Joint Hearing to Discuss Watertown Square Zoning to Begin on October 16; *New Placeholder Dates for Potential Continuation Set*

The City Council and Planning Board Joint Hearings to discuss the Watertown Square Area Plan zoning amendment will begin on October 16, 2024 in the Watertown Free Public Library. NEW placeholder dates have been set in the case the Public Hearing is continued. Please see the updated dates below!

When is the Joint Public Hearing on Zoning?

October 16, 2024 at 6:30 PM in the Watertown Public Library at 123 Main Street.

You can access the meeting agenda, Zoom link, and the email you can submit public comment to by clicking the button below:

When are the placeholder dates and what do those mean?

In the case that the Joint Public Hearing that is beginning on October 16, 2024 gets continued to a future date, the City of Watertown has prepared additional dates for those to be extended to. Below are the dates and times held:

• October 16, 2024 at 6:30 PM

• October 24, 2024 at 6:00 PM

• October 29, 2024 at 6:00 PM

• October 30, 2024 at 6:00 PM

• November 14 or November 19 -- Date still to be determined and finalized.

The placeholder dates are set for the ease of future scheduling and preparation for the City Council, Planning Board, Staff, and the public. All of the additional dates beyond 10/16/2024 are to be used on an "as-needed" basis, and the official announcement for whether the Public Hearing is to be continued or not will be made at the end of the meeting, should it be necessary. 

Are these placeholder dates different than what you announced previously?

Yes they are. The dates that were previously announced through these emails, online, and in the quarterly tax bill newsletter have been changed after further consideration and discussion. The above dates and times are up-to-date and please disregard any other dates,

Where can I read the proposed zoning amendments?

You can read the proposed zoning amendments that will be discussed at this Joint Public Hearing by visiting this link on the City's website. There you will find the zoning package with the amendment proposal and the proposed zoning map. That same zoning package can be found attached to the Hearing's agenda online as well.

How can I participate in the Public Hearing?

You will be able to participate in the Joint Public Hearing either in-person or virtually. You can access the Zoom link, online broadcast, and outreach email to submit public comment by accessing the Joint Hearing's agenda. Future emails will also continue to include this information.

Joint Hearing to Discuss Watertown Square Zoning is Planned to Begin on October 16 After First Reading at September 24, 2024 City Council Meeting

What is next in the Watertown Square Plan?

The next steps of the Watertown Square Area Plan implementation will be to discuss and approve zoning amendments. A zoning amendment is a proposed change to the zoning requirements and map, without having to completely rewrite the zoning code. To approve new zoning, the City will hold a Joint Public Hearing with the City Council and Planning Board to discuss the proposed zoning, hear public comment, and approve new zoning amendments.

The above map is the proposed zoning map from the final endorsed Watertown Square Area Plan. 

When does this next step begin?

The first step will be to complete something called a "first reading". This is a procedural step that the City must take by presenting a matter of significance to the Council (zoning amendments in this case) and asking for them to bring it forward for further action (such as scheduling a Joint Public Hearing to discuss).

This is a precursor to most public hearings and this will happen on September 24, 2024 (you can see the agenda for that Council meeting here, where you can find the first reading attached). From there, the City Council will officially announce the date that the Joint Hearing will begin. Note that there will not be any discussion about the specific zoning during this Council Meeting on 9/24/2024.

What is the hearing schedule?

Once the first reading is completed, it is anticipated that the City Council will schedule the Joint Public Hearing to begin on October 16, 2024 in the Watertown Free Public Library at 6:30pm.

Additional dates, times, and locations have been tentatively set below in the case that the Joint Public Hearing is continued beyond October 16. Please see the tentative schedule below and be aware that some details might be subject to change in the case that the Hearing process continues beyond the first scheduled date, or that some of the below dates might not be necessary.

As we approach the beginning of the Joint Public Hearing, an agenda and hybrid links will be released on the project's website and on the City's website.

Planned Hearing Schedule (with placeholder dates)

• October 16, 2024 @ 6:30pm in the Watertown Free Public Library & Hybrid

  Additional Meeting Placeholders

• October 17, 2024 @ 6:30pm in the Watertown Free Public Library & Hybrid

• October 21, 2024 @ 6:30pm in the City Council Chamber & Hybrid

• October 30, 2024 @ 6:30pm in the Watertown Free Public Library & Hybrid

• November 12, 2024 @ 6:30pm in the Watertown Free Public Library & Hybrid

How does this relate to the Watertown Square Area Plan that was Endorsed in July?

The Watertown Square Area Plan that was endorsed by the City Council and Planning Board in July 2024 will be a guiding document for the zoning that is being developed and discussed in the Joint Public Hearing. We recommend all who are interested to see the final endorsed Watertown Square Area Plan to learn more about the zoning proposals endorsed in the plan.

What is the timeline of this process?

The new zoning amendments that comply with the MBTA Communities Law must be approved by the City Council and Planning Board before December 31, 2024. 

Interested in learning more about the MBTA Communities Law? We recommend checking out our FAQ page on the new law. 

Questions? Feel free to reach out!

For more information about the project, please visit the project website. You can also reach out via email to us at team@watertownsquareimprovements.com.
You can also contact the City directly by dialing 311 in Watertown or by calling 617-715-8660.

Joint City Council and Planning Board Hearing to Discuss Watertown Square Area Plan on June 13 at 6:00 PM

Joint Hearing to be held on June 13, 2024 at 6:00 PM
Watertown Middle School Auditorium 
68 Waverley Avenue, Watertown, MA 02472

The Watertown Square Area Plan will be discussed at the upcoming Joint City Council and Planning Board Hearing on June 13. The Hearing will include a presentation from the Project Team, followed by an opportunity for public comment. You can access the full agenda for the Joint Hearing here. 

You can access the plan document on the project's website or in the above agenda packet to learn about the Draft Plan.

This Hearing is a hybrid meeting and you can give public comment either in-person or virtually. To join virtually, you can access the Hearing on June 13 by using this Zoom link, which can also be found on the project's website and in the agenda above.

You can also watch the event live online on WCA-TV.

Residents look on at Tim Love, Utile, presenting at the February 29, 2024 Community Meeting

The City has been printing copies of the Plan Document and dropping them off at the Library and Senior Center. We appreciate your patience as we regularly replenish the piles of copies. 

You can learn more about the project at the Watertown Square Area Plan website.