Committee Chairs will meet in person (Room 204) and virtually (Zoom link) on Monday, March 6 at 6:30PM. The agenda includes the following:
- City Council Rules
- Polling committees’ procedure
- Section 5. Debate
- Presenting materials – 48-hour notice
- Sunshine Fund Usage Policy
- City Council Meeting In-Person Attendance (March 31, extension ends)
- Open Meeting Law Reminders
- Online groups
- Emails – reply all
- Staying on Agenda
- Other Communications
- Docket Tracking System
- Other topics from the floor.
Full City Council will meet in person (Council Chamber) and virtually (Zoom link) on Monday, March 6 at 7:45PM. Watch live on NewTV (Comcast 0, RCN13, 614(HD), Verizon 33) or NewTV’s Vimeo channel. See Reports Docket and New Docket.
Land Use Committee will meet in person (Council Chamber) and virtually (Zoom link) on Tuesday, March 7 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following:
- Three Requests for Extension of Time to Exercise a previously approved Special Permit/Site Plan Approval:
- Request for an extension until March 7, 2025, to construct a second-story addition, vertically extending the nonconforming front setbacks on a corner lot at 4 Clarendon Street
- Request for an extension until December 17, 2024, to allow a garage accommodating more than three vehicles with a ground floor area exceeding 700 sq. ft., to vertically extend a nonconforming side setback, to allow a system of retaining walls exceeding four feet within the setback at 229 Bellevue Street.
- Request for an extension until March 7, 2025 to allow a three-story, 12-unit multi-family dwelling with an FAR of 1.5 and 36’ in height, ground floor residential use, a building with more than 20,000 sq. ft., to alter and extend a nonconforming side setback, to waive six parking stalls, to reduce the width of parking stalls, to reduce the driveway width for two-way traffic, to allow a loading facility which may impede traffic, and to allow a retaining wall greater than four feet in height within the setback at 50 Jackson Street/383-387 Boylston
- Request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to raze the existing dwelling and construct a two-family dwelling that will alter and extend a nonconforming front setback, further reduce and extend a nonconforming rear setback, allow reduced parking stall depth and allow parking within five feet of a street at 43 River Avenue – see Special Permit documents and Planning Memo
- Request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to raze the existing single-story dwelling at 15 Algonquin Rd and construct five single-family attached dwellings with reduced setbacks, which exceeds the maximum lot coverage, a retaining wall greater than 4 feet in height within a setback and to allow parking dimensional relief at 71 Commonwealth Avenue – see Special Permit documents and Planning Memo
- Request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to allow a three-story structure with 32 feet in height; to allow a FAR of 1.42 and to reduce the number of required parking stalls at 296 Watertown Street – see Special Permit documents and Planning Memo
Programs and Services will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Wednesday, March 8 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following:
- Appointment of Ruth Goldman to the Urban Tree Commission
Chair’s Note: The Committee will meet jointly with the Public Safety & Transportation Committee regarding the following item.
- Request for a report from the Executive Department, including the Chief of Police and the Commissioner of Inspectional Services, as to the implementation of the leaf-blower landscaper registration and enforcement ordinance amendments effective Labor Day 2021.
- Request for a comprehensive discussion and possible ordinance amendment regarding properties in the city that for various reasons are abandoned or condemned. We will expect to explore legal and financial City policies and other topics that impact the potential prevention of city-funded demolition projects.
- Request for a discussion with the Administration regarding Newton’s Economic Stability/Mobility Initiative – A Partnership with EMPath, including the amount of ARPA funds being used for the program; how much of this money will be paid to EMPath and whether EMPath is contributing any of its own funds to this program; additional city resources that will be used, directly or indirectly, for this program; the expectations for this program beyond the initial two year period and what will be the source of any additional funds for the program; and who in the city will be reviewing and evaluating the success of this program.
Public Facilities will meet in person (Room 204) and virtually (Zoom link) on Wednesday, March 8 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following:
Chair’s Note: It is the Chair’s intent to entertain a motion of No Action Necessary for the following item.
- Request for a grant of location to install one (1) hip guy and anchor and remove one (1) tree guy from pole 73/78 on the westerly side, at #912 Centre Street
- Request for a grant of location to relocate an existing regulator station located at the intersection of California Street and Bridge Street along with a traffic box and three vent poles. (Ward 1) as follows:
- Installation of a below-grade vault within the public right of way at California Street and Bridge Street
- Installation of one (1) traffic box and three (3) vent poles
- Request authorization to appropriate and expend $3,255,000 in grant funding and authorization to borrow $1,085,000 in an interest-free loan from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) Sewer Infiltration/Inflow Local Financial Assistance Program Phase 14, 25% loan/75% grant program for a total of $4,340,000 for the design and construction of Sewer CIP Project 9.
- Two reappointments to the Sustainable Materials Management Commission: Meryl Kessler, Carl Valente
Public Safety and Transportation will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Wednesday, March 8 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following:
Chair’s Note: The committee will meet jointly with the Programs & Services Committee
regarding the following item:
- Request for a report from the Executive Department, including the Chief of Police and the Commissioner of Inspectional Services, as to the implementation of the leafblower landscaper registration and enforcement ordinance amendments effective Labor Day 2021
- Request for authorization to bring the City’s ordinances relating to special officers (i.e. retired police officers) in conformance with the State law governing the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST).
- Request authorization to accept and expend $190,000 in grant funding from MassDOT’s Community Transit Grant Program SFY23 for the Newton in Motion (NewMo) Senior Transportation micro transit program.
- Request authorization to accept and expend $712,459 in grant funding from MassDOT’s Community Connections Program FY2325 for the Newton in Motion (NewMo) micro transit program.
- Request for a discussion of possible short term prevention strategies at Crafts/Albemarle/North Streets and surrounding areas to address safety and recent crashes.