HomeMy Public PortalAbout2021-03-25 EDP and PW on Community Path and Climate Declaration_202105241240501462Watertown Town Council
Committee on Public Works
Councilor Piccirilli, Chair, Councilor Donato, Vice Chair, Councilor Palomba, Secretary
Committee on Economic Development and Planning
Councilor Woodland, Chair, Councilor Feltner, Vice Chair, Councilor Piccirilli, Secretary
Committee Report
Thursday, March 25, 2021, 6:00 PM
The meeting, in accordance with the Governor's Order Suspending Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law
relating to the 2020 COVID-19 emergency, was conducted by Zoom and televised live by Watertown
Community Access Television (WCA-TV). In addition, the agenda provided the public with notice of how to
access the meeting online and by telephone, and that comments were invited via email.
All the members of the two Committees were present with the exception Councilor Woodland. Also attending
were Councilor Bays, Councilor Gannon, Gregory St. Louis, Superintendent of Department of Public Works,
Matt Shuman, Town Engineer, Department of Public Works, Steve Magoon, Assistant Town Manager and
Director of Community Development and Planning, Laura Weiner, Transportation Planner, Department of
Community Development and Planning, Laurel Schwab, Environmental Planner, Department of Community
Development and Planning, Ed Lewis, Energy Manager and Facilities Project Manager, Department of Public
Buildings, David Stokes, School Committee member, Janet Buck, Planning Board member, and Laura Castelli,
VHB. Residents representing Watertown Environment and Energy Efficient Committee, Watertown Bicycle
and Pedestrian Committee, Watertown Faces Climate Change, Sunrise Watertown, and Extinction Rebellion
Massachusetts included Brian Hebesian, Laurie Murphy, Janet Jameson, Andy Campagna, Susan LaDuke, Pat
Rathbone, Rick Kalish, Ann Munson, Eileen Ryan, Ellen Menounes, Jennifer Smith, Jesse Hammond, Alex
Thuene, Miriam Karachi, Zhihan Yang, Lana Taffel, Leyla Mandel, Iona Fleming, Rita Hackett, Maud Neeley, Zoe
Doyle, and Mona Houjazy.
The purpose of the meeting was to:
1) - discuss the Community Path https://www.watertown-ma.gov/602/Community-Path-Project and
https://www.watertown-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/31340/2021-02-23--DCDP---Community-Path
and
2) - discuss the Resolution Endorsing the Declaration of a Climate Emergency https://www.watertown-
ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/31433/2021-03-09-CLIMATE-EMERGENCY-DECLARATION
Notation: This meeting lasted approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes. The minutes are a summary of the
meeting. You can see a video of the meeting at
https://cloud.castus.ty/vod/#/watertown/video/6061d4a4e6c6610008aa874c?page=PLAYLIST
Discussion of the Community Path
The meeting began with a brief presentation (see link above) by Laura Weiner who reviewed a memo on the
progress of the complete Community Path. She focused on two sections of the path — Section 2. Arsenal Street
from Irving Street to Taylor Street, and Taylor Street to and across Mt. Auburn Street and Section 3. Mt.
Auburn Street and Taylor Street/Baptist Walk through the parking lots behind the commercial district and
municipal building to Linear Park. The Town recently submitted a grant to the MassTrails program to finish the
design process and engineering plans for Section 3. The topic of this meeting was Section 2 and the design
plans prepared by VHB.
-2 -
Laura Castelli from VHB presented a power point — Watertown Community Path Extension -
file:///C:/Users/Family/Downloads/Comm.%20Path%20presentation 03-25-21%20(1).pdf.
VHB was retained to design the section of the Community Path from Irving Street to Mt. Auburn Street
including considerations for crossing treatment across Mt. Auburn Street. It was noted that it would be
possible to extend the existing cross-section Community Path (that goes from School Street to Irving Street)
without reducing travel lanes on Arsenal Street. VHB therefore looked at three main options for the Irving
Street to Mt. Auburn Street section. It was noted that these are conceptual designs.
1) North Beacon Street Option — considered least likely given the constraints that including bicyclists needing
to travel on the road with traffic on Irving Street, need for an on -road two lane bike path along North Beacon
Street, required reallocation of existing accommodations, and reconstruction of an Arsenal/North Beacon
traffic light.
2) Relocate path to former railroad right of way — major constraints for this option included the need to
reconstruct the Pattern Street Bridge and to purchase land or take land by eminent domain.
3) Continue Path along Arsenal Street — the main constraint is the Cambridge water line that is near the inner
edge of the side walk on Arsenal Street and the removal of parking spaces on Taylor Street.
VHB recommends Option 3 - continue the path along Arsenal Street. There is an agreement with Cambridge
that the design would not negatively impact their water line. The path from Irving to Taylor Street would
require a three foot expansion of the sidewalk that would then serve as a shared sidewalk for pedestrians and
bicyclists. There would be two five-foot bike lanes with a painted strip down the middle. Utility poles would
be relocated off the sidewalk. There would be a two foot buffer between the sidewalk and the street. Near
the substation, the length of the path would be reduced to eight feet for a short distance. The leg from
Arsenal Street to Mt. Auburn via Taylor Street would require Taylor Street to be reconfigured to have a two
way bike lane on the east side and a one way, eleven foot travel lane on the west side. The bike path would be
ten feet — five feet one way and five feet the other. There would be a two -foot buffer between the outside
bike lane and the travel lane. The buffer could be a textured pavement or a similar treatment. There would be
no sidewalks on either side of the road. In terms of crossing Mt. Auburn Street it was recommended that the
crossing remain as is with the installation of either a pedestrian hybrid beacon ($25,000/ea) or a traffic control
device called rapidly rectangular flashing beacons or RRFBs ($100/ea). A very rough estimate of the cost for
the project is $1.3 million.
Discussion:
Councilor Danoto inquired about the possibility of mitigation money for the signals on Mt. Auburn Street from
the development at the corner of Mt. Auburn and Taylor Street as well as about the proposed pocket park in
that area. Staff responded that the approvals for that development have expired so there would be no
mitigation money and the Town owns the land were a possible pocket could be built.
Councilor Feltner expressed disappointment and disagreement with Option 3. She was disappointed that the
staff did not bring back to the full Council the three options for consideration prior to making a
recommendation. It was her understanding as far back as 2016 that the rail trail option would be brought back
to the Town Council for discussion. She felt the rail trail option was not full vetted. It posed no conflict with
the Cambridge water line, there were no driveway impediments, and the privately owned property was not
easily developed. She would like to see a fully fleshed out proposal for the rail trial, including the cost of
-3 -
taking the necessary land by eminent domain and the cost for constructing a new Patten Street Bridge. She
sees the proposed Option 3 as not a bike path, but a sidewalk with painted lines. She was concerned that
residents would not find the option either pedestrian or bicycle friendly and that the proposal is being driven
only by financial consideration. Staff felt that they moved to Option 3 because of the costs and time involved
in pursuing the rail trail, and that this is the opportunity for the Town Council to weigh in on the three options.
Councilor Palomba expressed support for expanding the sidewalk on Arsenal Street similar to what exists on
Arsenal Street east of Irving Street. This would require eliminating a lane for the stretch between Irving and
Taylor Streets and then returning to two lanes from Taylor Street to the Square. Presently, in the section
under discussion there are two travel lanes going east and one and a half going into Watertown Square and
there is handicapped parking on the south side of the street. Staff felt that eliminating one lane (really a half
of lane) would have a significant impact on the traffic going into Watertown Square and possibly cause a safety
problem.
Comments from the Public and information from Councilors
- In response to a question about the places in this section that are most dangerous, it was noted that the
intersections at Irving and Arsenal and particularly the area where North Beacon joins Arsenal near Taylor
Street are the most challenging for pedestrian and bicycles and would require clear and plentiful signage and
markings.
-Janet Jameson reflected on her 40 year effort to get the community path completed and appreciated
Councilor Feltner's comments. She remembers when the intention was to have the path behind the buildings
and residential developments and along the rail trail and recalled the study by Tufts students that reflected
this intention. She hoped that we could find an alternative to Option 3. She also mentioned efforts to get an
Arts District in town from Watertown Square to the Arts Center and that an off road path would complement
this effort. She felt given all the development in Watertown we could find the money to make this happen.
-Barbara Ruskin agreed that many would prefer a bike path off road and the alternative, Option 3 has too
many driveways and is not a safe path for pedestrians and bicyclists. We should work with the property
owners in the area and use the influence of the community, particular the Watertown Business Coalition, to
build support for the rail trail option. Also, we should pursue CPA funding. She also recommended a landing
stop (or green path) on the inside lane of Mt. Auburn Street coming from Galen Street that would make it
easier for folks to cross Taylor or Patton Streets. In sum, very disappointed and requested more time and data
on the costs to fully vent the rail trail option.
- Andy Compagna expressed how important this connection would be, especially since folks who are using the
new segment behind the library. In response to a question about who owns the railway property, Council
Piccirilli explained that when the railroad was abandoned in 1965 the Town purchased the property from Mt.
Auburn Street to Howard Street but chose not to purchase the land heading east from Mt. Auburn Street to
Fresh Pond. This section was purchased by private owners. He mentioned that as a member of the Bicycle
Pedestrian Committee, he and others worked hard to get access to the property, but times have changed and
Option 3 may be our best option at this time. Andy also reiterated the question posed by others —has there
been an investigation about taking rail trail property by eminent domain.
-4 -
Staff reviewed the eminent domain process — establish a public purpose, have land appraised, go to court to
seize the property, then there is a court process that establishes the value of the property, and finally a jury
decides how much the Town must pay the property owner. Towns usually pay more than what the property is
worth even if the property is not developable. Andy recommended that we get a full picture of what property
the Town would need to purchase and a better estimate on how much it would cost.
Councilor Feltner stated that she agrees with the comments of Ms. Jameson and Ms. Ruskin and that she is not
ready to give up. More effort could be made to bring the community into the discussion.
Councilor Gannon clarified that CPA funds could not be used for an extension of a sidewalk, but they can be
used for the construction of a rail trail and have been used for this reason in other communities.
Councilor Donato felt this was not an either or situation. We could move forward with Option 3, but do the
research about the rail trail and consider the use of CPA money for it in the future. We could end up with two
paths. He purposed bringing Option 3 to the full Town Council and at the same time asking the Department of
Community Development and Planning to investigate the costs and process for implementing a path on the
former railroad land.
Councilor Piccirilli reminded us that we are hoping to move to final design so that the project can be built in
July. He would like to move forward, and if in the future, we can develop the rail trail we would do that. We
have money in the capital budget for the design and the construction of Option 3.
Councilor Bays understands that Option 3 is not the perfect solution but maybe it is the best of what we can do
at this time. However she knows that she would not walk along Arsenal Street for pleasure and asked if there
is anything that can be done to make it more welcoming and pleasant and not make it feel like a large
sidewalk.
Councilor Feltner reminded folks that Option 3 is not a done deal and that there are still issues to be worked
out like the parking on Taylor Street. Staff responded that while the Cambridge water line issue has been
resolved there are still other issues and what they are asking for is to approve to move from a conceptual
design to a preliminary design.
Councilor Gannon asked how long the design phase would take. Laura responded that VHB could do a
preliminary design and then a final design within 4 months. However, they can reassess this plan if necessary
given the information from tonight's meeting. Councilor Gannon suggested that we have 4 months to follow
up on Councilor Donato's suggestion. He disagrees with Councilor Bays about using Arsenal Street for biking
and walking and feels there are options to make it a more welcoming area, such as installing community art
and historical information.
Councilor Piccirilli clarified that the placeholder in the capital budget for this section of the Community Path
was $1.5 million and that the option to acquire land by eminent domain can take many years. However he
agreed that both options should be pursued.
ACTION ITEM
Councilor Piccirilli made the following motion:
-5 -
That the Committees recommend that the Town Council endorse moving ahead with the preferred Arsenal
Street option (Option 3) for the Community Path, and also ask the Department of Community Development &
Planning to look at future options to create an off -road solution.
The motion passed on a roll call vote 4-0.
Councilor Piccirilli introduced the second topic of the meeting — Discussion of the Resolution Endorsing the
Declaration of a Climate Emergency. He agreed with the recommendation of Councilor Palomba that we
should allow the folks who have been waiting patiently to speak before the Committee members speak, which
is the usual protocol.
Please note that the Secretary has summarized the key points taken from the passionate and eloquent
statements made by the young residents from Sunrise Watertown and the older representatives from
Extinction Rebellion Massachusetts, Watertown Faces Climate Change, and the Watertown Environment and
Energy Efficiency Committee. The members of Sunrise were either seniors or juniors at Watertown High
School and many were of voting age or soon to be eligible to vote. The Secretary acknowledges that he may
not have captured all the points made by the representatives.
Key Points
1) The Resolution Endorsing the Declaration of a Climate Emergency (Declaration) is aspirational and provides
a kick-off of the Town's Climate and Energy Master Plan (Master Plan).
2) The Declaration demonstrates the Town's commitment to recognizing that climate change is an emergency
that requires bold action on the local level.
3) With the passage of the Declaration, Watertown would join cities and towns, large and small, in declaring
climate change as an emergency and in recognizing that climate change is a priority.
4) Passage of the Declaration is a paramount step toward building a healthy future for present and future
Watertown residents.
5) The Declaration should be used to set the goals for the Master Plan. Much has changed since the passage of
the 2019 Resolution — the crisis has become greater and the technology to address the crisis has improved.
Also, the Commonwealth's new legislation outlines what is possible and commits the state to providing local
communities resources and assistance to reach its own milestones.
6) While not binding, the Declaration provides constructive guidelines on what needs to happen in Watertown
to address climate change and to educate residents about the existential crisis we face.
7) Passage of the Declaration makes it clear that policy makers and those who carry out policy must think
about greenhouse emissions whenever they are developing or implementing policy.
If there was an overall theme based on the comments it is that climate change is an existential emergency that
threatens our lives now and in the future and it must be addressed at the local, state, regional, national and
international level immediately. Further, the 2035 date in the third Resolve is a key component of the
Declaration and must not be removed.
-6 -
Staff Points
Ed Lewis, Watertown Energy Manager, Steve Magoon, Assistant Town Manager and Director of Community
Development and Planning, Laurel Schwab, Chief Environmental Planner, and Gregory St. Louis,
Superintendent of Public Works each spoke. They appreciated the participation of those attending and their
passion for addressing climate change, recognized that climate change is not coming but is here, supported a
Master Plan that was actionable, and noted the benefit of the Declaration as a demonstration of the Town's
commitment to addressing climate change when pursing grants.
Following the presentation by the members of the public the Committee agreed that we should move forward
with the Resolution and begin to review each section. Please see attached the redline version of the
Declaration that incorporates the changes approved by the Committee.
Whereas
- Councilor Donato, expressing the opinions of residents he has heard from, requested that reference to
World !land wartime speed, be removed from the fifth Whereas because it is seen to be political rhetoric.
On a roll call vote of 4-0, the Committee members voted to accept the suggestion but not before Councilor
Gannon made a strong statement about how the inclusion of these words provided urgency and was a good
analogy since addressing climate change demanded the same level of country -wide commitment as did our
response to World War 11.
- Councilor Donato, again expressing the opinions of some residents, requested that the seventh Whereas and
eighth Whereas be eliminated because they pulled the focus away from Watertown to a focus on the national
level. Councilor Palomba noted that he added these in order to strengthen the Declaration, but he is willing to
remove them. He did say that he objects to the argument that there is no relationship between local
government and the federal government, as proven most recently by the pandemic. Councilor Gannon also
raised objection to removing the statements.
On a roll call vote of 4-0, Committee members voted to accept the suggestions of Councilor Donato.
- Councilor Piccirilli requested some additional wording to the ninth Whereas that be believed strengthen and
clarified the existing Whereas. He also requested two changes in the seventh bullet point in the tenth
Whereas that reflected the reality of the situation. There were no objections.
On a roll call vote, the Committee voted 4-0 to accept these changes.
Resolves
- Councilor Piccirilli requested that the date of 2035, particularly the term, "no later than 2035" be eliminated
from the third Resolved because:
a) Resolutions are used to make policy and the inclusion of "no later than 2035" was in conflict with the 2019
Resolution passed by the Town Council and
b) It would be impossible to achieve the Resolved as written.
There was a vigorous discussion following this recommendation. Messages in the chat from the members of
the various groups attending the meeting indicate strong opposition to the removal of the date. Councilor
Gannon was particularly vocal in his opposition stating that the date is what made the Declaration strong. He -
7-
-7 -
noted that the second largest city in New England, Worcester, actually included a date 2030. He felt we
needed to think big and, as a Town Council, set policy that encouraged the Town administration to push the
needle on this topic. Others noted that much has changed since 2019 and a new goal was necessary.
There were a number of suggestions made that would amend the Resolved, including :
a) changing the date to 2040 or 2050 (2050 is used as a target date by the Commonwealth)
b) articulating specific accomplishments that must be met by certain dates, for example, achieving x by 2035,
y by 2040, z by 2050, etc.
c) keeping the existing 2035 date, but requiring reevaluation on a regular basis to see if it is achievable and
adjusting accordingly.
It was noted that the comments in the chat reflected disappointment by many who had addressed the
Committee, with one particular resident stating that the Committee is ignoring the opinions of those in
attendance.
Councilor Piccirilli made a new proposal that the third Resolved be rewritten as follows:
That the Town of Watertown endorses a town -wide emergency mobilization effort to combat global warming,
which, with appropriate financial and regulatory assistance from State and Federal authorities, would further
the goal of ending town -wide greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as possible and before the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts target of 2050.
On a roll call vote of 4-0, the Committee voted to accept the revised Resolved. It should be noted that two of
the members voted in the affirmative because they believed it was a compromise that would ensure
unanimous Committee support and possibly full Town Council unanimous support.
Councilor Piccirilli made a request to change the fifth Resolved to emphasize role of the residents to
participate in the creation of the Master Plan.
There was general support that the addition was useful. However, Councilor Palomba objected to any changes
to the fifth Resolved and suggested that Councilor Piccirilli's new Resolved be added as an additional Resolved.
Councilor Donato agreed.
On a roll call vote of 4-0, the Committee voted to accept the additional Resolved (see redline version attached
for the complete language of the new Resolved).
Before closing the meeting, Councilor Palomba expressed his understanding that since resolutions make policy
and policy is to be carried out by the Administration, the goals established in the 2019 resolution and in this
resolution, if passed by the full Town Council, will be used in establishing the goals and creating the strategies
in the Master Plan. He was reassured by staff that the goals would be seriously considered. Related to this,
Councilor Gannon asked whether the consultants would be looking for ways to reach the goals sooner than the
date stated. The response was "yes".
A number of the Councilors thanked the proponents for the Declaration for attending and participating in the
meeting and expressed the hope that they would participate in the public meetings that would take place
regarding the Master Plan.
-8 -
ACTION ITEM
Councilor Piccirilli made the following motion, seconded by Councilor Donato,
That the Committees recommend that the full Town Council adopt the Resolution Endorsing the Declaration of
a Climate Emergency as amended by the Committees.
On a roll call vote, the Committees passed the motion 4 -0. A copy of the approved Resolution is attached.
Councilor Feltner made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Councilor Palomba, and passed on a roll call vote of
4-0. The meeting adjourned at 9:45 PM.
The minutes were prepared by Councilor Palomba
ELECTED OFFICIALS:
Mark S. Sideris,
Council President
Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr.,
Vice President &
District C Councilor
Caroline Bays
Councilor At Large
Anthony J. Donato,
Councilor At Large
John G. Gannon,
Councilor At Large
Anthony Palomba,
Councilor At Large
Angeline B. Kounelis,
District A Councilor
Lisa J. Feltner,
District B Councilor
Kenneth M. Woodland,
District D Councilor
Watertown Town Council
Administration Building
149 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472
Phone: 617-972-6470
RESOLUTION #
RO-2021-
RESOLUTION ENDORSING THE
DECLARATION OF A CLIMATE EMERGENCY
WHEREAS, in April 2016 leaders representing 175 countries, including the United
States, recognized the threat of climate change and the urgent need to combat it by
singing signing the Paris Agreement and in doing so agreed to keep warming "well
below 2°C above pre -industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature
increase to 1.5°C" ; and
WHEREAS, in October 2018 the United Nations released a special report, which
projected that limiting warming to 1.5°C (2.7°F) above pre -industrial levels will
require deep emissions reductions and rapid, unprecedented transitions in all aspects
of society; found that there are clear benefits to keeping warming to 1.5°C rather than
2°C (3.6°F) or higher; and asserted that "Every bit of warming matters. Every year
matters and every choice matters"; and
WHEREAS, we are currently on pace to increase temperatures a further 0.3°C (0.55
°F) per decade, reaching 2°C (3.5°F) of warming by 2050; and
WHEREAS, climate change and the global economy's expansion beyond ecological
limits are driving the sixth mass extinction of species, causing a 60% decline in global
wildlife populations since 1970; and
WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is particularly vulnerable to the
effects of climate change and has already been subjected to devastating disasters
caused by global warming, including increasingly severe Nor'easters, blizzards,
droughts, heat waves, and coastal and inland flooding; and
WHEREAS, restoring a safe and stable climate and reversing biodiversity loss
requires an emergency mobilization of resources on a scale not seen since World War
Ito attain zero greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors at wartime speed, to
rapidly and safely draw down or remove all excess carbon from the atmosphere, and
to implement measures to protect all people and species from the consequences of
abrupt climate change and ecological destruction; and
Page 1 of 3
WHEREAS, President Joe Biden, by appointing former Massachusetts Senator and
Secretary of State John Kerry the Special President's Envoy for Climate to sit on the
National Security Council, recognizes the how climate change is related to our
country's national security;
WHEREAS, President Joe Biden demonstrated his commitment to addressing climate
change at the highest level of government by creating the new White House Office of
Climate Policy and appointing former EPA Administrator, Gina McCarthy to head the
Office;
WHEREAS, On March 18, 2021, the The Massachusetts Legislature sent a veto -proof
bill to the Governor for passed -An Act Creating the Next -Generation Roadmap for
Massachusetts Climate Policy, which, among other things, mandates that the
Commonwealth reduce its emissions by 50% below 1990 levels by the end of the 2030
and puts Massachusetts on a path to effectively eliminate its carbon emissions by
2050; anddecade:
WHEREAS, the Town of Watertown has demonstrated a commitment to making
Watertown a greener, more sustainable, and resilient Town by:
• (2014) becoming a Green Community and thus enabling the Town to be eligible
for state grants for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects;
• (2018) requiring solar renewable energy installations in new commercial
developments;
• (2019) contracting to buy electricity for the Watertown Electricity Choice
program with the goal of increasing the amount of renewable energy in
Watertown's electricity supply;
• (2019) committing to aspirational goals of using 100% renewable energy for
municipal electricity by 2035, and using 100% renewable energy for municipal
heating and municipal transportation by 2050;
• (2019) resolving to develop a Climate and Energy Master Plan;
• (2019) requesting that the Town Manager provide an annual report to the Town
Council on the progress toward a transition to 100% renewable energy, for both
municipal and non -municipal uses;
• (2020) beginning construction on two new net -zero -energy and LEED Gold
certified elementary school buildings_;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Town of Watertown declares
that a climate emergency threatens our city, region, state, nation, civilization,
humanity, and the natural world; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town of Watertown supports educating
our residents about the climate emergency; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town of Watertown endorses a town -wide
emergency mobilization effort to combat global warming, which, with appropriate
Page 2 of 3
financial and regulatory assistance from State and Federal authorities, would further
the goal of ending town -wide greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as possible and ne
later than 2035before the Commonwealth of Massachusetts target of 2050; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town of Watertown joins a nation-wide
call for a regional climate emergency mobilization effort focused on transforming our
region and rapidly catalyzing a mobilization at all levels of government to restore a
safe climate; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town of Watertown calls on the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the United States of America, and the peoples
worldwide to initiate a mobilization effort to reverse global warming by restoring near
pre -industrial global average temperatures and greenhouse gas concentrations by
immediately halting the development of all new fossil -fuel infrastructure, and as
quickly as possible, phasing out all fossil fuels and the technologies that rely upon
them, ending other greenhouse gas emissions, and initiating an effort to safely draw
down carbon from the atmosphere; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town of Watertown calls on its residents
to participate in the creation of the Watertown Climate and Energy Master Plan that
will set specific goals to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions in Watertown, determine
steps to mitigate the impact of climate change on Watertown, as well as developing a
timeline for achieving them.:
Council Member
I hereby certify that at a regular meeting of the Town Council for which a
quorum was present, the abovothis Ordinance Resolution was adopted by a
vote of for, against, and present on March 9 , 2021.
Marilyn W. Pronovost, Council Clerk Mark S. Sideris, Council President
Page 3 of 3
ELECTED OFFICIALS:
Mark S. Sideris,
Council President
Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr.,
Vice President &
District C Councilor
Caroline Bays
Councilor At Large
Anthony J. Donato,
Councilor At Large
John G. Gannon,
Councilor At Large
Anthony Palomba,
Councilor At Large
Angeline B. Kounelis,
District A Councilor
Lisa J. Feltner,
District B Councilor
Kenneth M. Woodland,
District D Councilor
Watertown Town Council
Administration Building
149 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472
Phone: 617-972-6470
RESOLUTION #
R-2021 -
RESOLUTION ENDORSING THE
DECLARATION OF A CLIMATE EMERGENCY
WHEREAS, in April 2016 leaders representing 175 countries, including the United
States, recognized the threat of climate change and the urgent need to combat it by
signing the Paris Agreement and in doing so agreed to keep warming "well below 2°C
above pre -industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to
1.5°C"; and
WHEREAS, in October 2018 the United Nations released a special report, which
projected that limiting warming to 1.5°C (2.7°F) above pre -industrial levels will
require deep emissions reductions and rapid, unprecedented transitions in all aspects
of society; found that there are clear benefits to keeping warming to 1.5°C rather than
2°C (3.6°F) or higher; and asserted that "Every bit of warming matters. Every year
matters and every choice matters"; and
WHEREAS, we are currently on pace to increase temperatures a further 0.3°C (0.55
°F) per decade, reaching 2°C (3.5°F) of warming by 2050; and
WHEREAS, climate change and the global economy's expansion beyond ecological
limits are driving the sixth mass extinction of species, causing a 60% decline in global
wildlife populations since 1970; and
WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is particularly vulnerable to the
effects of climate change and has already been subjected to devastating disasters
caused by global warming, including increasingly severe Nor'easters, blizzards,
droughts, heat waves, and coastal and inland flooding; and
WHEREAS, restoring a safe and stable climate and reversing biodiversity loss
requires an emergency mobilization of resources to attain zero greenhouse gas
emissions across all sectors, to rapidly and safely draw down or remove all excess
carbon from the atmosphere, and to implement measures to protect all people and
species from the consequences of abrupt climate change and ecological destruction;
and
Page 1 of 3
WHEREAS, On March 18, 2021, the Massachusetts Legislature sent a veto -proof bill
to the Governor for An Act Creating the Next -Generation Roadmap for
Massachusetts Climate Policy, which, among other things, mandates that the
Commonwealth reduce its emissions by 50% below 1990 levels by the end of the 2030
and puts Massachusetts on a path to effectively eliminate its carbon emissions by
2050; and
WHEREAS, the Town of Watertown has demonstrated a commitment to making
Watertown a greener, more sustainable, and resilient Town by:
• (2014) becoming a Green Community and thus enabling the Town to be eligible
for state grants for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects;
• (2018) requiring solar renewable energy installations in new commercial
developments;
• (2019) contracting to buy electricity for the Watertown Electricity Choice
program with the goal of increasing the amount of renewable energy in
Watertown's electricity supply;
• (2019) committing to aspirational goals of using 100% renewable energy for
municipal electricity by 2035, and using 100% renewable energy for municipal
heating and municipal transportation by 2050;
• (2019) resolving to develop a Climate and Energy Master Plan;
• (2019) requesting that the Town Manager provide an annual report to the Town
Council on the progress toward a transition to 100% renewable energy, for both
municipal and non -municipal uses;
• (2020) beginning construction on two new net -zero -energy and LEED Gold
certified elementary school buildings.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Town of Watertown declares
that a climate emergency threatens our city, region, state, nation, civilization,
humanity, and the natural world; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town of Watertown supports educating
our residents about the climate emergency; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town of Watertown endorses a town -wide
emergency mobilization effort to combat global warming, which, with appropriate
financial and regulatory assistance from State and Federal authorities, would further
the goal of ending town -wide greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as possible and
before the Commonwealth of Massachusetts target of 2050; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town of Watertown joins a nation-wide
call for a regional climate emergency mobilization effort focused on transforming our
region and rapidly catalyzing a mobilization at all levels of government to restore a
safe climate; and
Page 2 of 3
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town of Watertown calls on the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the United States of America, and the peoples
worldwide to initiate a mobilization effort to reverse global warming by restoring near
pre -industrial global average temperatures and greenhouse gas concentrations by
immediately halting the development of all new fossil -fuel infrastructure, and as
quickly as possible, phasing out all fossil fuels and the technologies that rely upon
them, ending other greenhouse gas emissions, and initiating an effort to safely draw
down carbon from the atmosphere; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town of Watertown calls on its residents
to participate in the creation of the Watertown Climate and Energy Master Plan that
will set specific goals to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions in Watertown, determine
steps to mitigate the impact of climate change on Watertown, as well as developing a
timeline for achieving them.
Council Member
I hereby certify that at a regular meeting of the Town Council for which a
quorum was present, this Resolution was adopted by a vote of for,
against, and present on , 2021.
Marilyn W. Pronovost, Council Clerk Mark S. Sideris, Council President
Page 3 of 3