Stephen Farrell is running to be Ward Councilor from Ward 8, a seat elected by the voters of that ward. He spoke recently with Fig City News.
Mr. Farrell has lived in his home abutting the Newton South High School playing field for a quarter of a century. “I love Newton. I love my neighbors and I love my neighborhood…but we feel very uninformed about how to get things done,” he says, by way of explaining his entrance onto the political field of battle for Ward 8 City Councilor. As he goes door-to-door, he is dismayed to discover how many people feel removed from City government.
Among local battles, Mr. Farrell recounted his effort to stop the City from installing artificial turf on all playing fields at Newton South High School because the turf made the fields too hot and created a hazardous surface. No, that was not this year. His fight was over thirteen years ago, and it then took the City Council three years to agree to two artificial turf fields and two grass fields. He concludes that the artificial turf debate will continue until users compel manufacturers to produce biodegradable turf or the City agrees to install all-grass playing fields.
More recently, he has led the neighborhood protest over the destruction of one of Newton’s oldest houses, a 1740 landmarked colonial that a developer had promised to restore, using authentic materials, but instead destroyed it, in violation of its historic landmark status. The house was one of Newton’s 31 landmarked properties. Mr. Farrell said the developer chose not to work with a preservationist, tore down the building in violation of his agreement with the Historical Commission, and has been fined $300 per day – which he has yet to pay. The property is “an eyesore” and an ill-secured danger, Mr. Farrell says. He thinks the City should take the land by eminent domain, pay the developer $500,000 (net of any accrued fines), and turn it into a neighborhood garden or green space.
Asked about the City’s proposed Village Center Overlay Design (VCOD) and the MBTA Communities Act, Mr. Farrell said, “Most people in Ward 8 don’t know anything about it.” He said he has told Deb Crossley, Chair of the City Council’s Zoning and Planning Committee, that “the City needs to inform every resident…every resident deserves a notice about what’s happening.” He laments that lack of adequate city-wide communications. As a Ward Councilor, he promises to write regular newsletters and hold regular community meetings.
Mr. Farrell believes Newton should follow the MBTA Communities Act by strictly meeting the required zoning for just the mandated 8,330 housing units. He is concerned that the MBTA Communities requirement will focus on providing more market-rate housing for people of means. Instead, he argues for really affordable housing, thereby providing an opportunity for teachers to live in the communities where they work.
In his view, the VCOD proposal should be considered separately from the MBTA Communities Act. He argues that village centers are the heart of their communities and should be protected by “special permits” rather than “by right” development. While Mr. Farrell supports the idea of three-story buildings offering commercial/retail space on the first floor and living space on the second and third floors in village centers like Lincoln Street in Newton Highlands, he opposes the VC3 designation, which allows for five-story buildings, which in his view would destroy the character of the center. He acknowledges that village center development will have a negative impact on existing businesses: “What’s going to happen to the small local businesses that will be forced to close because of construction? I don’t see anything in the plan to protect them,” he says.
For Ward 8, he says the issue is affordable housing. He is concerned that Ward 8 is losing existing affordable housing and urges the City to work with nonprofit developers in expanding moderate and low-income housing.
According to Mr. Farrell, street congestion and high traffic speeds have rendered much of Ward 8 unsafe for bicycle traffic, especially for students attempting to ride their bikes to school. In addition, he notes that since there is no real village center, people cannot walk to stores or banks or schools, and they are compelled to drive their cars.
In his working life, Mr. Farrell headed development offices at the Massachusetts College of Art, the John F. Kennedy Library, and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Boston.
His campaign website is farrell4newton8.org.
