Finance will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Monday, September 9 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following:
- Request to accept and expend $60,000 of FY25 Municipal Road Safety Grant funding from the Executive Office of Public Safety & Security’s Office of Grants and Research
- Request to accept $302,922 of FY25 Support & Incentive Grant funding from the Executive Office of Public Safety & Security’s State 911 Department to assist with 911 Dispatch operations
- Request to appropriate and expend $7,416.12 from the Judgements and Settlements Account for the full and final settlement of A.M. (a minor) v. City of Newton (City claim file no. 22-001)
- Request to appropriate and expend $25,000 from the Ch. 148A ISD Fines-Court Fines for continuing education and training of our inspectors
- Request to appropriate and expand S105,253 from the Energy Stabilization Fund to fund an LED Lighting Project at Newton South High School
- Request to accept and expend $93,376 from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s 2024 Financial Assistance Application for Drinking Water Lead Service Line Replacement Planning Project program.
- Request to transfer and expend $215,000 from Trio mitigation funds, identified in Council Order #96 17, Condition #6, for the purchase and installation of new traffic signal equipment at the Lowell Avenue/Washington Street intersection
- Request to borrow $4,403,000 in an interest-free loan, payable in 1/10 installments over 10 years, from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) Sewer Infiltration/Inflow Local Financial Assistance Program Phase 15, loan program for the design and construction of Sewer CIP Project 10
- Request to borrow $1,957,300 in an interest free loan, payable in 1/10 installments over 10 years, from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) Phase 4 water loan program
- Recommendation to appropriate $121,621.62 in Community Preservation Act funding be appropriated from the FY24 Open Space Reserve Funds and $28,378.38 from the CPA unrestricted fund balance for the creation of Spears Park Community Garden. (NOTE: Programs and Services Committee voted to amend the amounts to $121,734.56 and $28,265.44 at its 8/14/2024 meeting.)
- Reappointment of Jeffrey Silton as a Constable
Zoning and Planning will meet in person (Room 204) and virtually (Zoom link) on Monday, September 9 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following:
- Recommendation from the Community Preservation Committee to appropriate $2,000,000 with $280,000 from the Historic Funds Balance, $500,000 from Historic Budgeted Reserves and $1,000,000 FY25 Unrestricted Fund Balance for a grant to the First Baptist Church for the restoration of their bell tower
- Recommendation from the Community Preservation Committee to appropriate $650,000 from the Historic Fund Balance for a grant to the Newton Family Access for the renovation of the historic former Davis School Building, which will allow for necessary code-related upgrades
- Request for a discussion and possible amendments to Chapter 30 Zoning or other City Ordinances to enhance the preservation of existing homes over their replacement by larger and more expensive structures (see Planning Memo)
- Request for a discussion with the Planning Department to consider ordinance amendments that would revise the metrics in the 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 (see Planning Memo)
Land Use will meet in person (Council Chamber) and virtually (Zoom link) on Tuesday, September 10 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following:
- Three requests for an Extension of Time to Exercise a Previously Approved Special Permit to:
- Allow a rear lot subdivision to construct a single-family dwelling, relocate the existing dwelling forward, and waive the definition of “rear-lot” at 113 Grove Street (see Special Permit documents)
- Raze the dwelling and construct a four-unit three-story multi-family dwelling with garage parking for seven vehicles at 107-109 Elliot Street (see Special Permit documents)
- Raze the existing dwelling and construct a three- story, three-unit multi-family dwelling with surface parking for three vehicles at 43 Crafts Street (see Special Permit documents)
- Request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to construct a second-story addition over an existing sunroom, vertically extending the nonconforming side setback, at 228 Grove Street (see Special Permit documents and Planning Memo)
- Request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to waive two parking stalls at 15-17 Playstead Road (see Special Permit documents and Planning Memo)
- Request to construct basement, first-, and second-story additions, exceeding FAR and reconstruct the roof of the detached garage and add a roof deck and extending the nonconforming front setback of both structures at 35 Hood Street (see Special Permit documents and Planning Memo)
- Request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to construct a larger front landing and new steps, extending the nonconforming front setback at 98 Parker Avenue (see Special Permit documents and Planning Memo)
- Request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to demolish the existing structures, combine the lots into one 10,578 square foot lot, and construct four residential dwelling units in one building consisting of three stories and greater than 24 feet in height at 340 River Street and 76 Lexington Street (see Special Permit documents and Planning Memo)
Traffic Council will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Thursday, September 12 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following requests:
- An accessible parking space in front of 15 Crystal Street
- An accessible parking space in front of 25 Lincoln Road
- An accessible parking space in front of 21 Newbury Street
- A stop sign at the end of Emerson Street, southbound, where it intersects with Pearl Street
- A change to the parking regulations on Phillips Lane, including the addition of Phillips Lane into the Newtonville Neighborhood Parking District (Note: Phillips Lane is a private way, but all properties abutting Phillips Lane are included in this request.)
- A discussion and a possible change to the parking regulations on Russell Road
- A discussion and possible action to change the official parking regulations on Nonantum Place, the section of Charlesbank Road between Saint James Street and Centre Street, and potentially Jefferson Street, Russell Road and Maple Street (This discussion is likely to include whether to remove or modify the current parking meter zones on Charlesbank Road and whether to modify the resident-only permit zones on Nonantum Place and Charlesbank Road in some way, with a goal of improving consistency and on-street parking availability to residents of Russell Road, Charlesbank Terrace, Orchard Street, Jefferson Street and other streets in the immediate neighborhood.)