After a prolonged period of discord, it is time for our City Councilors to collaborate and compromise on a zoning solution. The “ouster” [Fig City News] of 3 long-serving Councilors – most notably, the 7-term Chair of the Zoning and Planning Committee (ZAP) – and the election of 5 of the…
Posts published in November 2023
Less than one-month after receiving from the City a one-year extension to exercise its special permit (see Fig City News article), Mark Development has filed an action against its partner, SRG Holdco Investments, to rescind its contract and claim damages. In the complaint, Mark Development contends that SRG Holdco breached…
Struggling to get up a short but steep incline on Langley Road, a group of City officials being pushed in wheelchairs recently took a tour around Newton Centre with disability advocates to learn more about the barriers faced by those with mobility challenges. Led by resident Robert Solomon, a longtime…
In the November 7 municipal election, 16,425 voters (unofficial count) cast ballots for City Council and School Committee, electing six new Council members and defeating three incumbents. Among the contested City Council seats, candidates were generally aligned in two groups based on their views on zoning: Five of the six…
Community leader and Ward 6 Councilor-Elect Martha Bixby, most notably known for her work with Newton Neighbors Helping Neighbors, is excited to join the City Council. She said she is “excited about making Newton work even better for everyone.” Her race was close, as she defeated Newton Centre community activist…
An electoral earthquake shook Newton politics last Tuesday, as voters swept out candidates who favored exceeding the state’s MBTA Communities rezoning requirements and favored those advocating staying within state limits. Tarik Lucas and John Oliver, whose decisive elections two years ago foreshadowed this earthquake, were the top vote-getters, while other anti-VCOD…
Dancers from Newton North and South High Schools and beyond entertained a crowd gathered at City Hall on November 13 to celebrate Diwali, a national holiday in India known as the Festival of Lights. The five-day celebration, which this year began on November 12, “symbolizes new beginnings and the triumph…
We have updated Board and Commission Meetings – Week of 11/12/2023 to add these meetings that were posted after deadline:
West Newton Cinema Foundation aims to save the theatre The West Newton Cinema, 75-year-old movie theatre – and Newton’s last neighborhood theatre – was sold to Mark Development in 2022. David Bramante, who owned and managed the cinema, was forced to sell because of Covid’s negative impact on movie attendance.…
City Council Finance will meet on Monday to consider these requests: Zoning and Planning will meet on Monday: Land Use will meet on Tuesday to consider the following requests: Special City Council Meeting on Wednesday to vote on the proposed Village Center Overlay District, which was chartered at the last…
Finance will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Monday, November 13 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following requests: Zoning and Planning will meet in person (City Hall, Room 204) and virtually (Zoom link) on Monday, November 13 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following: Chair’s note: There is no word…
The Finance Committee voted to approve a request to appropriate $446,104.67 from Certified Free Cash into the Health & Human Services Department for purposes of mitigating the effects of the opioid crisis. The City received $446,104.67 as part of a settlement agreement between the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and Johnson and…