Get Out the Vote: Belmont Schools in Race for Recycling Award

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Photo: From left, Emma and Chloe Ellis along with Brady Chan and Brent Hudson recycling milk cartons at the Wellington Elementary School. 

After they finish their lunches, the last thing students at the Roger Wellington Elementary School on Orchard Street do is head for the refuse barrels.

But before they throw away anythings, students will be pouring out the milk and water from the containers into a pail then tossing the boxes along with papers and plastic boxes into a blue recycling bin.

“The more you do, the more it helps the earth,” said fourth grader Rachel Hudson.

Recycling is not just a lunchroom activity at the Wellington, but an activity that goes on throughout the day.

“It’s a big initiative at the school. Our school is very earth-minded … and we have been recycling almost since I started here,” said Wellington Principal Amy Spangler, noting the building was constructed to promote natural light and geothermal heating in an environmental-friendly way.

There are recycling bins in every classroom where children have a responsibility bringing to major receptacles and helping each other to be as diligent as possible in reprocessing material, participating in a six-week “Tray-less Thursday” program in the cafeteria that highlighted best menus to serve to reduce food waste and attending all-school assemblies that incorporated art from recycled material, presentations and taking part in national contest focused on sustainability.

“The Wellington is the model for the other schools. The staff, the parents, and the children, have been wonderful here,” said Mary Beth Calnan, the part-recycling coordinator with the town’s Department of Public Works.

“They really embrace even the little changes,” said Calnan. Much of the student’s enthusiasm comes from the most basic of reasons.

“Telling elementary students that what they are doing is good for the earth is a simple, strong message,” said Calnan.

“Mary Beth has been a great partner as kids are really conscious of recycling,” said Spangler.

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Students who don’t need to be told to recycle; they’re naturals at it: from left, Brent Hudson, first grade; Emma Ellis, first grade; Chloe Ellis, third grade; Rachel Hudson, fourth grade; and Brady Chan, first grade. With the students are (left) Belmont Recycling Coordinator Mary Beth Calnan and Amy Spangler, principal at the Wellington.

The Wellington’s recycling program is part of a district-wide approach to increasing recycling in the six schools in the system that includes a wide variety of programs and events.

Calnan thought the district-wide effort established in the past two years was worthy of attention.

“So I went ahead and nominated the district for a state-wide contest held by MassRecycle,” she said of the non-profit organization which highlighted local, business and school recycling for 20 years. 

In its first year of being nominated, the Belmont School District is one of the three finalists in the K-12 category.

And now until Friday, March 13, Belmont residents and students can vote on-line for the district to be honored with the first prize.

“I am extremely proud of this district’s effort of following the four R’s: refuse, reduce, reuse and recycle to become more sustainable in the last two years,” said Calnan.

The initiative has produced long-term changes in the schools and town, she said.

“The most far-reaching aspect of the recycling campaign has been changing the culture in the schools by way of the PTA/PTO’s,” Calnan said. “The thing I like the best is that the PTAs and PTOs have initiated their own ‘Green Teams’ made up of residents who are concerned about the environment and related issues such as local food and sustainability.”

Last year, the parent’s groups got together to create the Green Schools Alliance, which meets bimonthly with school district leaders to shape a comprehensive approach to environmental issues facing the schools and the wider world.

“We share ideas and success stories as well as programs that weren’t so successful. It’s a place to share,” said Calnan.

Last month, the Alliance and the elementary school Green Teams learned the results of the nationwide Green Cup Energy Challenge in which the Wellington and the Winn Brook schools finished in the top-ten at schools in the Northeast.

“This growth was a combined effort of students, parents and staff from the school and town departments working collaboratively to carry out these green initiatives,” Calnan said.

 

Be Like Boris: Belmont Pet License Deadline is March 15

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Photo: Boris, the Amazing Russian Circus Cat (Retired), is licensed for 2015. Is your pet “legal?”

The clock is ticking on making your pet “legal”, at least in the eyes of the town of Belmont.

The deadline for residents to obtain their annual dog and cat licenses is officially Sunday, March 15. But if you want to get the license in person, the final day you can get your tags at the Belmont Town Clerk’s Office will be Friday, March 13.  

After Sunday, the cost for renewing licenses for neutered or spayed pets will double.

It is simpler then ever to renew pet license for dogs and cats: it can be done online here or by printing the Pet License Form and mailing or bringing in the form and payment to the Clerk’s office at:

Town Clerk’s Office

Town Hall 

455 Concord Ave.

Belmont. MA 02478

New Pets

If your pet has never been licensed before in Belmont, you must supply a Certificate of Rabies Vaccination and a Spay/Neuter certificate from your pet’s veterinarian as well as the Pet License Form and mail to the Town Clerk’s office with payment or come to the Town Clerk’s office and license your pet in person.

2015 Fees

Until March 15: Renewals and new pets

  • Neutered/Spayed: $12 per pet; $9 if owner is 60 years of age or older
  • Unaltered: $37 per pet; $34 if owner is 60 years of age or older
March 16 to Dec. 31: Renewals
(New pets use above pricing regardless of date)
  • Neutered/Spayed: $24 per pet; $18 if owner is 60 years of age or older
  • Unaltered: $49 per pet; $43 if owner is 60 years of age or older

Failure to license pets will result in a $50 non-criminal violation. Failure to vaccinate pets will result in a $100 non-criminal violation per Massachusetts General Laws Ch. 140.

As Town Clarifies Permit, Belmont Uplands Opponents Speak Out

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Photo: The entry to the Belmont Uplands site in October. 

As the town clarifies what the building permit issued this past Friday, March 6 to A.P. Cambridge Partners II – the developer of the proposed $70 million, 299-unit apartment complex at Belmont Uplands – will allow the development team to do, opponents to the long-delayed project have begun to speak out on the effect of the project will have on Belmont and surrounding communities.

“The issuance of a building permit to executives from Prudential Real Estate Insurance and developer Brian O’Neill appears to confirm that neither the town of Belmont nor the [Commonwealth] of Massachusetts consider it their duty to protect the public and the earth from pollution and flooding … ,” said Anne-Marie Lambert of Chilton Street, who has been a strong critic of the proposed complex being built amidst the Silver Maple Forest in the Alewife Reservation.

After two decades of plans, proposals (that included a commercial research and development building in the early 2000s), lawsuits and delays, Belmont’s Director of Community Development Glenn Clancy as town engineer issued the first of three permits allowing the Philadelphia-based O’Neill Properties Group to construct a five-building complex situated on 15 acres on the Cambridge line on Acorn Park Drive.

“The permit is the approval for foundations for each of the five buildings,” said Clancy Monday, March 9.

Clancy said the development team has acquired the necessary paperwork to being utility work at the site that is a stone’s throw from Route 2 and Arlington.

The actual building permit to do the remaining work that includes the framing and actual building is pending final sign-off from the Fire Prevention Office, said Clancy.

“A final building permit to do all work on the foundation is the only outstanding approval I am aware of,” he told the Belmontonian.

The town has been handcuffed in imposing local zoning bylaws on the proposed development as O’Neill is building the complex under the state’s Chapter 40B law.

Enacted in 1969, the law allows a developer to bypass local restrictions if the municipality’s housing stock is less than 10 percent is deemed affordable for moderate-income residents and when the builder sets aside a specific percentage – at Belmont Uplands it will be 60 units – for buyers with income less than the 80 percent of the median in the region.

For those who have kept a constant battle to prevent the construction of the development, the permit comes after six months of increasing evidence – the clearing of the site of trees and vegetation beginning in October and a recent request to allow the placement of construction parking – O’Neill Properties was preparing to begin actual building.

For Idith Haber of Oliver Road who is president of the Coalition to Preserve the Belmont Uplands, the town’s issuing O’Neill a building permit continues the lack of support groups that have been attempting to thwart the project, which included the Board of Selectmen withdrawing a lawsuit backed by the town’s Conservation Commission.

“The Coalition believes that issuing the building permit similarly inappropriate,” said Haber.

Both Haber and Lambert have long contended the site can not sustain a major development as it will impact local neighborhoods – in Belmont around Little Pond – with increased flooding and to the public health due to the potential of higher-than-expected stormwater activity.

“[It] appears to confirm that neither … Belmont nor the (Commonwealth) of Massachusetts consider it their duty to protect the public and the earth from pollution and flooding which will result from the undisputed 150,000 gallons of storm water runoff this project will generate,” Lambert said.

In 2014, Lambert presented data showing the amount of storm water at the site used by O’Neill to win approval by the state to move forward with the permitting process underestimates the storm water levels by a large percentage since the developer uses data published in 1961 instead of rainfall statistics from 2011 due to the impact of global warming.

With this new data, O’Neill would be in violation of the town’s Storm Water Bylaw passed by Town Meeting last year.

“It is shameful that [the developer] claims to have sensitivity to environmental issues yet invests in a project which blatantly ignores current climate change reality,” stated Lambert, adding that “ensuring enforcement of Belmont’s stormwater bylaw regulations throughout the town is also critical.”

While the town has issued the permit, there remains pending litigation filed to enforce Belmont’s stormwater bylaw and the Massachusetts Clean Water Act. Clancy said the court did “not explicitly” say the town could not issue the go-ahead.

“The applicant proceeds at their own risk,” he said.

Despite the town’s action, Haber has received words of encouragement to continue the fight.

“We continue to receive a lot of moral and financial support from Belmont, Cambridge, and Arlington residents,” Haber said.

This Week: Peeps on Parade, Yale Students Dancing, Teens Self Publishing

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On the government side of “This Week”:

  • The Belmont School Committee will hold a meeting on Tuesday, March 10 at 7 p.m. at the Chenery Middle School.
  • The Belmont Historic District Commission will discuss the proposed moratorium on oversized single-family homes and nominations of the Preservation Awards on Tuesday, March 10 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall.
  • Find out what’s happening with Belmont Light’s substation and the transmission project at the meeting of the Belmont Municipal Light Advisory Board on Tuesday, March 10 at 7:15 p.m. at Belmont Light’s headquarters on 40 Prince St.
  • The Belmont Energy Committee will review and discuss the committee’s projects and Belmont Climate Action Plan recommendations at its meeting on Wednesday, March 11 at 8 a.m.
  • The Community Preservation Committee meets on Wednesday, March 11 at 5 p.m. will discuss open space and housing inventory along with project updates.

• Author Jessica Lander will speak on her book Driving Backwards as part of the Belmont Public Library’s Books and Bites series at 11 a.m. on Monday, March 9 at the library’s Assembly Room. This debut work of non-fiction captures the modern-day charm and character of Gilmanton, a small town in New Hampshire where Lander spent her summers. Lander also writes an education-focused blog, Chalk Dust, about experiences in and out of the classroom.  She currently lives in her hometown of Cambridge, near to family and friends.

• The Belmont School District will be making a presentation before the Burbank Elementary PTA at 7 p.m., Monday, March 9 at 266 School St.

Tuesday is story time at both of Belmont libraries. 

  • Pre-School Story Time at the Benton Library, Belmont’s independent and volunteer run library, at 10:30 a.m. Stories and crafts for children age 3 to 5. Parents or caregivers must attend. Siblings may attend with adults. Registration is not required. The Benton Library is located at the intersection of Oakley and Old Middlesex.
  • The Belmont Public Library on Concord Avenue will be holding two sessions of Story Time for 2′s and 3′s, at 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. 

The Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St., will be holding three great events on Tuesday, March 10:

  • 11:30 a.m.: Chinese New Year Program. Features performers wowing you with dance, singing, incredible instrumental music, and other arts.
  • 1:15 p.m.: Tell Your Heartwarming Tale of the Blizzards of ’15.
  • 5 p.m.: Yale University Ballroom Dance Team. Marvel at this outstanding group of students as they compete in a variety of International dance competitions; their repertoire encompasses many styles – from tango and salsa to waltz and hustle. Expect to be awed, so bring a friend!

• It’s an early release day for elementary and high school students.

• Belmont’s new Veterans Service Officer, Robert Upton, will be holding office hours at the Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St., on Wednesday, March 11, from noon to 2 p.m.

• Chenery Middle School students can stop by the Belmont Public Library’s Assembly Room on Wednesday, March 11 from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m., work on your homework, enjoy some hot chocolate and try out an activity. This is for middleschoolers only!  Provided to you for free, thanks to the Friends of the Belmont Public Library.

• Residents and kids can build Easter-inspired Peeps dioramas on Wednesday, March 11 from 2:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. in the Flett Room. 

• The International Fiction Book Club will hold its inaugural meeting where it will discuss Americanah by Chimamanda Adichie at the Belmont Public Library on Wednesday, March 11, at 6:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Flett Room. Join the club on the second Wednesday of the month for fun conversation, tea and snacks. Each month they’ll talk about one book chosen by the group, either fiction or memoir. If you don’t have time to read the book, come anyway. We’ll talk about favorite recent books people have read. Everybody is welcome. If you have questions, contact Kylie at ksparks@minlib.net.

• Middle and High school students are invited to hear local author Sharisse Zeroonian speak about her play One Plus One is Two, which she self-published when she was a teenager at the Youth Adult Room in the Belmont Public Library on Thursday, March 12 from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Learn tips and tools for how you can self-publish as a teenager.

• The Belmont League of Women Voters will be meeting on Thursday, March 12 at 7 p.m. in the Flett Room of the Belmont Public Library.

• The Belmont Board of Selectmen is holding a precinct meeting to discuss the fiscal ’16 budget options at the Beech Street Center on Thursday, March 12 at 7 p.m. 

• The Senior Book Discussion Group will meet on Friday, March 13th at 11 a.m. at the Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St., to discuss The Blithedale Romance by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

• A Powers Music concert – Songs without Words – will take place on Friday, March 13, at 1:15 p.m. at the Beech Street Center. Cellist Laura Blustein and pianist Kathryn Rosenbach will lead the audience through Mendelssohn’s beloved “Songs Without Words” as well as transcriptions of Brahms and Schubert that are used in pieces from popular musicals and pop standards.

 

Letter: Will Uplands Development Lead To More Scenes Like This?

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Photo: A photo by Stephanie Liu of a suspected coyote roaming in her backyard. 

To the Editor:

[This letter was a comment on the town issuing a building permit for the 299-unit apartment complex in Belmont Uplands]

A couple of days ago, I saw this very emaciated coyote walking in my backyard and then turned to Little Pond. I have to admit that I was so tempted to bring some food for him as I don’t think he can survive very long. But it’s illegal and it’ll create the impression that backyards are bountiful feeding areas. Can we blame them when we take away their habitats?

I guess this is the pattern we are facing after losing our forest and their sanctuary. It’s so sad. Coyotes are generally nocturnal, but they do hunt during the day when they are hungry. The town should issue warning for residents to keep their children and pets indoors.

Stephanie Liu

Oliver Road

 

BREAKING: Building Permit Issued to Belmont Uplands Developer

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Photo: A protest at the site of the Belmont Uplands in November 2014. 

After years of legal battles and delays, the Office of Community Development has issued a building permit today, Friday, March 6, allowing construction to begin on a $70 million, 299-unit apartment complex in the Belmont Uplands section of Belmont.

“Please be aware that today a building permit was issued for foundation work at the Belmont Uplands site,” wrote Glenn Clancy, the Community Development director in an e-mail memo to town officials and selected residents. 

“AP Cambridge Partners has fulfilled all requirements under the Zoning Board of Appeals Comprehensive Permit and the Massachusetts State Building Code necessary to secure a building permit,” noted Clancy of the site that borders the Cambridge town line and is part of the Alewife Brook Reservation. 

Pennsylvania-based O’Neill Development has long planned to build hundreds of market-rate and subsidized apartments under the state’s Chapter 40B law which allows developers to bypass local zoning requirements if a municipality’s housing stock is less than 10 percent affordable.

The project has for years been stalled by a series of legal actions, notably by the Belmont Conservation Commission and the Coalition to Preserve the Belmont Uplands after the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection gave its OK for the development to proceed. 

In addition, a sprawling apartment complex has been seen by the town as having a detrimental impact on the school district with hundreds of additional students entering a system bursting at the seams with higher enrollment.

Development of one sort or another has been proposed for the site since the late 1990s which included a commercial building.

More to come in the Belmontonian.

Belmont Girls’ Hoops Goes Out Fighting, 49-40, in Sectional Semis to Watertown

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Photo: Senior Elena Bragg stares at the court after Belmont lost in the sectional semifinals to Watertown on Wednesday, March 4. 

They working themselves to exhaustion, physically and mentally, on that basketball court in Malden. The Belmont High School Girls’ Basketball team wanted this game against its arch-rivals, knowing to a player they were capable of pulling off the upset.

They put it all on the line.

It wasn’t enough.

When the buzzer sounded to announce Watertown High School’s 49-40 victory over Belmont in the Div. 2 North Sectional semifinals Wednesday night, March 4, the tears and emotion from the players who bonded throughout their successful season unashamedly came forth.

“I’m super proud of those girls. I can’t say enough about this team and how great they are. It’s just a shame that it’s over,” said a subdued Head Coach Melissa Hart, looking at her girls pulling their uniforms into their face, not to show how bad they felt.

“I think we left everything on the court, for sure,” said Sophia Eschenbach-Smith, one of the team’s co-captains.

“Yes, we came up short but we played our hearts out for every second of it, so none of us have any regrets how the game went,” she told the Belmontonian.

On this night, Watertown – undefeated, a number-one seed and a top-ten ranking in media polls for the entire season – made more plays and fewer mistakes against their neighbors, earning that trip to Lowell Saturday for the sectional finals against Pentucket Regional.

“Watertown, they made the plays, they made the shots. And we were just a little sloppy,” Hart said.

A major aim of Belmont’s game plan was to keep Watertown close, both in the score and physically, to hamper the high-powered offense that proved itself by sweeping through the season without a loss, including an opening game win against a much different, less put-together Belmont team.

On Wednesday, Watertown was successful with their “drive and dish” offense in which a Raider players would head for the basket, luring Marauders to her, when she would pass to an open player, with sophomore Shannon Murphy (10 points) or junior Katelyn Rourke (game high 15 point) mostly on the receiving end.

Nor was the level of officiating helping Belmont. While both teams play a physical game, and the Raiders are known for their ball hawking manner, the officials appeared to pay closer attention to incidental contact from the Marauders. Near the end of the first half, Belmont amassed nine fouls to Watertown’s two, a discrepancy noted by the large turnout of Belmont students who came to support their team.

Watertown played a crisper first half while Belmont found the going tough near the basket as Murphy swatted away a number of Marauder attempts. At the end of the first quarter, Belmont was looking up at a 7-point deficit, 11-4.

But the Marauders appeared to shake off their nervousness between quarters and came out a more confident crew, especially on offense. Senior Co-Captain Linda Herlihy (4 points, 5 rebounds, got things rolling with her patient hook shot off the glass. Junior Irini Nikolaidis (4 points, 5 steals) hit a jumper in the paint before freshman Jenny Call (5 points) knocked home an open 3 pointer to cut the lead to a deuce, 13-11, at the 6:30 mark.

Resting starters, Hart placed the game into the hands of three freshmen – Call, Carly Christofori (9 points) and Greta Propp – who kept the game close, and when Eschenbach-Smith hit a 3 pointer and Christofori put in one of two from the line, Belmont was within a bucket, 24-22, with 60 seconds remaining to play.

But in that final minute, the Raiders made the decisive move of the game, going on a 7-0 run – with baskets by sophomore Murphy and junior Michaela Antonellis (5 points, all in the first half) as well as a big 3 from senior Rachel Morris (her only basket of the game) – to shot the lead up to 9 at end the half, 31-22.

The third quarter was like trench warfare during World War I; no one was giving an inch as both defenses stiffened. After six minutes, a total of 7 points (five for Watertown, two for Belmont) was scored before the Raiders punched home two buckets off  “drive and dish” moves to lead by 13, 38-25, with eight minutes remaining.

With the exception of the second quarter, the anticipated Belmont surge – an explosion of points that put away opponents for the entire season – had not materialized, and with less than four minutes remaining, Belmont trailed Watertown, 44-29.

Then finally, it appeared. The final push from the Marauders came in the guise of an 11-2 run, all within two minutes. A pair of Christofori free throws, Eschenbach-Smith’s second 3 pointer and a pair of free throws got the score within 10 points before senior captain Elena Bragg (6 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists) put her stamp on things.

Bragg – who is looking to play in a Division 3 college program in Boston next year – took a pass from Eschenbach-Smith for a layup, then immediately stole the ball and proceeded to throw up an over-the-shoulder, running prayer that was answered. The improbable basket brought the Marauders’ within six points with 59 second remaining, sending the Belmont fan base roaring and Herlihy calling out supporters to become even louder.

But that was a close as Belmont could get as Watertown settled down and spread the court, forcing Belmont to foul and sending them to the line.

At the buzzer, seniors sought each other while some of the younger players looked a bit in awe after seeing the emotion and grit spent Wednesday night.

Outside the locker room, parents and friends waited to greet their loved ones, to brush away tears and applaud the team one final time.

“We all came out with such high intensity from everyone,” said Herlihy. “The girls who don’t play that much, they were on their feet, ready to go come out and play.”

“I love this team, honestly, and I hate to see it end, but we had an amazing season. I’ll miss everyone so much,” she said.

 

 

 

 

This Weekend: Wellington Winter Carnival, Gospel Concert, Garden Fair and ‘The Art of Tea’

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• There is an answer for the late-winter blues: Come down to Belmont High School’s Wenner Field House on Saturday, March 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the Wellington School Winter Carnival! There will be lots of fun things to do for elementary and preschool kids with a clown making balloon animals, bounce houses and slides, games, crafts, face painting, pizza, bake sale and a book sale! Take a break from the cold and come down. The cost for the activities is between two-to-four tickets; 10 tickets for $5, 20 for $20.

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• The Joyful Voices of Inspiration returns to Belmont to gave a soul stirring, spirit moving, heartwarming gospel concert at the Belmont-Watertown Methodist Church, 421 Common St. on Saturday, March 7 at 3 p.m. The concert is a fundraiser benefiting the Belmont, Watertown and St. Patrick’s food pantries. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and students, free for children under 12. There is a $30 family maximum.
• “Kaleidoscope – the Art of Tea,” the art installation by Christiane Corcelle at the Belmont Gallery of Art, is currently featured in the March issue of Art New England with a review by editor-in-chief Deb Hagan. Come see why Hagan gave the work such praise by seeing the work that features art made with repurposed tea bags and their components – including labels, strings and boxes – together with other found objects which, not only makes for a truly unique show, but also shows gallery visitors and other artists the possibilities of creating art with recycled and collected objects. The gallery is located on the third floor of the Homer Municipal Building in the Town Hall complex. It is open on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
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• A Healthy Yards and Gardens Fair, sponsored by Belmont Food Collaborative and Sustainable Belmont, will be holding forth in the Assembly Room of the Belmont Public Library on Saturday, March 6 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Sold in Belmont: Supply and Demand Effecting Prices on Farnham

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A weekly recap of residential properties sold in the past seven days in the “Town of Homes.”

• 119 Farnham St. Cape (1938) Sold: $750,000. Listed at $699,000. Living area: 1,200 sq.-ft. 7 rooms, 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths. On the market: 52 days.

• 33 Trowbridge St. Brick spilt level (1957) Sold: $600,000. Listed at $685,000. Living area: 1,435 sq.-ft. 6 rooms, 2 bedrooms, 2 baths. On the market: 148 days.

• 115 Farnham St. Sideways Garrison Colonial (1932) Sold: $728,000. Listed at $799,000. Living area: 1,740 sq.-ft. 7 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. On the market: 52 days.

Three homes close enough to the commuter rail line for their new owners to hear the trains traveling to and from Boston were sold this week at prices well below Belmont’s median price of $845,000. What may come to a surprise to many, it was the smallest of the trio – a classic Cape on Farnham Street, a five-minute stroll to Belmont Center – that brought in the most for its seller, a cool three-quarters of the million dollars for 1,200 sq.-ft. of livable space. Compare that to the house one door down the street with an extra bedroom, half-bath and 500 sq.-ft. sinking to $728,000.

Sure, there are plenty of reasons for the difference in price: needed repairs, renovations, lot size, the terrible decision to place the side of the Colonial facing the street and more. Or it could have been the entry of the a second home into the market at a price that appeared to be a bargain. Let’s see how it worked out.

The larger house at 115 Farnham went on the market in November, 2014 at $799,000, more than $110,000 greater than its assessed value by the town. Likely the coming holidays and winter’s arrival deadened the market and so it sat at that price into the New Year.

Come Jan. 6, 119 Farnham hits the market at $699,000. While it too is well above its assessed value of $571,000, it’s the bargain on the street compared to the house one door down. The pressure of added supply and a lower cost alternative forced the hand of those selling 115 Farnham, who cut the price by $50,000 that day.

Here’s where supply and demand took charge: greater eyes viewing the more “affordable house” at 115 Farnham brought in more competition and bids at the expense of the larger house a few feet away.

When the sales were completed, the smaller house sold for $180,000 more than its assessed value while the larger home brought in a little more than $50,000 above its value. The winner in this case are the new owners at 115 Farnham, getting a bargain while over at 119, the new owners will love their new house just as much at $625 per square foot.

Six Citizen Petition Articles Approved for This Year’s Annual Town Meeting

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Six citizens’ petitions ranging from a restriction on how tall a new house can be built, a slew of financial transparency articles and holding a non-binding referendum on solar power pricing will be before the annual Belmont Town Meeting in May.

The petitions were approved by Town Clerk Ellen Cushman before the closing of the Town Meeting Warrant on Monday, March 2, having secured at least 10 signatures from eligible voters.

One article has been in the news since January, as the Belmont Citizens for Responsible Zoning is seeking a one-year freeze on the construction of so-called “McMansions” in the neighborhood adjacent to the Grove Street Playground in the Shaw Estates neighborhood.

Four articles deal with financial reporting and why important opinions before Town Meeting are made. Jim Williams, a candidate for Board of Selectmen, said the “overriding purpose” of the language is to improve “the transparency around articles in the Warrant and thereby … improve the quality of Town Meeting decision making.”

The four articles will:
  • Require the Town Administrator to issue to Town Meeting Members a quarterly Free Cash account report including the amounts received and disbursed since the last report and the sources and uses of the funds received and disbursed. 
  • Require the Board of Selectmen, the Warrant Committee and the Capital Budget Committee – when they issue opinions on Town Meeting articles – to reveal the rationale for their recommendations in writing at the least one day in advance of the article being taken up.
  • The Town Administrator will now maintain a 30-year “steady state” projection model of the town’s budget.
  • The creation of a formal Risk Management Function in the Town Administrator’s office reporting on both the long- and short-term risks and opportunities identified to exist in the operations of the town’s governmental, school and enterprise activities. 

Finally, a group of solar power advocates is seeking Town Meeting approval to place a non-binding referendum before voters to gauge the community’s support for either the newly-created buy back pricing program approved by the Light Board or one which provides a greater payback to households using solar energy.