Highlights this week…
- City Council …considering proposed revision of Northland Special Permit to convert office space to residential
- City Council …holding public hearings on water/sewer rates, Capital Improvement Plan, and Supplemental Capital Improvement Plan
- Programs & Services and Finance: …reviewing the proposed School Department budget
- School Committee …holding a public hearing and possibly voting on School Choice
- Nomination papers …to run for City Council or School Committee are available, with signatures due by July 22
City Council
City Council will meet on Monday and is expected to vote on the following (see Reports Docket):
- Revising Special Permit to eliminate five buildings, convert office space to residential use, increase residential units by 22 units, modify building designs, and alter parking at 55 Tower Road (Northland), postponed from previous meeting
- Authorizing submission of FY26-30 Consolidated Plan, 2025 Revised Citizen Participation Plan, and FY2026 Annual Action Plan
- Appointing:
- Michael Alperin to the Newton Affordable Housing Trust
- JJ Kazakoff-Eigen to the BERDO Advisory Commission
- Reappointing:
- Nathan Persampieri to the Commission on Disability
- Stephen Logowitz and Harold W. Adams to the Community Education Commission
- William Dietrich to the Biosafety Committee
- Howard Goldberg and Amy L. MacKrell to the Designer Selection Committee
- Carol S. Schein and Peter J. Barrer to the Design Review Committee
- Appropriating:
- $2,000,000 from Free Cash for FY2026 Health Insurance costs
- $189,300 in CPA funding for architecture, engineering, and investigative expenses for War Memorial Stairs restoration (amended from $214,3000)
- $75,000 in CPA funding for expenses related to deck replacement at the Newton Community Farm
The New Docket includes the following:
- Special Permit Requests to:
- Relocate a driveway from Clark Street to Cloverdale Road and allow parking in the front setback and within five feet of the street at 65 Clark Street
- Construct a 19-stall surface parking lot to serve tenants of 49-55 Chapel Street at 56 Chapel Street
- Allow an oversized wall sign on the rear facade at 1210-1230 Washington Street
- Raze the existing dwelling and construct a new two-story, single-family dwelling, exceeding the maximum FAR and extending the nonconforming side and front setbacks at 270 Derby Street
- Appointing Gregory Ansaldi as Chief Information Officer
- Discussing possible creation of a Welcome to Newton information packet for new resident
- Possible ordinance to manage ground water effects on Newton residents’ homes
- Renaming Oak Hill Park roadways to honor veterans
- Amending ordinances to waive new sidewalk requirement in cases of 50% renovations
- Possible amendment to sidewalk creation requirement
- Increasing the FY2025 FTE in Comptroller’s Office
- Appropriating from Free Cash:
- $4,500,000 to support the City’s Transportation Network Improvement Program
- $250,000 for the Police Headquarters Improvements
- $225,576 for prevailing wage rate adjustment
- $150,000 for Library data wiring
- $150,000 for Fire Station #1/#2 Living Quarters Improvements
- $100,000 for 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 improvements to Jeannette West Recreation Center restroom
- $43,100 for Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons
- Appropriating 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 installation of a heat pump in the Information Technology Department
- $40,000 to purchase equipment for the Emergency Operations Center at Fire Headquarters
- Other expenditures:
- $76,975 for temporary school nursing staff
- $65,000 to settle a worker’s compensation claim
- $40,000 to repair the fountain located within the traffic island at the Chestnut Street and Highland Street intersection
- $10,000 from the Commission on Disability’s H-P Fines Account to purchase a shower chair and two wheelchairs for Gath Pools
- $2,000 from the Commission on Disability’s H-P Fines Account for Disability Pride Month Event
- Accepting grants:
- $17,314 from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and the Massachusetts Department of Fire Safety
- $13,500 from the National Environmental Health Association
- $2,900 from the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services
- Accepting recodified Revised Ordinances, 2022
During the City Council meeting, the Council will meet as a Committee of the Whole and hold public hearings on these agenda items:
- Proposed Water, Sewer and Stormwater Rates
- FY2026 to FY 2030 Capital Improvement Plan
- FY2026-FY2030 Supplemental Capital Improvement Plan
Land Use will meet on Tuesday to conduct public hearings regarding:
- Razing the existing dwelling and construct a two-family dwelling at 50 Braeland Avenue
- Removing an existing driveway and construct a one-story detached two-car garage with a new driveway, at 100 Bellevue Street
- Constructing a 2.5-story addition to the dwelling at 33 Fountain Street
- Operating a community food pantry onsite at 131 Rumford Avenue
- Converting the existing single-car garage into habitable space at 22 Owatonna Street
- Rezoning two parcels and raze the existing dwellings and combine the two lots for the construction of six attached single-family dwellings in three separate buildings with associated parking waivers at 329-331 River Street and 335 River Street
- Razing the existing two-family dwelling and construct three separate single-family dwellings changing the nonconforming residential use with the City Council determining appropriate density and dimensional controls at 329-331 River Street
Public Facilities will meet on Wednesday:
- Petition for a main drain extension near 16 & 17 Chapin Road
Programs and Services will meet on Wednesday regarding:
- Appointing Gregory Ansaldi as Chief Information Officer
- Authorizing $76,975 for temporary school nursing staff
- Appropriatiing $75,000 for Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan
- Department Budget and CIP discussions:
- City Clerk
- City Solicitor
- Veterans Services
- Health and Human Services
- Older Adult Services
Public Safety and Transportation will meet on Wednesday regarding:
- Possible ordinance change on residential parking programs and fee structures
- Possible ordinance change on the categories and levels of parking fines
- Possible action related to parking on-street and in municipal lots
Programs and Services and Finance Committees will meet on Thursday regarding:
- Appropriating $1,170,612 to a non-lapsing account to reduce one-time expenditures for Newton Public Schools
- Appropriating $150,000 from Certified Free Cash for Library data wiring
- School Department Budget and CIP discussion
School Committee
School Committee will meet on Monday regarding:
- Public Hearing on School Choice
- Non-Public/Private School Census Results 2025 and Update on Private School Interviews/Surveys
- Community Survey Data / Student Survey Data Reports
- Policy updates regarding donations, gifts, solicitation, and fundraising
- Appointing a School Attendance Officer
- School Choice: Discussion and possible vote
- Update on FY26 Budget
Negotiations Subcommittee of the School Committee will meet in Executive Session on Tuesday for an impact bargaining session related to structural reorganization.
Boards and Commissions
Newton Cultural Council will meet on Monday to discuss the NCC Community Input Requirement.
Planning and Development Board will meet on Monday regarding possible zoning amendments:
- Maximum residential facade build-out ratio
- Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance
Council on Aging will meet on Tuesday regarding:
- Cooper Center Discussion with Mayor Fuller
- Department of Older Adult Services
Newton Commonwealth Foundation Greens Subcommittee will meet on Wednesday for golf course consultant interviews.
Farm Commission will meet on Thursday regarding:
- Farm Forum
- Farm & Field Operation
- Financials Q1, 2025
- Seedling Sale
- Deck Renovation
- Other Buildings, Grounds, and Infrastructure Issues
Newton Upper Falls Historic District Commission will meet on Thursday regarding:
- Request to replace a roof and install skylights on the barn at 1282-1284 Boylston Street
- Feedback on proposed design for an addition to the existing building and new construction of additional units on the rear of the lot at 981 Chestnut Street
Newton Housing Authority will meet on Friday regarding:
- Haywood House audit review
- Voting on capital improvements
Other
Nomination papers are available at the City Clerk’s office starting May 5. Potential candidates for City Council or School Committee must pick up papers, gather signatures, and return signed papers by July 22. The League of Women Voters of Newton has published resources about How to Run for Office.
Development Review Team (DRT) will meet this week regarding these requests:
- 288 Walnut Street: Increase parking waiver for an existing daycare to allow for increase capacity
- 30 Kingsbury Road: Further extend nonconforming setback
- 50 Auburn Street: An addition in nonconforming side setback
This week’s road construction schedule has not yet been posted.
Ed. Note: We corrected this post to indicate that the City Council will meet on Monday, not Tuesday.
