Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/tag/comprehensive-plan/page/2/)
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.
Charles River Regional ChamberA screenshot from the Charles River Regional Chamber’s video featuring Watertown. The Charles River Chamber recently hosted a virtual gathering of the Watertown business community where attendees learned about the Comprehensive Plan update. The City’s survey about the update ends Friday, March 24, so now is your chance to be heard about Watertown’s future. The Charles River Chamber sent out the following information:
Finally this week, my thanks to Watertown Senior Planner Larry Field for joining us at our virtual Watertown Business Community Town Hall for a presentation explaining the city’s draft Comprehensive Plan (as well as his unsolicited “PSA” about this newsletter). No idea what a Comprehensive Plan is?
The City of Watertown released the draft Comprehensive Plan update in late February and held an open house on March 9. Those who did not have a chance to comment on the plan then can still do so by filling out an online survey. The deadline to fill out the survey is Friday, March, 24. The survey also covers the draft Open Space and Recreation Plan. “Your participation will help the City better understand your interests and incorporate your ideas in the plans and their implementation,” the City’s announcement said.
The Charles River Chamber of Commerce will host a Watertown Business Community Town Hall on Wednesday, March 22 from 9 to 10 a.m. via Zoom. The event is free for members & non-members. The Chamber sent out the following information:
Watertown has experienced a remarkable period of growth and change that’s projected to continue in the coming years. By 2031, the city is expected to add more than 6,000 jobs, mostly in the research and development sectors. A positive impact of this economic development is that it will increase the non-residential tax base.
Thursday night, residents, business owners, and others have the chance to let City officials know what they would like Watertown look like in the future. The new draft of the Comprehensive Plan, along with plans for the City’a open space and recreation assets, will be discussed at an open house where people can leave their input. The open house will be held on Thursday, March 9 from 6:30-8 p.m. in the Watertown Savings Bank in the Watertown Library, 123 Main St. To RSVP click here. See the plans and more information about the Comprehensive Plan and Open Space & Recreation Plan at the website: https://engagestantec.mysocialpinpoint.com/watertown-plan
Comprehensive Plan
The Comprehensive Plan was adopted by the City Council in 2015.
The draft of Watertown’s most important planning document has been released, and City officials want input from the public about what’s included in the plan that will help shape Watertown’s future for years. The Comprehensive Plan was first approved in 2015, and has led to much of the recent development around town. Over 75 percent of the goals of the first masterplan have been met, and the City Council asked for it toe be updated. Topics covered in the Comprehensive Plan update include land use; economic development; transportation, circulation, and parking; and open space and recreation. A particular focus will be Watertown Square, and other commercial districts in the City. People can view the draft of the Comprehensive Plan, as well as the draft of the Open Space and Recreation Plan online (see links below).
Watertown Square
When Watertown Business Coalition Co-President Bob Airasian mentioned that a city square or town center usually being “a place where people like to go,” it was greeted with a chuckle by many at a gathering this week. “It shouldn’t be a place that you are trying to avoid,” Airasian continued, “and when you are running a business in a place like that, I’m not an economist but, that can’t be good for business.” City officials want to change that, and will soon kick off a process to plan for the future of the area, and the entire City. During the WBC’s coffee connect, Watertown Planner Larry Field talked about the updating of Watertown’s Comprehensive Plan. New City Manager George Proakis said at Tuesday’s City Council meeting that he has made no secret that he wants to make adopting the new document a priority of his first few months on the job.
Charlie BreitroseThe Watertown Business Coalition hosted an event called the Future of Business in Watertown at Mount Auburn Cemetery’s Bigelow Chapel. From left, WBC Co-Presidents Doug Orifice and Bob Airasian introduced Cemetery President Matthew Stephens. As Watertown looks at how to plan for the future with the Comprehensive Plan update, businesspeople shared a number of concerns and wishes for how the City could help them thrive. More than 50 people gathered at Mount Auburn Cemetery’s Bigelow Chapel Wednesday night to discuss the future of business in Watertown in an event hosted by the Watertown Business Coalition. Steve Kearney from Stantec, the City of Watertown’s Comprehensive Plan consultants, asked people what they would like the see to help businesses in the future.