Belmont Citizens Forum

New Plans for McLean Land

Construction and Housing, Environment, History, Lone Tree Hill, May/June 2019, Newsletter, Open Space, Traffic Comments Off

May 062019

Density is key issue as town considers proposals for two McLean campus parcels By Sue Bass Twenty years ago, Belmont voted to allow development on McLean Hospital land on Belmont Hill. The town-wide referendum of July 1999 endorsed the previous Town Meeting vote to change zoning for 238 acres. The largest portion for new construction became the Woodlands, 121 luxury townhouses on twenty-six acres. Another portion became Waverley Woods, 40 units of affordable housing on an acre and a third. Some land was preserved from construction. One hundred and twenty acres were set aside for open space, and fourteen acres [READ MORE]

Composting in Belmont: Breaking it Down

Environment, May/June 2019, Newsletter, Plants, Recycling Comments Off

May 062019

By Mary Bradley A Virtuous Cycle Composting is no longer just a backyard hobby for the ardent gardener. It has Facebook groups and a following from environmentalists, politicians, and scientists. Most praise compost as a means to keep food waste out of landfills and reduce release of methane. While consensus ends there, composting has evolved from a tale of worms, microbes, and bacteria to the realm of politics, emerging technologies, and scientific disputes. For me, however, composting is about magic: Wave one hand over an orange peel clutched in your other hand, and reveal a fistful of dirt. If that’s [READ MORE]

WEEDS: Plants in the wrong place

Environment, May/June 2019, Newsletter, Plants Comments Off

May 062019

By Lucia Gates All photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Like gardeners everywhere, we Belmontians struggle with weeds. While it might be tempting to take the easy approach and eliminate them with herbicides and chemical weed killers, as gardeners we also know that we have to protect everything in our garden. There are ways to manage weeds safely. This article focuses on flower beds and not lawns, although some of the information will be useful in grassy situations. Also, some weeds, such as wild grape vines and wild multiflora roses, are unlikely to be a problem in a flower bed, but [READ MORE]

Painstaking Progress on Belmont’s Multi-Decade Environmental Emergency

Environment, May/June 2019, Newsletter, Open Space, Stormwater, Water Quality Comments Off

May 062019

Painstaking Progress on Belmont’s Multi-Decade Environmental Emergency

By Anne-Marie Lambert Belmont is working under a federal consent order to reduce the pollution it sends into Boston Harbor from leaks and connections of underground sewer pipes into the storm drain system. Cleanup According to the town’s January 30 Compliance Report to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Belmont redirected an additional 126 gallons per day (GPD) of sewage from our brooks and ponds to the Deer Island treatment plant in Boston Harbor. Sources included leaking sewer service laterals and sewer segments on Brettwood Road and Pierce Road (84 GPD) and three leaking sewer service laterals along Hoitt Road [READ MORE]

Belmont Roots, May/June 2019

Environment, May/June 2019, Newsletter, Open Space, Plants, Recycling, Volunteer, Water Quality Comments Off

May 062019

Environmental News, Notes, and Events By Meg Muckenhoupt Well, it’s spring, sort of. The average last frost date in Belmont is somewhere between May 1 and May 11, depending on which website you believe—the Old Farmer’s Almanac? Plantmaps.com? But my grandmother in Newton never planted her tomatoes before Memorial Day. Warmth-loving plants such as tomatoes and peppers are sensitive to soil temperature as well as air temperature. They can suffer “transplant shock” and become stunted and grim if roots are a bit too chilled. Seeds are more secure in their identity, and will simply sit and shiver in the soil [READ MORE]

Another Successful Lone Tree Hill Volunteer Day

BCF Events, Environment, Lone Tree Hill, May/June 2019, Newsletter, Open Space, Plants Comments Off

May 062019

Another Successful Lone Tree Hill Volunteer Day

By Radha Iyengar On Saturday, April 27, the Belmont Citizens Forum (BCF), in conjunction with the Judy Record Conservation Fund, held its seventh annual Lone Tree Hill Volunteer Day. The volunteers braved the cold and windy weather, and the rain held off. At the Pine Allee, the efficient volunteers planted 63 white pine saplings, some of which were transplants from Mass Audubon’s Habitat Education Center and Wildlife Sanctuary. The new plants replaced some of the Allee’s missing trees as well as some of the dead saplings from volunteer day plantings over the last two years. At the other end of [READ MORE]

March/April 2019 Belmont Citizens Forum Newsletter & PDF

Arts & Culture, BCF Events, Bicycles and bike paths, Bike Paths, Board of Selectmen, Environment, Historic Preservation, March/April 2019, Newsletter, Solar Power, Stormwater Comments Off

Mar 052019

View or download the March/April 2019 issue as a color PDF here, or read single articles below. Articles in this issue: Selectman Candidates Answer BCF Questions Belmont Annual Town Election to be Held Tuesday, April 2 Compiled by Mary Bradley Each year the Belmont Citizens Forum asks candidates for selectman about issues the town will likely face in the next three years. Below are candidates Jessie Bennett, Roy Epstein, and Timothy Flood’s unedited replies to our questions about traffic, the environment, development, and other topics. Read more. Eight Projects Recommended for Community Preservation Funds By David Kane, Stephen [READ MORE]

Selectman Candidates Answer BCF Questions

Air Quality, Bicycles and bike paths, Bike Paths, Board of Selectmen, Construction and Housing, Environment, Historic Preservation, March/April 2019, Newsletter, Open Space, Solar Power, Stormwater, Town Committee Meetings, Traffic, Water Quality Comments Off

Mar 052019

Selectman Candidates Answer BCF Questions

Belmont Annual Town Election to be Held Tuesday, April 2 Compiled by Mary Bradley Each year the Belmont Citizens Forum asks candidates for selectman about issues the town will likely face in the next three years. Below are candidates Jessie Bennett, Roy Epstein, and Timothy Flood’s unedited replies to our questions about traffic, the environment, development, and other topics. Each candidate was limited to 800 words total. 1. In response to McLean’s proposal to rezone parts of its former campus for housing, school, and R&D use, what would you recommend? Bennett: McLean’s proposed zoning changes do not meet [READ MORE]

Eight Projects Recommended for Community Preservation Funds

Bicycles and bike paths, Bike Paths, Environment, Historic Preservation, March/April 2019, Newsletter, Open Space Comments Off

Mar 052019

Eight Projects Recommended for Community Preservation Funds

By David Kane, Stephen Pinkerton, and Margaret Velie The Community Preservation Act (CPA) is a state law that helps towns keep their character and quality of life by providing funds to preserve open space and historic sites, create affordable housing, and develop outdoor recreational facilities (see Table 1). Belmont adopted the CPA in 2010. Community preservation money is raised locally through a 1.5 percent surcharge (3 percent is the maximum) on property taxes, which is then partially matched by the state. In the last few years, Belmont has generated about $1.1 million per year locally and has received about $200,000 [READ MORE]

Strategic Direction Needed for CPA Guidance

Board of Selectmen, March/April 2019, Newsletter, Town Committee Meetings Comments Off

Mar 052019

Strategic Direction Needed for CPA Guidance

By Roger Colton Some Town Meeting members have expressed concern regarding the overall approach taken to CPA planning in Belmont. Vincent Stanton (Town Meeting member, Precinct 3), for example, believes that CPA decision-making should be more “strategic” in nature. Stanton observes that Town Meeting is never presented with “the big picture” for how CPA funds are being used. He cites funding for various projects around Clay Pit Pond as one example. Town Meeting has been presented with three separate projects, he notes, involving the intergenerational path, the veterans’ memorial, and, this year, the removal of invasive plants. “They all deal with maintaining [READ MORE]

Inside Wheelworks with Peter Mooney

Bicycles and bike paths, Bike Paths, March/April 2019, Newsletter Comments Off

Mar 052019

Bicycles and Bicycling in Belmont Interview and photos by Sumner Brown Peter Mooney is one of three owners of Wheel-works, the bicycle store in Waverley Square. He is also the store manager and a frame builder. Peter bikes to work and was a racer in his youth. We started our interview by walking out of the meticulously clean showroom, past hundreds of shiny new bicycles, clothing, parts, and accessories, back to where Peter has his shop. Once we got to the shop, Peter started talking. Peter: I have never met a bicycle I do not like. To me, it doesn’t [READ MORE]

Letter to the Editor

Environment, March/April 2019, Newsletter Comments Off

Mar 052019

We are always glad to hear readers’ opinions and grateful for corrections or clarifications on any topics we cover. Thanks to one astute reader for this letter regarding the January/February 2019 article, “Frozen Water in Belmont: Stories of Imagination and Unexpected Consequences” by Anne-Marie Lambert. To the Editor, Concerning the box on the bottom of page 17 on the molecular structure of water: The statement, “The coldest and densest water in a pond is still at the bottom, but then floats to the surface as the hexagon ice crystals form” is incorrect. Water has its maximum density at 4°C (just [READ MORE]

Lone Tree Hill Volunteer Day—April 27

BCF Events, Environment, Lone Tree Hill, March/April 2019, Newsletter, Open Space Comments Off

Mar 052019

Join us in stewarding Lone Tree Hill! The Belmont Citizens Forum, in conjunction with the Judy Record Conservation Fund, is holding its seventh annual cleanup and trail maintenance day on April 27, from 9 AM until noon. Help complete the planting of trees along the Pine Allee, as well as cleaning up and removing invasive species at the Coal Road area. Students can earn community service credits. Bounded by Concord Avenue, Pleasant Street, and Mill Street, Lone Tree Hill spans 119 acres of permanently protected conservation land and is available to everyone. It is stewarded through a public/private partnership by [READ MORE]

Belmont Roots, March/April 2019

Environment, March/April 2019, Newsletter, Solar Power Comments Off

Mar 052019

Environmental News, Notes, and Events By Meg Muckenhoupt In the winter, the outside world fades to an annoyance if you’re lucky enough to have a warm house and an indoor job. Going from home to car to work to gym to groceries to home only involves the briefest intervals of exposure to the frigid air, the weak, thin light, the silent woods, the frozen ground . . . or so you think. That frigid air is actually trying to get into your house, and it often succeeds. Now is the time to check for air leaks, before the weather warms. [READ MORE]

January/February 2019 Belmont Citizens Forum Newsletter & PDF

Jan/Feb 2019, Newsletter Comments Off

Jan 142019

View or download the January/February 2019 issue as a color PDF here, or read single articles below. Articles in this issue: Critical Community Path Decisions Route, Design, and Funding to be Determined in the Next Six Months By Vincent Stanton, Jr. The design of the Belmont Community Path has moved closer to reality in the last six months and further important decisions loom in the next six months. Read more. How Laterals Get Lined Fixing Water Pollution at the Sewer Source By Sumner Brown Sewer leaks get fixed only by physical work on sewer pipes by people with [READ MORE]

Critical Community Path Decisions

Bicycles and bike paths, Bike Paths, Board of Selectmen, Jan/Feb 2019, Newsletter, Traffic, Transit Comments Off

Jan 142019

Route, Design, and Funding to be Determined in the Next Six Months By Vincent Stanton, Jr. The design of the Belmont Community Path, last reviewed in the May/June2018 and July/August 2018 issues of the BCF Newsletter, has moved closer to reality in the last six months with leadership from the Belmont selectmen and financial support from Town Meeting. However, further important decisions loom in the next six months. The selectmen will make a final decision about the route in eastern Belmont (the focus of this article); Annual Town Meeting will vote on design funding for the path segment from Brighton [READ MORE]

The BCF Newsletter Team Grows

Jan/Feb 2019, Newsletter Comments Off

Jan 142019

By Sara McCabe Welcome, Mary Bradley, Co-Editor Last year when I was working on the July/August issue of the newsletter, I had the pleasure of interviewing Mary Bradley, the founder of Belmont Porchfest. I was struck by her enthusiasm for all things Belmont, not even knowing at the time that she was also a Town Meeting member, a Recreation Commission board member, and co-president of the Belmont Dolphins swim team. I immediately envisioned putting all that energy to work for the Belmont Citizens Forum (BCF) and somehow managed to convince Mary to lend her talents to the newsletter. After working [READ MORE]

Frozen Water in Belmont: Stories of Imagination and Unexpected Consequences

Environment, History, Jan/Feb 2019, Newsletter Comments Off

Jan 142019

Frozen Water in Belmont: Stories of Imagination and Unexpected Consequences

By Anne-Marie Lambert Belmont would not be the town we know today without ice. Glaciers a mile high carved local hills and valleys to create a wetlands attractive to migrating wildlife. The unusual behavior of frozen water molecules ensured not just game-hunting but also ice fishing would support a substantial Native American population for thousands of years. Harsh winters necessitated both innovation and cooperation among tribes to ensure survival. By 1820 local ice men descended from European settlers started to innovate in different ways. They shipped ice to warm places as far away as Calcutta, employing local farm hands to [READ MORE]

How Laterals Get Lined

Construction and Housing, Environment, Jan/Feb 2019, Newsletter, Water Quality Comments Off

Jan 142019

Fixing Water Pollution at the Sewer Source By Sumner Brown Sewer leaks get fixed only by physical work on sewer pipes by people with tools. For years Belmont has been lining leaking sewer pipes in the streets, to keep sewage out of our streams. The down-and-dirty of sewer work has been described in this newsletter (“How do Sewers Get Relined?”, BCF Newsletter July/August 2007), a counterpart to former BCF director Anne-Marie Lambert’s articles on the top-down issues of environmental motivation, legal pressure, schedules, progress, and costs. Many of the leaks in streets have been repaired, according to Glenn Clancy, director [READ MORE]

Readers Respond to LimeBikes

Bicycles and bike paths, Jan/Feb 2019, Newsletter, Transit Comments Off

Jan 142019

By Evanthia Malliris The article about LimeBikes in Belmont in our November/December BCF Newsletter issue drew several responses from our readers. Authors Sumner Brown and David Chase—both engineers, expert all-weather cyclists, and BCF board members—took a LimeBike out for a spin and reported on their experience. Rachel Berger expressed her concern that bike-sharing services don’t include helmets, and she encouraged potential LimeBikers to buy a helmet before taking their first ride. Sumner responded that he wore a helmet during his LimeBike test drive, though he “may be the only one.” Helmets are not expensive and are a handy place to [READ MORE]

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