Ward 7 - September 2023 Update

I hope everyone is enjoying the end of summer! I’m not quite ready for fall, and I find it hard to believe that our child is off to his sophomore year at Waltham High School. It feels like just yesterday that he was starting kindergarten at Stanley Elementary.

I wanted to share some timely neighborhood updates. This list is not all-inclusive but includes several issues that will be addressed in September and beyond.

Key elements included here are:

  • New matters before the traffic commission

  • Roads

  • Commercial development

  • Residential development

  • Reminders

Traffic

As usual, I’ve got lots happening before the traffic commission. The following items are on the agenda for the Sept. 21 meeting. I’ve also included a few other updates. (Again, this list is not inclusive of every matter in Ward 7 before the traffic commission).

  1. No standing or stopping on Morton Street: I am requesting new “No Standing / No Stopping” signs on Morton Street specifically in front of 37 and 39 Morton Street where some of the No Parking regulations were recently added. Cars idling in place for long periods of time are even more of a nuisance than parked cars.

  2. Parking restrictions on Hartwell Street: For safety and accessibility, I am requesting that parking is only allowed on one side of Hartwell Street.

  3. New Stow Street Crosswalk: I am requesting a new crosswalk on Stow Street for safe crossing from Ravenswood Road and Milton Street.

  4. Turn Restrictions from Fiske Ave. and Fairmont Ave. onto Weston Street: As an immediate effort to reduce cut-through traffic in the West End neighborhood and improve safety on Weston Street I am requesting to restrict turns from Fiske Ave. and Fairmont Ave. onto Weston Street as Right Turn Only. This would include posting signs at entrances from South Street that right turns onto Route 20 are prohibited. My goal is to begin reducing cut-through traffic in the neighborhood immediately and reduce the risk of crashes on Weston Street. (It is likely that this request is going to be deferred until the West End Traffic Study is completed. Please see next bullet point.)

  5. West End Traffic Study: Thank you to the residents who attended the July 19 West End neighborhood meeting and contacted me with your concerns. This ongoing issue of traffic and resulting safety concerns throughout this neighborhood has a long history before the traffic commission going back to at least 2017. As a result of the meeting I held, the traffic commissioner is finally issuing an RFP for a full neighborhood traffic study. This is an important step to overcoming the obstacles that we’ve been facing each time we make a request before the commission for improvements in this neighborhood. As previously communicated, I will keep the neighborhood updated on progress and next steps.

  6. Intersection Control at Villa Street/Fiske Ave: As a result of the West End neighborhood meeting, Captain Rodley, Waltham Police, is requesting that we evaluate the placement of Stop signs at the intersection of Villa Street and Fiske Ave., with a suggestion that a Stop sign should be installed on Fiske Ave. I am grateful to Captain Rodley for his ongoing support.

  7. Improvements at Cedarwood Avenue: Because of the successful “proof of concept” of the cones at the bottom of Cedarwood Avenue which have proven to reduce speed of traffic coming from Route 20 onto Villa Street, traffic commission member and head of Waltham CPW, Mike Chiasson, is requesting approval of a permanent installation to replace the vertical posts installed at the end of the traffic island.

  8. Speed Hump at Hamilton Road/Intervale Road: (to be heard in October) I have requested speed hump(s) across from the Cedarwood playground to improve safety as the park is at the bottom of two hills and at a blind corner.

  9. Brandeis Crosswalk on South Street – improved visibility: (Tabled) I have requested the city work with Brandeis to ensure that the crosswalk at Brandeis is properly lit and marked to improve safety for students crossing. I have also been working with Brandeis to encourage students to use the foot crossing bridge when the crosswalk isn’t an option.

  10. Improved Traffic Signals at South Street and Bedford – this request was approved by the traffic commission and the traffic engineer is in the process of hiring a contractor to make this improvement which will elevate the signals, improving visibility, similar to the other traffic signals along South Street.

  11. Cedarwood/20 Traffic Intersection: I am continuing to try to work with MassDOT to improve signage and signals at this intersection. Additionally, I have asked MassDOT to better maintain the 128 rotary including the on-ramps/off-ramps and areas around the signs/signals which are badly overgrown, impairing visibility and safety.

Route 128 rotary improvements. The project that will modernize the Route 128/20 rotary and connect it to 117 is being privately funded by developers led by Boston Properties. I recently visited the project center and invited nearby residents. If you are interested in seeing a working model of the proposed upgrades, please contact me and I will organize another visit this fall.

Local Roads

  1. I have requested that CPW address the drainage issue on Hartwell Street that is creating “Lake Hartwell” and fix the sidewalks that are crumbling as a result of parking on them.

  2. I have requested that CPW address the drainage issue on Ravenswood Road that has created flooding issues this summer.

  3. CPW is aware of, and has been repairing, the issues that led to a sinkhole forming on Fiske Ave.

  4. Repaving on Summit Ave is underway! Updates are available here.

 Commercial Development

  1. Dispensaries: Waltham has approved the four marijuana dispensaries allowed by law. They will be at 235 Bear Hill Road (Thrive); 305 Second Avenue (Middlesex Integrative Medicine); 196 Bear Hill Road (Uma Flowers); and 221 Bear Hill Road (Flora). The applications proposed for Main Street, which would abutt homes in the Ravenswood neighborhood and future rail trail were not approved.

  2. 1362 Main Street: There is a special Permit application to construct a five-story office/lab building with an attached six-level parking structure. After reviews by the Ordinance and Rules Committee, the matter was to be voted on by the Council. However, I was successful in getting it sent back to Committee. I called out that it will have a negative impact on the neighborhoods if built and operated under the current road infrastructure. The proposed order, as it stands, doesn't satisfy constituents' concerns that the development be contingent upon the overall road improvements that include widening of 117 and connecting 117/20/128 via Green Street to mitigate traffic in Ward 7 neighborhoods. The applicant is not an involved party in the road improvement project (yet is dependent upon them) and as such they are not able to provide guarantees that said improvements will ever take place. I supported my argument with this comment from our Law Department’s review:

    The actual performance of traffic mitigation by an entity not a party to this special permit is too speculative to be relied upon. Either this traffic mitigation by third parties must be performed prior to the grant of the special permit, guaranteed to be completed before an occupancy permit issues for the subject building, or the Petitioners must themselves provide the necessary traffic mitigation to address their proposed development.”

  3. Welcome Enzina Bakery! This summer, I had the pleasure of attending my first ribbon cutting as a City Councilor for a Ward 7 business, Enzina Bakery at 1058 Main Street. Stop in – enjoy some sweets and fantastic fresh bread and support a local small business!

Residential Development

Quality of Life and Protecting Our Neighborhoods
Keeping our neighborhoods safe, clean, and in accordance with current zoning is a priority. While I support a homeowner’s right to rent their property and value the housing this provides whether to students or families, it’s critical that this is done in a responsible manner that is respectful to the neighborhood and all residents.

I maintain a “watch list” of more than 20 properties that I review regularly with the building and law department. This isn’t just about rentals but covers properties with a consistent record of issues that include blight, disturbing the peace, health (trash/rats) and safety, structural, and other.

Addressing these issues takes time, but we have reason to be optimistic – we have seen several instances of success where property owners, including several out-of-town non-resident owners, have responded proactively.  

It’s worth repeating: While many rentals are to college students, this is not only about college rentals and not an attempt to keep students out of our neighborhoods. Waltham is, after all, a vibrant city with two Universities! As such, we work collaboratively with Brandeis, Bentley, and Regis to support us when it is a student issue.

If you believe you are being affected by a property – rental or non-rental – that is not in compliance with zoning or is impacting your quality of life, I would appreciate it if you would discuss it with me. I can only facilitate when I’m made aware.

New Housing

1486 Main Street (Route 117): Approved, a new residential development with 160-unit property located on the Weston border (currently the site of Eastern Auto Solutions next to Keane Fire and Safety). The project will create 40 affordable rental units (25% of the units in the overall development.) Of the 40, 35 units will be made available to households earning no more than 80% of Area Median Income (AMI), and 5 units will be made available to households earning no more than 60% of AMI. As this is a 40B development, it was only before the Waltham Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) and did not come before the City Council. I addressed the ZBA, as did other city departments, with concerns related to health, public safety, fire safety, environmental, storm water management, water and sewer, design, open space, density, traffic and pedestrian safety, traffic flow/congestion, site access, parking, transportation services to and from site, and other concerns. Identifying concerns is our responsibility for the health and welfare of future residents and to protect the city’s interests (including safety of our first responders.) The ZBA granted the permit subject to the conditions and waivers it set forth, finding the conditions strike the appropriate balance between protecting the health and safety of the occupants of the project, the abutters, and that the project is consistent with local needs.

VOTING REMINDER:

There are two upcoming elections. Ward 7 residents vote at the Banks School (except for early voting which is noted below.) To improve safety and visibility for cars, bikes, pedestrians, and campaign workers, I have requested a “No Parking” restriction abutting the parking lot entrance on Russell Street.

·         Preliminary election: Tuesday, Sept. 12
For the purpose of narrowing down the field of Mayor from 3 to 2 candidates and Councilors at-large from 13 to 12 candidates. (In-person early voting for this election is on Sept. 2 at the former Bright School, 260 Grove Street.)

·         *** Municipal Election, Tuesday, Nov. 7 ***
To elect the Mayor, 6 Councilors at-large, and the Ward 7 City Councilor. (In-person early voting for the municipal election will be held Oct. 28-30 at the former Bright School, 260 Grove Street.)

I will be running for re-election for a second term. I hope that during my first term in office I have demonstrated my commitment to serving all residents and focus on the needs of our Ward and neighborhoods. I ask for your vote and support. If you don’t believe I have lived up to your expectations, please email or call me so I can understand how I can do better for you.

I continue my pledge not to accept donations from developers, other politicians, special interests, and entities that do business with the city. Nor do I hire and pay consultants to manage my campaign. All donations and funds go only toward campaign efforts.

  • Should you wish to support my campaign through donations, please use the “Donate to the Campaign” link below.

  • If you would like to support my campaign in other ways (sign holding, literature distribution, sign on your lawn, etc.) please send an email to Katz.Ward7@gmail.com.

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