Zoning and Planning will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Monday, July 22 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following:
- Appointments:
- Timothy LeBlanc to the Newtonville Historic District Commission
- Nancy Greenberg to the Chestnut Hill Historic District Commission
- David Boronkay to the Newton Upper Falls Historic District Commission
- Ed Olhava to the Community Preservation Committee
- Requests for:
- Discussion and possible amendments to Chapter 30, Zoning to require that building height is measured from original grade instead of finished grade. See Planning Memo.
- Discussion and possible amendments to enhance the preservation of existing homes over their replacement by larger and more expensive structures. See Planning Memo.
- Amending the setbacks in the MR zones to encourage preservation of existing buildings, 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.
- Discussion and ordinance to require large property owners (campuses and large commercial buildings) to report energy use and associated greenhouse gas emissions annually to the City of Newton, to encourage reductions in energy use and greenhouse gas emissions – BERDO.
Land Use will meet virtually (Zoom link) and in person (City Hall, Room 205) on Tuesday, July 23 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following requests:
- Consistency ruling for 298-304 Elliot Street with changes requested including the addition and configuration of retaining walls, a patio, and a minor increase in the footprint of an accessory building. See Planning Memo.
- Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to remove portions of an old addition, remodel the interior and construct an oversized dormer allowing for attic access at 44 Erie Avenue. See Special Permit documents and Planning Memo.
- Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to construct a one-story attached two-car garage which will further extend the nonconforming side setback and further reduce the nonconforming open space 16 Braeland Avenue. See Special Permit documents and Planning Memo.
- Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to construct a full second story on the dwelling, vertically extending both nonconforming front setbacks at 224 Adams Avenue. See Special Permit documents and Planning Memo.
- Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to construct a 1,426 square foot, two-story addition which further extends the nonconforming FAR at 29 Trowbridge Avenue. See Special Permit documents and Planning Memo.
- Amend Special Permit #176-19 to allow for as built changes to the approved site plan, for additional relief to allow a garage exceeding 700 square feet, to exceed FAR, and for retaining walls exceeding four feet in height at 1188 Chestnut Street. See Special Permit documents and Plannning Memo.
Traffic Council will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Thursday, July 25 at 7PM. The agenda includes taking public comment on the following requests:
- Removal of one metered parking space on Herrick Road at the request of the Newton Fire Department to provide emergency vehicular access to a 9-unit multifamily dwelling recently constructed at 39 Herrick Road
- Restrict parking on both sides of Lowell Avenue, beginning at Page Road and heading 100 southerly, to optimize crosswalk visibility and provide maneuvering around DPW’s flex post installation
- Change the parking regulations on the segment of Woodbine Street to the north of Commonwealth Avenue, possibly by adding it into the Auburndale Village Parking District
- Change the parking regulations listed in Sec. TPR-194 (Time limits in municipal off-street parking areas) as NewMo vehicles will no longer require any reserved parking spaces in the Lexington Street Public Parking Lot in Auburndale
- Temporary and permanent changes in terms of the location and duration of public parking spaces, and other changes to the Traffic and Parking Regulations including changes to traffic circulation along the section of Washington Street between Lowell Avenue and Chestnut Street, to include abutting blocks of intersecting streets, in order to facilitate the Washington Street pilot project
- Rescind the 35mph regulatory speed limit along the section of Washington Street between Lowell Avenue and Chestnut Street, in order to facilitate the Washington Street pilot project
- A trial to modify parking regulations on streets near the Education Center in order to facilitate the solar canopy project in the Education Center parking lot. Changes to parking regulations may be needed for several months on certain streets within a 5-6 minute walk of the Education Center. Once the project is complete, parking regulations will revert back to the official parking regulations, as listed in Newton’s Traffic and Parking Regulations.
- A trial to modify parking regulations on streets near the Brown and Oak Hill Middle Schools in order to facilitate solar canopy projects, including within the Wheeler Road and Winston Road parking areas. Changes to parking regulations may be needed for several months on certain streets within a 5-6 minute walk of either the Oak Hill or Brown Middle School. Once the project is complete, parking regulations will revert back to the official parking regulations, as listed in Newton’s Traffic and Parking Regulations