At its March 25 meeting, the City Council’s Zoning and Planning Committee (ZAP) met with John Sisson, Director of the Economic Development Commission (EDC), to discuss ways to help local small businesses survive as Newton embarks on village center development. The topic, docketed by Councilors Albright and Kelley, has been a contentious issue at times in the recent rezoning debate.
Prior to Mr. Sisson’s presentation, the Committee met with Hedy Jarras, President of Newton Centre’s Sweet Tomatoes Pizza and Mayor Fuller’s nominee for a term on the EDC. Councilor Albright asked her what she thought could be done if her business was disrupted during construction. Ms. Jarras responded, “I’m for preserving Newton the way it is. The villages in Newton should be preserved.”
Mr. Sisson and the Planning Department provided a memo for ZAP with an analysis of current ordinance requirements and suggestions for possible changes that would incentivize and preserve more small businesses. His recommendations included an incremental and strategic approach to adjustments in the zoning ordinances, including making the language simpler and more easily understood. Communication is the key to the process, he noted. Referring to a Harvard Kennedy School study dealing with development challenges in Somerville, “communication” was at the top of the list of priorities. Somerville is eligible for Community Development Block Grant dollars, which Newton is not because of its relative affluence. On the other hand, he said, there was some residual ARPA money that could be used in Newton.
He emphasized the need to adjust the regulatory process, which is more of a burden to small businesses. As an example, he described the situation of a small Upper Falls bakery wanting to provide more seats for customers. The process of amending a Special Permit to allow for a parking waiver may take 3-4 months and requires majority approval of the City Council. He said that long process places a significant burden on the small business owner, with no guarantee of success. Mr. Sisson suggested that there could be adjustments to regulations while still retaining all the requirements of state and local fire codes and other building codes.
Mr. Sisson suggested that making it harder for banks to rent first-floor retail space and reducing the required square-foot footprint for stores would also encourage more pedestrian-friendly stores. Councilor Danberg referenced a Bronxville, New York study that recommended that non-retail businesses such as dental and medical offices rent second-floor space, which is generally less expensive. The Bronxville study also included the need to update language because, for example, the term “entertainment” can refer to a very wide range of uses. In comments to Fig City News, Councilor Danberg emphasized the importance of a positive pedestrian experience, with interesting window displays.
Mr. Sisson said that he and the Planning Department would be having internal conversations about possible adjustments to ordinances and regulations. Councilor Albright noted that the Planning Department had not talked about displacement, and she was “putting in a marker” for that discussion as well as one for parking waivers. Councilor Danberg offered that the parking waivers on Union Street have worked out well and should be considered for other parts of the city “because we can’t torture restaurants.”
Chairman Lisle Baker underscored the difference between the “legislative process where we make rules of general application, or we create processes of general application, versus the administrative side of things where you’re trying to make whatever process you have as clear to people and understandable as possible.” He warned against changes to regulations that might produce unintended consequences. He urged Mr. Sisson and his colleagues in the Planning Department to get back to the Committee with a revised package of regulations to reflect the comments in the meeting.