Highlights this week…
- City Council …voting on allowing Keno at an Upper Falls restaurant (deferred from previous meeting)
- State Rep. Greg Schwartz …holding office hours on Monday
- Councilor Martha Bixby …holding office hours on Friday
- Newton Highlands Area Council …discussing Area Council elections, Route 9 construction, historic preservation, the Village Enhancement Project, and future use of Brigham House
City Council
Zoning and Planning will meet on Monday regarding:
- Appointment of Scott Friedman and Travis Salters to the Newton Historical Commission
- Possible amendments to allow certain routine residential alterations by-right
- Work plan of the ZAP Committee for the new 2024-2025 term
- Research and develop mechanisms to assist local businesses impacted by development
- Trend of significantly raising grade elevation on lots and its impact
- Preparing for the FY25 Budget Review of Planning Department, Inspectional Services Department, and CPA Program
- Public and Staff access to NewGov
- Public reporting process for key metrics relevant to the Planning Department
- Process for community engagement for large developments
- Possible amendments to exempt raised beds from the definition of a structure and allow them to be placed within the setback
- Residential use of electricity
Finance will meet on Monday regarding the CPC’s recommendation to appropriate $15,000 in CPA funding for Newton Community Farm for expenses related to the replacement of the deck.
City Council will meet on Monday and is expected to vote on the following (see Reports Docket):
- Special Permits to:
- Allow Keno at 1064-1070 Chestnut Street (chartered from previous meeting)
- Waive three parking stalls at 776 Beacon Street
- Allow three single-family attached dwellings, parking relief and a combination of retaining walls exceeding four feet in height at 790 Watertown Street
- Appointments of:
- Tom Gloria, Deb Crossley, Peter Barrer, and Kristen Avila to the BERDO Advisory Commission
- Sean Macamaux to the Conservation Commission
- James Miller to the Auburndale Historic District Commission
- Travis Salters and Scott Friedman to the Newton Historical Commission
- Patrick Dober to the Newton Housing Authority
- Robert King to the Parks and Recreation Commission
- Reihaneh Irani-Famili to the Newton Energy Commission
- Reappointments of:
- Vincent O’Donnell to the Newton Housing Authority
- Christopher Murphy to the Institutional Biotechnology Committee
- Wireless grants of location on Woodhill Road, Delmore Road, Walnut Street, Boylston Street, and Hammond Street
- Grants of location to install and maintain gas mains in Commonwealth Avenue, the intersection of Oakland Avenue at Commonwealth Avenue, Auburn Street, Bacon Street, and Grove Street
- Appropriating $2,453,904 of mitigation funds for capital improvement plan inflow and infiltration projects
- A main drain extension at 132 Homer Street
- CPC recommendation to appropriate $15,000 in CPA funding for expenses related to the replacement of the deck at Newton Community Farm
The New Docket includes the following:
- Land Use Public Hearings on August 19, 2025 regarding requests to:
- Amend the site plan to allow a combination of walls exceeding four feet in height at 667-673 Boylston Street
- Allow a second-story addition over the garage and a 237-square-foot addition to the footprint at 25 Freeman Street
- Allow up to 80 students and 13 employees, which requires waivers from the parking regulations for number of stalls required, at 288 Walnut Street
- Construct a two-story rear addition that further extends the nonconforming height at 163 Lincoln Street
- Allow a retaining wall exceeding four feet in height at 157 Baldpate Hill Road
- Land Use Public Hearings on September 16, 2025 regarding requests to:
- Rezone 355, 399 and 0 Grove Street to Mixed Use 3 and to amend sections of the Mixed Use 3/Transit Oriented Development District of the Newton Zoning Ordinance – Riverside
- Construct a mixed-use development consisting of 750 residential units, mixed commercial, parking and public open space at 355, 399 and 0 Grove Street – Riverside
- Rezone two parcels to Multi Residence 1 on Dudley Road parcel (Single Residence 1) and Brandeis Road Parcel (Single Residence 2)
- Allow 71 single-family attached dwellings in 27 buildings with dimensional waivers and inclusionary zoning exceptions at 85 Dudley Road
- Appointments of:
- Elijah Lavin to the Human Rights Commission
- Jesse King to the Commission on Disability
- Susan Lyon to the Urban Tree Commission
- Reappointments of:
- Elizabeth Sweet to the Zoning Board of Appeals
- Ruth Goldman to the Community Preservation Committee and Martin Smargiassi to the Community Preservation Committee
- Jane Brown to the Commission on Disability
- Sheila Butts to the Parks & Recreation Commission
- Thomas Elkind to the Newton Commonwealth Foundation
- Authorizing the installation and operation of cameras on school buses to enforce violations when a vehicle illegally passes a bus that has stopped to allow students to get on or off the bus
- Discussion with Green Newton and the Sustainability Team regarding networked geothermal near the Countryside School
- Public Hearing on September 18, 2025: Make available for sale or lease the City-owned parcel at 169 Grove Street and 136 Hancock Street
School Committee
School Committee is not scheduled to meet this week.
Boards and Commissions
Newton Human Rights Commission will hold a Neighboring HRCs Community Event Call on Monday to discuss potential neighboring HRC community events on topics such as antisemitism and anti-Muslim bias, or building capacity to talk across differences. The discussion may address which event to pursue and why, hopeful outcomes, next steps, and potential speakers, timeline, and partners.
Auburndale Historic District Commission will meet on Tuesday regarding:
- Certificate of Appropriateness for:
- Replacement of front porch balustrade, columns, rail, skirting, trim, and decking at 53 Maple Street
- Revisions to work previously approved at 20 Fern Street
- Discussion on the vote and action taken on July 8 regarding approval of the condition that the applicant return with brick sample mock-ups for property at 120 Seminary Avenue
Community Preservation Committee will meet on Tuesday for a Public Hearing on the Newton Affordable Housing Trust FY26 Proposal.
Urban Design Commission will meet on Wednesday regarding:
- Sign Permits
- Joanne Langione Dance Center – 1314 Washington Street
- Godino & Company – 1005 Boylston Street
- Sullivan School of Irish Dance – 49-51 Winchester Street
- Sunoco – 14 Elliot Street
- Fence appeal at 9-11 Circuit Avenue
Newton Highlands Neighborhood Area Council will meet on Thursday, regarding:
- Area Council elections / nomination papers
- Route 9 construction
- Historic preservation
- Village Enhancement Project
- Brigham House future use
Newton Upper Falls Historic District Commission will meet on Thursday regarding Certificate of Appropriateness to:
- Constrict a two-story addition on the existing building and construct a new building on the rear of the lot at 981 Chestnut Street
- Replace wooden fascia boards, gutters, and window trim with fiberglass and PVC materials at 1044-1046 Chestnut Street
Newton Energy Commission has appointed Dr. Michael Gevelber to the BERDO Advisory Commission.
Other
State Rep. Greg Schwartz will hold office hours on Monday, 9:30AM-11AM, at City Hall, Room 211.
Councilor Martha Bixby will hold office hours on Friday, 8:45AM-10:15 AM, in Rodney Barker Square (at corner of Hartford and Lincoln Streets), or inside at Cacao if the weather is bad.
Design Review Team is not scheduled to meet this week.
This week’s road construction schedule.
