The Zoning & Planning Committee met on Monday, March 23. See the report and meeting video.
Note: Vice Chair Wright served as chair pro tem for this meeting.
No Action Necessary
- Pre-budget planning discussion with Planning & Development Department and Inspectional Services Department (8-0)
Acting Director of Planning & Development Katie Whewell and Commissioner of Inspectional Services Anthony Ciccariello joined the committee to hear Councilors’ questions in advance of the FY27 budget season.
The Planning & Development Department stated the staff position, formerly assigned to community engagement, had been redesigned to focus on outreach and clarifying technical aspects of planning for laypeople.
They then discussed the use of consultants — Ms. Whewell explained that consultants are used primarily for complex projects, where specialized expertise frees staff to focus on communication and community engagement. She noted that when salary plus benefits make in-house hiring more expensive than consulting, the latter is typically preferred.
On the use of AI, Ms. Whewell said the Planning Department has been cautious, citing the complex relationships between the zoning ordinance, special permits, variances, and nonconformities as making AI-generated answers unreliable for technical planning work. AI transcription for meeting minutes has sometimes failed to distinguish between speakers. She noted there is no citywide directive from the Mayor’s administration on AI usage — decisions are made department by department. A Councilor shared their experience of finding AI responses inaccurate for Newton-specific zoning questions.
On Inspectional Services, Mr. Ciccariello said the Inspectional Services Department (ISD) will request an additional electrical inspector in the FY27 budget; currently, they have 3 electrical inspectors. He described the relationship between ISD and Planning on special permit tracking and enforcement, using the NewGov permitting system. He noted challenges with older special permits that have not been digitized, and Councilors expressed interest in a renewed effort to scan and digitize legacy permit records. Mr. Ciccariello also flagged a gap in notifications for unpaid permit applications, which Planning and Law have been working to address through standardized special permit conditions.
Held
- Update on short-term rental ordinance compliance and enforcement (8-0)
Mr. Ciccariello reported that 24 short-term rentals are currently registered in Newton, with 7 more in process. Since November 2025, ISD has issued 32 civil fines totaling $21,300, roughly half of which have been paid. ISD cross-references the state rental registry and listings on platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO to identify non-compliant properties and has sent 77 letters to property owners.
Mr. Ciccariello recommended removing section 20-161(D) of the ordinance — the provision requiring a 6-month suspension after three or more violations — noting that it effectively pauses enforcement during any appeal, which can take months, and creates a timekeeping burden the current software cannot handle efficiently.
There are currently 175-200 short-term rentals in Newton registered with the state. ISD has send out letter to 77 of these property owners to begin the enforcement process. Councilors discussed the possibility of coordinating dual registration requirements with the state and suggested publicizing the requirement through the Mayor’s newsletter to reach property owners who remain unaware of it.
Present: Councilors Baker (Chair), Wright (Vice Chair, serving as chair pro tem), Gordon, Albright, Oliver, Kalis, Dahmubed, and Getz.
Also present: Councilors Roche, Farrell, Block, and Malakie.
City staff: Katie Whewell, Acting Director of Planning & Development; Anthony Ciccariello, Commissioner of Inspectional Services; Deb Finamore, Executive Administrator (ISD); Andrew Lee, Assistant City Solicitor.
