Financial Audit Advisory Committee will meet virtually (Zoom link) this morning, October 31 at 8AM. See the agenda – which has a presentation attached containing draft data/info on:
- Pension (Total Pension Liability – $773M; Total Pension Net Position at $526M; Net Pension Liability $247M – ($293M in the prior year- a decrease primarily result of 2021 investment income ($84M – with a note that this was calculated with 6.9% discount rate whereas the prior year was 7.25%);
- OPEB Liability (Total OPEB Liability – $692M; Total OPEB Net Position – $25M; Net OPEB LIability – $667M – ($898M in the prior year – decrease primarily result of a change in the discount rate from 2.16% to 3.54% -with a note that the increase in the discount rate is largely the result of higher interest rates on 20-year municipal bonds)
The Fair Housing Committee will meet virtually (Zoom link) Tuesday, November 1 at 8AM to discuss 528 Boylston Street (Chapter 40B proposal for 244 units) and 41 Washington Street (Chapter 40B proposal for 16 units). NOTE: The agenda has supporting documents attached for each of these proposals and other topics posted. Both projects received a score of 8 out of 18 on their Fair Housing Scorecards — 528 Boylston Street and 41 Washington Street — which look at Affordability, Accessibility, Visitability, Employment Proximity, Public Transportation Proximity, and Discretionary Impacts. The Committee will also discuss and review the WestMetro HOME Consortium HOME/ARP Funds Allocation Plan, the draft ADA/504 Transition Plan, as well as hear updates from the subcommittees.
The Land Use Committee has four items on its agenda for its meeting (in-person in Council Chamber and virtually at Zoom link) on Tuesday, November 1 at 7PM:
- Request to amend the previously approved retail marijuana dispensary special permit/site plan review at 232 Boylston Street by replacing the name of the petitioner from MME Newton Retail LLC to Pharmacannis Massachusetts Inc. d/b/a Verilife,
- Request to increase the number of shuttle buses for the accessory parking shuttle service at 199 Boylston Street,
- Continue its public hearing and discussion of a request to allow a drive-in, reconfigure the parking, and erect a free-standing sign at 940 Boylston Street, and
- Request to demolish two buildings, merge the lots, and construct a 6-unit dwelling with below-grade parking at 416 and 418 Langley Road.
The Human Rights Commission‘s virtual meeting (Zoom link) this Tuesday, November 1 at 7PM will include sharing the Holocaust Education Experience — Cattle Car Experience, meet the new Community Service Officer, discuss this year’s Human Rights Award Nominations, and discuss “!3 Villages” — conversation about anti-Semitism (see agenda).
A site visit is scheduled for Wednesday, November 2 at 8AM at Lasell Village (meet in front of the Town Hall Building at 120 Seminary Avenue). This is for the Auburndale Historic District Commission members and the public to view the existing site conditions and to see the staked-out areas showing the proposed location for the proposed 42 Independent unit expansion of Lasell Village at 24 Robin Dell (see Notice).
A virtual community meeting will be held by Newton’s Parks, Recreation & Culture Department regarding the turf replacement projects at both high schools on Wednesday, November 2 at 6PM. Register in advance for this webinar here.
WestMetro HOME Consortium will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Thursday, November 3 at 9AM. The meeting will include presentations from RFP applicants, review and approval of the RFP review committee’s recommendations for the HM22 Consolidated Pool and HM21 CHDO Operating Funds, and a presentation from the Barrett Planning Group regarding the HOME ARP allocation plan (see agenda).
A 57 sq. ft. parcel of City-owned land known at 181-183 Jackson Road may be available for sale or lease as per the recommendation of the Planning Director and will be discussed at the Real Property Reuse Committee’s virtual meeting (Zoom link) on Thursday, November 3 at 7PM (see agenda).
The Conservation Commission will meet virtually (Zoom link) this Thursday, November 3 at 7PM to review a possible Eagle Scout project at the Upper Falls Riverwalk (i.e., a proposal to address eroded banks with water bars/steps) and bike rack locations for the Parks and Recreation Commission’s master list (Upper Falls Riverwalk, Webster / Hammond Pond Parkway, etc.). The Commission will also review requests for a Certificate of Compliance for the relocation of a tank at the Newton Marriott and for the Newton South High School Tennis Courts. (See agenda.)
Education Programming, city signage policy, and the CPC and Solar Projects will be discussed at this week’s Farm Commission virtual meeting (Zoom link) on Thursday, November 3 at 7PM (see agenda).
Two projects on Lowell Avenue (107-109 Lowell Ave — a equest to install two chimney caps and 122 Lowell Ave , and a request to install a condenser, service box, and conduits) are on the agenda for the Newtonville Historic District Commission‘s virtual meeting (Zoom link) on November 3 at 7:30PM.
The Elections Commission is scheduled to continue testing the Accuvote Ballot machines on Friday, November 4 at 9AM in the Cafeteria, Basement Level of City Hall in preparation for the State Election to be held on Tuesday, November 8 (see Notice). Early voting has already begun and will continue:
- Monday, October 31 – 8:30AM – 5PM
- Tuesday, November 1 – 8:30AM – 5PM
- Wednesday, November 2 – 8:30AM – 5PM
- Thursday, November 3 – 8:30AM – 5PM
- Friday, November 4 – 8:30AM – 5PM
Two virtual chats (override related) are scheduled for this week:
- Virtual Chat with the Commissioners: Jayne Colino, Director of Senior Services, will hold a virtual session (Zoom link) on Senior Services on Wednesday, November 2 at 9AM.
- Virtual Town Hall (Zoom link) is scheduled for Thursday, November 3 at 7PM.
A previous Town Hall was held on October 20 (see Presentation, watch the recording here). A Virtual Chat with Commissioners: Nicole Banks, Commissioner of Parks, Recreation, and Culture was held on October 26 (see Presentation, watch the recording here). An in-person Roundtable at Franklin Elementary School with a focus on Newton Public Schools was held on October 26 (see Meeting Presentation and watch the recording here).
The Department of Housing and Community Development released revisions to its MBTA Communities Act Guidelines on October 21. According to the Planning Department’s memo to the Council (which also includes the DHCD Memo to Municipal Officials in MBTA Communities, October 21, 2022), the revision will:
- Allow communities to set income limits for affordable units below 80% AMI. Newton’s Inclusionary Zoning ordinance currently requires rental projects to average out the affordability of units at 65% AMI.
- Allow communities to require that more than 10% of units in a project (but not more than 20%) must be affordable. Newton’s minimum affordability requirement is 15% and for larger projects is 20%. A community must demonstrate the “economic feasibility” of these requirements that are above the 10% threshold, but that term has yet to be defined.
See also Zoning and Planning Committee Chair Crossley’s Memo on MBTA Communities Update on Housing and Energy Codes.
The official presentation by the Planning Department re: Village Zoning Maps that was given to the Zoning and Planning Committee on October 24 is now available. Fig City News reported on the release of these maps here.
This week’s road construction schedule can be found here.
