The week ahead: Large western Waltham zoning project returns to council for public hearing

Two real estate companies, BXP Inc. and 1265 Main Street LLC, will return to City Council this week to request zoning changes so they can build residential developments.

The companies have asked the council to create Residential Commercial Industrial Limited Overlay Districts, or RCIs, over three lots currently zoned for commercial use. The zoning change would allow the companies to construct housing. The two companies seek to build a total of 1,850 units across the three lots. 

The companies’ request to change the zoning got both negative and positive reactions from residents when it was first proposed at a public hearing in December. Since then, the companies have held a meeting for neighbors near the Bay Colony property and implemented changes, such as moving buildings further from lot lines, to the proposed development.

City Council’s Ordinances and Rules Committee has expressed a desire to pass the zoning amendment and begin special permit discussions by July. This is partially because of the timeline of a local infrastructure project, the Green Street Connector; BXP is contributing funding to the project it has associated with one of the proposed overlay districts on nearby Jones Road.

Below is a chronological rundown of other city meetings scheduled this week.

Historical Commission

The Waltham Historical Commission is a seven-member board charged with preserving and overseeing Waltham’s historic buildings and properties. 

This week the commission will discuss restoring some of the city’s Revolutionary War monuments as well as its First Book of Town Records. It will meet at 7 p.m. Monday, May 11, via Zoom. The details to join online can be found on the commission’s page within the city site.

City Council

In addition to the request for a zoning change, City Council will discuss a resolution from Ward 3 Councilor Bill Hanley and Council President Robert G. Logan to thank Boston Dynamics and its former CEO for the company’s presence in Waltham and “valued partnership with the community.”

The council will receive a list of applications for city license renewals, outdoor dining permits and recommendations from Mayor Jeannette A. McCarthy, most of which will be referred to the council’s committees for discussion at their meetings next week. 

McCarthy’s requests include a loan authorization of $8.64 million to purchase a building at 600 Main St.; a request for $50,458.50 to help fund body armor and weapons utility vests for the Police Department; the acceptance of two state grants, for the Council on Aging and Office of Public Safety, respectively; a request from the Disability Services Commission to donate $2,500 to Opportunities for Inclusion; two requests for named benches memorializing community members; and the receipt of a letter to the council from Margaret Cannon in favor of renaming Northeast Elementary School after former Waltham Public Schools Superintendent John Daddona.

The council will meet at City Hall tonight, Monday, at 7:30 p.m.

Housing Authority

The Waltham Housing Authority works to provide affordable housing options for Waltham residents who face barriers to housing. 

It will hold its regular monthly meeting Tuesday, May 12, at 4:30 p.m over Zoom and in person at 110 Pond St. Participants can request further meeting information from Assistant Executive Director Mark Johnson at markj@walhouse.org.

Zoning Board of Appeals

The ZBA is a five-person board charged with reviewing new and existing buildings that might violate the city’s zoning code. 

The board has the power to grant project-specific variances to the code, overrule judgments made by the building inspector and grant specific types of special permits, including the comprehensive residential permits outlined by the state’s Chapter 40B statute.

This week it will continue a public hearing on a323-unit residential development at 245-265 Winter St. proposed under Chapter 40B of the state’s general laws, which allows developers to fast-forward the zoning process in order to create more affordable housing. This hearing has been ongoing since last July; last week, the board approved a similar-sized development at Totten Pond Road after initially rejecting the same building’s Chapter 40B application in April. 

The ZBA will also revisit a case from 719-723 Main St. owner Paul Yu, who is seeking to renovate his building into seven residential units and is requesting a parking variance as he would not be able to fit the number of parking spaces the city requires. 

The board will meet at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at the Arthur Clark Government Center.

Community Preservation Commission

Waltham’s CPC is charged with implementing the requirements of the Community Preservation Act. The commission is composed of four at-large residents of Waltham as well as representatives of five other city administrative bodies: the Board of Survey and Planning, the Conservation Commission, the Historical Commission, the Housing Authority and the Parks–Recreation Board.

Among other duties, the commission reviews applications to use CPA funding to renovate properties that serve historic, recreational or community housing functions. 

The CPC meets quarterly and once a year holds a large annual meeting and public hearing. At its annual meeting this week, it will give an update on the city’s CPA funding, discuss the purpose of the committee and explain the types of projects it funds.

The committee will also discuss applications to restore some of the city’s Revolutionary War monuments and its First Book of Town Records, totalling $15,395; the acquisition of the parcels of land at 48, 48 BEF and 50 Mount Walley Road for a total of approximately $1.75 million; an application for $1.3 million for the Northeast playground; and $1 million for treatment and shelter costs from the Middlesex Human Services Agency.

The CPC will meet over Zoom at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Details for joining the Zoom meeting are provided in its agenda. 

Library Board of Trustees and Building Committee

The Board of Library Trustees is a five-person board appointed by the mayor and charged with establishing policies for the Waltham Public Library. 

It will hold its regular monthly meeting at 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 14.