Highlights this week…
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day …On Monday. Newton’s 57th Annual Community Celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. in the morning at FUUSN. City Hall offices and Resource Recovery Center at Rumford Avenue will be closed. The schedule for trash and recycling pickup will be delayed one day.
- City Council …considering prohibiting sale of tobacco to anyone born on or after March 1, 2004
- City Council …considering Programs and Services’ recommended denial of appointment of W. David Power to Election Commission
- Programs and Services …getting an update on the City Seal Redesign
City Council
City Council will meet on Tuesday. The Council is expected to vote on the following (see Reports Docket):
- Amending retaining wall regulations for Multi-Family/Commercial/Industrial/Civic Buildings
- Appointing:
- Christopher Pitt to the Planning and Development Board
- Armine Freeman, Evelyn Shih, Leyla Gustin, and Naman Dadlani to the Youth Commission
- Re-appointing Rhiannon Esposito to the Youth Commission
- Moving Ward 3, Precinct 2 Polling Location from Temple Shalom to The Warren House (1600 Washington Street)
- Prohibiting the sale of tobacco in Newton to anyone born on or after March 1, 2004
- Appropriating $183,395 for March 2025 Special Election for vacant Ward 7 School Committee seat
- Accepting $500,000 reimbursable grant from the MassDOT’s Complete Streets Program to provide sidewalks along the north side of Nahanton Street from Wells Avenue to Dedham Street and improve the Wells Avenue/Nahanton Street intersection for pedestrians
- Accepting grant of up to $250,000 from Newton Little League for sport lighting for Murphy Field at Albemarle Park and for other field improvements
- Expending $10,000 for the full and final settlement of Weberson Pinto v. City of Newton
- Public Hearings set for:
- Amendments to Newton’s Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) ordinance to comply with Mass. Zoning Act
- Sell or lease 8 parking spaces on City-owned property at 25 Chestnut Street (Police Headquarters Annex)
- Programs and Services Committee recommending denial of the appointment of W. David Power to the Election Commission
The New Docket includes the following requests:
- Allow advertisement of the on-site cafe, additional signage on a stone wall at the front of the property, and to a third secondary wall sign at 269-287 Grove Street
- Raze nonconforming two-family dwelling and construct a new two-family dwelling at 273-275 Webster Street
- Amend the Northland Special Permit to eliminate five buildings, convert Building 1 from office space to residential use, increase the number of residential units by 22 units, modify building designs of certain proposed buildings, and alter surface and structured parking at 55 Tower Road, also known as 400 Main Street
- Class 2 Auto Dealer License for New England Motor Mart, 1211 Washington Street
- Appoint Claire Wadlington to the Newton Community Education Commission
- Traffic Council Chair’s annual report of the work of Traffic Council for 2024
- Authorization to negotiate leases for installation of solar panels on City properties
- Transfer and expend $393,900 to fund the collective bargaining agreements recently settled
- Accept $25,600 grant from Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency for technology updates in the Emergency Operations Center
Programs and Services will meet on Wednesday to consider:
- Appointing Sam Figler to the Licensing Board
- Appointing Claire Wadlington to the Newton Community Education Commission
- City Seal Redesign
Public Safety and Transportation will meet on Wednesday for:
- Traffic Council Chair’s annual report of the work of Traffic Council for 2024
- Discussion with the Police Department of police data, including crashes, types of calls, numbers, and dispositions
Public Facilities will meet on Wednesday for:
- Discussion with the Department of Public Works about resident preparation for unanticipated water bills
- Discussion with the Utilities Division regarding to non-working water meter transponders
- Discussion with Director of Planning, Commissioner of DPW, or their designees on what metrics will be used for the Washington Street pilot
- Authorization to negotiate leases for install of solar panels on City properties
School Committee
School Committee will meet in Executive Session on Tuesday to conduct strategy session regarding negotiations for the Superintendent of Schools contract.
Boards and Commissions
Newton Affordable Housing Trust will meet on Tuesday for:
- Final Review and vote on Winn Companies’ Newton Gardens Project funding application
- Feasibility consultant RFP meetings with Dream Collaborative and Davis Square Architects
Newton Community Education Commission will meet on Tuesday to discuss:
- Visiting adult classes at NNHS
- Team Check in
- Adult Program and Travel
- Executive Summary
- Review Finance
Board of License Commissioners will meet on Tuesday to consider requests for:
- One-day temporary entertainment license requests for concerts on January 26 and March 9 at Newton City Hall, War Memorial
- New common victualler licenses for CAVA at 220 Boylston Street and River Street Eatery at 69 River Street
- New all-alcohol package store license for Gordon’s Fine Wines & Liquors at 31 Austin Street
- New all alcohol restaurant license and new common victualler license for Forty Carrots at Bloomingdale’s at 225 Boylston Street
Newton Human Rights Commission will meet on Tuesday to consider:
- Student Reports and Newton Police Department Reports
- Complaints Received
- HRC Awards- Debrief
- Open Meeting Law & Email Communication Between Commissioners
- Addressing Anti-Semitism in Newton & Beyond
- Restore Newton
- Student Representation
- Programming / Goal Setting for 2025
- Public Comment
Newton Free Library Board of Trustees will meet on Wednesday.
- Purchasing Procedures
- President’s Report: Board Vacancy, Committee Assignments
- Director’s Report: Fines Free Report, 150th Anniversary Plans, Strategic Planning, FY26 Budget Preparations
- Nominating & Governance Committee’s Report: Director Performance Evaluation
- Treasurer’s Report: Q2 investment and budget activity and vote on Investment Policy Amendment
- Development Committee’s Report: Q2 development activity and Spring Fling
- Visitors Discussion
Zoning Board of Appeals will meet on Wednesday.
- Appeal of Commissioner of Inspectional Services determination regarding below-grade garages at 1936-1938 Commonwealth Avenue
- Request to amend a previously approved variance at 15-17 Playstead Road
- Elections; Changes to the City of Newton Rules of the Zoning Board of Appeals; Briefing from the Law Department about items in litigation
Newton Historical Commission will meet on Thursday to consider:
- Local Landmark Review: 1615 Beacon Street
- Requests for Total Demolition: 17 Fernwood Road, 420 Lowell Avenue, 308 Prince Street, 10-12 Frances Street
- Requests for Partial Demolition: 58 Selwyn Road, 140 Dartmouth Street, 18 Pershing Road
- Waivers of Demolition Delay: 5 Morseland Avenue, 17 Warren Avenue, 208 Chapel Street, 20 Renee Terrace, 81 Avalon Road
Sustainable Materials Management Commission will meet on Thursday for officer elections, 2024 annual report, 2025 goals, and public comment.
[UPDATE} Newtonville Area Council will meet on Thursday regarding:- Election of Officers
- Update from the January NAC listening hours: ADU assistance, Senior Belonging & Connection
- Update from Communications Working Group
- Status of In Memoriam for Susan Reisler
- League of Women Voters Invite
- Update on window wraps for vacant storefronts
- Additional Newtonville Issues
- Administrative Issues: 2025 Meeting Dates, Keep 4th Thursday or move back to 2nd Thursday?
Other
Development Review Team (DRT) is scheduled to meet this week regarding projects involving parking at 52 Chapel Street and 14 Manitoba Road.
This week’s road construction schedule.
Ed. Note: We updated this post to include the Newtonville Area Council meeting.
