City Council is not scheduled to meet this week.
Finance will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Monday, February 24 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following requests:
- Accept and expend a $35,000 grant from the Executive Office of Public Safety and the Department of Fire Services for mobile radios and repeaters for Fire Department vehicles, sets of gear, and eye shield protection
- Appropriate $1,471,000 and $204,000 in Community Preservation Act funding from the Unrestricted Prior Year Funds for the rehabilitation of the basement of the Jackson Homestead and Museum.
- Accept $50,000 earmarked in the FY25 Massachusetts State Budget for sidewalk improvements around Underwood Elementary School
- Accept a $109,930 grant from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection for waste reduction
- Appropriate $200,000 from the City’s allocation of Transportation Network Company (TNC) Ride Share funds from the Commonwealth Transportation Infrastructure Fund to supplement the funding for the Nahanton Street Pedestrian Improvements project
- Authorization to enter into a five-year contract for curbside collection and recycling processing commencing on July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2030
Land Use will meet in person (Council Chamber) and virtually (Zoom link) on Tuesday, February 25 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following:
- Reappointment of Kenneth Lyons and Karine Alexander to the Boston College Neighborhood Council
- Request for a consistency ruling for 2-6 Auburndale Avenue. The petitioner is seeking a consistency ruling from the Commissioner of Inspectional Services to allow a retaining wall. The Commissioner is seeking the opinion of the Land Use Committee on the matter 2-6 Auburndale. See Planning Memo.
- Request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to allow a system of walls exceeding four feet maximum height, and a landing which extends the nonconforming front setback at 10 Nonantum Street. See Special Permit documents and Planning Memo.
- Request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to construct an addition to the dwelling which will attach the detached garage to the dwelling, creating an attached garage, and allowing for an oversized internal accessory apartment at 2077 Washington Street. See Special Permit documents and Planning Memo.
- Request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval to construct a four-story mixed use building with 13 residential units and 14 at grade parking stalls with relief relative to parking and the overall site and building plans at 386 – 394 Watertown Street. See Special Permit documents and Planning Memo. Chair’s Note: The chair intends to entertain a motion to amend the address from 386-394 Watertown Street to 386-390 Watertown Street on item #481-24.
Zoning and Planning will meet in person (Room 204 and Council Chamber) and virtually (Zoom link) on Wednesday, February 26 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following:
- Public Hearing on the following (Chair’s Note: The following item will be a joint meeting with the Planning & Development Board. The working session following the public hearing will take place at a later meeting.):
- Request for discussion and amendments to Newton’s Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Ordinance for the purpose of consistency with the amendments to General Laws Chapter 40A and to amend other dimensional, design, and use requirements for ADUs. (Mayor’s item) See Planning Memo.
- Request for a discussion and possible amendments to Chapter 30, Zoning regarding Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) in addition to those needed to comply with recent changes to the State’s Zoning Act (Ch. 40A). (Committee’s item). See Planning Memo.
- Request for the addition of a maximum residential facade build out ratio to Chapter 30, Zoning to aid in new development being contextual to the surrounding neighborhood. See Planning Memo. Chair’s Note: The Chair will entertain a motion to set a public hearing for Monday, March 24.
- Request for a discussion and possible amendments to Chapter 30 Zoning or other City Ordinances to enhance the preservation of existing homes over their replacement by larger and more expensive structures. See Planning Memo.
- Request for a discussion with the Planning Department to consider ordinance amendments that would revise the metrics in the multi-residence (MR1, MR2 and MR3) zones, 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.
Real Property Reuse will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Thursday, February 27 at 7:30PM. The agenda includes the following:
- Request to allow the 8 parking spaces on City-owned property at 25 Chestnut Street, be made available for sale or lease, pursuant to the City of Newton Ordinances Section 2-7.
Traffic Council will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Thursday, February 27 at 6:30PM. The agenda includes the following requests:
- Accessible parking space in front of Paggi Physical Therapy at 552 Commonwealth Avenue. (Approved by the Commission on Disability).
- Accessible parking space in front of 147 Arnold Road. (Approved by the Commission on Disability).
- Long-term trial to allow for temporary changes to certain parking regulations and traffic circulation on streets near the Franklin Elementary School in order to facilitate the reconstruction of the school. Once the project is complete, any change made will be rescinded and will revert to the official regulation, as listed in Newton’s Traffic and Parking Regulations.
- Update to the TPR to reflect the changes made in Newton Corner by MassDOT in the vicinity of the Exit 127 Eastbound Offramp
- Trial to remove a portion of the two westernmost rows of parking within the Langley Road (Triangle) Municipal Parking Lot in Newton Centre and relocate the twelve (12) reserved spots for employee parking, the two (2) reserved spots for Zip Car and the two (2) reserved spots for BlueBikes (for a net reduction of between five (5) and ten (10) Triangle Lot public parking spaces), to allow for the creation of a temporary public plaza for gathering, arts, and play in the heart of Newton Centre. Substitute parking opportunities totaling approximately sixty-four (64) spaces will be examined in areas near the Triangle Lot during this trial period, such as the following: adding in additional proposed parking spaces along the southbound side of Centre Street near Willow Street; Converting Lyman Street into a one-way westbound circulation pattern and relocating the public parking spaces from the south side of Lyman Street to the north side of Lyman Street; Changing the parking regulations on Dalton Road with the goal of increasing daytime parking opportunities for the general public; Changing the parking regulations on Pelham Street with the goal of increasing parking opportunities for the general public; Changing the parking regulations on a portion of the south side of Pleasant Street with the goal of increasing parking opportunities for the general public; reducing the width of parking spaces along a portion of Beacon Street; and Changing the parking regulations on Braeland Avenue with the goal of increasing parking opportunities for the general public. The twelve (12) employee parking spots currently within the Triangle Lot are proposed to be relocated within the village center (either in other municipal lots or metered street parking). The two (2) Zip Car spaces currently within the Triangle Lot are proposed to be relocated to two (2) parking spaces within either the Cypress Street, Pleasant Street, or Pelham Street municipal lots. As a trial, none of these changes are permanent, and permanent changes could only occur through subsequent Traffic Council docket items and action.
