AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF WATERTOWN TO LEASE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 124 WATERTOWN STREET
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. Notwithstanding chapter 30B of the General Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, the city of Watertown may lease, for terms of not more than 30 years, space at property located at 124 Watertown street in the city, which is the site of the former Parker school, and which is described in an order of taking, recorded January 18, 2023, with the Middlesex south district registry of deeds in book 81171, page 72, if first authorized by a vote of the city council, and on such terms and conditions and for such consideration as the city council deems appropriate, in accordance with such process that shall ensure that such leases shall be undertaken in accordance with an open, fair and competitive disposition process, using sound business practices and principles of fair dealing; provided, however, that such process may recognize as a criteria for evaluation for such leases a level of preference for current lessees of such property. Any design and construction to be performed by a lessee shall be exempt from the provisions of the General Laws related to the construction, reconstruction, alteration, remodeling, repair and maintenance of the improvements at the public property, including sections 44 to 58, inclusive, of chapter 7C of the General Laws, sections 44A to 44F, inclusive, of chapter 149 of the General Laws and section 39M of chapter 30 of the General Laws; provided, however, that sections 26 to 27H, inclusive, of said chapter 149 shall apply to any contracts entered into by a lessee for the construction of such improvements.
SECTION 2. This act shall not exempt the city of Watertown from section 3 of chapter 40 of the General Laws, subsections (a), (b) and (g) of section 16 of chapter 30B of the General Laws or any other general or special law that requires a vote of the city council to authorize the lease of real property.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
Approved, November 12, 2025.