The week ahead: Packed Ordinances and Rules meeting tackles Flock cameras, new development

The schedule for this week’s meeting of City Council’s Ordinances and Rules Committee is packed with multiple council business items that have drawn significant interest from residents.

At its March 16 meeting, in the context of ongoing discussions about the city’s use of Flock Safety license plate reader technology, Ward 9 Councilor and Council President Robert G. Logan asked Chief of Police Kevin O’Connell to provide the committee with the Police Department’s surveillance technology policies and attend this week’s meeting to discuss them in greater depth.

The committee also requested that Mayor Jeannette A. McCarthy appear at this week’s meeting to discuss three mixed-use zoning districts proposed for West Waltham that are expected to bring a combined 1500 new housing units to the city. 

The committee will meet after the council’s Committee of the Whole meeting, which begins at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 21.

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

Retirement Board

The Waltham Retirement Board will meet this week to discuss new hires and retirements among city employees. The board will meet Tuesday at 4:45 p.m. in the Hoover Meeting Room at City Hall and will stream the meeting via Zoom.

City Council committees

City Council is off for Patriot’s Day, so its committees will meet on Tuesday this week, beginning at 6:30 p.m. with the Long-Term Debt and Capital Planning Committee, which is discussing a $1.45 million loan requested by the mayor to supply power to the former Fernald State School property.

At 7 p.m., the Licenses and Franchises Committee will consider seven outdoor dining permits and three secondhand dealers license renewals and the Economic and Community Development Committee will discuss transportation in North Waltham. The Committee of the Whole will meet at 8 p.m., when councilors will view new plans for the ongoing Waltham Public Library renovation and a project to improve accessibility at the Beaverbrook Apartments using federal HOME Investment Partnerships Program funding.

After the Committee of the Whole meeting concludes, the Ordinances and Rules Committee will meet to discuss Flock camera surveillance, mixed-use rezoning proposals, multiple amendments to city council rules and city ordinances discussed last week, infrastructure improvements to the Department of Public Works’ snow response and a proposed zoning change at 495 Lincoln St., the site of Pizzi Farm. The Finance Committee will also meet to consider two funding requests: $44,950 to repave the 92 Felton St. parking lot and $20,000 for the Housing Department.

Board of Health

The Board of Health works to address potential public health problems in the city, including communicable diseases, foodborne illnesses, and housing and environmental safety issues.

This week board members will discuss seven tobacco violations at stores around the city, as well as a variance for a pool at the Alexan Waltham and an email to the Charles River Watershed Association.

The board will meet at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 22 in the auditorium of the Clark Government Center.

License Commission

The License Commission grants and reviews permits for serving food and alcohol for entertainment and for some types of gaming machines across the city.

This week it will consider multiple one-day alcohol permit requests from Bentley University, the Waltham Land Trust and the Robert Treat Paine estate for a celebration of life. It will also consider three special farmers market alcohol permits and one-day permits for two restaurants’ special events: an entertainment permit for In A Pickle and an extension of premises for Shopper’s Cafe. The commission will also discuss a change of ownership for Bonfire Indian Grill and management paperwork for The Chateau Restaurant.

The commission will meet Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the public meeting room of the 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 hold a public hearing on the redevelopment of 455 Totten Pond Road, whose comprehensive permit was denied by the Zoning Board of Appeals last week. It will also discuss possible changes to the city’s tree removal policy and schedule the city’s annual Conservation Trust Fund meeting.

The commission will hold a meeting over Zoom at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 23. The Zoom password and meeting agenda will be provided on the commission’s page on the city website at least 48 hours in advance.

Citywide cleanup

As the weather gets warmer, Waltham’s public spaces are starting to host more community activities. 

The city is holding its annual cleanup in honor of Earth Day, on Saturday, April 25 from 9 a.m. to noon; participants are encouraged to gather at the back of the Public Works building at 155 Lexington St., where organizers will meet volunteers to lead them in cleaning up Waltham’s public spaces. 

Organizers Chris Falzone (cfalzone@city.waltham.ma.us) and Jeff Sutherland (jsutherland@city.waltham.ma.us) are available to help people sign up and to respond to questions in advance of the event.