The Belmont Vision 21 Implementation Committee was established by the Board of Selectmen as a permanent committee of the Town, following the unanimous approval of the vision statement by Town Meeting in April 2001. The charge from the Board of Selectmen to the Committee is “to facilitate, enable, and help the Town to achieve the Working Vision of the Town of Belmont.” This report covers activities of the Committee during the year 2003. The Committee met 21 times during this year.
Business-Friendly Initiative: In early February, the Committee met with the Board of Selectmen to present their report, “Is Belmont ‘Business-Friendly?” which detailed the findings and recommendations emerging from a series of forums the Committee conducted during the fall of 2002. Two recommendations to the Selectmen were approved and are being implemented:
(1) That the Board of Selectmen direct the Office of Community Development to review and revise the Town’s permitting processes and procedures such that they are timely and fair to businesses while keeping reasonable protections and assurances to the residents (this effort is well under way).
(2) That the Board of Selectmen support the need for some full liquor licenses in dining establishments in Belmont and ensure that such a proposal be voted upon by the Town Meeting in April, 2004. (Such a warrant article, supporting a total of three licenses, was approved by the Town Meeting in April, 2003.)
Several other recommendations were referred to the newly-formed Business and Economic Development Planning Group for further study.
Business and Economic Development Planning Group (BEDPG) was established during the fall of 2002, by the Board of Selectmen which developed a mandate for a planning group to be organized and overseen by the Vision 21 Implementation Committee. BEDPG’s mandate is to develop recommendations for facilitating the opening of new businesses, attracting desirable new businesses, and preserving and enhancing current businesses. Members include representatives from relevant Town Committees (e.g. Planning Board, ZBA), interested residents, and representatives of the business community. Chaired by Vision 21 member Sara Oaklander, BEDPG has had a very busy year in 2003.
Among their activities, BEDPG has:
(1) developed and presented data to support the 2002 Town Meeting article on full liquor licenses for dining establishments;
(2) organized a breakfast meeting as a first step to develop a working group of property owners;
(3) conducted a town-wide survey to determine the kinds of new businesses residents would find desirable and other changes residents think would improve Belmont’s business districts;
(4) supported the work of the Planning Board in conducting the Trapelo Road/Belmont Street Corridor Study.
Public Information and Communications Planning Group (PICPG) was established in late 2002 under the auspices of the Vision Committee. Its mandate from the Selectmen is to identify and recommend ways to improve communications between Town government and Belmont residents. Planning group members include both representatives of several Town committees that work on communications issues and citizens at large; the chair is Vision Committee member Meg O’Brien.
During 2003 PICPG studied Belmont’s current communications and what those of the future might look like, as well as initiatives undertaken by other communities. At a public forum in the fall, Belmont residents made known their communications needs, requests and suggestions. The Planning Group presented the results of the forum to Town managers for their consideration and input. The Group will present recommendations to the Board of Selectmen in early 2004; these will focus on specific enhancements of the town web site, upgrading of telephone customer services, and support of the efforts to create a Media Center.
Waverley Fire Station Re-Use Proposal: This initiative, proposed by BEDPG, is a joint project of the Vision Committee, BEDPG, and the Office of Community Development. The fire station at Waverley Square has been closed and will be sold by the Town to raise funds for the construction of a new fire station. The project proposes a planning process that will allow the neighborhood, interested parties and other stakeholders to participate in determining viable alternative uses for the site. In December, a proposal for funding was submitted to the Ready Resource Fund, part of the Massachusetts Community Development Block Grant program, to enable this planning project to move forward. Also in December, the Board of Selectmen appointed a seven-person Steering Committee to oversee the project. The Vision 21 Committee
anticipates completing this exciting project in 2004.
Newcomers Initiative: The Vision 21 Committee continued its commitment to helping Belmont become a more welcoming community in two ways.
(1) The Committee produced an insert for the “Welcome to Belmont” booklet, originally printed in 2002; the insert provides updated telephone numbers for the Town and School offices that have been temporarily relocated due to on-going renovations at Town Hall Annex and the School Administration building.
(2) The Committee organized a planning group to produce a plan for welcoming newcomers. Facilitated by Vision Committee member Joe Greene, this planning group (Newcomers’ Network), organized a welcoming event in late August for newcomers, held at the Library. Approximately 20 Belmont organizations offered information about their work at the event that was attended by approximately 80 enthusiastic individuals and families.
Environmental Initiative: During 2003, the Vision Implementation Committee began to explore ways to implement the part of the Vision that aspires to have Belmont be an “environmentally responsible” community. Recognizing the broad scope of this goal and challenged to determine a focus for this initiative, the Committee has taken the following steps:
(1) The Committee collected information about what is currently being done in Belmont that might be considered “environmentally responsible.” Throughout the summer, 2003, members of the Vision Committee held interviews and meetings with Town officials, leaders of community and local organizations and interested citizens about what is currently being done in Belmont in this regard.
(2) Individual committee members explored what is being done in other communities through attendance at conferences sponsored by the Massachusetts Climate Action Network.
(3) The Committee began to plan a public event with the goals of sharing the information we have gathered and beginning to raise awareness of and invite involvement with issues of conservation, environmental responsibility, and sustainability in Belmont.
(4) Supported and encouraged current efforts to make municipal buildings more energy efficient.
Award Received: In November, the Vision 21 Implementation Committee received a Community Service Award from the Watertown-Belmont Chamber of Commerce, conferred at the annual meeting of the Chamber. The handsome plate now hangs in Town Hall. On it reads the citation, “For Outstanding Service in Providing Support to Many Organizations Throughout your Community.” The Committee is honored to have received the award, and feels that it reflects not only the work it has accomplished so far, but also the work of the predecessor committees which created the vision, and most importantly the efforts of the entire Town which support and contribute to this on-going effort.
The Committee is especially grateful to the staff support provided us by the Senior Planner, Timothy Higgins, and by Sandra Curro, Committees and Commissions Coordinator in the Office of the Selectmen.
Respectfully submitted,
Jennifer Page, Chairman
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