The development projects 28 Austin Street and Trio, which opened a few years ago, provide critical case studies by which to evaluate other, forthcoming large developments. One of the presumed benefits of both projects has been that large numbers of their residents would use public transit. That is why the City Council…
Posts published in “Zoning”
Thank you to Peter Harrington for articulating many of the issues with the zoning “redesign” in his op-ed of 1/9/23. It is impossible to properly give feedback, let alone vote, on the radical re-categorizing of zones without being able to envision what development would be like — especially development “by…
Monday’s Zoning and Planning (ZAP) Committee started off with a lively debate regarding a procedural issue raised by Ward 7 Councilor Baker regarding ZAP Chair Crossley’s decision not to allow participants to present visual materials during their allotted times (watch video on NewTV). Crossley argued that visuals would not be…
In 1970, the committee work on the Board of Aldermen was often conducted in private. The public and Aldermen were, at the whim of the chair, prohibited from attending committee meetings. With the decision to prohibit the public from using graphics at Zoning Redesign meetings, is ZAP returning to those…
One hundred people attended the seventh and final virtual information session of the Planning Department’s Village Center Zoning Redesign. The presentation demonstrated proposed changes to current zoning with maps highlighting the new designations in Newton Corner and Nonantum. In addition to the villages’ three City Councilors — John Oliver, Alison…
The Land Use Committee voted (7-0-1 Markiewicz absent) to approve the request to rezone the properties at 1314 Washington Street and 31 and 33 Davis Street from Business 1 to Multi-Use 4 and voted (6-1-1 Lucas against, Markiewicz absent) to approve the request for a special permit for a 50-unit…
On December 8, the Planning Department held an online Village Center Zoning Input Session to hear feedback, receive comments, and answer questions related to the proposed zoning map for Newtonville. Over 140 residents attended the meeting. The Planning Department summarized public comments in real-time in notes appended to a map…
The fifth Village Center Zoning Input Session focused on the village of West Newton. The meeting was held on Wednesday, December 7 with over 120 participants attending the discussion Unlike previous presentations, Planning Department staff attempted to show three examples of VC 1: 110-112 Webster Street (3 units, 3900 sq.…
On December 5, the Planning Department held its fourth Village Center Zoning Input Session to hear feedback, receive comments, and answer some (but not all) questions related to the proposed zoning maps for Newton Lower Falls and Auburndale. Over 70 participants were on hand to hear the short presentation by…
On Thursday, December 1st, Barney Heath, Director of Newton’s Planning Department, joined by members of his staff, launched the third in a series of seven community presentations on the proposed Village Center Overlay Design. This meeting, focused on Newton Center and Thompsonville, was not meant to be a public hearing,…