Mar 052019
 
Selectman Candidates Answer BCF Questions

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

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Belmont Roots, March/April 2019

 Environment, March/April 2019, Newsletter, Solar Power  Comments Off on Belmont Roots, March/April 2019
Mar 052019
 
Belmont Roots, March/April 2019

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

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Nov 092017
 

Big Woods Hike Sunday, November 19, 11:30 AM–3 PM There’s a walk in the woods…and then there’s a walk in the woods with a naturalist to discover what is happening in the world of nature as plants and animals prepare for winter. Sanctuary naturalists will lead small groups as they venture out to the “Big Woods” on Averill’s Island. Stop along the way to hear stories of the original settlers and learn about the fascinating cultural history of the sanctuary. Look for animal signs as we hike through the woodlands and marshes. Dress warmly and wear comfortable footwear. Warm up [READ MORE]

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Sep 132017
 
Keeping the Lights On and the Water Flowing

The Sources of Belmont Utilities by Virginia Jordan In the US, most of us take our water and other utilities for granted. But how are they delivered to Belmont residents, and who is responsible for keeping them flowing? Utility companies supply our electricity, gas, water, telephone, cable, internet, and wireless. Some are supplied by corporations like National Grid or Eversource (formerly NStar.) These private electricity and gas providers, also known as investor-owned utilities, are regulated by various state and federal agencies. Other utilities are supplied by the Water Division of Belmont’s Department of Public Works  (DPW) and the Belmont Light [READ MORE]

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Sep 132017
 
Belmont Reviews Trash and Recycling Options

Town Hearing Set for September 25 by Kim Slack This fall, Belmont will be negotiating a new contract for trash and recycling collection with interested haulers, to begin in July 2018. Now is an optimal time to consider other options for how Belmont deals with its trash. There are many urgent reasons that suggest that we change how we deal with our trash. Along with fellow members of the Sustainable Belmont Advisory Group, I evaluated several options. We encourage the public to voice their views at a meeting on September 25 at Town Hall. The state has set a goal that [READ MORE]

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Sep 132017
 

Extreme Events and Climate Change Thursday, September 14; 7–8 PM What We Know and What We Can Do Ellen Marie Douglas, Associate Professor of Hydrology, School for the Environment, University of Massachusetts Boston. Douglas will discuss observations of our changing climate, what changes may be in Boston’s future, and some plans for how to adapt to these changes. New England Aquarium, 1 Central Wharf, Boston. Belmont Drives Electric, Ride & Drive Sunday, September 17, 1–4 PM Learn about electric vehicles and test drive Chevy Bolts, Volkswagen Golfs, Nissan Leafs, and other electric vehicles. Meet local owners to get their experience. [READ MORE]

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Jul 102017
 
The Future of the Incinerator Site

Athletic Fields? Police Station? Solar Farm? Bike Park? by Lucia Wille Belmont’s former trash incinerator facility occupies 25 acres on Concord Avenue, close to the Lexington town line. About two-thirds of the site was owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts until May 2017, when it was conveyed to Belmont. The conveyance represents a windfall for a town often struggling with space constraints. As Belmont balances its municipal and recreational needs, the incinerator site presents a valuable opportunity for the community to either ease municipal space constraints or add to its portfolio of recreational assets, with the potential to further Belmont’s [READ MORE]

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Environmental Events, May/June 2017

 Air Quality, Environment, May-June 2017, Newsletter, Open Space, Solar Power  Comments Off on Environmental Events, May/June 2017
May 122017
 

Belmont’s Semiannual Big Recycling Day Saturday, May 13, 9 AM–1 PM The semiannual Big Recycling Day is your chance to clean out all that stuff you didn’t want and includes paper shredding, electronics, rigid plastics, eyeglasses, books, CDs, DVDs, propane tanks, and bicycles (no cardboard or styrofoam). Info at belmont-ma.gov/recycling-trash-information, or 617-993-2689.  Note: Belmont Residents only. ID required. Town Yard, 37 C Street, Belmont. Fresh Pond Day Saturday, May 20, 11 AM-3 PM Celebrate the land, water, wildlife, and people that make Fresh Pond Reservation a unique and vital part of Cambridge. Fresh Pond Day is the Cambridge Water Department’s annual [READ MORE]

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Apr 242017
 

View or download the March-April 2017 20-page issue here  as a color PDF. View or download the March-April 2017 20-page issue here as a black-and-white PDF.

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Mar 152017
 
Belmont Citizens Forum’s Questions to Candidates for Selectman

Election for Belmont Selectman and Others: Tuesday, April 4 Compiled by John DiCocco Each year we ask candidates for selectman about issues they will likely face in the next three years. This year Guy Carbone and Adam Dash are running for the seat of Sami Baghdady, who retired after three terms as selectman. They were allotted 1,000 words each to distribute as they saw fit. Belmont Citizens Forum: Now that development pressure is growing again, how can Belmont improve its planning process Guy Carbone: Belmont is a neighborhood of residences. Town committees should consider the opinions of Belmont residents concerning [READ MORE]

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