See below for details on these things to watch for this week:
- Zoning and Planning’s potential vote on Village Center Zoning
- Land Use’s discussion of the 11 Florence Street/Boylston Project – Elder Housing with Services
- Zoning Board of Appeals’ potential vote on Northland – Charlemont 40B
- Newton Public Schools seeks input on developing the Portrait of a Graduate.
City Council
Finance will meet on Monday:
- Phase III Gath Pool Memorial Renovation Project funding:
- $1,200,000 for a total of $7,034,362 for Phase III of the Gath Memorial Renovation Project – CPA funds
- $300,000 from Reserve Funds-Budget Reserve Account
Zoning and Planning will meet on Monday at 6:30PM:
- Request to appropriate $1,967,119 in Community Preservation Act funding with $562,034 to come from the FY24 Community Housing Reserve Account and $1,405,085 to come from FY24 Unrestricted Funding Account to provide funding to the Newton Affordable Housing Trust
- Village Center Zoning and Housing Choice Bill: Possible final committee discussion on amendments to text and map changes and committee vote (see Planning Memo). See the following amendments submitted by Councilors:
Land Use will meet on Tuesday:
- Consistency ruling for pool and hot tub at 26 Magnolia Avenue
- Extension of time to construct a new detached garage and deck replacement at 35 Bracebridge Road
- Special Permit Amendment request to allow a medical marijuana treatment center at 1089 Washington Street
- Request to rezone 2 parcels and allow Elder Housing with services at 11 Florence Street and 318 Boylston Street – Sunrise Senior Living
School Committee
School Committee will meet in person (Room 210, Ed Center) and virtually (Zoom link) on Monday, October 23 at 6:30PM. The agenda includes the following:
- Public Comment
- Grants
- Policy BEDH Public Comment
- International Exchange Trips – Guadeloupe and Burgos, Spain
- Superintendent’s Report – Update and Kick-Off: Portrait of a Graduate (POG)
- Updates
- Negotiations Update; Preliminary Enrollment Report; Entry Plan, Enrollment and Budgetary Considerations
- Policy Review: School Policy revisions
- Perkins Eastman Scope of Work
- MASC Resolutions
- Discussion and vote on MASC Delegate and School Committee Secretary
The Negotiations Subcommittee of the Newton School Committee will meet in Executive Session on Wednesday to:
- Discuss negotiation and mediation strategy and
- Conduct a collective bargaining session with the mediator and NTA, Units A-E.
Portrait of a Graduate: The Newton Public Schools (NPS) is launching a four-month process in January to development the Portrait of a Graduate — a collective vision that articulates aspirations for every student in the district. To inform the development of the Portrait, NPS is actively engaging a wide variety of individuals in Newton and asking residents to consider joining the Portrait Design Team to share input and feedback. More information about the process and meetings scheduled for January and February can be found at NPS Portrait of a Graduate. NPS is asking people who are interested in participating as a member of the Portrait of a Graduate Design Team to complete the Community Portrait of a Graduate Design Team Interest Form.
Boards and Commissions
Library Trustees – Finance Committee will meet on Tuesday:
- Update on Transfer of Accounts
- Q1 Financial Results v. Budget
- Quarterly report for October 25 board meeting
Newton Housing Partnership will meet on Tuesday:
- Project Updates
- Village Center Zoning
- Family Aid Proposal
- Economic Stability / Mobility Initiative – EMPath Partnership
- Partnership Discussion: Coordination with Affordable Housing Trust and Fair Housing Committee
Newton Commonwealth Foundation, which runs the Newton Commonwealth Golf Course, will meet on Tuesday:
- Reports from Treasurer, Operator, Grounds
- Finance and Audit Committee Charter discussion
Council on Aging and Advisory Board will meet on Tuesday:
- NewCAL Update
- Aging in Place — New scams targeting older adults and other safety challenges
- Senior Services Update — NewMo and other issues
- COA Membership and Reorganization
Newton Retirement Board will meet on Wednesday:
- Newton Retirement Board’s Election by Declaration – Thomas Lopez,
- Retirement Office Staff employment policies (i.e., short-term disability, leave of absence).
- Newton Retirement Board Travel Regulations – Allowable Rate of Reimbursement for use of a Personal Vehicle
- Update on the City’s creation of a new stabilization fund
Northland Newton Development Community Liaison Committee will meet on Wednesday.
Design Review Committee – Countryside School Building Committee will meet on Wednesday for Final Schematic Design & Site Plan review.
Newton Citizen Commission on Energy will meet on Wednesday for an open discussion on NCCE direction for short- and long-time horizons and election of a chairperson or co-chairpersons.
Zoning Board of Appeals will meet on Wednesday to discuss these requests:
- Comprehensive Permit, pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 40B, to construct a nine-story mixed use development with 410 residential units at 160 Charlemont Street and 56 Christina Street – Northland-Charlemont – Northland Charlemont – possible final meeting – see Planning Memo
- Variance to construct a detached garage. at 409 Crafts Street
- Appeal of a decision regarding the method of calculation of lot coverage at 88 Adena Road
Newton Historical Commission will meet on Thursday:
- Local Landmark Review for 31 Greenwood
- 12 Request for Total Demolition
- 43 Walker Street; Garage
- 177 Wiswall (garage only)
- 180 Wiswall
- 93 Sevland Road
- 276 Lexington Street (shed application is here)
- 508 Walnut Street
- 63 Bigelow Road; Garage
- 22 Cavanaugh Path
- 154 Langley Road
- 54 Woodward Street
- 14 Anthony Road
- 29 Montclair Road
- 2 Requests for Partial Demolition
Sustainable Materials Management Commission will meet on Thursday:
- Discussion of Middletown, CT organics collection program with Kim O’Rourke
- Discussion of SMMD “Recommendations to Rethink Curbside Collection Services”
- SMMD update
Other
Zoning forums: Forums regarding zoning are being hosted in various villages by a variety of groups — church organizations, neighborhood organizations, and Area Councils. Fig City News will update this list of zoning forums that are recorded. If you have an upcoming forum, please let us know.
Election information: See the new Fig City News article compiling Voter information for 2023 municipal election: Candidates, debates, statements, voting hours, etc. Some voters have expressed concerns about how to find the Ward Councilor races on this year’s ballot. Here’s how.
MassDOT will be holding a third virtual public meeting (registration required) for the Newton Corner Improvements Project, to discuss Traffic Signal and Safety Improvements at Newton Corner, on Tuesday, October 24 at 6:30PM. See Fig City News announcement.
This week’s road construction schedule.
Ed. Note: We corrected the title of this post: from 2024 to 2024.
We corrected the introduction to this post to say that Land Use will discuss the 11 Florence Street/Boylston Project – Elder Housing with Services, not the 528 Boylston project.