City Council Meetings – Week of 12/11/2022

Finance Committee will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Monday, December 12 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following:

• Request to accept and expend a $75,000 earmark in the FY23 Massachusetts state Budget for the Newton in Motion (NewMo) program
• Request to transfer $150,000 from a Current Year Wage Reserve account to a Public Grounds Maintenance Full Time Salaries account
• Request to transfer $174,000 from June 30, 2022, Certified Free Cash to a Building Demolition/Other Repairs for the emergency demolition of a residential structure located at 91 Newtonville Avenue.
• Request to appropriate and expend $9,000 from Legal Claims and Settlements for full and final settlement of Commerce Insurance Company v. City of Newton (Claim #20-707).
• Request to appropriate and expend $6,256.71 from Legal Claims and Settlements for full and final settlement of Mark Visco v. City of Newton (Claim #22-109).

Zoning and Planning Committee will meet in person (Room 204) and virtually (Zoom link) on Monday, December 12 at 6:30PM. The agenda includes the following:

• Public Hearing on a request to amend the definition of “Animal Services” defined in Section 6.4.1.A, in Chapter 30, Newton Zoning Ordinance to allow Animal Service uses in certain Business Use zones (see Planning Memo)

Chair’s note: Sustainability Director Ann Berwick will compare the new MA Energy codes as applicable to both residential and commercial projects. Adopting the “Specialized code” requires a simple majority vote of the City Council; we will discuss whether and when to hold a public hearing, as was done when Newton adopted the first Stretch Code.

• Request for a discussion with the Sustainability Team and Planning Department about the new MA Building Energy Codes (Base code, Stretch code, and Specialized code) which become effective beginning January 2023, and in particular to understand the specifics of the MA “Specialized code” which is optional, what it regulates beyond the Stretch code, and to consider adopting the Specialized code for Newton.

Chair’s Note: For the following item staff and Utile will lead a discussion focusing on evaluating the metrics for and proposed mapping of the VC1 district in response to various conditions across the city.

• Request for a 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. (formerly #88‐20). – See Planning Memo; Planning Memo responses to questions; 12-09-22 Councilor Crossley Memorandum Regarding Village Center Zoning Redesign Community Meetings; 12-09-22 Councilor Wright Memorandum Regarding Concerns and Questions on the Village Center Rezoning; and Community Letters Received Regarding Village Center Zoning Redesign.
• Reappointment of Dan Brody to the Community Preservation Committee.

Land Use Committee will meet in person (Council Chamber) and virtually (Zoom link) on Tuesday, December 13 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following:

• 10 Requests for Class 2 Auto Dealer Licenses
  • ROBERT’S TOWING, INC., 926r Boylston Street
  • NEWTON TRADE CENTER ASSOCIATES INC, 103 Adams Street
  • REGANS INC., 2066 Commonwealth Avenue
  • NEWTON AUTO GROUP, INC., 182 Brookline Street
  • NEW ENGLAND MOTOR MART, INC., 1211 Washington Street
  • JACOB & ASSOCIATES, 1232 Washington Street
  • VELOCITY MOTORS, 14 Hawthorn Street
  • ENZO’S AUTO SALES, 10 Hawthorn Street
  • MAP DEVELOPMENT & INVESTMENTS, d/b/a CHRISTIAN TAPIA/MASTER USED CARS of WATERTOWN, 175 North Street
  • KG Motors, 1235 Washington Street
• Request for Class 1 Auto Dealer License
  • MAG RETAIL HOLDINGS – CJ LLC. D/B/A MCGOVERN CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM, 777 Washington Street
• Request to amend a previously approved Special Permit/Site Plan Approval (Board Order #276-68(3), dated November 18, 1968, and subsequent amendments) to reflect a waiver of use restriction to permit solar canopies over the parking lot areas at 57, 85, and 111 Wells Avenue – See Planning Memo
• Request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to divide the current bank space in half allowing for 3,007 sq. ft of space for veterinary hospital use at 714-724 Beacon Street – See Special Permit documents and Planning Memo
• Request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to construct additions to the rear and the side of the dwelling and to construct dormers at 96 Waban Park – See Special Permit documents and Planning Memo
• Request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to construct a second three-car attached garage exceeding 700 sq. ft. at 157 Dudley Road – See Special Permit documents and Planning Memo
• Request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to raze the existing building and construct a 9-unit residential dwelling; to allow ground floor residential use with residential above; to allow a three-story structure with 36 feet in height; to allow an FAR of 1.20; to allow assigned parking stalls; to waive two parking stalls; to allow outdoor parking within five feet of a residential building; to allow a reduced maneuvering aisle width; to reduce the driveway width for two-way traffic; to waive perimeter screening and to waive lighting at 106 River Street – See Special Permit documents and Planning Memo
• Request to rezone 3 parcels – 1314 Washington Street, 31, and 33 Davis Street from Business 1 to Multi-Use 4 – See Special Permit documents and Planning Memo
• Request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to allow a building in excess of 20,000 sq. ft., to allow a mixed-use residential building with five stories and 60 feet in height, to allow reduced lot area per unit, to exceed the maximum front setback, to allow a FAR of 2.44 in a five-story building, to waive the setback requirement for the portions of the building exceeding 40 ft. in height, to waive entrance and façade transparency requirements, to allow a restaurant with more than 50 seats with extended hours of operation, to allow ground floor residential use, to waive the requirement of using the A+B+C parking formula, to waive 115 parking stalls, to allow assigned parking, to allow reduced parking stall width and depth, to allow reduced accessible stall depth, to waive end stall maneuvering space requirements, and to allow reduced aisle width at 1314 Washington Street and 31, 33 Davis Street – See Special Permit documents and Planning Memo

Financial Audit Advisory Committee will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Wednesday, December 14 at 8AM. The agenda includes the following:

• Review draft Financial Statements
• Review draft Management Letter
• Next meeting (Single Audit update, FY 23 planning)
• Questions/Concerns

Traffic Council will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Thursday, December 15 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following:

• Request for an accessible parking space in front of 372 Langley Road (Request approved by Commission on Disability)
• Request to change to the TPR (Traffic and Parking Regulations) for Elm Road, so that the currently posted and painted pick-up and drop-off zone could be used instead as an extension of the bus zone
• Request for a No Turn on Red restriction at the corner of Lowell Avenue & Washington Street
• Request to permanently close the northbound block of Albemarle Road to vehicular traffic, in both directions, between Crafts Street and North Street, except for bicycles. This portion of Albemarle Road has been closed since September 2020 as part of an on-going Traffic Council trial.
• Request to restrict U-Turns on Walnut Street between Newtonville Avenue and Cabot Street through the village center area.
• Request to add a stop sign at the T-approach from Wells Avenue westbound to Wells Avenue north and southbound.
• Request to add a yield sign at the channelized right turn from Wells Avenue westbound to Wells Avenue northbound.

The Traffic Council Chair expects to entertain a vote of No Action Necessary on the following
one (1) item:

• Request to approve a trial of the following, to run through 2022: Traffic Council shall grant administrative authority to remove on-street metered and unmetered parking spaces for the purpose of restaurant and other business use, with an associated fee structure to be determined by City Council. The removal of parking spaces through this trial is temporary and will be approved by the Commissioner of Public Works, the Director of the Planning and Development Department, and the Police Chief. The trial may end at any point, including a point when City Council approves a permanent parking space reuse program.
• Request for a long-term trial to address the additional parking demand along Lincoln Street and abutting streets in Newton Highlands, resulting from the temporary Senior Center relocation.
• Nominations, Election, and Discussion of term length for Traffic Council Chair for 2023

NOTE: The following Administrative Changes were made to the TPR since the last Traffic Council meeting:

• The parking regulations on Wyman Street did not match the official parking regulations in the TPR, which, in the TPR, included a one‐ hour metered parking zone. Staff updated the TPR to remove the reference to parking meters and to match the existing posted signage, which has not changed for many years.
• Parking at certain parking meters on Beacon Street in Newton Centre is not permitted between 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and/or 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., in order to allow for an additional travel lane during these peak times. The TPR was updated administratively in order to make this restriction clearer.