The Newton Cultural Council will hold its third virtual adjudication session (Zoom link) on Monday, December 5 at 5:30PM (see agenda).
The School Committee has a full plate TONIGHT beginning with an Executive Session at 5:30PM, prior to the School Committee’s Regular Meeting (Zoom link). The Executive Session is to discuss the deployment of security personnel or devices, or strategies. Following that, the Committee will return to Open Session at 6:30PM — in-person only for Committee members and staff (Room 210 Ed Center) and virtually for the public (Zoom link). Votes are expected on Payroll/Contracts/Warrants signature authorization, non-aligned pay raises, and a donation for Career and Technical Education. The Committee is also scheduled to discuss and receive updates on:
- Safety and Security Update: Cameras and Cyber Security
- Enrollment, Student Assignment, and Feeder Pattern Recommendation
- Goals Update: 1:1 Technology Integration in the Classroom
- Budget Guidelines
- Superintendent Search Update
- Preview: ELL Presentation
Three Special Permit/Site Plan Approval requests (45 Crescent Street, 270 Auburndale Avenue, and 24 Wilson Circle) are on the Full Council’s Reports Docket to be approved at the City Council Meeting TONIGHT at 7:45PM (in-person: Council Chamber; virtual: Zoom link). The Council will also be voting on two reappointments to the Zoning Board of Appeals (Denise Chicoine and Lei Reilley), one reappointment to the Newton Upper Falls Historic District Commission (Daphne Romanoff), acceptance of a $235,000 Massachusetts Department of Housing & Community Development and MassDevelopment Housing Choice Grant Program to be used to help guide future use (affordable housing and preservation) of four Walker Center houses acquired by the City, and a request to transfer $7,000 from a Disability Commission Receipts account to an Operation Access account to fund targeted accessible parking violation enforcement during the holidays.
The Council’s New Docket includes:
- a waiver request to permit solar canopies over the parking lot areas at 57, 85, and 111 Wells Avenue
- a request to allow veterinary hospital use at 714-724 Beacon Street by dividing the current bank space in half
- a grant of location request to install and maintain gas main in Paulson Road, Ferncroft Road, Evelyn, Helene Road, and Cotter Road
- a request to provide an update on the City’s progress toward the development of the City’s Phosphorus Control Plan
- two funding requests to fund and settle litigation ($9,000 for the Commerce Insurance Company Settlement and $6,256.71 for the Mark Visco Settlement)
- acceptance of $75,000 from the FY23 Massachusetts State Budget for NewMO
- a request to transfer $150,000 from Current Year Wage Reserve Accounts to Public Grounds Maintenance Full-Time Salaries
The 11 Florence Street/318 Boylston Street project petitioner has requested that the deliberation and potential vote to rezone the project with the Planning and Development Board‘s virtual (Zoom link) meeting TONIGHT, at 7:30PM, be postponed until the Planning Board’s January 16th meeting. The Planning and Development Board is scheduled to discuss Village Center Zoning (see Agenda).
The Fair Housing Committee will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Tuesday, December 6 at 8AM. Their agenda includes a discussion of Gold Meir’s Extension’s Marketing and Tenant Selection Plans and Results, 2023 Committee Schedule Plan, Affordable Homeownership Resales Report, updates on Committee Membership, the HRC Complaint Process and subcommittee updates, and a discussion regarding coordination with the Housing Partnership and Housing Trust (see Agenda).
The Human Rights Commission will hold it’s 2022 Human Rights Award Ceremony on Tuesday, December 6PM at the War Memorial. The Commission will recognize retired Police lieutenant, Bruce Apotheker, and Newton High School Students: Gianna Burgess, Margot Carmona-Born, Franklin Gu, Hillary Mukasa, Abby Puduseril, Catia Schiff, and Emily Schwartz (see Program).
Village Center Zoning Input Sessions continue this week:
- Tuesday, December 6 at 5:30-7PM: Lower Falls + Auburndale
- Wednesday, December 7 at 5:30-7PM: West Newton
- Thursday, December 8 at 5:30-7PM: Newtonville
If you want to see last week’s, see below:
- Upper Falls + Waban
- Info session recording (Passcode: 1.?7b.eR)
- Info session notes
- Session packet
- Four Corners + Newton Highlands
- Info session recording (Passcode: Fz84TWw#)
- Info session notes
- Session packet
- Newton Centre + Thompsonville
- Info session recording (Passcode: 8+=ciN97)
- Info session notes
- Session packet
Nuestra LLC’s request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to allow a retail marijuana facility at 1185 Chestnut Street is on the Land Use Committee‘s agenda for its meeting (in-person: Council Chamber; virtually (Zoom link) on Tuesday, December 6 at 7PM. The Committee is also scheduled to discuss a request to construct an attached garage addition, dormer (in front elevation) and reconfigure the roofline at 71-73 West Pine Street, a request to demolish an existing dwelling and construct 4 single-family attached dwellings in two separate, 3-story structures at 120 Norwood Avenue, discuss a rezoning request (2 parcels from SR3 to MR2) and request to allow single- and multi-family development at 136-144 Hancock Street and 169 Grove Street, and a request to demolish an existing single-story dwelling (15 Algonquin Road) and construct 5 single-family attached dwellings at 71 Commonwealth Avenue.
The Programs and Services Committee will join the Public Safety and Transportation Committee (see Public Safety and Transportation Committee’s Zoom link for the joint discussion) for a discussion with the Police Department on police data, including crashes, types of calls, numbers, and dispositions on Wednesday, December 7 at 7PM. The Programs and Services Committee will meet virtually (Zoom link) and also discuss a request for discussion and ordinance to prohibit deceptive advertising by limited‐service pregnancy centers, two reappointments to the Parks and Recreation Commission (Marguerite Connolly and Mark Feldhusen), the reappointment of Sue Rasala to the Council on Aging, and the two proposals to amend the Tree Preservation Ordinance (see Programs and Services Committee agenda).
The Public Safety and Transportation Committee, following its discussion with the Programs and Services Committee, will also discuss/vote on 8 requests for public auto license renewals and a request to discuss and amend the City Ordinances to continue outdoor dining on a permanent basis (see Public Safety and Transportation Committee agenda).
A public hearing on a request for a grant of location, by National Grid, to install and maintain gas main in Paulson Road, Ferncroft Road, Evelyn, Helene Road, and Cotter Road is on the Public Facilities Committee agenda for its virtual (Zoom link) meeting on Wednesday, December 7 at 7PM. The Committee will also hold a public hearing on a request for a grant of location, by Eversource, to install conduit to provide service to #39 Westfield Road, and receive an update on the City’s progress in developing a Phosphorus Control Plan.
The Negotiations sub-committee of the Newton School Committee will meet (Room 304, Ed Center) on Thursday, December 8 at 3:15PM and enter into Executive Session to conduct collective bargaining session with the Newton Teachers Association (NTA) Units A-E and discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining with the NTA (see Meeting Announcement).
The Real Property Reuse Committee will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Thursday, December 8 at 7PM and discuss the Planning Director’s recommendation to make a 57 sq. ft. City-owned parcel of land at 181-183 Jackson Street, available for sale or lease (see Agenda).
A request for feedback on a project to remove and rebuild the existing retaining wall and patio in the back at 207-209 Elliot Street is on the Newton Upper Falls Historic District Commission’s agenda for its virtual meeting (Zoom link) on Thursday, December 8 at 7PM. The Commission will also discuss Commission membership, review and vote on meeting minutes, and review proposed changes on accessing meeting materials via NewGOV.
Waban Area Council will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Thursday, December 8 at 7:30PM. The agenda includes Kinmonth Road work and Waban Village Center Mapping.
By the December 1 deadline, the City received nine responses to the Dudley Road Estate Requests for Expression of Interests (EOI) that was issued by the City to developers that may be interested in partnering on a plan for the parcel which was offered to the City by its current owners (see 11/17/2022 Community Information Meeting Presentation and Zoom video). See Fig City News article.
This week’s road construction schedule has not been updated yet. Check back for updates.