City Council in brief

By AUBREY HAWKE 
Waltham Times Contributing Writer

The City Council met Monday night. Among the highlights of the meeting, the City Council

• Held a public hearing regarding a proposed National Grid construction project. The project involves thousands of feet of gas main replacement around McDevitt Middle School. The project next goes to the city’s Licenses and Franchises Committee for further discussion before it returns to the City Council for approval. Ward 6 Councilor Sean T. Durkee asked the National Grid representative if the project will be scheduled so that construction work will only take place outside of school hours, which National Grid affirmed to be the case. 
  
• Rescheduled a hearing for a proposed six-story hotel located at 1265 Main St. because the hotel development team did not have updated information ready to share with councilors. The hearing is now scheduled for Feb. 24. 
  
• Rescheduled a hearing for renovations and a change of operating hours at the Main Street McDonald’s location until Feb. 24. The councilors moved the hearing as it is still waiting for the city’s Law Department response to the petition. 
  
• Rescheduled a public hearing on a special permit request for a proposed seven-story laboratory/office building at 460 Totten Pond Road. Developers plan to demolish an existing building on the property and build a new facility, which would include 4 1/2 below-ground parking levels. The delay for this hearing is because the permit is still under review by the city, according to Ward 8 Councilor Cathyann Harris. 
  
• Sent a resolution about placing cameras on school buses to the Ordinances and Rules Committee for further discussion. The proposed cameras are meant to deter other vehicles from breaking traffic laws around school buses, making  it safer for children entering and exiting the bus. 
  
• Took a first vote to approve an ordinance about dumpster control in Waltham. This ordinance was designed to mitigate the presence of rats in Waltham. The ordinance requires Waltham dumpster owners to license their dumpsters annually, which will cost $100 per dumpster. Additionally, it includes a series of regulations for how dumpsters are kept and allows the city’s Health Department to fine owners if those rules are broken. All council members voted in favor of the ordinance except for Ward 5 Councilor Joey LaCava and Councilor-at-Large Paul J. Brasco who voted ‘no.’ and Ward 1 Councilor Anthony LaFauci who was absent at the meeting. 
  
• Referred several matters regarding funding for restoration, environmental surveys and installation of memorial plaques at the Fernald property to committees for further discussion.