Zoning and Planning Committee will meet in person (Council Chamber/Room 204) and virtually (Zoom link) on Monday, September 12 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following:
- Public Hearing on proposed amendments to Section 6.7.1 Accessory Apartments, to remove barriers to creating accessory apartments, such as to consider conditions under which detached ADUS may be allowed by right, and under which Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) may be permitted as part of new construction (See Planning Memo)
- Public Hearing on a proposed amendment to Section 5.11.5.E to specify that the Affordable Housing Trust will be the entity to receive and distribute one-half of new Inclusionary Zoning funds, rather than having these funds go to a separate City account
- Appointment of Elizabeth Sweet to the Zoning Board of Appeals
- Request to accept a recommendation from the Community Preservation Committee (CPC to appropriate $1,948,056 in Community Preservation Act funding, with $556,588 to come from the FY2023 Community Housing Reserve Account and $1,391,468 to come from the FY2023 Unrestricted Funding Account to the Newton Affordable Housing Trust for future projects that meet one or more of the CPA’s eligible funding categories for Community Housing projects – (See CPC Memo)
Chair’s Note: The final regulations that will guide compliance with the MBTA Communities Law
were released in August, and are attached for your review. Planning staff are in
the process of getting clarification on several points. I encourage you to submit any
specific questions you may have to our Committee Clerk for the Planning
Department to address more fully at the Wednesday, September 28 ZAP meeting
- Request to discuss state guidance for implementing the Housing Choice element of the MA Economic Development legislation.
- Request conversation with the Director of Planning and Development regarding Newton’s Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI) and progress towards meeting the affordable housing safe harbor and a request to post the SHI on the City’s website (See Planning Memo and Memo from City Councilors)
Chair’s Note: Discussion surrounding the following item will be limited to a brief update from the
Planning Department surrounding ongoing community engagement efforts.
- Request for review, discussion, and possible ordinance amendments relative to Chapter 30 zoning ordinances pertaining to Mixed Use, business districts, and village districts relative to the draft Zoning Ordinance (See Letters Received Regarding Village Center Zoning Redesign and Zoning Community Engagement Presentation Comments)
Finance Committee will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Monday, September 12 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following:
- Request authorization to appropriate and expend $12,000 from the Special Permit Fees, Langley account for the installation of two-speed feedback signs on Langley Road, consistent with the intent of Special Permit #285-17, Condition 9.
- Request authorization to appropriate and expend $25,000 from the Special Permit Fees, Langley Streetscape account to make repairs to ADA ramps, curbing, and sidewalks on Langley Path, consistent with the intent of Special Permit #285-17, Condition 17.
- Request authorization to accept and expend a $272,000 MassDOT Community Connections Program grant for the Bluebikes bike share in Newton, Arlington, and Watertown Project.
- Request authorization to accept, appropriate, and expend $60,000 as a donation to the City of Newton for the NewMo program by UMASS Amherst – Mount Ida.
- Request authorization to appropriate and expend $950,000 and authorize a general obligation borrowing of an equal amount to purchase a simulcast public safety radio infrastructure and authorization to apply any premium received upon the sale of the bonds or notes, less the cost of preparing, issuing, and marketing them, and any accrued interest received upon the delivery of the bonds or notes to the costs of the project and to reduce the amount authorized to be borrowed for the project by a like amount.
- Request authorization to accept, appropriate, and expend $635,454.54 from a reimbursable Assistance to Firefighter Grant through the Department of Homeland Security
- Request authorization to appropriate and expend $25,000 from the Worker’s Compensation – Municipal Employee Claims and Settlements account to settle a workers’ compensation claim against the City.
- Request to accept a Community Preservation Committee (CPC) recommendation to appropriate $486,500 in Community Preservation Act funding from the FY2023 Unrestricted Funds to complete Phase II of the Gath Memorial Renovation Project, including completion of construction and bidding documents, project, permitting, and any other work necessary to make the project “shovel-ready”.
- Reappointment of Shawn Murphy as a Constable.
Land Use Committee will meet in person (Council Chamber) and virtually (Zoom link) on Tuesday, September 13 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following:
- Request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to allow retaining walls greater than 4 feet within the side and rear setbacks at 10 Elberta Terrace (See Special Permit documents and Planning Memo)
- Request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to construct a two-story rear addition, vertically extending the non-conforming rear setback at 6 Rotherwood Road (See Special Permit documents and Planning Memo)
- Request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to raze and replace a one-story sunroom with a 2.5-story addition, as well as raze and replace an enlarged detached garage, exceeding the allowable FAR, further reducing the non-conforming open space, and allow dormers exceeding 50% of the width of the wall next below at 58 Valentine Park See Special Permit documents and Planning Memo)
- Request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to raze the existing garage and construct a new detached garage, further increasing the non-conforming FAR, further extending a non-conforming side setback in a detached garage, and further extending and reducing a non-conforming rear setback in a detached garage at 34 Westbourne Road (See Special Permit documents and Planning Memo)
- Request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to replace two existing non-conforming signs with three signs, exceeding the maximum number and size of principal wall signs at 333 Nahanton Street (See Special Permit documents and Planning Memo)
- Request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to raze and construct a new detached garage as well as replace the rear deck further extending non-conforming FAR, further reducing and extending a non-conforming side setback for an accessory structure, and further reducing the non-conforming separation between the accessory and principal buildings at 35 Bracebridge Road (See Special Permit documents and Planning Memo)
- Request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to allow a retail marijuana establishment, to allow parking within the side setback, waive perimeter screening requirements, waive lighting requirements, waive the 500 ft. buffer for an existing kindergarten, and waive the 25% facade transparency requirement at 1185 Chestnut Street (See Special Permit documents and Planning Memo)
Traffic Council will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Thursday, September 14 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following:
The Chair will entertain a motion for a vote of NAN (No Action Necessary) on the following one
(1) item. No action will be taken on this petition because it was filed incorrectly, using the name
and address of the wrong petitioner:
- Request for possible changes to the intersection of Carlton Road, Nehoiden Road, and Alban Road in Waban, to address challenges with sight lines and intersection geometry.
- Request to change the recently-updated parking regulations on the west side of Adams Street, between a point 40 feet south of Clinton Street and a point 50 feet north of Lincoln Road, from unrestricted parking to a two-hour limit, 7AM-7PM, except Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays.
- Request for a review and potential change to the parking regulations on Dale Street to ensure access for emergency vehicles.
- Request to add “no parking this side” signs on the south side of Garner Street to ensure emergency vehicle access.
- Request to review and assess a change to the parking regulations on Grove Street between Washington Street and Colgate Road.
- Request to approve a “STOP” sign at the Upland Avenue southbound approach to Rachel Road.
- Request for a Safety Zone on Homer Street between Walnut Street and Commonwealth Avenue.
- Request for a Safety Zone along the portion of Lake Avenue between Rogers Street and Beacon Street where the regulatory speed limit is above 15 MPH.
- Request for a Safety Zone on Watertown Street between Hawthorn Street and Faxon Street.
- Request to add a stop sign at the end of Exeter Street at Berkeley Street.
- Request to add a STOP sign to the Waban Avenue southbound approach to Waban Avenue (NOTE: This is at the intersection of Waban/Nehoiden/Manitoba, but the stop sign will technically be on Waban Avenue, approaching itself).
- Request to add “no right on red” restrictions, in all directions, at the intersection of Chestnut Street and Woodward Street.
