manager George Proakis told the City Council on Tuesday night, but it has been closed off until the City could get the right for public use through an easement agreement with the property owner. “We are paying them, they are getting these easement rights, and we will get the path further along and connected to Main Street,” Proakis said.

Government

Planning Board Sends Recommends Zoning Amendments to City Council; Hearing Continues Nov. 14

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The zoning map recommended by the Planning Board on October 30, 2024. The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

The Zoning Hearing is set to continue on November 14, 2024, at 6 PM with the City Council in the City Council Chamber at 149 Main Street. You can access the agenda, and you can join this hybrid meeting online by using this zoom link. What is the City Council Discussing at the Hearing? The Planning Board unanimously voted to recommend a package of zoning amendments to the City Council on October 30, 2024.

Government

Tweaks to Watertown Square Zoning Map Discussed by Planning Board, Council

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The City Council and Planning Board got down to the details of the proposed new Zoning Map for the Watertown Square Area on Tuesday night, suggesting some changes to the proposal including allowing taller buildings in some spots, more modest ones in others, and keeping the Delta “green.” The third night of hearings included an extended discussion of the zoning map by the Planning Board, as well as continuation of questions from the City Council and some public comments. The City Council finished their question time, but the Planning Board will continue its hearing Wednesday, Oct. 30 at 6 p.m in City Hall with remote participation (Click here for the agenda and links). They will make a recommendation that will be considered by the City Council at its hearing on Nov.

Government

Watertown Square Zoning Meetings to Begin Oct. 16, See New Dates & Agenda

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The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

The City Council and Planning Board Joint Hearings to discuss the Watertown Square Area Plan zoning amendment will begin on October 16, 2024 in the Watertown Free Public Library. NEW placeholder dates have been set in the case the Public Hearing is continued. Please see the updated dates below! When is the Joint Public Hearing on Zoning? October 16, 2024 at 6:30 PM in the Watertown Public Library at 123 Main Street.

Schools

City Council Suggesting New WHS Auditorium be Named After Former Town Manager

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Ai3 ArchitectsA rendering of the designs for the new Watertown High School viewed from Columbia Street. The City Council joined the people submitting suggested names for facilities at the new Watertown High School by submitting the name of the man who enabled the City of Watertown to build the new school without a tax increase. On Tuesday, the City Council voted to allow City Council President Mark Sideris to send a letter on behalf of the Council suggesting that the auditorium be named after former Town and City Manager Michael Driscoll. “I do think it is appropriate for a number of reasons,” Sideris said. “Michael Driscoll was the author of many of the things that went on in this community and the new high school, as well as the two new elementary schools, would not be going on right now if not for his guidance to this Council and the community and the School Committee on how to approach this.”

Government

What’s Next in the Watertown Square Plan? See When the Next Meeting Will Take Place

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The City of Watertown provided the following announcement:

The next steps of the Watertown Square Area Plan implementation will be to discuss and approve zoning amendments. A zoning amendment is a proposed change to the zoning requirements and map, without having to completely rewrite the zoning code. To approve new zoning, the City will hold a Joint Public Hearing with the City Council and Planning Board to discuss the proposed zoning, hear public comment, and approve new zoning amendments. The above map is the proposed zoning map from the final endorsed Watertown Square Area Plan. 

When does this next step begin? The first step will be to complete something called a “first reading.”

Around Town

LETTER: Open Letter to the Council on the Watertown Square Area Plan

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To: Watertown City CouncilorsFrom: Linda ScottSubject: Response to Councilor Gannon’s comments on Watertown’s History on June 27, 2024ATTN: Please include this letter in the record and read at the July 16th Joint Hearing

Dear John,

I am sending this to all of the City Councilors, but I’m addressing it to you, since I am responding to the comments that you made about the history of Watertown at the June 27 Joint Meeting of the City Council and the Planning Board. Your comments gave me food for thought. I thought about how circular the path of Watertown has been … large, broken down factories replaced with office space. That gave way to Bio Tech labs. It’s been a pattern in Watertown’s history to go all-in on one thing.