What’s Up in Newton this week – 1/23/2022

A Virtual Town Hall on the Override is scheduled for Thursday, January 26 from 7-8PM (Zoom link).

City Council Meetings

• Finance Committee meeting has been cancelled.
• Zoning and Planning will hear a brief presentation from the Planning Department summarizing comments/feedback received to date and listing elements still needing further refinement and exploration TONIGHT beginning at 6:30PM. The agenda suggests that by 7:30PM, the Committee will resume receiving public comments from Boards, Commissions, and community groups.
• Land Use will discuss the following:
  • Two requests for an extension of time to exercise a special permit:
    • 9-11 Noble Street – to construct dormers in the attic level, extending the nonconforming two-family use and extending the nonconforming FAR
    • 131 Rumford Avenue – to allow a retail marijuana establishment and additional parking and various waivers from parking and screening requirements
  • Two requests to amend a previously approved Special Permit/Site Plan approval
    • 697 Washington Street – to update signage and on-site parking
    • 131 Rumford Avenue – to replace the operator to Community Care Collective, Inc.
  • Request for a Special Permit/Site Plan Approval
    • 4 Garrison Street – to demolish an existing attached single-car garage and construct a two-car garage with living above

The City Council received this petition in support of outdoor dining for this spring and permanently.

School Committee Meetings

• School Committee will meet TONIGHT at 6:30PM. Interim School Superintendent Kathy Smith will present a Preview of the FY2024 Budget in two forms — with and without funding provided by the proposed override. Other items on the agenda:
  • Approval of 2023-2024 School Year Calendar (NOTE: Lunar New Year, Diwali, and Eid al-Fitr – recognized Observance day)
  • Metco Expansion Request
  • Enrollment Analysis and Class Size
  • Literacy Equity Project Results and see Appendix
• Negotiations Subcommittee of the School Committee will meet on Wednesday, January 24 at 12:00PM to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining with the NTA (see Meeting Notice).
• The Superintendent Search Committee met on Saturday, January 21. The agenda suggests that it held an open meeting from 9AM – 10AM to develop/draft interview questions for the semifinalists and then moved into Executive Session and allocated time from 10AM – 2PM to review applicant resumes and recommend candidates to be interviewed.

Board and Commission Meetings

• Newton Cultural Council will have a debrief on its adjudication process and discuss its priorities for the coming year.
• Newton Free Library Board of Trustees Finance Committee will review its investment performance, discuss reporting to fund donors, and appoint a new Finance Chair.
• Newton Parks and Recreation Commission – Clay Court Fees, and Rules and Regulations and Commission elections are on the agenda.
• Newton Retirement Board will meet in-person on Tuesday.
• Board of License Commissioners will meet on Tuesday and vote on two requests for one-day temporary wine and malt licenses — one for Figure Drawing Workshops at the New Art Center, and the other with a request for an entertainment license for a concert at the War Memorial in February.
• Council on Aging and Advisory Board will welcome the new Senior Services Director, Mignonne Murray; have an override discussion with Mayor Fuller and Josh Morse; receive an update on NewCAL; discuss revising the needs assessment; and discuss the upcoming reception for Jayne Colino.
• Newton Free Library Board of Trustees will meet with Alan Long, Supervisor of Material Services, and Gina Wise, Supervisor of Borrower Services, to discuss possible fine free proposal and discuss the FY2024 Library City Budget.
• Zoning Board of Appeals – Northland’s 40B proposal for the 160 Charlemont Street and 56 Christina Street project is the focus of the agenda (see Planning Memo).
• Newton Historical Commission – a busy night on Thursday:
  • Request for Determination of Historic Significance: Waban Hall (87-80 Wyman Street)
  • Local Landmark review: 424-432 Cherry Street
  • Request for Partial Demolition: 1314 Washington Street
  • 4 Requests for Total Demolition
    • 32-34 Madison Avenue
    • 27 Rosalie Road
    • 1337 Commonwealth Avenue
    • 25-27 Maple Park – Barn
  • 5 Requests for Waiver of Demolition Delay
    • 24 Alban Road – Partial Demolition
    • 85 Homer Street
    • 1717 Beacon Street
    • 236 Chapel Street
    • 58 Cherry Place
  • Determination – Violation of Demolition Delay Ordinance
    • 86 Halcyon Street
• Newtonville Area Council will hold officer elections, discuss the NAC Response at the 1/23 ZAP meeting on Village Center Zoning, and receive a presentation of images of Newtonville Village Center Build out under new zoning guidelines will be discussed.
• Sustainable Materials Management Commission will hold officer elections and a focused discussion on zero waste.

This week’s road construction schedule can now be found here.