City Council in brief

Several hearings and resolutions went before the City Council at their Monday night meeting on Feb. 10. From a hearing to make several private roads public, to a resolution to encourage more local dog grooming businesses to open in Waltham, here is a brief summary of the meeting. 

Petition for public roads

Residents of five neighboring private roads went before the City Council on Monday evening petitioning that the streets be made public. 

The streets in question, Lory Drive, Matthew Lane, Michealchris Drive, Raffaele Drive and Roseanna Park Drive, are all in the same neighborhood near Northeast Elementary School and the Bishops Forest condominium community. 

Nearly 30 residents of the neighborhood attended the City Council meeting, standing in support of the motion to make the streets public. 

“We pay the same tax rate as homeowners on public ways. All drivers and visitors can access our roads because of the public access even though it’s a private way. We want the same maintenance services that other residents are receiving because we think that’s fair,” said Waltham resident Susan Kahn. Kahn, who lives on one of the relevant streets, represented the group. 

The matter was referred to the Public Safety and Public Works Committee for further discussion. 

Energy stretch code resolution

Councilor-at-Large Colleen Bradley-MacArthur brought forward a resolution requesting that the City Council hear a presentation from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER). The presentation, which Bradley-MacArthur said has already been prepared, is on the state’s municipal opt-in specialized stretch code as it could pertain to Waltham. 

As the resolution explains, the specialized stretch code “was developed by the Commonwealth in 2022 as an option for municipalities. The Specialized Code will require builders, for both new construction and major renovations, to meet high performance standards, prepare buildings for all-electric heating and cooling, and make parking ready for electric vehicle chargers.”

Present at the meeting were members of the Waltham chapter of Mothers Out Front, a group that, according to its website, advocates for “promoting zero-carbon buildings, standing up for cleaner air, and ending fossil fuels.” The group gathered over 200 signatures from Waltham community members in support of hearing the presentation from the DOER. The members in the audience held up posters showing all 200-plus signatures. 

The council unanimously voted to hear the presentation at the next Committee of the Whole meeting, which will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 18. 

Dog grooming resolution

The City Council gave initial approval to a resolution that aims to support dog-related businesses in Waltham. 

Ward 8 Councilor Cathyann Harris spoke in support of the resolution, saying “this is about small business.” 

Currently the city requires dog kennels, shelters, and grooming businesses to obtain a special permit to open and operate. This resolution aims to change that, allowing these businesses to open and operate by right, without a special permit. 

Harris said the purpose of this resolution “is to remove unnecessary, unproductive red tape.”

This resolution was referred to the Ordinances and Rules Committee for further discussion. 

Fire department equipment grant

The council approved acceptance of a $35,000 grant for the Waltham Fire Department from the state. 

Fire Chief Andrew Mullin went before the Finance Committee on Monday, Feb. 3 and shared the fire department’s intended uses for the funds. Mullin said the department will purchase three battery operated exhaust vans, six electric vehicle charging port plugs and several nozzles and hand tools.

In other action, the council

• Went into a private executive session “to discuss 995 Main Street.”
• Sent the acceptance of a major grant to the Finance Committee for further discussion. The  $100,000 grant is for the Waltham Public Library and is from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. 
• Sent the acceptance of a gift of $5,000 worth of car washes for city employees to the Finance Committee for further discussion. The gift is from Prestige Car Wash located at 101 Elm St. 
• Tabled a resolution to look at traffic issues around the Elm Street commuter rail crossing. The resolution was tabled because Ward 5 Councilor Joey LaCava, who created the resolution, was absent. 
• Took the final step in approving a $120,590 grant from the state Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block. This funding is slated to go towards installing new electric vehicle chargers throughout the city. 
• Took the final step in approving a major National Grid project, replacing thousands of feet of underground gas mains around McDevitt Middle School.