What’s Up in Newton — Week of 11/10/2024

Highlights this week:

City offices closed on Monday …for Veterans Day (Newton’s ceremony at 11AM)
Finance …considering $2M for NPS Stabilization Fund, $1.8M for Newton Affordable Housing Trust, $1.8M for fire ladder truck replacement, and $1M for PFAS-free firefighter gear
Zoning & Planning …considering amendments to preserve existing homes and regulate the size of new construction
Economic Development Commission …hearing guest speaker Tamara Bliss of NAIOP Massachusetts
Walker Center Joint Advisory Planning Group …taking a straw vote on site scenarios
Public Works …holding a public meeting on the Newton Highlands Village Enhancement project
Development Review Team …considering residential development of 28 acres between Dudley Road and Brandeis Road

City Council

The City Council is not scheduled to meet this week.

Land Use Committee will meet on Tuesday to consider the following requests:

Class 2 Auto Dealers Licenses for: Regans, Newton Auto Group, Newton Centre Shell, Jacob & Associates, Velocity Motors, Stan’s Automotive d/b/a Newton Automotive and Sales, MAP Development & Investments d/b/a Christian Tapia/Master Used Cars, Newton Trade Center Associates, Grand Auto Sales d/b/a KG Motors LLV
Extension of Time to convert a two-family dwelling to a single-family dwelling and convert an accessory building into a second single-family dwelling at 373 Lexington Street
Construction of a two-story rear addition at 16 Chaske Avenue
Waive two parking stalls at 15-17 Playstead Road
Rezone 2 parcels to Multi Residence 1 at 329-331 River Street and 335 River Street
Allow six attached single-family dwellings in three buildings at 329-331 River Street and 335 River Street

Finance Committee will meet on Wednesday to consider:

Appointing Patrick Moriarty to the Financial Audit Advisory Committee
Appropriating:
- $1 million for the Vehicle Replacement Program
- $200,000 for FY25 Traffic Calming projects
- $43,189 to Newton Public Schools from FY24 Helpsy textile recycling funds
- $338,119 for McKinney-Vento Homeless Student Transportation
- $2 million to the NPS Educational Stabilization Fund
- $1,841,720 in CPA funding to the Newton Affordable Housing Trust
- $50,000 for Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) Bottles
- $1 million for PFAS-free firefighter gear
- $75,000 for the Fire Shift Commander’s Vehicle Replacement
- $1.8 million for the Fire Ladder Truck 3 Replacement

Zoning & Planning Committee will meet on Thursday to:

Hold a public hearing with the Planning & Development Board on possible amendments to dormer regulations, retaining wall regulations, and a minor technical amendment to the opt-in
requirements for Village Center Overlay Districts
Appoint Deborah Crossley and Charles Eisenberg as associate members of the Zoning Board of Appeals
Consider possible amendments to enhance the preservation of existing homes over replacement by larger structures and regulate the size of new construction

School Committee

The School Committee is not scheduled to meet this week.

Boards and Commissions

Newton Cultural Council will meet on Tuesday to consider grants at the Cooper Center and the Newton Free Library, the grant application approval letter, and adjudication of grant applications.

Election Commission will conduct a State-mandated audit of Ward 2, Precinct 3 of the November 5, 2024 State Election on Tuesday. The audit is open to the public.

Economic Development Commission will meet on Tuesday to hear guest speaker Tamara Bliss, CEO of NAIOP Massachusetts, and to consider staff updates on business-friendly zoning, economic strategy, and website updates.

Auburndale Historic District Commission will meet on Tuesday to discuss replacement of gas lamps and consider requests for Certificates of Appropriateness to:

Replace a concrete driveway with asphalt at 348 Central Street
Replace a driveway in-kind and install cobblestone aprons and borders at 120 Woodland Road
Demolish chimney, replace roof and existing skylights in-kind, install new skylights and roof vents at 225 Grove Street
Replace sections of cedar fencing in-kind, replace front walkway with pavers, expand driveway and replace asphalt with pavers, and add decorative masonry columns at the front at 99 Hancock Street
Expand front walkway and replace the brick with cobblestone, replace front entry landing with cobblestone riser and granite, and add cobblestone apron to the driveway at 256 Woodland Road
Amend the previously approved plans for 24 Robin Dell and 120 Seminary Avenue
Remediate work to install fencing at 71 Studio Road

Human Rights Commission will meet on Tuesday to consider:

Student reports, Police report, and complaints received
HRC Awards ceremony December 3: Nominations & Select Honoree
Open Meeting Law & Email Communication Between Commissioners
Addressing Anti-Semitism in Newton & Beyond
Restore Newton
Student Representation
Programming / Goal Setting for 2025

Urban Design Commission will meet on Wednesday to consider:

Sign Permits for The Green Lady Cannabis Dispensary, Holistic Nails Art, 7-Eleven, Kindernest Montessori, Gracie, Benchmark, Ferguson Home, Camp Schodack, Dunkin’, and John W. Weeks House
Design Review: 1599 Washington Street – Internal Accessory Dwelling Unit

Planning and Development Board will meet with the Zoning and Planning Committee on Thursday to consider possible amendments to dormer regulations and retaining wall regulations, and a minor technical amendment to the opt-in requirements for Village Center Overly Districts

Newton Upper Falls Historic District will meet on Thursday to consider requests for a Certificate of Appropriateness to:

Add fencing at the back of the property at 1036-1038 Chestnut Street
Replace windows at 83A High Street
Renovate the existing building and add dormers, windows, carport, hardscaping, sign, and site changes at 44 Oak Street
Renovate and add on to the existing building, build a new multi-unit building and add driveway and hardscaping at 981 Chestnut Street

Walker Center Joint Advisory Planning Group will meet on Thursday for:

Review of Alternative Site Scenarios/Committee and Staff Feedback
Straw Votes to Establish Preferred Alternatives

Urban Tree Commission will meet on Friday to consider an update from the Forestry Department and tree-removal requests.

City Department Meetings

Public Works will hold Public Meeting #6 for the Newton Highlands Village Enhancement Project on Thursday.

City Clerk’s Office will conduct post-election tabulation of ballots from each precinct for the November 5 State Election on Wednesday. The tabulation is open to the public.

Development Review Team (DRT) will meet to review plans for residential development of three parcels totaling about 28 acres between Dudley Road and Brandeis Road.

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