Highlights this week…
- Patriots Day on Monday …with Boston Marathon running and City offices closed. (Trash/recycling delayed one day all week.)
- Mayor Fuller …presenting the Mayor’s FY26 Budget Address to City Council on Tuesday
- April Spring Recess …Newton Public Schools closed all week
- Programs & Services …reviewing budgets for Information Technology, Historic Newton, Library, and Parks, Recreation and Culture
City Council
City Council will meet on Tuesday at 7PM (earlier that usual). Mayor Fuller will give the Mayor’s FY26 Budget Address. Council is expected to vote on the following (see Reports Docket):
- Possible amendments to Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Ordinance, by Mayor and by Committee, deferred from previous meeting
- Allowing a Marijuana Transporter at 16 Maguire Court
- Amending a special permit to allow a three-story structure at 148 Auburndale Avenue
- Allowing a new two-family dwelling exceeding FAR at 71 Commonwealth Avenue
- Allowing four attached single-family dwellings with dimensional and parking waivers at 640 Watertown Street
- Allowing a rear addition of two dwelling units resulting in four attached single-family dwellings at 75 Prescott Street
- Amending the Northland Special Permit to eliminate five buildings, convert Building 1 from office space to residential use, increase the number of residential units by 22 units, modify building designs of certain proposed buildings, and alter surface and structured parking at 55 Tower Road
- Appointing:
- Copelotti to the Economic Development Commission
- David Hedison, Mark Clay, and Dante Capasso to the BERDO Advisory Commission
- Rabbi Keith Stern as Newton Library Trustee
- Michelle Howard-Sparks to the Institutional Biosafety Committee
- Resolution to recognize the Newton Cultural Council
- Approve 2025 Preliminary Election date of Tuesday, September 9, 2025
- No Action Necessary re: Discussion on the Transportation Network Improvement Plan
- Accepting $59,400 from the Angier Elementary School PTO for a playground improvements
- Appropriating $28,763 from Free Cash for a Veterans Services legal settlement
- Accepting external audit reports submitted by the Comptroller
The New Docket includes the following:
- Public Hearings regarding permission to:
- Raze a two-family dwelling and construct three separate single-family dwellings at 329-331 River Street
- Allow parking in the front setback at 22 Owatanna Street
- Raze existing dwelling and construct a two-family dwelling at 50 Braeland Avenue
- Remove existing driveway and construct a one-story detached two-car garage with new driveway at 100 Bellevue Street
- Construct a 2.5-story addition at 33 Fountain Street
- Operate a community food pantry onsite, with waivers for parking at 131 Rumford Avenue
- Reappointments:
- Nathan Persampieri to the Commission on Disability
- Stephen Logowitz and Harold W. Adams to the Community Education Commission
- William Dietrich to the Biosafety Committee
- Amy L. MacKrell and Howard Goldberg to the Designer Selection Committee
- Carol S. Schein, Peter J. Barrer, and David Gillespie to the Design Review Committee
- Appropriations from Free Cash:
- $3,000,000 to support the City’s Transportation Network Improvement Program (for a total of $4,500,000 when combined with $1,500,000 from snow and ice reserves)
- $2,525,000 to complete priority school facility projects throughout the district
- $2,000,000 toward a significant increase in FY2026 Health Insurance costs
- $1,170,612 to reduce one-time expenditures of Newton Public Schools
- $250,000 for Police Headquarters Improvements
- $225,576 for prevailing wage rate adjustment under City’s contract with Waste Management
- $150,000 for living quarters improvements at Fire Stations #1 and #2
- $150,000 for Library data wiring to improve connectivity, security, and speed
- $100,000 for a second trailer at the Rumford Avenue Resource Recovery Center
- $90,000 for a new plow truck for the Newton Fire Department
- $75,000 for the Newton Centre Tree Lighting project
- $75,000 for Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan
- $50,000 for restroom improvements at Jeannete West Recreation Center
- $43,100 for Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons
- Appropriations from Budget Reserve:
- $160,000 for City Hall Elevator Modernization project
- $150,000 for City Hall Boiler Condensate Tank
- $100,000 for Inspectional Services HVAC Improvements
- $50,000 for a heat pump in the Information Technology Department
- $40,000 for equipment for the Emergency Operations Center at Fire Headquarters
- Other appropriations:
- $76,975 from the Clinical Health account for temporary school nursing staff
- $65,000 to settle a worker’s compensation claim
- $40,000 to repair the fountain on traffic island at the Chestnut Street and Highland Srreet
- Ordinance amendment to create Department of Sustainability
- Increase in the FY2025 FTE in Comptroller’s Office from 6.4 to 7 FTEs
- Submittal of FY26-30 Consolidated Plan, 2025 Revised Citizen Participation Plan, and FY2026 Annual Action Plan
- $13,500 grant from the National Environmental Health Association to improve the City’s conformance with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Voluntary National Retail Food Program Standards
Public Facilities will meet on Wednesday:
- Update on Planning and Construction of Bullough’s Pond Dam
- Budget Review: Department of Public Works (DPW)
- Appropriation requests from Free Cash
- $3,000,000 to support the City’s Transportation Network Improvement Program (for a total of $4,500,000 when combined with $1,500,000 from snow and ice reserves)
- $225,576 to fully fund the prevailing wage rate adjustment under City’s contract with Waste Management
- $100,000 to purchase and install a second trailer at the Rumford Avenue Resource Recovery Center
- $43,100 for Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) at prioritized crosswalk locations
- Reappointments to the Designer Selection Committee:
- Howard Goldberg, Amy L. MacKrell, Carol S. Schein, Peter J. Barrer, and David Gillespie.
Programs and Services will meet on Thursday:
- Reappointments:
- Nathan Persampieri to the Commission on Disability
- Stephen Logowitz and Harold W. Adams to the Community Education Commission
- William Dietrich to the Biosafety Committee
- Budget Review: Information Technology, Historic Newton, Library, and Parks, Recreation and Culture
School Committee
School Committee will not meet this week. Schools are closed for April Spring Recess.
Boards and Commissions
Newton Commonwealth Foundation, which manages the municipal golf course, will meet on Tuesday to consider Hole # 9 and Hole # 13, Maintenance Building renovation, Bunker Renovation, and RFP for Golf Course Management Contract.
Newton Health Advisory Council will meet on Tuesday regarding:
- Mental Health May
- FDA Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards
- Vaccines for Children program
- Role of the Health Advisory Council and goals for FY26
Newton Retirement Board will meet on Tuesday to review preliminary results of the January 1, 2025 actuarial valuation of the Newton Retirement System, among other items.
Newton Citizens Commission on Energy will meet on Wednesday regarding Garland Road, Community Survey, and other items.
Conservation Commission will meet on Thursday for public hearings regarding:
- Erosion control at 85 Dudley Road.
- Multi-family residential 40B development project at 528 Boylston Street
- Refurbishing the Crystal Lake beach area at 20-30 Rogers Street
- New deck at rear of single-family home at 111 Truman Street
- Tear-down and new build of a single-family home at 790 Watertown Street
- Synthetic turf replacement at the Fessenden School at 250 Waltham Street
- MBTA Green Line Hi Speed Test Track at the MBTA Right of Way between Chestnut Hill and Newton Centre
- Backyard landscape renovation at 240 Old Farm Road
Newton Historical Commission will meet on Thursday regarding:
- Local Landmark Nomination: 132-136 Adams Street (Columbus Hall)
- Local Landmark Review: 145 Warren Street
- 3 Total Demolition Requests: 214 Auburn Street, 1535 Beacon Street, 886-888 Chestnut Street
- 5 Partial Demolition Requests: 48 Erie Avenue, 19 Quirk Court, 194 Winslow Road, 20 Marlboro Street, 156 Highland Street
- 3 Requests for Waiver of Demolition Delay: 31 Emerald Street, 22 Arden Road, 123 Langley Road
Other
Boston Marathon takes place on Monday, on Patriots Day.
- City offices are closed.
- Various streets will be closed to vehicles and parking.
- Pedestrian access between north and south sides of the Marathon route will be very limited and at times closed, requiring detours via public transportation.
- Collection of trash and recycling is delayed one day throughout the week.
Development Review Team (DRT) will meet this week regarding these requests:
- 483 Dedham Street: Amend existing special permit to make changes to parking.
- 776 Beacon Street: Reduce existing parking lot by 2 stalls, with parking waiver.
- 1445 Commonwealth Avenue: Addition to increase nonconforming FAR, side setback.
This week’s road construction schedule.
Ed. Note: We corrected the date of the Mayor’s Budget Address in the Highlights section and the date of the Retirement Board meeting.
