I support the Village Center Overlay District (VCOD) proposal. To make this decision, I did some homework.
I poured over VCOD-related materials: plans, letters, testimonials, videos, and pondered one-on-one discussions. It took a while to sort through the details including the various models and the proposed modifications for different village types.
The first thing I had to understand was the Plan’s goals. These have been laid out clearly by the Zoning and Planning Committee (ZAP) of Newton’s City Council. The objectives reflect long-standing, major problems that are compromising our City’s current and future well-being. I’ve consolidated a bit.
- People can’t afford to live here;
- Find ways to open Newton up to those with a range of incomes;
- Small businesses are struggling to survive and can’t afford to set up shop here;
- Attract more customers with easy access to shops, by building housing nearby;
- Significant climate change is happening right now;
- Create housing near public transportation to reduce harmful fuel emissions.
As the basis for planning, VCOD addresses these goals by providing alternate sets of development rules “over” twelve of our cherished Villages. With VCOD, a property owner may choose to use the new rules to improve their property. Importantly, the plan incorporates and enhances historic development patterns by adding more people to existing centers. It retains the old, but addresses what’s needed simply by allowing that to happen.
Within village business districts, property owners will have the right to build up to a total maximum height of three-and-one-half or four-and-one-half stories — with possibly one additional story for housing that serves people with lower incomes. Owners of big houses near these business districts would have the right to divide residences into three to six smaller units while modestly increasing the original footprint to the rear. The original building stays the same. These two strategies would increase housing stock around transportation hubs and would establish incentives for owners to improve their properties. Commuters wouldn’t have to drive to work.
To create a friendly sense of community in the business districts, new buildings must have lots of glass at ground level. People would stroll on wide sidewalks and glimpse into shops, restaurants, and little grocery stores establishing a bustling streetscape.
The vision I see is a friendly and welcoming Newton that picks up on our not-so-long-ago tradition of attracting residents and ventures with diverse monetary capability.
In 1970, I moved to Newton with two pre-school-age children. We didn’t have much money, but found a house that kept to our modest budget and was within walking distance of Newton Highlands. That simple house today is valued at more than 1.2 million dollars. My grandkids could never afford to live here.
As I gathered information, I wondered what had happened to make Newton so economically unavailable now compared to then. In 1987, the city eliminated all “by-right” permissions to build more than two-story buildings in our villages. They also eliminated the “by-right” building of multifamily housing of three or more units. The result has been for developers to gather up multiple properties and build large-scale complexes that require lengthy rezoning and special permitting processes. This decision may have been seen as reasonable at the time, but the result is a prohibitively costly city for both residents and small businesses. It’s time to mend this.
In reality, we have already started this mending. Two positive steps come to mind – both in Newtonville. The Trio complex and 28 Austin Street are mixed-use buildings with “see through” shops and restaurants with housing above. These projects have brought great vitality to the area. Where there were decrepit structures, there is now vibrant life. Go and look. You can feel the energy.
A less positive thought rankles me. Newton has, in its way, transformed itself into a virtual gated community only admitting people with the right credentials — in this case greater financial capacity. I don’t want to accept this sad and stagnant vision. Changing the rules encourages Newton to be a hospitable and available place just as it was for me so many decades ago.
For more information, check out the Newton League of Women Voters video.
Marian Leah Knapp is a community activist for Newton’s seniors and a former columnist for the Newton TAB. She is a 53-year resident of Newton.