City Council
Finance will meet on Monday:
- The first two items to be held – initial discussions with staff:
- Request to appropriate and expend $925,000 of June 30, 2023 Certified Free Cash for the purpose of funding curriculum materials for Newton Public Schools
- Request to appropriate $11,475,000 of June 30, 2023 Certified Free Cash to fund NPS and Municipal infrastrucure – see list
- Acceptance of an anonymous donation of $10,000 to the City of Newton in memory of former Councilor George Mansfield
- Acceptance of $22,248 WPF Grant for the purpose of installing six EV Level 2 chargers.
Zoning and Planning will meet on Monday:
- Discussion of Committee work plan for new 2024-2025 term.
- The following two items to be held:
- Update on Short-term rental ordinance compliance and enforcement
- Possible ordinance amendments relative to aiding small businesses impacted by development
- CPC Recommendation to appropriate $125,000 in CPA funding from the FY24 Historic Resource Reserve Funds for a grant to the Second Church in Newton for the restoration.
Land Use will meet on Tuesday:
- 6 Requests for Class 2 Auto Dealer Licenses
- Extension of Time to Exercise Special Permit to construct two-story additions at 148 Auburndale Avenue
- Enclosure of a second level sunporch and construct a new basement access at 140 Dickerman Road
- Construction of additions and new detached garage at 887 Commonwealth Avenue
- Conversion of accessory apartment into a separate dwelling, resulting in three single-family attached dwellings in two separate structures at 199 Church Street
- Demolition of existing dwelling and construction of a three story, five-unit residential building at 209-211 Adams Street
School Committee
School Committee will meet on Monday:
- Executive Session at 4PM: discuss negotiation and mediation strategy and conduct collective bargaining session the Newton Teachers Association Units A, B, C, D, and E.
- Regular meeting at 6:30PM:
- Superintendent’s Update
- Negotiations Update
- Policy JL (Student Safety – Food Deliveries)
- Out-of-State/International Field Trips
- Public Presentation on School Choice
- Teaching & Learning Update and Presentation
- Calendar Policy (JHA) and Homework Policy (IKB): See Calendar Proposal and Homework/Holiday Companion Policy
- Executive Session: Strategy discussion re: collective bargaining with the Newton Teachers Association
Boards and Commissions
Newton Cultural Council will meet on Monday and continue with Round 5 Adjudication of 2024 Grants.
Commission on Disability will meet on Monday:
- Accessible Fines Reports, Operation Access Report, 2 Requests of Accessible Parking Spaces (9 and 5 Murphy Court), CDBG Report, FY25 CDBG Final Project Vote, Officer elections, Treasurer’s Report, ADA Coordinator’s Report, 2024 COD Awareness Event and Co-Chairs’ updates.
Auburndale Historic District Commission will meet on Tuesday:
- Replacement of a screen porch with an addition at 114 Windermere Road
- One-story addition at 33 Hancock Street
Community Preservation Committee will meet on Tuesday:
- Administration Business: Review of Existing and Potential Future Projects, Review of Current Finance, and Review of Community Preservation Trust distribution
Economic Development Commission will meet on Tuesday:
- Guest Speakers: Director of Transportation Operations Ned Codd (DPW) and Director of Transportation Planning Josh Ostroff (Planning)
- City updates, Year’s end business
- EDC Subgroups and Discussion: rDNA permitting, updated ED Strategy, Business Listings, Use Table
- 2023 Annual Report, EDC Self-Assessment, Nomination of Officers
Newton Human Rights Commission will meet on Tuesday:
- Student Reports, Newton Police Department Reports. Complaints Received
- Days of Remembrance Honoring Victims of Genocide– April City Hall 1st Floor gallery
- Pride Celebration — June 2024
- Rescheduled – NPS Superintendent Anna Nolin
- Programming Ideas for 2024: Banned Books
Waban Area Council will meet on Tuesday for Reappointment of WAC Councilors.
Design Review Committee: Franklin School Building Committee and Horace Mann School Building Committee will meet on Wednesday:
- DRC / FSBC – Franklin School
- Site design review, Tree survey – removed and replaced, Building entry and massing.
- DRC / HMSBC – Horace Mann School
- Site Design Updates, Building Design Updates, Building Exterior
Urban Design Commission will meet on Wednesday:
- 4 Sign Permits:
- Veterinary Specialists: 131-181 Needham Street
- Kendall Kitchen: 269-287 Grove Street
- Tango Mango: 30-34 Langley Road
- Brezniak Funeral Directors: 1253 Washington Street
- Fence Appeal: 47 Windsor Road
Conservation Commission will meet on Thursday
- Single-family home demolition and construction at 97 Bound Brook Road
- Addition of side-entry stairs at 54 Bound Brook Road
- DRAFT Riverfront Area Redevelopment Guidance
- Toll Brothers 40B informal presentation
Newton Upper Falls Historic District Commission will meet on Thursday:
- Install heat pump and replace windows at 954 Chestnut Street.
- Second-story addition at 7 Lucille Place.
- Working Session on a house renovation and addition of a new building at 981 Chestnut Street.
Other
Updated Calculation of Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI): Deputy City Solicitor, Jonah Temple, working with Planning staff issued this memo stating: “The updated calculations show that Newton has yet to satisfy either safe harbor threshold: the Land Area Minimum calculation (with a 1.5% threshold) is 1.41% and the Housing Unit Minimum calculation (with a 10% threshold) is 9.94%.” The memo states that based on its 10% calculation, “the City needs approximately 20 additional SHI units to reach the 10% safe harbor,” and based on its 1.5% calculation, “the City needs approximately 7 additional acres of SHI housing in order to reach the 1.5% safe harbor.”
Mayor Fuller, in her January 5 newsletter, noted that the City expects to issue a building permit this week to the new owners of Dunstan East, which “would add sufficient affordable units …to presumably put [Newton] over the 10% safe harbor threshold,” allowing the City to “enforce local zoning requirements for affordable housing projects proposed under 40B guidelines.” The current plans for Dunstan East allow for 292 housing units, of which 73 will be designated affordable.
Two other Chapter 40B Comprehensive Permit projects are currently before the Zoning Board of Appeals:
- 41 Washington Street: a 16-homeownership unit project of which 4 units would be affordable (see latest Planning Memo)
- 78 Crafts Street: a 307-rental unit project of which 62 units would be affordable (see latest Planning Memo).
This week’s road construction schedule.