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It Happens Here: Arlington

FRAMINGHAM (CBS) – Every city and town in Massachusetts has victories to celebrate and challenges to overcome. From Peabody to Middleboro, Framingham to Bourne there are events and controversies that may not make headlines but have a significant impact on the people who live there.

On a recent trip to Arlington, we found several issues in just a matter of minutes talking to folks in the town center. Development, business, and schools were all big topics.

One man told us the bill for a proposed new high school was the talk of the town.

"Five hundred million dollars," he said, describing the price tag that was circulating around town. "Taxes could go up as much as 10 percent," he added.

It Happens Here: Arlington
Arlington High School. (WBZ-TV)

He talked about the huge bill for Newton North High School a few years back. "This could be double that in little old Arlington," he said.

We also found many vacant storefronts in the center of town, a persistent problem that prompted an unusual bylaw. The town now has the power to fine landlords if they don't register their vacant properties and forces them to prove they are making efforts to find new tenants.

Many communities have complained that dockless bikes have become a nuisance, littering sidewalks and blocking driveways, but they seem to be a hit in Arlington.

It Happens Here: Arlington
A dockless bike in Arlington. (WBZ-TV)

We found all kinds of people riding along the bike path that runs through town. A couple from a nearby town came to Arlington specifically to take the Lime bikes out for a spin.

"It's really fun. We can go with the kids on the Minuteman trail. It's a great new thing," a mom from Winchester told us.

What would we find in your community? Each Monday for the next few weeks, we'll pick a town and go for a visit. On Friday we'll share what we found. 

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