Election Commission will be counting ballots beginning Monday, November 14 at 9AM – 5PM and continuing every day until Friday, November 18, if necessary, in Rooms 205, 211, and the Council Chamber (see Election Ballot Counting Notice).
The Newton Cultural Council will begin its first adjudication session at its meeting (in-person: 1294 Centre Street; virtual: Zoom link) on Monday, November 14 at 5:30PM (see Agenda).
The Commission on Disability will welcome new members: Ima Jonsdottir, Nyree Kibarian, and Petr Chovanec at its virtual (Zoom link) meeting on Monday, November 14 at 6PM (see Agenda). The Commission will also discuss an accessible parking space at 372 Langley Road, the MBTA Newton Highlands Station-Accessibility, and receive an update from the West Metro Home Consortium.
Results from the Feedback Tool and Community Engagement on Village Center Zoning are in (see Planning Memo) and will be discussed at this week’s Zoning and Planning Committee meeting (in person: Council Chamber and Room 204; virtual: Zoom link) on Monday, November 14 (see Agenda). The Committee will also continue its discussion on Village Center zoning, discuss a proposal to allow as-of-right zoning for animal services in BU1 and BU2 zoning districts, vote on two reappointments to the Urban Design Commission. NOTE: With respect to ongoing work on Village Center Zoning, the Planning Department is scheduling virtual meetings to provide residents with an opportunity to comment on the initial maps. All sessions will be held between 5:30PM and 6:30PM. *Packets individualized for each session are still being finalized but all draft maps can be found here.
- Tuesday, November 29 – Upper Falls and Waban (Register here)
- Wednesday, November 30 – Four Corners and Newton Highlands (Register here)
- Thursday, December 1 – Newton Centre and Thompsonville (Register here)
- Tuesday, December 6 – Lower Falls and Auburndale (Register here)
- Wednesday, December 7 – West Newton (Register here)
- Thursday, December 8 – Newtonville (Register here)
- Wednesday, December 14 – Nonantum and Newton Corner (Register here)
The Finance Committee will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Monday, November 14 at 7PM to review and discuss two requests to appropriate funds from June 30, 2022 Certified Free Cash: $150,000 to purchase a replacement trackless sidewalk clearing tractor and $800,000 to replace Fire Engine 7 (see Agenda). In addition, the Committee will review a request to transfer $55,000 from the Financial Services Full-time Salaries Account to a Non-Lapsing Police Technology Upgrade Account and a request to transfer $33,333 Transportation Mitigation Funds from the 15 Riverdale project to fund NewMO operations.
Jacqui Morton, Development Director, and Paula Norato, Development Officer will provide an overview of the proposed Development Calendar, the Spring Fling Calendar/Planning, and provide recommendations to members of the Newton Free Library Board of Trustees Development Committee at its in-person (Trustees Room) meeting on Tuesday, November 14 at 11AM (see Agenda).
The Barrett Group will be presenting the HOME – ARP Allocation Plan at the Newton Housing Partnership virtual (Zoom link) meeting on Tuesday, November 14 at 6PM (see Agenda). The Partnership will also discuss the inclusionary zoning section of the Elder Housing with Services section of the zoning ordinance, as well as receive updates on the ARPA funded Economic Stability/Mobility Initiative RFP due December 1, the Dudley Road Estate Expression of Interest due December 1, 1314 Washington Street, West Newton Armory Project (next ZBA hearing: December 7), and the Northland Charlemont Project (next ZBA hearing: December 21).
The Countryside School Building Committee will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Tuesday, November 15 at 6PM (see Agenda). The Committee will recap the Educational Visioning Session, receive updates on the Educational Plan and Space Summary, review the Enrollment/Student population map, review an options criteria matrix, and receive a timeline/schedule update.
A Virtual Roundtable on Trees is scheduled for Tuesday, November 15 at 6PM (Zoom link).
The Auburndale Historic District Commission will continue its review of a proposal by Lasell Village to demolish the house at 24 Robin Dell and build a new building with approximately 42 independent living units at its virtual (Zoom link) meeting on Tuesday, November 15 at 7PM (see Agenda). The Commission will also review a request for a Certificate of Appropriateness for alterations at 21 Lasell Street.
An application for a new common victualler license and a new annual entertainment license to be exercised at Burke’s Brewing Co., Inc d/b/a Burke’s Alewerks, 1391 – 1397 Washington Street, West Newton is among the many applications that will be reviewed by the Board of Licensing Commissioners at its meeting (in-person: Room 204; virtual (Zoom link) on Tuesday, November 15 at 7:30PM (see Agenda). In addition to 3 One-Day Temporary Wine and Malt License requests, a One-Day Temporary All-Alcohol License request, 2 requests for New Common Victualler licenses (Little Lukes Cafe and Starfoods) notice of a change of officers (Star Market – 1 Boylston Street), 2 notices of change of on-site managers – Legal Seafood restaurant and package store), a pledge of license and change of manager (Dion Fine Wines – Rockland Trust and Peter Dion; Manager change to Leah Santo), the Commission will also receive the surrender of an alcohol license (LeDu Thai Eatery – decision not to exercise the license).
Two public hearings will be opened at the Land Use Committee meeting (in person: Council Chamber; virtual (Zoom link) on Tuesday, November 15 at 7PM (see Agenda):
- Request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to allow a for-profit education use at 49-51 Winchester Street
- Request amend a previously approved Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to convert office space into a fourteenth residential unit at 429 Cherry Street.
In addition, the Land Use Committee will continue its public hearings and review a request to withdraw the petition for a drive-thru at 940 Boylston Street (Dunkin), a request for an extension of time to exercise the special permit for lab space at 275 Grove Street, and a request to allow a rear lot subdivision (waiving the existing definition of “rear lot” at 113 Grove Street.
The Newton Board of Assessors will meet in person (Room 108) on Wednesday, November 16 at 9AM and review and approve the October 2022 Exemption and Abatement Reports (see Meeting Notice).
The School Committee’s Superintendent Search Committee will hold focus groups, both in-person and virtual, November 17-20 to gather input from NPS parents/guardians, from the community at large, and specifically for families in special education. See focus group schedule and links to sign up. There is also an online survey for those not able to attend the focus groups.
A Virtual Chat with Commissioner Josh Morse on School Buildings is scheduled for Wednesday, November 16 at 9AM (Zoom link).
The Negotiations sub-committee of the Newton School Committee will meet in person (Room 304) on Wednesday, November 16 at 4PM (see Meeting Notice). The sub-committee will initially convene in Open Session and then vote to enter into Executive Session to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining with the Newton Teachers Association.
NewCAL (design development update) and the Gath Pool project (schematic design) are on the Design Review Committee‘s agenda for its virtual (Zoom link) meeting this Wednesday, November 16 at 6PM.
The Newton Affordable Housing Trust will meet in person (Room 204) and virtually (Zoom link) on Thursday, November 17 at 4PM. There will be a staff presentation on the CPA funding program, a review and approval of a Draft Trust Funding Application, a discussion on support letters for Village Center Rezoning and the West Newton Armory Project, a review of revisions to the Annual report section of the Newton Affordable Housing Trust (NAHT) Priorities, Goals & Guidelines, and review and approval of September and October meeting minutes. (see Agenda)
The Chesnut Hill Historic District Commission will hear 4 Requests for Certificate of Appropriateness (50 Chesnut Hill Road (chimney repair/replacement and door replacement), 47 Nancy Road (restaining exterior of house), 31 Chestnut Hill Terrace (driveway reconfiguration), and 14 Old Orchard Road (brick wall repair, trim painting, and installation of new intercom/security system) at its virtual (Zoom link) meeting on Thursday, November 17 at 7PM (see Agenda).
The Newton Historical Commission will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Thursday, November 17 at 7PM and review a fence installation request (31 Greenwood), a request for solar panel installation on new construction (145 Warren Street), 3 total demolition requests (15 Chase Street, 1828 Washington Street, and 15-17 Jewett Street), 2 partial demolition requests (512 Dedham and 688 Chestnut Street), and 3 requests to waive the demolition delay (21 Whitlowe Road, 29 Richards Circle, and 100 Varick Road). The Commission is also scheduled to review delegation to staff and the chair and standards for Oak Hill Park (see Agenda).
Phase 1 of a Nonantum Village Parking District (Cook Street, the section of Chapel Street south of Watertown Street, and the block of Green Street between Cook Street and Chapel Street) is one of the items on the Traffic Council‘s agenda for its virtual (Zoom link) meeting this week. The Council will also discuss:
- Request to review and modify the parking in and near the West Newton Village Center along Watertown Street, Washington Street, Waltham Street, Chestnut Street, and Elm Street,
- Request for temporary and permanent changes in terms of the location, duration, and pricing of public parking spaces, location of traffic signals, and changes to traffic circulation within and proximate to the Washington Street corridor in West Newton, to include abutting blocks of intersecting streets, in order to facilitate the reconstruction of the Washington Street corridor
- Request for changes to parking regulations in the area of Watertown Street near 687 Watertown Street, and possibly abutting blocks, in order to accommodate the Newton Early Childhood Program to 687 Watertown Street, and
- Request to extend the No Parking restriction on southbound Centre Street, just north of Allerton Road
The Newton School Committee will meet virtually (Zoom link – no Meeting Passcode) on Friday, November 18 at 4PM. The Committee will initially convene in Open Session and then vote to enter into Executive Session to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining with the Newton Teachers Association (NTA) (see Meeting Notice).
On Friday, November 18 beginning at 5:15PM the Election Commission will conduct a hand count of ballots sent by mail from outside the United States, including Federal Write-In Absentee ballots that are postmarked on or before November 8th and received by 5PM on November 18th. The agenda says this will be in Room 2011 at City Hall and at this Zoom link (Webinar ID: 872 7745 0943), but this information may be incorrect. (See Meeting Notice)
This week’s road construction schedule can be found here.