Highlights this week…
- City Offices …closed on Monday for Labor Day
- City Council …meeting Tuesday as a Committee of the Whole regarding Bullough’s Pond Dam
- Schools …first day of school on Tuesday
City Council
City Council will meet on Tuesday and is expected to vote on the following (see Reports Docket):
- A main drain extension at 132 Homer Street near Chapin Road
- Appointment of Travis Salters to the Newton Historical Commission
- Requests to allow:
- Three single-family attached dwellings, parking relief and retaining walls at 790 Watertown Street
- Second-story addition over the garage and a 237-sq -ft. addition at 25 Freeman Street
- Parking for up to 80 students and 13 employees at 288 Walnut Street
- Two-story rear addition extending the nonconforming height at 163 Lincoln Street
- Retaining wall exceeding four feet in height at 157 Baldpate Hill Road
The New Docket includes the following:
- Two requests for Class 2 Auto Dealers Licenses: Atlantic Car Connect (207 River Street) and Prestige Auto Imports (78 Truman Road)
- Appointments:
- Denise Lisio to the Newtonville Historic District Commission
- David Boronkay to the Newton Upper Falls Historic District Commission
- Chloe Lyons, Hanano Futai, Simbarashe Makura, and Gassia Minassian to the Youth Commission
- Reappointments:
- Philip Plottel to the Economic Development Commission
- Nancy Grissom to the Newton Historical Commission
- Randall Johnson to the Parks and Recreation Commission
- Marjorie Butler to the Newton Election Commission
- Setting Early Voting Hours for the November 4 Municipal Election
- Supporting state legislation to establish a Climate Change Superfund
- Grants of location to install and maintain:
- Anchor guy on pole on the westerly side of Centre Street
- Approximately 30 feet of conduit in Washington Street
- Authorization to enter into a contract for the Greater Boston bike-share system
- $23,400 grant from the Executive Office of Public Safety & Security for Emergency Dispatch for covering the cost of expert case review and reporting of Emergency Medical Dispatch calls
- Grant from the MassDOT Vulnerable Road User Assessment Program for Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons
- $378,505 grant from the Boston Metropolitan Organization for bicycle racks, bike shelters, and installation of Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons
- $249,295 grant from MassDOT Shared Streets and Spaces for four new BlueBikes stations, piloting winter operations, and optimizing locations by relocating under-performing stations
- Appropriating $152,255 for an LED Lighting Project at the Newton Education Center
Committee of the Whole: The City Council will meet as a Committee of the Whole immediately following the regularly scheduled City Council meeting to discuss the Bullough’s Pond Dam Rehabilitation Project.
Programs and Services will meet on Wednesday regarding:
- Setting Early Voting dates/times for the November 4, 2025 Municipal Election
- Discussion with Parks, Recreation and Culture about restroom facilities at City fields
- Appointments:
- Susan Lyon to the Urban Tree Commission
- Jesse King to the Commission on Disability
- Elijah Lavin to the Human Rights Commission
- Reappointments:
- Jane Brown to the Commission on Disability
- Sheila Butts to the Parks & Recreation Commission
- Thomas Elkind to the Newton Commonwealth Foundation
Public Facilities will meet on Wednesday regarding:
- Request for a main drain extension at 132 Homer Street near Chapin Road
- Discussion with the Department of Public Works about standard road work procedures
- Requests for grants of location to install and maintain:
- Gas main in Washington Street
- Conduit in Washington Street
- Anchor guy on pole on the westerly side of Centre Street
- Gas main in Colgate Road and Hagar Street
Public Safety and Transportation will meet on Wednesday regarding:
- Authorizing the installation and operation of cameras on school buses to enforce violations when a vehicle illegally passes a bus that has stopped to allow students to get on or off
School Committee
The first day of school is Tuesday, September 2.
School Committee will meet in Executive Session on Tuesday to discuss litigation strategy regarding an “imminently threatened and demonstrably likely impending labor litigation matter.”
Boards and Commissions
Newton Cultural Council Grantee Reception Working Group will meet on Wednesday regarding updates for the Newton Cultural Council’s Grantee Reception.
Farm Commission will meet on Thursday regarding:
- Farm & Field Operation
- Financials Q2, 2025
- Draft Five-Year Review Recommendation
- Farm Programming & Events
- Deck Renovation
- Other Buildings, Grounds, and Infrastructure Issues
- Filling Vacancies on the Farm Commission
Newton Highlands Neighborhood Area Council will meet on Thursday regarding:
- Area Council elections / nomination papers brief updates
- Village Enhancement Project
- Website
WestMetro HOME Consortium will meet on Thursday regarding:
- HOME-ARP Update
- Consolidated Pool
- Fair Housing Testing Program Update
- HOME Monitoring and Subrecipient Monitoring
- Subrecipient Agreements
Other
Cooper Center Monthly Update will be held virtually on Tuesday, September 2 at 6PM. Register for Zoom.
Development Review Team (DRT) will meet regarding these potential projects/proposals:
- 19 Highland Avenue: Construction of a new 4.5-story building for approximately 26 home-ownership units on a 19,226-sq-ft parcel at rear of site and renovation of the historic church building to create approximately 5 ownership units on a new, 13,380-sq-ft parcel at the front of the site, with 50 underground parking stalls will be provided for both buildings.
- 321 Linwood Avenue: Construction of rear 16’x10’ three-season porch, requiring setback relief.
- 30-32 Braeland Avenue: Three single-family attached dwelling units.
This week’s road construction schedule has not yet been posted.
