City Council
The City Council will meet TONIGHT (Monday) and is expected to vote on the following committee recommendations:
- Land Use
- Class 2 Auto Dealer License – Yes Auto Sales Group
- Allow two attached garages accommodating four vehicles at 70 Suffolk Road
- Demolish the existing dwelling and construct 4 units in two buildings at 20 Clinton Street
- Demolish the dwelling and construct a 4-unit three-story dwelling with 7-car parking at 107-109 Elliot Street
- Denial of a request to allow parking in the front setback and reduced stall depth at 437 Parker Street
- Programs and Services
- Appoint James Thompson to the Biosafety Committee
- Home rule petition to extend the lease term for Warren House for an additional 34 years
- Set Early Voting Hours for the September 12 Preliminary Election – 2 days at City Hall: Tuesday September 5, 2023 8:30AM-5pM and Wednesday, September 6, 2023 9AM-8PM
- Set Early Voting Hours for the November 7 Municipal Election – 5 days at City Hall: Saturday October 28, 2023 1AM-5PM, Sunday October 29, 2023 11AM-5PM, Monday October 30, 2023 9AM-8PM, Tuesday October 31, 2023 8:30AM-5PM, and Wednesday November 1, 2023 8:30AM-5PM.
- Move Ward 2, Precinct 1 Polling Location to Scandinavian Living Center, 206 Waltham Street
- Home rule petition to enable City to prohibit the purchase or application of anti-coagulant rodenticides in Newton.
- Appropriate and expend $90,000 from B.A.A. Marathon account to a Parks, Recreation and Culture Account to fund playground improvements (also appoved by Finance)
- No Action Necessary on a request to move Ward 1, Precinct 4 Polling Location.
- No Action Necessary on a Citizen’s Petition requesting Tree Ordinance Amendments
- Public Safety
- No Action Necessary on a discussion item regarding the residential parking program
- Public Facilities
- Grant of Location (Eversource) in Nevada Street
- Appoint Jon K Slote to the Citizens Commission on Energy
- Appoint Vincent McKay to the Sustainable Materials Management Commission
- Appropriate and expend $1,000,000 from both the Sewer and Water funds to complete the Wash Bay Project at the Crafts Street yard (also approved by Finance)
- Approve the taking of temporary construction easements for the Commonwealth Avenue Carriageway construction project in Auburndale (subject to 2nd Call).
- Finance
- Appoint Alexander B. Jablon to the Financial Audit Advisory Committee
- Appropriate $11,847.54 for the full and final settlement of Eastern Bus Company Inc. v. City of Newton
The New Docket includes the following requests:
- Construct a dormer addition in the half-story of the nonconforming 3.5-story structure at 35 Oak Cliff Road
- Combine two units currently occupied by retail and personal services uses to operate a 42-seat restaurant which requires a waiver of seven parking stalls at 12 Austin Street
- Convert the existing attached garage into living space and construct two parking stalls within the front setback at 213 Jackson Street
- Demolish the existing dwelling and detached garage and construct 5 residential dwelling units in three buildings with dimensional waivers and allow for a waiver from the required number of parking stalls at 290 Watertown Street
- Demolish the existing dwelling and construct three single-family attached dwellings with dimensional waivers and parking dimensional waivers at 236 Chapel Street
- Construct a second driveway on the eastern lot line, resulting in two vehicles within the front setback at 97 Waban Hill Road North
- Rezone 132 Charles Street from Multi-Residence 1 and Manufacturing to Mixed Use 1
- Place a nonbinding advisory question on the ballot: “Should the Newton City Council vote to adopt a zoning ordinance for Newton village commercial centers so that parcels under 30,000 square feet would have the opportunity to be redeveloped to construct multi-family housing, or a mix of businesses and multi-family housing, in buildings up to 3.5 to 4.5 stories high, without requiring onsite parking and prior approval from the City Council?”
- Eversource petition for Grant of Location in Boylston Street
- Request to accept and expend $150,000 earmarked in the 2022 State Economic Development Bill for Newton’s Bluebikes system
- Accept and expend $50,000 from the National Recreation and Park Association’s 2023 Danaher Biodiversity Grant Program to the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Culture for the Marty Sender Greenway Phase 2 Restoration project.
- Transfer and expend $200,000 from the PEG Access and Cable Related Fund to the Newton Communications Access Center, Inc (NewTV) to support public, educational, and governmental access cable television services and this financial strategy.
- Accept and expend $1,250,000 earmarked in the 2022 State Economic Development Bill for the Christina Street Bridge and Path Project.
- Appoint:
- Jane Obbagy to the Economic Development Commission
- Anthony Ciccariello as Commissioner of Inspectional Services
- Janet Huettig and Dr. Carolyn Bernstein to the Health and Human Services Advisory Council
- Reappoint:
- Kathryn Cade to the Conservation Commission
- Jonathan Kantar to the Citizens Commission on Energy
- Jeffrey Riklin to the Newton Upper Falls Historic District Commission
- Michael Flaherty, Matthew Stafford, and Asa Fanelli to the Health and Human Services Advisory Council
- Joanna Josephson as a Newton Library Trustee
Land Use will meet on Tuesday and discuss the following requests:
- Construct a dormer addition at 35 Oak Cliff Road
- Combine two units to operate a 42-seat restaurant and waive 7 parking stalls at 12 Austin Street (Comella’s)
- Convert garage into living space and construct two parking stalls in the front setback at 213 Jackson Street.
Programs and Services will meet on Wednesday and discuss the following:
- Appointment of Maurta Vitols as a Jackson Homestead Trustee
- Discussion and possible amendment to “Sustainable Containers, Packaging, and Single Use Ordinance” to further reduce the amount of single-use plastic in Newton.
- Reappointments of Michael Flaherty, Matthew Stafford, and Asa Fanelli to the Health and Human Services Advisory Council
- Reappointment of Joanna Josephson as a Newton Library Trustee
Traffic Council will meet on Thursday and discuss the following requests:
- Add resident parking permits to the existing one-hour zones on Carleton Street
- Add a “No Turn on Red” restriction at the northbound (Park Street) and southbound (Tremont Street) approaches of the Park/Tremont traffic signal
- Add a stop sign on Hibbard Road at the intersection of Tremont Street.
- Install bicycle accommodations on Columbia Avenue and on the block of Heatherland between Upland Avenue and Winchester Street
- Discuss and possibly change the parking regulations to ensure access for emergency vehicles and buses on Warren Avenue in West Newton (both sides) and Farwell Street
- Add a ‘STOP’ sign to the Prince Street northbound approach to Temple Street.
- Restrict parking in front of 957 Washington Street, for approximately 20 ft, to improve sight lines for vehicles exiting the driveway
- Change the distribution of time limits in the Pleasant Street and Pelham Street Public Parking Lots in Newton Centre to install reserved spaces for EV Charging Stations and/or EV Shared Vehicles.
School Committee
The School Committee will meet on Monday to discuss strategy with respect to negotiations with the NTA.
Boards and Commissions
The Commission on Disability will meet on Monday and discuss: Additional FY25 CDBG-Funded Project Ideas, Williams School Proposal/Funding Request, Newton’s Plan for the 33rd Anniversary of the ADA, and additional project ideas for the MOD ADA Improvement Grant.
The Newton Fair Housing Lottery Results and Lease Up Subcommittee will meet on Tuesday and discuss the following: the housing lottery for the Bristol Waban Condominiums and data needed to document the lottery process and outcomes.
The Commission on Disability – Newton Wellesley Hospital Subcommittee will meet on Tuesday and discuss the following: access updates, wayfinding signs, updates on completed work for the garage, lower parking lot, and sidewalks, plans for summer/fall outside work to improve accessibility, and ongoing concerns at the entrance/driveway.
The Auburndale Historic District Commission will meet on Tuesday and discuss the request to relocate and renovate 24 Robin Dell and construct a new building at Lasell Village.
The Community Preservation Committee (CPC) will meet on Tuesday and partially jointly with the Newton Affordable Housing Trust (NAHT) regarding the Warren Housing Proposal for $2,100,000 in Historic Resource Funding (Full Proposal and Additional Info). The CPC will also review a yearly funding request for $1,967,119 in Community Housing Funding from the NAHT and review the Final Report on New Art Center/Church of the Open Word Restoration Project.
The Newton Affordable Housing Trust (NAHT) will meet on Tuesday and partially jointly with the CPC regarding the Warren Housing Preservation and Rehabilitation Project and go before the CPC with its annual request for $1,967,119 in Community Housing Funding.
The Economic Development Commission will meet on Tuesday and will discuss the following: city updates on facilitating owning and operating businesses including a guest speaker on small business and sustainability and an update on the Brew Pub and Bottling proposed ordinance, as well as updates on the Zoning and Planning public hearing on Village Center Overlay Districts (VCODs), the Riverside Project, a debriefing on UMASS Mout Ida, and will entertain nominations for the 10th Annual Barry M. Portnoy Immigrant Entrepreneurs award.
The Design Review Committee will meet on Wednesday and discuss the Lincoln Eliot and Countryside projects.
The Urban Design Commission will meet on Wednesday and review three sign permits (270-276 Centre Street – Mass General Brigham, 119 Central Avenue – Verizon, and 89-97 Wyman Street – White Lion Baking Company), a comprehensive sign package for 612 Washington Street, and a fence appeal for 3-5 Potter Street.
The Newton Housing Authority and NHA Support Corporation Board will meet on Thursday and discuss the following: vote to approve June 2023 Disbursement Report, adopt votes for Haywood House regarding ARPA loan, vote to authorize Executive Director as signatory on CFA Amendments, and votes to approve several capital improvement expenditures including ramp projects at 80A Thurston Road, 45 Pelham Street, roof replacement at 45 Pelham Street, and painting at the Jackson Gardens Development.
The Newton Upper Falls Historic District Commission will meet on Thursday and discuss a request to pave a small area by the garage, build a retaining wall and paved area for trash cans, and build a border wall to reinforce a 15-foot length of the historic wall at 75 High Street, Unit 2 and review a violation and request to remediate the violation (installation of a fence and shed) at 1286 Boylston Street, Unit B.
Other
This week’s road construction schedule has not yet been posted. Check back later this week.