In regards to the current debate on rezoning Newton’s village centers, a call was made by many of the City Council Candidates who prevailed on November 7 to just zone for the 8,330 units required for MBTA Communities compliance and no more. In her November 14 newsletter, the Mayor said that this “is a good approach for right now.”
Unfortunately, the majority of the City Council continues to disregard the will of the voters to zoning just to the 8,330 requirement. The proposal to eliminate villages that don’t contribute to MBTA compliance is just a diversion. What has not been discussed are the villages that are being called MBTA Villages, where there are 36 lots and capacity for 1,801 units in the proposal where the lots are being included but the units capacity is not counting towards the 8,330 requirement. They do not count because the lots are 30,000 sq. ft. or more, so on paper they require a Special Permit and cannot be developed “By Right.” I write “on paper” because after these lots are up-zoned, they can be subdivided as a means to bypass the Special Permit requirement, and we could get two, three, or even more VC3, VC2, or MRT developments, all By Right on many of them.
None of those lots should be included in a vote for MBTA compliance. They can then be included in any VCOD discussion that will be taken up in 2024, but there is no reason for Newton to give away its rights with nothing in return. Please write to the Mayor and the City Council and demand that any lot that does not count is removed from the vote and can be reconsidered when VCOD is taken back up in January.
MaryLee Belleville
Newton Centre