Monday dispatch: basics.

Key info ahead of tonight’s City Council meeting.

Apr 13, 2026

Hey y’all, [chronic but just ‘extra’ today] pain is kicking my ***.

There’s more I want to cover later in the week, but for now here’s a [photo] garden update and a preview of tonight’s City Council.

Perennials rising: Yarrow, Bee Balm, Anise Hyssop.

Here’s the most important info ahead of tonight’s City Council meeting:

How to watch:

in person (7:30pm): limited public seating available in Council Chambers.
remote (7:30pm): https://wcac.org/government

What’s on the docket:

View the e-docket here.
View a PDF of the docket here.

Housing is on the docket tonight

Take a look at the links above.

Better yet, go out to the joint public hearing on the Affordable Housing Zoning Amendment tonight if you can.

It looks like the hearing might be up first, but sometimes they shuffle things around. In any case, if you want to testify, I’d show up to 610 Main Street at 7:30pm tonight.

In an e-mail to supporters, Waltham Inclusive Housing’s (WIN) Tom Benavides said that tonight is a “*huge* opportunity to bring more affordable housing to Waltham” as “city council will be holding a public hearing [at 7:30 PM] to adopt a new Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance that makes affordable home creation economically feasible.”

Screenshot: Waltham Inclusive Neighborhoods

Also - zoning amendment for 495 Lincoln Street (a.k.a. Pizzi Farm).

Screenshot: City of Waltham City Council Docket.

More fun with zoning:

^Screenshot: City of Waltham City Council Docket.

High Voltage at the Fernald

The mayor is requesting the Council to approve a 1.45 Million dollar loan “to purchase a high voltage substation to supply power to service the entire property located at 200 Trapelo Road.”