City Council Meetings – Week of 6/9/2024

Zoning and Planning will meet in person (Council Chamber) and virtually (Zoom link) on Monday, June 10 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following:

• Public Hearing on a request for a discussion and possible amendments to Chapter 30, Zoning to require that building height is measured from the original grade instead of finished grade. See Planning Memo. (Chair’s Note: The committee will be joined by the Planning & Development Board and holding a public hearing on this item. Please click the raise hand button on the bottom of your screen if you would like to speak. There is a 5-second delay after you are promoted to panelist. After you’re done speaking, the clerk will change you back to an attendee.)
• Public Hearing on a request for a discussion and ordinance to require large property owners (campuses and large commercial buildings) to report energy use and associated greenhouse gas emissions annually to the city of Newton, to be used to encourage reductions in said energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in accordance and support of the goals set forth in the Newton Climate Action Plan. Additional information is attached to the agenda. (Chair’s Note: The Chair will entertain public comment regarding this item. Please click the raise hand button on the bottom of your screen if you would like to speak. There is a 5-second delay after you are promoted to panelist. After you’re done speaking, the clerk will change you back to an attendee. Please see the attached memo that outlines the process for the public comment period.)
• Request for amendments to Chapter 30, Zoning, to delete the “Fast Food Establishment” use contained in Section 6.4.14, require a special permit for any Restaurant use with a drive-thru component, add a new definition of “Business Incubator” and standards for such use, and define a “Place of Amusement” contained in Section 6.4.27, and allow such use either by right subject to listed standards or upon the granting of a special permit. See Planning Memo.
• Reappointment of Jason Korb to the Newton Affordable Housing Trust
• Reappointment of Debora Jackson to the Economic Development Commission

Finance will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Monday, June 10 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following requests:

• Appropriate and expend $450,000 from Comptroller’s Snow and Ice budgeted reserves to the Police Patrol- Regular Overtime account
• Transfer the $125,000 from the Newton Free Library – Full Time Salaries to the Library Building Maintenance – Electricity
• Transfer and expend $200,000 from the PEG Access and Cable Related Fund to the Newton Communications Access Center, Inc (NewTV)
• Appropriate and expend $500,000 from PEG Access and Cable Related Fund (the “Fund”) to Micro/Network Services – PC Hardware to make improvements to the City’s IT infrastructure.
• Appropriate and expend $296,312.00 from June 30, 2023 Certified Free Cash to Newton Public Schools for student transportation for children who are homeless or in foster care. (Note: A motion for Executive Session may be entertained. Programs and Services to meet on June 5.)
• Appropriate and expend $200,000 from the Stormwater Management Operating Reserve FY2024 Operating Budget to fund the design and installation of a subsurface system that will manage stormwater from Myrtle Street and McGrath Park
• Transfer funds from several DPW Accounts resulting from FY24 savings in various DPW accounts as a part of the City’s Accelerated Roads Program:
  • DPW Streets- Full Time Wages: $500,000
  • DPW Snow & Ice- Overtime: $250,000
  • DPW Snow & Ice- Contractors: $200,000
  • Comptroller’s- Snow/Ice Reserve: $1,050,000
• Appropriate and expend $2,888,274.38 from June 30, 2023, Certified Free Cash to the Accelerated Roads program- Paving Supplies to support the City’s Transportation Network Improvement Program
• Appropriate and expend $3,200,000 and authorize a general obligation borrowing of an equal amount for the Water Main Improvements in FY25 and authorization to apply any premium received upon the sale of the bonds or notes, less the cost of preparing, issuing, and marketing them, and any accrued interest received upon the delivery of the bonds or notes to the costs of the project and to reduce the amount authorized to be borrowed for the project by like amount.
• Rescind the $3,200,000 bond authorization for FY23 water main repair and replacement project as approved by Council Order #294-22 on May 16, 2022, and appropriate and expend $3,200,000 from the water fund undesignated fund balance for the same purpose.
• Rescind $5 million of the $10 million bond authorization for the water meter system replacement project as approved as part of Council Order #170-22 on April 19, 2022, and appropriate a total of $5 million from the water and sewer undesignated fund balances for the same purpose.
• Transfer and expend the sum of $25,000 from Stormwater – Current Year Reserves to Stormwater System – Health Insurance.
• Rescind the below previous bond authorizations, as they re no longer required:
  • Zervas Elementary School Construction: $1,505,182
  • Bigelow Boiler Replacement 2019: $319,860
  • FA Day Boilers: $131,484
  • Newton Early Childhood Program: $3,776
  • Countryside Feasibility Study: $1,250,000
• Transfer any unexpected General Fund municipal health insurance funds remaining as of June 30, 2023 into the Health Insurance Trust Fund.

Real Property Reuse will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Wednesday, June 12 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following:

• Recommendation that the 8 parking spaces on City-owned property at 25 Chestnut Street, should be made available for sale or lease, pursuant to the City of Newton Ordinances Section 2-7.
• Recommendation that the 36,356 sq. ft. City owned parcel of land known as 169 Grove Street and 136 Hancock Street, should be made available for sale or lease, pursuant to the City of Newton Ordinances Section 2-7.

Traffic Council will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Thursday, June 13 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following requests:

• An accessible parking space in front of 8 Mechanic Street.
• Parking prohibition on one side of Keyes Street.
• Add a stop sign at the T intersection at the end of Adams Avenue as it intersects with Cherry Street. Note that this item does not request to add stop signs on Cherry Street itself.
• Siimplify the parking regulations along the east side of Walnut Street, starting at a point approximately 300 feet north of Washington Street and ending at Turner Street/
• Add a STOP sign to the Locksley Road eastbound approach to Hereward Road.
• Modify Sec. TPR194. Time limits in municipal off-street parking areas, and possibly to modify Sec. TPR-176. Parking regulations pertaining to particular streets, in order to move forward with a long-term trial of a parking permit plan for Newton Centre employees. NOTE: Held for a trial to modify the regulations of selected parking meters in Newton Centre, in order to reserve certain parking meters for vehicles that display a Newton Centre Employee Parking Permit. The number and location of reserved parking meters will be approved by the Commissioner of Public Works in conjunction with the Traffic Bureau Chief and may be modified as part of this long-term trial.
• Increase by one space the number of accessible parking spaces located in the Cypress Street Parking Lot in Newton Centre.
• Add a new stop sign at the intersection of Drumlin Road at Dudley Road.
• Add a new stop sign at the intersection of Drumlin Road at Hartman Road.
• Add a stop sign at the T intersection at the end of Lincoln Road as it intersects with Crafts Street. Note that this item does not request to add stop signs on Crafts Street itself.
• Officially add the two stop signs into the TPR that are currently posted on Los Angeles Street as it intersects with California Street. Note that this item does not request to add stop signs on California Street itself.