I am voting for Lisa Gordon for Ward 6 Councilor. I admire her clear thinking on the key zoning issues that will impact our community for generations into the future. She untangles the MBTA Communities Act, which has a state imposed deadline of the end of this year, from the Village Center Overlay District (VCOD) issue, which does not have a deadline, and is controversial. Lisa sensibly wants to give the VCOD more time for discussion, and push that City Council vote to 2024.
Lisa is a prudent planner and wants to put off the VCOD vote because it is discretionary and therefore does not need to happen concurrently to the MBTA decisions, and she wants to put off the vote because it could add more than an additional 10,000 units over and above what the MBTA zoning requires.
To me, that’s huge. The current Newton Highlands village VCOD plan allows up to 4.5 story buildings by right in key locations. To the peak of the roof that’s similar to a 5-story flat-roofed building, just like you might find in much of upper Manhattan. If the MBTA Communities Act goal, which establishes high density housing near T stations, could be met with 3.5-story buildings instead, our village livability and charm would be less at risk.
Lisa is wary of allowing developers who purchase within areas of the proposed VCOD plan to build scores of apartments without being required to provide parking. She wants the VCOD plan to be voted on in 2024. I so agree with her, especially because by then she can be on the Newton City Council with your support on Voting Day. If you live in Ward 6, please join me to vote for Lisa Gordon this November.
Patty Kellogg
Newton Highlands
