Today is Presidents Day — a federal holiday. Trash pick-up will be delayed one day this week.
City Council
City Council will meet on Tuesday for its Full Council meeting. The Council is expected to vote on the following:
- 8 Special Permit Requests for approval:
- Porch and shed at 43 Prince Street
- Signage and on-site parking at 697 Washington Street – Garden Remedies. NOTE: The Land Use Committee approved rectifying a technical error and allowing employee parking onsite but denied current and proposed signage.
- Amend a Special Permit for a rooftop solar facility at 255 257 Newtonville Avenue
- Extension of time to exercise special permit for a 25-unit development at 1149-1151 Walnut Street
- Second-story addition and expansion of an existing garage at 616 Boylston Street
- Amend a Special Permit regarding incorrect FAR calculations at 336 Cabot Street
- Raze a nonconforming three-unit multifamily dwelling and construct a five-unit residential dwelling at 194 Adams Street
- Rear lot subdivision at 176 River Street
- Denial of a request for a Change of Zone for 29 Hunter Street
- No Action Necessary on a Special Permit application for 29 Hunter Street
- Request to Make Outdoor Dining Permanent
- Reappointments of Peter Doeringer to Planning and Development Board and Robert Imperato to the Chestnut Hill Historic District Commission
- No Action Necessary on a Citizens Petition requesting postponement of any immediate action for new or replacement artificial turf anywhere in Newton pending the completion of studies and analysis of health and safety aspects of artificial turf vs. grass fields and development of an organic and sustainable management plan for existing and future natural grass fields
- Two petitions for grants of location: Eversource petition in Centre Street, National Grid petition to install and maintain gas main in Pleasant Street and Tyler Terrace
- Resolution for a Future without Gas and for Clean Heat
- Appropriate $280,000 to Complete Phase 1 of the City’s Phosphorus Control Plan
- Accept two grants awarded to the Fire Department: $2,677 from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security Senior SAFE Grant to purchase smoke and carbon monoxide detectors for Newton’s seniors, and $25,600 from a Massachusetts Emergency Management Association Emergency Preparedness Grant for technology and protective gear
- Request to accept a bequest of $10,610.01 from Audrey M. Cooper Estate to support programs and services at the Senior Center
- Reappointment of James Shaughnessy to the Board of Assessors
- Appropriate $1,500 from Handicapped Parking Fines for Me2/ Orchestra Concert
- Discussion regarding new MA Building Energy Code amendments and adoption of the Specialized Energy Code
Items on the New Docket include:
- 6 Land Use Petitions:
- Extend nonconforming front and rear setbacks and parking waivers at 43 River Avenue
- Alter a nonconforming front setback at 80 Highland Avenue
- Amend Special Permit to convert existing office space into two residential units at 46 Farwell Street
- Alter nonconforming front setback at 80 Highland Avenue (Two different docket items?)
- Extension of Time to exercise Special Permit at 383-387 Boylston Street
- Extension of Time to exercise Special Permit at 229 Bellevue Street
- Discussion and possible amendment to “Sustainable Containers, Packaging and Single Use Ordinance”
- Amendments to Requirements for Permitted Haulers to Provide Bundled Trash & Recycling service to ensure adherence to the Massachusetts Waste Bans 310 CMR 19.017 and uniformly comply with City of Newton permit requirements
- Authorize partial release of the Declaration of Affordable Housing Covenants
- Discussion with City Staff regarding a cost-benefit analysis on grass fields
Public Facilities Committee‘s regularly scheduled meeting has been canceled (see Meeting Cancellation Notice).
Public Safety and Transportation Committee will meet on Wednesday and discuss the following:
- Requesting a discussion and ordinance creation to limit the winter parking ban
- Discussion on transportation priorities and public works (Chair Notes that the discussion will focus on the Bike/Pedestrian/Access network plan parking ban.)
Schools
The School Committee will not meet this week.
Last Friday, the School Committee unanimously selected Dr. Anna Nolin to be the new Superintendent.
Boards and Commissions
- Board of License Commissioners:
- One-day all-alcohol license and entertainment license for the John M. Barry Newton Boys and Girls Club fundraising gala on Saturday, April 1
- One-day wine and malt license for a chili and soup cook-off at Church of the Redeemer on March 5
- Four one-day entertainment licenses
- Fundraiser on Saturday, April 29 at the Windsor Club
- Two puppet shows at Newton City Hall War Memorial: Friday, February 24 and Wednesday, April 19
- Concert at Newton City Hall War Memorial on Tuesday, February 28
- Two New Common Victualler Licenses
- Traffic Restaurant LLC d/b/a Stella Cafe, 549 Commonwealth Avenue
- L & J Company Inc d/b/a Glazed Bytes, 199 Boylston Street
- New common victualler license, new annual entertainment license, and a transfer of an all-alcohol restaurant license from Irish Redsox LLC to BEM LLC d/b/a District 118 Kitchen & Bar, 118 Needham Street
- Discussion on fees for one-day licenses requested by school/city departments for school/city sponsored events
- Newton Housing Partnership: FY24 Annual Action Plan, Northland Charlemont 40B Project, Opt-In Stretch Code, Elder Housing with Services IZ Section, and Newton Housing Partnership Initiatives
- Newton Retirement Board will meet in-person.
- Newton Free Library Trustees: Library Budget, Computer Usage Policy, Trustee Vacancy Update, Purchasing update, Director Evaluation Report, Development Staff update, Spring Fling, and Visitors Discussion
- Zoning Board of Appeals: Continued public hearing on the Northland Charlemont Comprehensive Permit request, request for an extension of time to exercise a variance to raze and reconstruct a detached garage at 229 Bellevue Street
- Designer Selection Committee: School Facility and Enrollment Planning Study Designer Interviews: Perkins Eastman Architects and Raymond Design Associates, Inc.; deliberations and final ranking
- Newton Historical Commission: Two total demolition requests (41 Kilburn and 56 Dearborn), six Partial demolition requests (51 Mt. Alvernia, 527 Waltham, 53 Mosman, 58 Parker, 73 Puritan, 872 Chestnut (Partial demo of house/total demo of garage)), four Waiver of Demolition Delay (236 Chapel, 10-12 Elliot Terrace, 61 Esty Farm Road, 6 Ferncroft).
- Sustainable Materials Management Commission: Zero Waste updates, 2022 Annual Report, 2023 Goals, and SMMD update.
Other
This week’s road construction schedule can be found here.