City Council
Finance Committee meeting has been canceled.
Zoning and Planning will meet on Monday:
- Discussion and possible adoption of an Electrification Ordinance that would require all new construction and substantial renovations in Newton to be all-electric
- Discussion and possible ordinance amendment to deal with grade changes created during construction causing stormwater runoff on neighboring properties (Item may be split to allow a public hearing on the special permit threshold while allowing the Planning Department to work on other solutions.
- Discussion and amendments to the Newton Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 30 (and possibly schedule a public hearing on April 8) to:
- Clarify definitions, edit missing or incorrectly transcribed provisions, and revise inconsistencies
- Incentivize and promote small businesses
- Progress report from the Planning Department with possible recommendations for revisions to the Zoning Ordinance to:
- Enhance the preservation of existing homes over their replacement by larger and more expensive structures
- Revise the metrics in the multi-residence (MR1, MR2 and MR3) zones to regulate the size of new buildings better, enable a wider range of housing options close to public transit, and better incentivize preservation and renovation of existing housing stock
- Reappointments of Jennifer Pucci to the Zoning Board of Appeals, Judy Weber to the Newton Affordable Housing Trust and John Downie to the Urban Design Commission
Land Use will meet on Tuesday:
- Class 2 Auto Dealer License: New England Motor Mart, Inc. 1211 Washington Street
- Basement and first-story additions at 157 Baldpate Hill Road.
- Additions to a 2.5-story two-family dwelling, including rear decks, resulting in a three-story building, at 86 Floral Street.
- Amendment to a special permit to raze the detached garage and construct an attached garage with an accessory apartment above as well as a rear addition at 432 Dedham Street
- Amendment to special permit to substitute a cash payment in lieu of providing the units at 136- 144 Hancock Street.
Traffic Council will meet on Thursday:
- An accessible parking space at or near 5 Murphy Court
- Asking MassDOT to rescind the 35 MPH section on Woodward Street, in both directions, to allow for reduction of speed to 25 MPH
- Add the Lowell/Austin pedestrian crosswalk RRFB into the TPR
Boards and Commissions
Newton Free Library Board of Trustees Nominating and Governance Committee will meet Monday:
- Meeting with Mayor Fuller
- Director Evaluation consolidation and summary
- Evaluation of process
- Next Projects
Commission on Disability will meet Monday:
- Accessible Fines Reports
- DPC Legislative Priorities-Housing
- AP2-24 Accessible Parking Space in Newtonville
- 2024 Commission Goals
- Co-Chairs’ Corner
- 2024 COD Awareness Event
- CDBG Report
- Treasurer’s Report
- ADA Coordinator’s Report
- Project Ideas for MOD Grant
Newton Police Department will hold an in-person Dangerous Dog Hearing on Monday.
Youth Commissioners will meet Monday:
- Discuss Youth Commission Ordinances and Next Steps
- Elect a Chair for the Youth Commission and Discuss Other Positions
- Discuss Potential Speakers for Youth Commission Advisory Board Meetings
Auburndale Historic District Commission will meet Tuesday:
- Install an iron railing system at 37 Cheswick Road.
- Expand and repave driveway and add cobblestone edging at 357 Central Street
- Repair and replace windows, replace all exterior railings, build new stair and accessible lift at 150 Woodland Road, Lasell University
Community Preservation Committee will meet Tuesday to address the Spears Park Community Gardens Pre-Proposal Meeting, Review of Existing and Potential Future Projects, and Review of Current Finances.
Economic Development Commission will meet Tuesday:
- City Updates
- Assisting Newton’s small businesses
- Major real estate development projects
- Village Center Zoning updates
- Washington Street Pilot: business outreach
- Outdoor dining season 2024
- DEI Consultant status
- Industrial Zoning: next steps
- Crosswalk signals and Newton’s employment clusters
- EDC Subgroups + Discussion
- Economic Strategy
- Business Listings
- rDNA permitting
Newton Fair Housing Committee Lottery Lease Up Subcommittee will meet Wednesday:
- Current approaches of data collection for Newton’s affordable housing lotteries and proposals to add to these practices, with Shaylyn Davis, Housing Program Director
- Workplan and priorities for the coming year
Design Review Commission/Franklin School and Horace Mann School Building Committee will meet Wednesday:
- Franklin School: Mechanical selection (Life Cycle Cost Analysis), Traffic Report review, Site reviews: Landscape and Civil
- Horace Mann Elementary School Building Committee: Schematic Design/Site Plan Approval Summary
- Programming and Building Design
- Site Improvements
- Building Systems
- DRC and HMSBC votes to authorize Schematic Design recommendation for City Council Site Plan Approval through 5-58 process
Zoning Board of Appeals will meet Wednesday for a Public Hearing on a Chapter 40B proposal for a six-story all-residential development with 244 residential units (including 61 affordable units and 385 parking stalls) at 528 Boylston Street.
Urban Design Commission will meet Wednesday:
- Sign permits:
- Veterinary Specialists: 131-181 Needham Street
- Comella’s: 12 Austin Street
- Cookie Monstah: 839-853 Washington Street
- Free-standing sign: 1150-1152 Walnut Street
- Blooms’ Blind & Shade: 1239-1247 Washington Street
- Design Review: 329-331 River Street
- Old/New Business: Meeting with Commissioner of Inspectional Services Dept.
Newton Upper Falls Historic District Commission will meet Thursday to consider requests for Certificates of Appropriateness to:
- Add a second story addition at 7 Lucille Place
- Remediate Violation for work done to expand the rear deck and install a fence and shed at 18 Cliff Road
Urban Tree Commission will meet Friday to address a Forestry Department update, Tree removal requests, and Procedures for updated Tree Ordinance.
Other
The Mayor’s public office hours will be 8:30AM-10AM on Wednesday. To request a phone appointment, email snighman@newtonma.gov.
On behalf of the Mayor’s Office, the Law Department will hold a Public Cable License Renewal Hearing on March 14 at 7PM, in person in City Council Chamber and virtually (Zoom link) to allow public comment on public and City cable needs and cable operator past performance, as part of the City’s license renewal proceedings pertaining to RCN Telecom Services (d/b/a Astound Broadband). RCN’s current license expires September 21, 2026. Fees from cable operators provide support for NewTV‘s public broadcasting, which covers local government meetings and other events. (See Meeting Notice.)
This week’s road construction schedule.