Highlights this week:
- Presidents Day …City offices closed on Monday. Schools closed all week. No delays in recycling/trash collection this week.
- City Council …voting on appointment of Timothy Cohoon as Police Chief and zoning for 148 California Street (about half of the shopping center that straddles the city line and contains Stop & Shop on Watertown Street)
- Public Safety & Transportation …discussing changes to the Winter Overnight Parking Ban
City Council
City Council will meet on Tuesday and is expected to vote on the following (see Reports Docket):
- Appointment of Timothy V. Cohoon as Chief of Newton Police Department
- Special permits to:
- Raze the existing structure and construct a three-story single-family dwelling exceeding the maximum FAR at 89 Redwood Road
- Construct a two-story detached accessory building with a home business office on the first floor, an ADU, and more than two parking stalls within the side setback at 224 Melrose Street
- Rezoning from Manufacturing to Business Use 2 and releasing the restrictive covenant on the property at 148 California Street
- Transfer of $82,000 from Parks and Recreation accounts to fund the Arts and Culture Director position through FY2026
- Appropriation of $34,626 in Community Preservation Act funding for bike parking at various park locations citywide and at both high schools
- Appropriation of $43,800 to Newton Public Schools for Helpsy textile collection and recycling
- Appropriation of $17,600 to Newton Public Schools for disadvantaged student transportation
The New Docket includes:
- Special permits to:
- Raise the roofline of the existing attic by 5.25 feet to create habitable space, vertically extending nonconforming front setbacks at 55 Auburndale Avenue
- Construct additions to the front and rear of the dwelling, further increasing the nonconforming FAR at 1445 Commonwealth Avenue
- Raze the existing single-family dwelling and construct a new two-story single-family dwelling with relief for FAR at 11 Richfield Road
- Amend the deed restriction at 60 Wells Avenue to allow a veterinary hospital on the property, which is zoned Limited Manufacturing
- Proposed zoning change to prohibit detention or processing centers for civil immigration enforcement in any zone in Newton
- Discussion and possible amendments to the 60% facade build-out ordinance, including its impact on odd-shaped lots and a potential delay of the effective date from March 1 to June 1, 2026
- Discussion of the cumulative impact of recent ordinance changes — including zoning modifications, electrification, tree, sidewalk, and water/sewer requirements — on housing project costs and new growth
- Establishing a commission to review compensation for the Mayor, City Council, and School Committee
- Review of the Newton City Charter, including evaluation of the structure, composition, role, and duties of the City Council and School Committee
- Review of City Council rules by a subcommittee of Programs and Services, with recommendations for modifications
- Discussion in Committee of the Whole with the BERDO Administrator on draft BERDO regulations, marking the start of a 30-day public comment period
- Reappointments:
- Councilor Susan Albright to the Newton Affordable Housing Trust Fund
- Jonathan Kantar, SingNing Kuo, and Amy MacKrell to the Design Review Committee
- Stacy Roman, Kenneth White, and John Synnott to the Designer Selection Committee
- Appointment of Ruthanne Fuller to the Horace Cousens Industrial Fund
- Authorization to accept a $113,956 MassEVIP grant and appropriate $9,290 from the Energy Stabilization Fund to install seven electric vehicle charging stations
- Transfer of $150,000 for Cooper Center project closeout costs
- Transfer of $1,500,000 from the FY2026 Snow Removal Budget Reserve for snow removal hauling
Public Facilities Committee will meet on Wednesday regarding:
- $150,000 for Cooper Center project closeout costs
- $1,500,000 for snow removal hauling costs
- Pre-budget planning discussion with the Department of Public Works
- Reappointments:
- Jonathan Kantar, SingNing Kuo, and Amy MacKrell to the Design Review Committee
- Stacy Roman, Kenneth White, and John Synnott to the Designer Selection Committee
Public Safety & Transportation Committee will meet on Wednesday for discussion about possible ordinance change to the City’s Overnight Parking Ban.
School Committee
School Committee is not scheduled to meet this week.
Boards and Commissions
Community Preservation Committee will meet on Tuesday regarding:
- Pre-proposal meeting for War Memorial Stairs Construction
- Public hearing for City Hall Cupolas and Window Restoration Full Proposal
Board of Assessors will meet on Wednesday regarding approval of January 2026 Exemption and Abatement Reports.
Newton Upper Falls Historic District Commission will meet on Wednesday regarding:
- Certificates of Appropriateness to:
- Install handrails on front exterior stairs at 207-209 Elliot Street
- Install 12 replacement windows at 925 Chestnut Street
- Working session on proposal to change the size and location of window openings at 50 Oak Street
Newton Upper Falls Area Council will meet on Thursday regarding:
- Traffic Council appeal – Pettee Square No Turn on Red
- Village Day planning – other Area Council input
- Soup Social – March 21
- UFAC T-shirts
- Greenway trail update
- UFAC Newsletter
- Upper Falls Oral History Project
Urban Tree Commission will meet on Friday regarding:
- Forestry Department update
- Tree removal requests
- Guide to looking up tree permits and using Assessor’s Database
Other
Development Review Team is scheduled to meet this week regarding Special Permits for these the potential projects:
- 40 Cypress Street: Adaptive Reuse (Site Plan Review) – subdivision of lot, relocation of existing three family home, and construction of 3 unit + 4 unit homes (3 buildings, 10 units)
- 2 Executive Park Drive: Request to convert one of the office buildings at Newton Executive Center from office to medical with a parking waiver
- 23 Winter Street: Special permit for a detached ADU not meeting setbacks
This week’s road construction schedule.
