Votes at a glance: Waltham City Council actions, April 28, 2025

WALTHAM, Mass. — The Waltham City Council on April 28 recorded a series of routine approvals, committee recommendations and ordinance readings alongside several procedural actions to send items to committee. Key outcomes recorded in the meeting transcript follow.

Passed on the floor (summary of outcomes as recorded in meeting minutes): • Resolution honoring the Waltham Philharmonic Orchestra on its 40th anniversary — Passed by voice vote after suspension of rules to take matter out of order; Council approved presenting an engrossed copy of the resolution to the orchestra.

• Appropriation for the Ritzy award — The council suspended rules and approved an appropriation of $650 from unreserved fund balance to the City Council Ritzy Award account to meet timing needs for the award presentation.

• Various committee recommendations adopted by the Council (roll-call or voice approvals as recorded): - Extension of time for special permit (850 Winter Street and related addresses) — Committee recommendation adopted (roll-call indicated 13 in favor earlier in the meeting for another committee action). - Finance committee: Grants accepted and approved including $8,500 for a Student Awareness via Education Safe program and $2,900 for a Senior Safe program. - Licenses and Franchises: Multiple tables-and-chairs permits and location grants approved for Moody Street, Main Street and other addresses, plus renewals of secondhand dealers licenses and fuel storage license approvals. (Matters were routinely recommended by committee and approved on the council floor by voice or roll-call.)

• Ordinance and readings: - Special-permit ordinance amendment (third reading) — The Council recorded a third and final reading and approved the amendment (roll-call recorded 13 in favor at the time noted in transcript). - ADU ordinance — The Council recorded a third and final reading and approved the ADU ordinance (roll-call recorded 13 in favor at the time noted in transcript). - Noise ordinance and associated fines — The Council held second readings and then tabled the matter for further consideration (advertising period required additional days; items tabled on the floor).

Referred, recessed or recommitted items: • Joint public hearing on zoning amendments for medical and nonmedical marijuana establishments — Hearing closed and referred to Ordinance & Rules for further review (applicant Ooma Flowers Waltham LLC present; committee follow-up scheduled).

• Multiple special permits for major developments (1265 Main Street hotel; 1432 Main Street FAR increase; 460 Totten Pond Road FAR increase) — Hearings reopened and recessed to a date certain of May 27, 2025 for law-department review and additional materials.

• Draft ordinance to regulate on-street parking on private ways to ensure fire-apparatus access — Recommitted to Ordinance & Rules after mayor, city solicitor and department heads raised liability and implementation concerns.

Notes on procedure and context: • Many routine license and committee recommendations were approved by the council after motions that the committee action be the action of the council; items were taken in collective blocks where appropriate and recorded as adopted. • Where roll-call tallies were provided in transcript excerpts those counts are reported; many routine approvals were resolved by voice votes with “the ayes have it.”

For details on specific committee items or to locate the council packet, refer to the City Clerk’s office and the Ordinance & Rules and Finance committee agendas and files. This summary captures outcomes recited in the April 28 hearing record and does not replace official minutes or ordinances filed with the city clerk.