The week ahead: Finalizing concepts for new police station

Update (July 22): This article was updated to include the Conservation Commission meeting on Thursday.

Waltham’s Police and Fire Station Committee will meet this week to approve a final concept plan to rebuild the city’s police station.

If the City Council approves funding for this concept plan, the designer will proceed with a formal design phase and shovels would likely hit the ground in early 2028. 

City officials have been discussing plans for an update at 155 Lexington St. since 2018.

There’s still a long road ahead for the full redesign, which involves splitting the current Lexington Street public services hub. The Department of Public Works is on track to move to a new building on the former Fernald State School estate by early 2029, and the Fire Department’s headquarters will also get an update in a later phase of construction.

The Police and Fire Station Committee will meet to have a final discussion and vote on the current concept plan this Wednesday at 1 p.m. in the City Hall basement conference room.

Below is a chronological rundown of other city meetings scheduled this week, July 13 through 17.

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 whether to delay the demolition of the Grey House at the Waltham Fields Community Farm site as well as a house at 32 Cherry St. It will review a development prospectus for a location of the fast food chain Sweetgreen at 70 Marketplace Drive. Additionally, it will hear updates on existing properties and hear about a new WFCF project for “corn lab rehabilitation.”

It will meet at 7 p.m. on Monday over Zoom.

Housing Authority

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

At its monthly meeting this week, the commission will present its 2027 comprehensive annual plan. It will also receive results from its FY2025 audit and hear an update on administrative policies under the WHA’s Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy. The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at 4:30 p.m over Zoom, using the password 135976, and in person at 110 Pond St. 

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.

It will hear a request for an extension of time on a case it heard in 2022 and a new case from the owners of a private home on Kingston Road who plan to construct a second floor on their single-family house.

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

Conservation Commission

The Conservation Commission is a volunteer board charged with overseeing environmental planning in Waltham. The commission reviews certain types of construction on or around wetlands to ensure they comply with the Wetlands Protection Act and the Department of Environmental Protection stormwater standards.

This week, the commission will examine a development prospectus for 96 Tower Road. It will also discuss an underground stormwater management system at 153 Second Avenue, a landscaping proposal at Brandeis, and a shared-use walking and biking path near Jones Road.

It will hold a meeting over Zoom, with the password “Waltham,” at 7 p.m. Thursday.