View or download the November-December 2016 16-page issue here in color: bcf-nov-dec-2016-final-10-28-color View or download the November-December 2016 16-page issue here in black-and-white: bcf-nov-dec-2016-final-10-28
First Goal is 50 New Electric Vehicles in Town By Jan Kruse. Photos by Emily Woods. BDE co-chair Marty Bittner (left) and volunteer Ade Baptista check out a Tesla Model X electric car. Experts predict that electric vehicles (EVs) are the wave of the future, but for Belmont, the future is now. Belmont Drives Electric (BDE) is a new community-driven program to promote the benefits of EVs, and is supported by the Belmont Energy Committee, Belmont Light, Sustainable Belmont, and other Belmont EV enthusiasts. Why Promote Electric in Belmont Now? In 2016, the Belmont Energy Committee updated the assessment of [READ MORE]
Will Belmont Follow Suit? By Vince Stanton Jr. In September, the city of Waltham issued a request for proposal (RFP) for 100% design of a community path extending approximately three miles from the Waltham-Belmont border (about 1,000 feet west of Waverley Square) to the Weston border (about 1,500 feet west of Route 128, just south of Main Street). (“100% design” refers to a fully specified set of construction drawings.) Proposals were due on October 20. At a bidder’s conference on October 5, city officials expressed the hope that design work could be completed this winter, allowing construction to begin in [READ MORE]
Photos by David Chase On Saturday, October 15, members of the Community Path Implementation Advisory Committee and consultants led a walk of about two dozen citizens to educate them about route possibilities for the western end of the community path in Belmont. Above, the group stops on Olmsted Drive, uphill from Pleasant Street. Behind the police station, the group examines grades and pinch points. The path could follow the Fitchburg commuter rail line at several locations. Above is near Cityside Subaru on Pleasant Street. The path may continue north of the railroad tracks off Pleasant Street, near Snake Hill Road. [READ MORE]
Interview with an Environmental Change Agent by Julia Blatt EK (EkOngKar) Khalsa was executive director of Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA) from 2008 until this September. His leadership has resulted in a dramatic improvement in the environment and water quality in a vital Greater Boston natural resource. We asked Belmont resident Julia Blatt, executive director of the Massachusetts Rivers Alliance and longtime colleague of Khalsa, to speak with him about his accomplishments in the region. Julia Blatt: What brought you to the Mystic River Watershed Association? EK Khalsa: I was introduced to MyRWA by an inspiring, very dynamic member of [READ MORE]
Pay As You Throw Program By Kim Slack One hundred and forty-three Massachusetts communities meter trash the same way they meter water or electricity, creating an equitable system where those who generate more, pay more, and those who generate less, pay less. These programs are called Pay As You Throw (PAYT), or Save Money And Reduce Trash (SMART). As Belmont considers renewing its trash collection contract, it is worth exploring this approach to help the town financially and environmentally. Massachusetts PAYT programs on average have reduced trash by 44% in their communities. When we are charged for the trash we [READ MORE]
Belmont Drives Electric Ride & Drive Day Saturday, November 12, 1:30-4:30 PM Come test drive and learn about several models of electric vehicles, as well as incentives by local dealers and tax benefits. Learn more at: belmontdriveselectric.org or email info@bostoncommittee.org for more information. Belmont High School parking lot and cafeteria. MIT Water Summit 2016 Thursday & Friday, November 17, 8 AM to November 18, 3:30 PM The MIT Water Club and its sponsors are thrilled to announce the fifth edition of the MIT Water Summit, a gathering of not only students and faculty from MIT and the greater Boston area, [READ MORE]
Now Up To 250 Installations Plus: Electric Vehicle Campaign Starts in October by Jan Kruse In our May/June 2016 issue, we covered the initial success of the Belmont Goes Solar campaign, at which time more than 170 Belmont residents added solar panels to their homes (“Belmont Goes Solar Sails Past Initial Goal”). This is an update. The Town of Homes might be ready for a new name: the Town of Solar Homes. About 250 homeowners opted to purchase rooftop solar during the Belmont Goes Solar (BGS) six-month campaign that ended June 30. More Belmontonians purchased solar for their homes than [READ MORE]
Board of Surveyors Hearing–Postponed The Board of Surveyors will hold their hearing of the proposed road adjacent to Habitat at 178 Marsh Street. Homer Art Gallery, Town Hall, 19 Moore Street, Belmont. NOTE: The September 19 meeting has been postponed to a future date. The town engineer is asking the applicant to first apply for a hearing before the Belmont Conservation Commission to resolve any wetland issues. We will update this post when we have more information. 350 Mass Cambridge Node Meeting, Tuesday, September 20, 6:30–8:30 PM Join discussions with a grassroots climate network in Massachusetts. Newcomers welcome. First Church Cambridge, 11 [READ MORE]
A Student’s Citizens Forum Project by Shodai Inose When I announced the concept of the Belmont Staycation, some people snickered at the name and doubted that we would have any success. Well, that didn’t stop me. When we first began this project in June, during my internship with Anne-Marie Lambert, a director of the Belmont Citizens Forum (BCF), to lay out we laid out a few major goals. We wanted to learn how to increase interest in local Belmont sights and businesses, and how to reduce energy use from vacation travel by substituting a family “staycation” in Belmont. We were [READ MORE]
My Long, Long, Long, Short Journey Across Town by Sumner Brown In a July 14, 2016, post on his website, state Senator Will Brownsberger alerted citizens to a proposed law, since passed, that makes it easier for local communities to lower speed limits. The motivation is improved safety for pedestrians and bicyclists. Belmont seems to be a relatively safe place for pedestrians and bicyclists. Data available from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, for example, show that more serious bicycle accidents occur in Waltham. This is why the Waltham segment of the Central Massachusetts Rail Trail has a higher priority for [READ MORE]
Current and Former Town Officials Comment by John DiCocco In our last issue, (BCF apage 1), we addressed the need for more housing in Greater Boston and the state legislature’s proposal of state-wide zoning requirements. If such a law passed, it would require more housing—and more affordable housing—in almost every community inside Route 495. What would that mean for Belmont? We asked several town residents who have served or are still currently serving on various committees and boards to share some brief thoughts on the following question: “Can Belmont increase housing without altering our small town feeling?” Judy Feins, co-chair, Belmont Housing [READ MORE]
Habitat Wetlands at Risk by Vincent Stanton Jr and Roger Wrubel Notice: the Board of Surveyors meeting originally scheduled for September 19 to discuss the Chiofaro property has been postponed. The town engineer is asking the applicant to first apply for a hearing before the Belmont Conservation Commission to resolve any wetland issues. In densely settled communities like Belmont, few real estate marketing pitches ring a louder bell than “abuts conservation land.” Indeed, what could be more salable than guaranteed backyard tranquility in perpetuity? Unfortunately, as the perimeter of conservation land becomes densely settled, the value of the land for conservation [READ MORE]
View or download the September-October 2016 16-page issue here: bcf-sept-oct-2016-final-for-download
Hi, On the Monday of my trial Staycation I enjoyed walks and bike rides around my neighborhood, then I tried two new activities and one old favorite: It was hot, but I rode my bike from the Winn Brook neighborhood past the Beech Street Center to Trapelo Road and checked out the gourmet food shop Art’s Specialities. I met the owner, Artur, who tempted me with their jugs of specialty vinegars and oils. He decanted some black walnut vinegar for me, which I look forward to drizzling on locally grown lettuce. I bought a bar of chocolate, some cranberry crackers for [READ MORE]
Hi, On the Tuesday of my trial Staycation, I went to several favorites I hadn’t visited in a while, including Belmont Acres Farm and Fresh Pond, where Shodai also went on his Staycation (see his Facebook postcard below): I took the 74 bus down Concord Avenue to Smith Place in order to get to Black’s Nook, a part of Fresh Pond which was part of Belmont between 1859 and 1880. Another hot day, there was welcome shade from the trees, and lovely butterflies to enjoy. In the pond, I saw small fish, not sure what they were. I also walked some of the [READ MORE]
It’s been great to see new Staycation postcards coming into the Belmont Citizens Forum Facebook Page — see below for one of a series of postcards from some young Belmont Superheroes! Now it’s time to get your picnic basket ready to join us for the Staycation community picnic from 12:00-2:00 Saturday August 13 on the Town Green by Wellington Station (Common Street and Concord Ave). Please bring your own picnic and blanket. We will supply popsicles from an historic Underwood family ice chest, and tell Belmont stories about the history of the ice industry and food preservation. We hope to have something for everyone: frisbees aplenty, [READ MORE]
Another postcard from my trial Staycation — Check out the shorter postcards on our Facebook page; post your own there! Hi, This was a day with friends. I took a nature walk (check out our Maps section for local trail maps), and took a bus and subway to get to an event in Boston (check MBTA.com or a public transport app for schedules): Habitat: We had an out-of-town guest, and brought her to the Habitat in the morning to enjoy a longer walk. We took a very long route to Turtle Pond, passing through the Fern Trail and Red Maple Swamp trail and Border trail. It [READ MORE]
This is a postcard from my trial Staycation in July — Check out the shorter postcards on our Facebook page, and post your own there! Hi, Today I was really looking forward to visiting two old favorites: Belmont Farmer’s Market: I picked up some salad fixings from several different vendors, enjoyed cheese offered at State Senator Will Brownsberger’s table, and listened to a brass band. I chatted with the manager and a couple of neighbors. I heard vendors talking about the drought. I always feel a sense of community at the Farmer’s Market, as well as a greater connection with [READ MORE]
Housing Availability Affects Business Climate By Vincent Stanton Jr. Last month the Massachusetts Senate, for the first time in over two decades, passed legislation that would significantly alter state zoning law. The proposed legislation (which will not become law this year as there is not yet a corresponding bill in the House) would superimpose on local zoning a new set of rules designed to encourage greater housing density, particularly near jobs and mass transit. The new law would reduce the considerable freedom that cities and towns currently have to formulate their own zoning laws in three ways. One is providing [READ MORE]