The Zoning & Planning Committee met on Monday, May 11. See the report and meeting video.
Approved
- Reappointment of Marcela Merino to the Economic Development Commission (#129-26) (7–0)
Held
- Discussion with the Newton Housing Authority (NHA) (#125-26) (7–0) Executive Director Michael Lara presented an overview of the NHA, which subsidizes over 1,000 units of affordable housing and serves over 1,300 residents. Tenants pay around 30% of their monthly income in rent. The NHA holds 446 Section 8 vouchers (over half of which are used within Newton), 32 Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program vouchers, and owns 94 unsubsidized units. Mr. Lara described the federal Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program, which allows housing authorities to access private capital for repairs and renovations.
- Discussion of established uses within Chapter 30, Zoning (#133-26) (7–0) Chief of Long-Range Planning Nora Colello presented on the use definitions in Newton’s zoning ordinance. The committee discussed trade-offs between the “benefits of specificity in use definitions include consistency in decisions, legal defensibility, and predictability for applicants.” and the “drawbacks of specificity are loss of flexibility for desirable businesses, the risk of being outdated, and hardship for new business unfamiliar with the zoning process.” The Chair directed the Planning Department to focus first on developing a definition for Live/Work use in commercial zones.
- Possible zoning amendment to allow transformers to project into setbacks (#65-26) (7–0) Acting Director Katie Whewell described an increase in setback-relief requests related to electrical transformers driven by electrification requirements. The committee requested more information on utility location requirements, neighboring communities’ approaches, and aesthetic controls.
Present: Councilors Baker (Chair), Wright, Gordon, Albright, Kalis, Oliver, and Dahmubed.
Absent: Councilor Getz.
Also present: Councilors Roche and Block.
City Staff: Katie Whewell, Acting Director of Planning & Development; Nora Colello, Chief of
Long-Range Planning; Andrew Lee, Senior Assistant City Solicitor; Anthony Ciccariello,
Commissioner of ISD; Miles Starkey, Committee Clerk