Highlights this week:
- City Council …voting on $2 million grant toward restoration of bell tower of First Baptist Church
- Programs and Services …considering acquiring land from Price Center for access to shared-use path over the Charles River
- Public Facilities …considering requests to install four new gas mains
- School Committee …discussing JSC Transportation incident and 2025-26 school calendar starting before Labor Day
- Parks and Recreation …public hearing about an off-leash area in Walker Park
- Planning and Development …receiving letter of conditional compliance with MBTA Communities Act
- Zoning Board of Appeals …considering enforcement for alleged zoning violations at 16-22 Clinton Street
City Council
City Council will meet on Monday and is expected to vote on the following (see Reports Docket):
- Two postponed items:
- Amend a previously granted special permit to allow additional parking on-site at 120 Norwood Avenue
- Appropriate $2,000,000 for a grant toward restoration of bell tower of First Baptist Church
- Appointments to the Police Chief Selection Committee:
- Council President’s recommendations: Councilor Tarik Lucas and Dr. Lauren Solotar
- Mayor’s recommendations: Karl O’Hara, Michelle Leung, Judge Nancy Holtz, Chief Kevin O’Connell, Derege B. Demissie, and Rabbi Keith Stern
- Grants of location to install and maintain conduit in Wells Avenue and a jointly owned pole in Christina Street
- Appointment of Christopher di Bonaventura as a trustee of the Other Post-Employment Benefits Trust Fund
- Appropriate $14,350 for enforcement, training, and education of Fire Prevention Officers
- Accept grants:
- $50,000 from the FY25 Community Compact for the development of an Economic Development Plan
- $217,800 from MassDOT’s Shared Streets and Spaces Program for BlueBikes bike-share operations
- $585,989 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the purchase of AEDs, training, and fitness/wellness classes
- No Action Necessary for a discussion on private ways; methods for them to become public ways if requested, problems related to private ways; and any possible ordinance changes needed
The New Docket includes the following:
- Three requests for Extension of Time to exercise a previously approved special permits to:
- Allow dimensional relief for the additional paved parking area at 1349 Centre Street
- Construct a rear addition of an attached garage with two stories of living space above at 255 Jackson Street
- Allow an Elder Housing with Services facility in a seven-story building over 20,000 sq. ft. with reduced requirements for parking stall dimensions and lighting at 34, 36, 38, 48, 50 Crafts Street, 19 Court Street and 21 Court Street
- Appointments:
- Deborah Crossley and Charles Eisenberg as associate members of the Zoning Board of Appeals
- Alexander Lee to the Sustainable Materials Management Commission
- JP Nahmias and Patrick Moriarty to the Financial Audit Advisory Committee
- Reappointments:
- Michelle Freshman to the Health and Human Services Advisory Council
- Sam Figler to Newton Commonwealth Foundation
- Alan Gordon to the Sustainable Materials Management Commission
- Antonio Bianchi as a Constable
- A minor technical amendment to the opt-in requirements for Village Center Overlay Districts
- Discussions with:
- Parks, Recreation and Culture about restroom facilities at City fields
- MBTA Advisory Board about the consequences for Newton and the region of underfunding of the MBTA
- MAPC as part of Public Safety & Transportation Committee examination of residential parking management, learn about programs and research from around the country from regional planners
- Four requests for Grants of Location to install and maintain new gas mains at Centre Street (Newton Corner), Walnut Street (Newton Highlands), Washington Street (Auburndale), and Canterbury Road (Newton Highlands)
- Accept $53,015 grant from Massachusetts’ Executive Office of Public Safety & Security to fund traffic safety enforcement overtime and equipment
- Expend $29,056 for rectangular rapid flashing beacon (RRFB) pedestrian signal for the crosswalk across Lowell Avenue at Page Road
- CPC Recommendations to appropriate:
- $17,500 for Phase II of the Midcentury Architectural Survey
- $1,841,719 for a grant to the Newton Affordable Housing Trust for its FY25 funding
- Acquire an 11,210-square-foot portion of the Price Center parking lot at 25-27 Christina Street for $430,000 to be used for access to a new shared-use path bridge over the Charles River
Land Use will meet on Tuesday to consider:
- Requests for Extension of Time to:
- Allow dimensional relief for the additional paved parking area at 1349 Centre Street
- Construct a rear addition of an attached garage with two stories of living space above at 255 Jackson Street
- Allow an Elder Housing with Services facility in a seven-story building over 20,000 sq. ft. with reduced requirements for parking stall dimensions and lighting at 34, 36, 38, 48, 50 Crafts Street, 19 Court Street and 21 Court Street
- Request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approvals to:
- Expand the existing driveway to accommodate two parking stalls at 31 Chase Street
- Convert the existing attached garage into living space, requiring construction of a second parking stall in the driveway at 140 Derby Street
- Construct a dormer allowing a combination of dormers exceeding 50% of the length of the wall below at 67 Chester Street
- Construct three attached single-family dwellings in two separate buildings and surface parking stalls on an undersized lot 56 Chapel Street
- Demolish the existing dwelling and construct four single-family attached dwellings in two buildings at 51 Oak Avenue
Programs and Services will meet on Wednesday to consider:
- Acquiring a 11,210-square-foot portion of the Price Center parking lot at 25-27 Christina Street for $430,000 for access to a new shared-use path bridge over the Charles River
- Reappointment of Michelle Freshman to the Health and Human Services Advisory Council and Sam Figler to Newton Commonwealth Foundation
Public Facilities will meet on Wednesday to consider:
- Appointment of Alexander Lee to the Sustainable Materials Management Commission
- Reappointment of Alan Gordon to the Sustainable Materials Management Commission
- Petitions for grants of location to install and maintain gas mains in Centre Street, Walnut Street, Washington Street, and Canterbury Road
Public Safety and Transportation‘s regularly scheduled meeting has been canceled.
School Committee
School Committee will meet on Monday to consider:
- Superintendent’s Report
- Field Trips
- JSC Transportation Incident
- Private School Transportation
- Budget Adjustments/Update Hiring 2024-25 School Year
- MASC Resolutions & Vote to elect delegate
- FY26 School Year Calendar (Pre-Labor Day start)
Boards and Commissions
OPEB Board of Trustees will meet on Monday to consider:
- Role and responsibilities of the OPEB Trust Fund Board of Trustees
- Update the Segal Group on GASB Statements No. 74 and 75 Accounting Valuation Report
Commission on Disability will meet on Monday to consider:
- Harvest Fair Recap
- Accessible Fines Reports
- Operation Access
- AP7-24 Residential Accessible Parking Petition
- Film Screening Event Dec 12th
- West Newton Cinema
- CDBG Discussion
- NWH Subcommittee Update
- Co-Chairs Corner
Parks and Recreation Commission will meet on Monday to consider:
- Walker Park -Public Hearing- Establishing an off-leash area
- Summer Aquatics Recap
- Commissioner’s Report
- Committee Reports: Community Preservation Committee, Urban Tree Commission
Planning and Development Board will meet on Monday to consider
- Reevaluation and possible amendments to Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance
- Possible amendments to retaining wall regulations for Multi-Family/Commercial/Industrial/Civic Buildings
- Possible amendments to dormer regulations
- Possible amendments to enhance the preservation of existing homes
- MBTA Communities Law Executive Office of Livable Communities Letter of determination of conditional compliance
Newton Housing Partnership will meet on Tuesday to consider:
- Northland Needham Presentation regarding recent updates to the project
- Resident Services: Member discussion
- Mitigation Fees
- FY26-30 Consolidated Plan Needs Assessment
- Strategic Planning
- Project Updates: 78 Crafts Street, 41 Washington Street, Walker Center
Newton Commonwealth Foundation, which operates the municipal golf course, will meet on Tuesday to consider: Sterling Golf report, Drainage Project, Greens Committee, By-laws Committee.
Council on Aging will meet on Tuesday to consider:
- Older Adults Loneliness and Isolation FriendshipWorks Program
- Cooper Center Update Community Project Update Tuesday, November 5
- Needs Assessment Results and Report
- Department of Older Adult Services Director’s Report
Newton Human Rights Commission will meet on Tuesday to consider:
- HRC Ordinance Update
- Student Reports
- Newton Police Department Reports
- Complaints Received
- Programming for 2024 – 2025
- HRC Awards – Honoree
Zoning Board of Appeals will meet on Wednesday to consider:
- A tree house built in violation of the Zoning Ordinance at 17 O’Rourke Path
- Zoning enforcement for alleged violations of the conditions of Special Permits at 16-22 Clinton Street
- Notice of Violation for operating a non-registered short-term rental in violation of the Zoning Ordinance at 21 Newtonville Avenue
Newton Historical Commission will meet on Thursday to consider:
- Violation of Demolition Delay Ordinance at 235 California Street
- Requests for Total Demolition: 27 Pine Street, 5 Bound Brook Road, 825 Centre Street, 27 Indiana Terrace, 1-3 Ashmont Avenue, 11 June Lane, 192-194 Sumner Street, and 200-204 Sumner Street
- Requests for Partial Demolition: 41 Lodge Road, 100 Upland Road
- Requess for Waiver of Demolition Delay: 454 Dudley Road, 28 Farmington Road, 10 Crescent Street, 276 Lexington Street
Other
Election Commission will conduct machine tests in preparation for the November 5 election:
- High Speed Tabulator testing (City Hall, Room 211) on Monday, October 21 at 10AM
- Image Cast/ballot machine testing (City Hall basement, Cafeteria) on Tuesday, October 22 at 9AM
This week’s road construction schedule.
