A recent request to revise an approved special permit for development in Nonantum has stirred controversy around a lot that has remained vacant for seven years. On October 7, 2024, the City Council issued a special permit to the owners of the property at 386-394 Watertown Street to build a…
Posts published in “Zoning”
The Zoning & Planning Committee approved the following (see the report and watch the meeting video): No further action was necessary for other items, and no items were denied or held. Present: Councilors Oliver (Vice-Chair), Albright, Wright, Krintzman, Getz, Danberg, and KalisAbsent: Councilor BakerAlso Present: Councilors Gentile, Malakie, Greenberg, Bixby,…
In a first for the Newton Zoning Board of Appeals, the City Council filed an appeal to an Inspectional Services Department (ISD) ruling – in this case, a ruling stating that the current developer of the four-unit project at 16-22 Clinton Street was not in violation of the approved Council…
Zoning and Planning will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Monday, July 22 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following: Land Use will meet virtually (Zoom link) and in person (City Hall, Room 205) on Tuesday, July 23 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following requests: Traffic Council will meet virtually…
On Thursday, June 27, the Zoning and Planning Committee met with Newton’s Planning Board to discuss changes to the Zoning Code. The Committee unanimously approved a change proposed by the Planning Department to remove the rarely used Fast Food Establishments language from the Zoning Code. Restaurants are required to get…
On Wednesday, February 28th, Andrew Copoletti of Boylston Properties appeared before the Newton Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) to present an updated progress report on the planned development slated for 78 Crafts Street. Since the project is proposed under Chapter 40B (with 20% of the 307 units priced for people…
At the February 15 meeting of the Zoning and Planning Committee, members received an update from the Planning staff regarding the submission of Newton’s documents requesting certification of compliance with the MBTA Communities Law. According to the law, Newton was among 177 communities required to enact a zoning ordinance or…
Thank you to David Mickley for his 1/9/24 Letter to the Editor, criticizing Greg Vasil’s Boston Globe editorial (Massachusetts can make housing more affordable, 12/27/23). Vasil called the Newton zoning law “watered down” and claimed that suburban voters fear that “apartment buildings and dwellers will change their neighborhood’s character and…
A recent Boston Globe Op-Ed compares Newton’s and Brookline’s zoning updates to address the regional housing shortage. Brookline is framed as the housing hero that “adopted one of the most significant zoning reforms in town history” while Newton is described as passing “a watered-down housing plan.” As a current Newton City Councilor…
This week, the City of Newton achieved Safe Harbor status with regard to a state housing law, Chapter 40B — over 50 years after the law was enacted in 1969. In communities where Safe Harbor status has not been achieved, developers may bypass some local zoning requirements for projects that…