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Kristin Anderson
Category: Planning
Hits: 245

MBTA Communities survey results

Arlington respondents overwhelmingly favor vibrant business districts and shared community space, with multifamily housing near public transit and the bike path, a town survey shows. See the numbers at right.

In March, more than 1,000 people participated in Arlington’s MBTA Communities Visioning Survey, created to collect public input and identify community goals and priorities regarding where multifamily housing should be allowed by right. 

According to Claire Ricker, Arlington’s director of planning and community development, the town received a $20,000 technical-assistance grant to hire planning consultant Utile to assist with siting and mapping the town’s multifamily (three-family or larger) districts and with developing appropriate use and density requirements.

Utile analyzed the data from the town’s MBTA survey and presented the results to the public at the MBTA Communities Working Group meeting on May 16. The consultant translated the results into an actionable design framework, which it provided in a summary analysis and two early draft plan maps.

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YourArlington staff
Category: Media
Hits: 103

ACMI News logoACMi News has won the Hometown Media Nationwide Award in the category of “news access” for the second consecutive year.

Arlington Community Media inc. (ACMi), Arlington’s community-access television studio and a YourArlington media partner, submitted a newscast from Nov. 11, 2022, anchored by James Milan and ACMi intern Summer Maxwell. The 2023 broadcast entry was edited by Jared Sweet.

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Susan Gilbert
Category: Selectboard summaries
Hits: 751

Double pole at Adams, Mass. Ave.Sign designs by Jeff Dawson Associates.

UPDATED May 30: The Select Board at its May 22 meeting unanimously accepted wayfinding signs to be installed along and near the Minuteman Bikeway, donated by the Arlington Chamber of Commerce.

In a May 18 memo to the Select Board, former Planning and Community Department Assistant Director Kelly Lynema wrote, “In 2021, Arlington, along with Lexington and Bedford, developed a Local Rapid Recovery Plan (LRRP) for Bedford Center, East Lexington and Arlington Heights. The LRRP was a grant-funded plan to support local businesses in light of the impact of Covid-19, and focused on recommendations to better connect these business districts with their common asset: the Minuteman Bikeway.”

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Jake Bentzinger
Category: Health
Hits: 837

Rodent forum, May 2023 / Jake Bentzinger photoResidents discuss the rodent problem at May forum. / Jake Bentzinger photosArlingtonians made their voices heard clearly at the "rodent forum" held recently.

They urged the town’s Health Department to step up community outreach efforts and to work with residents to address public health issues caused by rodent control efforts.

According to the town website, “In 2014, The Arlington Health Department began noticing an increase in rodent activity across town. This trend was [also] seen in other areas of the United States, particularly in urban areas.” 

In the most recent six years (2017 through 2022), the Health Department completed an average of 225 rodent inspections per year, health officials said in response to a YourArlington inquiry.

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YourArlington staff
Category: Police
Hits: 1343

APD logo

UPDATED May 30: Arlington and State Police are investigating after two pedestrians were struck by a motor vehicle Saturday, May 27.

At 10:18 a.m., Arlington Police and Fire responded to Stop & Shop, at 905 Mass. Ave., for a report of a motor vehicle crash involving multiple pedestrians. On arrival, Arlington officers found two people injured in the parking lot, and Arlington Police and Arlington Fire personnel began to administer emergency medical care.

The crash occurred after a 2005 Mercury Marquis driven by an 87-year-old man from Belmont struck an unoccupied parked car, which then hit a flower stand in front of the store. The flower stand struck the building, causing cosmetic damage, Boston.com reported. The parked vehicle is owned by a woman from Harwich, who didn’t report any injuries, police said in a statement. Police said that the driver then reversed the vehicle and struck pedestrians. The report was updated to pinpoint the number of pedestrians at two.

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Renee Abbott
Category: Fundraisers
Hits: 1120

Housing Corp. of Arlington 2023 walk. / Renee Abbott photosHCA walkers support rent control. /Renee Abbott photos

UPDATED May 30: The Housing Corporation of Arlington was the host for a walk on Sunday, May 21, to raise money for affordable housing. Attendees embarked on a three-mile walk and later were joined by members of the Torrington Tenants Association of Arlington protesting their rent increase. 

The event kicked off at noon in the green space between Robbins Library and Town Hall. Attendees got free green T-shirts with a depiction of 117 Broadway, which is part of HCA’s newest property, on the front and a list of event sponsors of the event on the back. People enjoyed the free pizza, coffee, fruits and snacks courtesy of local supermarkets and pizzarias. 

In total, the event raised $48,165 through raffles and a donation box on top of the $47,000 raised through sponsors. Raffle winners could win gift cards to local businesses including Quebrada, The Roasted Granola Café and Arlington Bakery. There was also a kids raffle with prizes for Play Time Crafts and Cookie Time Bakery.

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Susan Gilbert
Category: Selectboard summaries
Hits: 554

Double pole at Adams, Mass. Ave.Double pole at Adams, Mass. Ave. / Town photo

The Select Board has unanimously authorized Town Manager Sandy Pooler to demand that Verizon coordinate with other licensees to promptly replace two double poles, at 319 Mass. Ave. and Adams Street and at 108 Warren St. These double poles are still not fixed after more than two years.

A double pole occurs when a replacement utility pole is built alongside an original pole--to update the electric, telephone, cable or other wires--and the original pole is not yet removed.

According to a statutory reference, once a new pole is installed, the old pole should be removed within 90 days. Verizon’s May 15 semiannual report states that Arlington has 78 double poles, of which 66 are more than three years old.

Pooler said at the board's May 22 meeting, that although one of the utilities had moved its equipment to Mass. Ave. and Adams Street, he was not told which utility was involved. “The level of communication has been horrendous," he said, "I’m more than happy to follow up to get more specific direct communication from Verizon and other utilities in town to make improvements to these poles.”

Pooler will seek Verizon’s commitment to conduct a full audit of its double-pole inventory, and update the list for omissions before submitting it to the state for its next semiannual double-pole report, for the period ending Nov. 30, 2023.

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Tony Moschetto
Category: Library news
Hits: 1052

'final vinyl' sale, May 20, 2023. / Tony Moschetto photos'Final Vinyl' sale at Robbins Library. / Tony Moschetto photos

UPDATED May 25: The Community Room at Robbins Library, 700 Mass. Ave., was the place to be Saturday, May 20, for the “Final Vinyl” event. It lasted six hours, during which all of the library’s estimated 2,000 to 3,000 LPs were offered up for sale starting at $3 each, or, for the real bargain hunter, two for $5.

Thanks to Director of Libraries Anna Litten and the library's booster club, the nonprofit Friends of the Robbins Library, the cozy basement space resembled a mom-and-pop-type record shop that a music customer might have visited in the 1980s or even earlier.

The atmosphere was festive. A hit song from six decades ago, “Blame it on the Bossa Nova,” by '60s pop chanteuse Eydie Gormé, played from a small turntable on one side of the room, even prompting some Friends volunteers to dance.

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Cayla Kwok
Category: People
Hits: 924

Justin Bourassa, AHS English teacher, opens up. / Cayla Kwok photoJustin Bourassa, AHS English teacher, opens up. /
Cayla Kwok photo

You might have heard the name Justin Bourassa from his appearance on "Jeopardy!," standing beside then-host Alex Trebek and displaying an impressive range of knowledge. Or perhaps you know him as the assistant coach to the 2021 divisional championship boys' cross-country team at Arlington High School. Or maybe because Bourassa himself is a seasoned 14-time marathon runner.

INSIDE ARLINGTON:
Among our many-faceted residents

Many community members recognize him by his thickly framed glasses and his amiable grin, but high schoolers know him as Mr. Bourassa, Coach B. or the student-favorite nickname “J-Bou.” In addition to his impressive accomplishments and many titles, he is widely known to the AHS community as a dedicated and respected teacher who goes above and beyond both inside and outside the classroom.

  1. Help write a poetic tribute to small acts of kindness by Thursday
  2. Authority board urged to support state-budget housing amendment
  3. '23 meeting ends as session 7 OKs Ottoson students' compost plan, CPA
  4. 3 allege sexual assaults by ex-AC vice principal in new lawsuit

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YOUR VIEW: Opinions

How to seek agreement after Town Meeting 'turf war'

Recreation

Field Turf explainer / Source: Tarkett Co.
Tarkett Co. graphic used in 2014 report about Peirce Turf.

Linda Hanson, a Precinct 9 Town Meeting member, wrote this column about moving forward on artificial turf. She thanks Christa Kelleher, a Precinct 5 meeting member, for her contributions.

I am sharing an edited version of remarks given to the recently concluded Town Meeting on Article 12, a proposal to institute a temporary moratorium on the installation of artificial turf on town land pending the findings of an Artificial Turf Study Committee to investigate artificial turf in regards to its safety, environmental impact and cost effectiveness, as well as the available natural alternatives to its use.

This was one of the most contentious debates during this Town Meeting, and I’d like to offer some thoughts about how we can move forward on the important issues raised during this discussion.

I have close personal experience with the issue of field adequacy and availability. I coached boys' soccer for 13 years in the “all grass era,” so I know firsthand what it's like to vie for limited practice space and attempt to reschedule games with limited options due to weather cancellations. It was challenging, to say the least.

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8th graders call for changes in town bylaw to boost affordable housing

Housing Housing Housing Housing Housing Housing Housing

UPDATED May 26: The following opinion was sent to all Town Meeting members three days after the 2023 annual meeting ended. Signing it were Pavia Christiana, Calvin Cheung, Collin Burrell, Theo Ginggen, Dorsey Mitchell and Lorenzo Hamlin. It was published with the authors' permission. 

Arlington vua Google Earth: Your Town, Your Future

We hope this email finds all of you in good health and spirits. We are Ottoson Middle School students, concerned about the issue of affordable housing in the town.

There is a lack of affordable multifamily homes, and we are advocating for a change in zoning bylaws to allow for more of these homes, and for them to have access to public transportation.

We believe that spreading multifamily homes around town will create more ethnic diversity in Arlington Public Schools. Additionally, this aids Arlington's economy by creating job diversity and benefiting the town's gross domestic product.

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Officer Hogan to ride Pan Mass Challenge 11th time

Fund-raising Fund-raising Fund-raising Fund-raising Fund-raising

The following plea seeking support for his longtime effort in the Pan Mass Challnge (PMC) is from Officer Mike Hogan and K9s of the Arlington Police Department.Officer Mike Hogan with Eiko

This August, I am proud to say, I will have the privilege of riding in the Pan Mass Challenge for the 11th time as a member of the Arlington Angels Team.

I will be riding for my wife, Nancy, who was diagnosed with breast cancer 10 years ago and received treatment at Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

I now know firsthand how important it is to raise money for DFCI, so it can continue its research for life saving cancer treatments.

I will also be riding for my sister-in-law Colleen Lombard, who also received treatment for breast cancer at Dana Farber.

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Letters: Emailing Advocate & Star? Copy it here; it'll be published first

Letters to the editor

YourArlington's policy about letters to the editor

UPDATED April 26: YourArlington welcomes opinions of all kinds from local residents, including national issues so long as you can draw a local connection. For example, the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in June on Roe v Wade must have echoes here, too. Letters are reviewed for fairness, factualness and taste.

letters

Town Meeting began April 24. Factual letters supporting town candidates are welcome. Length of such letters should be no more than 400 words.

NOTE: When emailing a letter to The Advocate & Star, consider copying YourArlington at the same time. Your opinions will be published sooner.

Please support your view with facts and arguments that attempt to adhere to reason.

You may write on any subject, so long as you try to make a connection to Arlington. If you can't do that, then your residence in town will be a sufficient connection.

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