The Land Use Committee voted to approve the following (see report and watch the meeting video):
- Request to further increase nonconforming FAR and lot coverage at 100 Bellevue Street (8–0). The petitioner will build a detached garage with permeable driveway materials and a new curb cut along Claremont Street. No one spoke at the public hearing. Petition Documents Draft Council Order
- Request to increase FAR and reduce open space at 33 Fountain Street (8–0). The addition includes modest extensions to all three floors, maintaining the Victorian style and earning support from the committee. No one spoke at the public hearing. Petition Documents Draft Council Order
- Request for dimensional waivers at 131 Rumford Avenue (8–0). The Newton Food Pantry will expand its operations at this new donated site, with 25 parking spaces, bike rack, and ADA-compliant facilities. Petition Documents Draft Council Order
- Request to allow parking in the front setback at 22 Owatonna Street (8-0) to convert the existing single-car garage into habitable space, eliminating the parking within the garage resulting two surface parking stalls within the front setback. Three people spoke in support at the public hearing. Petition Documents Draft Council Order
- Request to change from an existing nonconforming residential use to another to allow three separate single-family dwellings on one lot with the City Council determining appropriate density and dimensional controls at 329-331 River Steet (7-0-1, Councilor Lucas abstaining) Public hearing opened with 2 speaking in favor, 2 opposed preferring fewer buildings. Petition Documents Draft Council Order
The Land Use Committee voted to withdraw without prejudice:
- Request to allow six attached single-family dwellings in three buildings and associated parking waivers at 329-331 River Street and 335 River Street (8-0) Petition Documents
The Land Use Committee voted to hold the following:
- Request to exceed FAR at 50 Braeland Avenue (8–0). Councilors and neighbors raised concerns about design compatibility, community outreach, and zoning compliance. An ordinance change caused basement to be included in FAR. “The engineering department missed the retaining walls until late in the process they had to redesign it, which then meant it could not be approved before December 31, 2024, when the new ordinance took effect so that projects are measured from existing grade. As a result they had to count the basement in FAR resulting in them over the FAR threshold.” The house was ‘preferably preserved’ by the Newton Historic Commission. Petitioner has been working with the tree warden and notified the neighbors, but did not show them plans. Petition Documents
Present: Councilors Kelley (Chair), Block, Downs, Farrell, Laredo, Leary, Lobovits, and Lucas
Also Present: Councilor Malakie
City Staff Present: Chief Planner Katie Whewell, Assistant City Solicitor Jonah Temple, Deputy
Chief Planner Cat Kemmet, Senior Planner Joe Iadonisi
