City Council will meet in person (Council Chamber) and virtually (Zoom link) on Monday, October 2 at 7:45PM. Watch a live broadcast of the meeting on NewTV (Comcast 9, RCN13, 614(HD), Verizon 33) or view a live stream on NewTV’s YouTube Channel. See Reports Docket and New Docket.
Land Use will meet in person (Council Chamber) and virtually (Zoom link) on Tuesday, October 3 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following requests:
- Extension of Time to Exercise a previously approved Special Permit at 34, 36, 38, 48, 50 Crafts Street, 19-21 Court Street – Elderly housing with services development ( see Special Permit documents)
- Renovate and expand the detached accessory building for use as an accessory apartment with dimensional waivers – (waive the separation requirement for a historic detached accessory apartment, to further extend nonconforming height and footprint and to exceed FAR) at 193 Lake Avenue (see Special Permit documents and Planning Memo)
- Construct a one-story addition to the right side and rear of the dwelling exceeding the maximum FAR at 93 Ruane Road (see Special Permit documents and Planning Memo)
- Raze an existing attached garage and construct first- and second-story additions, and construct a second parking stall within the front setback at 70 Kingswood Road (see Special Permit documents and Planning Memo)
- Construct a storage warehouse for their tree removal business on the undersized lot which extends the nonconforming use and requires dimensional waivers at 0 Rumford Avenue (see Special Permit documents and Planning Memo)
- Remove eight parking stalls to be used for 48 outdoor dining seats in front of 9-13 Kenneth Street, requiring an amendment to the most recent special permit, a waiver of additional parking stalls, and an amendment to the approved site plan at 9-13 Kenneth Street, 29 Kenneth Street, 118 Needham Street, and 122 Needham Street (see Special Permit documents and Planning Memo)
- Demolish the existing dwelling and construct four single-family attached dwellings with dimensional waivers, and allow a driveway and parking within setback distances at 2202 Commonwealth Avenue (see Special Permit documents and Planning Memo)
Programs and Services will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Wednesday, October 4 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following requests:
- Revisions and amendments to Chapter 21, Art. III Trees (sec. 21-60 through 21- 89) to extend tree protection to all trees 6 inches DBH (diameter at breast height) and greater within the City (with no exempt lots); update tree removal permits, fees, and compensation; and strengthen protection for existing and replacement trees (Councilor version)
- Review and amendments to Chapter 21, Art. III, Division 3, Tree Preservation to increase replacement requirements for larger trees, add protections for smaller trees, limit removal of trees without replacement, enhance procedures for protecting trees, increasing payment required for trees cut without replacement, protect trees on lots adjacent to construction, provide Tree Warden with additional professional input on trees on private properties (Executive and Tree Warden version)
Public Facilities will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Wednesday, October 4 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following requests:
- A grant of location to lay and maintain underground conduits in Grove Street, with the wires and cables conduit to relocate facilities for the MBTA
- A grant of location to install and maintain gas main in Essex Road (includes portions of Chestnut Hill Terrace, Chestnut Hill Road, Gatehouse Road, Meigh Road, and Nancy Road)
- A grant of location to install and maintain gas main in Ward Street (includes the following: Ward Street from Centre to West Bourne Road, and the following intersections: Loring/Ward, Sumner/Ward, Ballard/Ward, Wessex/Ward, Ashford/Ward, Irving/Ward, Francis/Ward, West Boulevard/Ward)
- Discussion with Public Facilities Commissioner, the Director of Utilities, the Engineering Department and our stormwater consultants on a review of our stormwater program to assess current capacity, identify and prioritize investments in critical infrastructure in order to better prepare and respond to the increasing intensity and frequency of precipitation events as a result of climate change
- An update from the Public Works Department on the City’s Phosphorus Control Plan, as well as an update on the City’s NPDES Permit
- An ordinance amendment to Chapter 29, Section 24(c) to amend the number of residential dwelling units eligible for outdoor meters from no more than four dwelling units to no more than twenty dwelling units.
Public Safety and Transportation will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Wednesday, October 4 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following:
NOTE: There will be no public comment on the following items:
- Request for a discussion with the Chief of Police on security measures taken for the Boston Marathon, not limited to but including personnel hours and equipment used by the Police Department. Also requesting updates on any incidents, disturbances, interrogations, calls to dispatch, and/or arrests along the Marathon route on April 17.
- Petition to amend Motor Vehicles and Traffic Ordinance Chapter 19 Sec-174 (b) of the City of Newton Ordinances. To be amended by deletion of “(b) Other vehicles: From December 1st through March 31st, it shall be unlawful for any vehicle, other than one acting in an emergency, to be parked on any street, way, highway, road parkway, or private way dedicated or open to the use of the public for a period of time longer than one hour between the hours of 2:00 am and 6:00 am” as appearing in Sec. 19-174 in the Revised Ordinances of 2017 as amended. (Removal of the overnight parking ban) – see 02-22-23 PS&T Report on winter parking ban