The Negotiations subcommittee of the School Committee will meet in-person (Room 111, Ed Center) on Monday, November 21 at 3:15PM. The Committee will begin in open session and then vote to move into Executive Session to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining with the NTA, Units A-E and to conduct a collective bargaining session with the NTA, Units A-E (see Meeting Notice).
The Newton Cultural Council will conduct a second adjudication session at its in-person (1294 Centre Street) and virtual (Zoom link) meeting on Monday, November 21 at 5:30PM. The Council requests that the public attend virtually (see Agenda).
Two public hearings are on the Parks and Recreation Commission‘s meeting agenda for its virtual (Zoom link) meeting on Monday, November 21 at 7PM. The hearings are for the Spears Park Community Garden Project (see Spears Park Comm Garden Presentation; Letters from the Community) and the Wellington Playground Project (see FWP Presentation Nov 21, 2022; FWP Presentation 2021; Staff Notes; Letters from the Community; Example 1; Example 2) (see Agenda).
The FY2023 Tax Classification Hearing will be held by the Finance Committee (see Hearing Notice and FY2023 Tax Classification Packet) in-person (Council Chamber) and virtually (Zoom link) on Monday, November 21 at 7PM (see Finance Committee Agenda).
The Full Council will meet TONIGHT, Monday, November 21, beginning after the FY2023 Tax Classification Hearing (see above), to vote on a request by Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. for additional time before commencing construction of a lab and research facility at 275 Grove Street. The reason the company has given for requesting this extension of time to exercise its previously approved special permit is to manage construction costs and supply chain dynamics. The Land Use Committee approved the request at its meeting on November 15 (see Report and watch video on NewTV).
New on the City Council Docket:
- Request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to tear down an existing single-family dwelling and construct five single-family attached dwellings at 24 Wilson Circle
- Request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to tear down an existing single-story dwelling at 15 Algonquin Road and construct five single-family attached dwellings with reduced setbacks, exceed the maximum lot coverage, construct a retaining wall greater than 4 feet in height within a setback and waive dimensional parking requirements at 71 Commonwealth Avenue
- Request to review, discuss, and possibly develop city policy related to the sign ordinance.
- Request a discussion and creation of an ordinance that would limit the winter parking ban either through a pilot program in Wards 2 and 3 or a permit program that would apply across the City based on established criteria or some other option as derived at through the discussion.
- Request to accept a $235,000 MassDevelopment Housing Choice Grant to conduct an analysis of the best manner to preserve and redevelop four homes for affordable housing which the City purchased in late 2021 from the Walker Center for Ecumenical Exchange.
- Request for a discussion to prohibit limited-service pregnancy centers from making deceptive advertisements concerning pregnancy-related services or the provision of pregnancy-related services, including implementing a penalty for violation of the ordinance.
- Request to transfer $174,000 from June 30, 2022, Certified Free Cash, to a Building Demolition/Other Repairs Account for the emergency demolition of a residential structure located at 91 Newtonville Avenue.
A PRIM (Pensions Reserves Investment Management) portfolio review is among the topics for discussion at the Retirement Board Meeting (in-person: Room 211) on Tuesday, November 22 at 9AM The Board will also consider adopting a “Statement of the Board’s Funding Policy principles” and discuss PERAC (Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission directives (see Agenda).
The Elections Commission is scheduled to certify the November 8 State Election and have a brief overview of the Municipal Special Election for the Override and Debt Exclusion Questions set for March 14, 2023 at its in-person (Room 211) and virtual (Zoom link) meeting on Tuesday, November 22 at 4:30PM (see Agenda).
The Land Use Committee will take up the 24 Wilson Circle Request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval (see above) as well as 1314 Washington Street’s Request to Rezone 3 parcels and a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval at its in-person (Council Chamber) and virtual (Zoom link) meeting on Tuesday, November 22 at 7PM (see Agenda).
The Programs and Services Committee, Public Facilities Committee, and the Public Safety and Transportation Committee meetings for this week have been canceled (see Cancellation Notice).
The Community Engagement and Feedback Tool responses were discussed at the Zoning and Planning Committee meeting on November 14 (see Fig City News – Zoning and Planning – 11/14/2022 Report)
This week’s road construction schedule can be found here.