Town Will Fix Up Privately Owned Parking Lot on Wells Avenue, Install Meters

The town will make repairs and replace parking meters in the parking lot on Wells Avenue behind Citizens Bank, which is privately owned.

Tuesday night, the Town Council voted to spend approximately $100,000 on the East Watertown parking lot. The agreement gives the town use of the lot indefinitely, but the property owner can end the agreement with 6 months notice for any reason, said Town Attorney Mark Reich.

Most people assumed the Wells Avenue lot was owned by the town, said Town Council President Mark Sideris, but in 2008 when the town researched the lot they found it was privately owned. Had the council voted down the agreement, they would have lost use of the lot for public parking.

The lot has been used by the town for 52 years thanks to an agreement made with the then Union Market National Bank, Reich said. The town was supposed to pay $1 a year and pay property taxes for the lot, but Reich said the town never made the payments.

Opposition

The 18-23 spaces in the lot are used by businesses and churches in, and residents of the Coolidge Square area. Some councilors worried about investing in lot that is not owned by the town.

“I always support business and I always support parking … but after the expenditure is made we could be out in six months,” said Town Council Vice President Steve Corbett. “I don’t think it is a prudent business decision (for the town).”

Vital to Businesses

Business owners in the area depend on the parking lot, said Don Levy, owner of Deluxe Town Diner.

“I see this as a 'no brainer' – the bank is willing to give you the land to put in parking meters,” Levy said. “It is your duty to preserve parking for people to shop in Coolidge Square.”

Frances Levas, president of the Greek Orthodox Church, said that the lot is used by her church and others in the area.

“Businesses would suffer greatly if you took the spaces away,” Levas said. “It helps the businesses, the churches and it is a way of being a go neighbor.”

Town Councilor Angeline Kounelis, who represents East Watertown, said the parking is vital to the area – not only for businesses, but also for residents parking overnight the winter.

“One dollar, I think the town can do that for the residents of East Watertown,” Kounelis said. “There is talk of a garage being built in Watertown Square which could possibly cost $5 million.”

She added that she does not worry that the parking lot would be taken back because it is too small to develop most things, perhaps a kiosk, Kounelis said.

Town Councilor Vincent Piccirilli said he did not easily come up with his decision on how he would vote.

“It is important each member do research into the pros and cons – the benefits to the businesses and the risk to us,” Piccirilli said. “To me, weighing the pros and cons, if we do not approve it the parking lot would be close and the businesses would be negatively affected.”

Towing

The area with the meters is only a portion of the parking lot. The other section is used by Citizens Bank.

Church goers and those going to businesses in the area have also complained that their cars have been towed during non-business hours when they parked in the bank’s part of the lot.

A number of councilors said the town should work with the bank to stop the towing.

“We have to, as a town and community, turn to Citizens Bank and encourage them be a good neighbor,” said Town Councilor John Donohue. “The Watertown Savings parking lot is right across from the (Armenian Memorial Congregational) Church, and I have not seen them towing once.”

The final vote was 6-2 in favor of the agreement, with Corbett and Donohue voting against the deal. Town Councilor Ken Woodland voted “present.”