Highlights this week…
- City Council …voting on moving polling location from Cabot Elementary School to the Cooper Center
- Programs & Services …reviewing the School Committee part of the City Charter
- Auburndale Historic District Commission …considering proposal to combine the Auburndale, Newtonville, and Newton Upper Falls Historic District Commissions
City Council
City Council will meet on Monday and take up its Reports Docket and New Docket.
The Reports Docket includes:
- Relocating Ward 2, Precincts 2 and 3 polling locations from Cabot Elementary School to the Cooper Center for Active Living
- Transferring:
- $1,175,000 from FY27 Reserve Funds – Current Year Wage Reserve to FY27 Patrol Services – Full Time Salaries for contractual FY27 wage increases
- $900,000 from Street Division Full-time Wages to DPW Admin Support – Paving Supplies Override for improvements to roadways, sidewalks, and ramps (amended to Snow and Ice Control)
- $710,000 from FY26 Reserve Funds – Current Year Wage Reserve to FY26 Patrol Services – Full Time Salaries for retroactive wage adjustments under recent collective bargaining agreements
- $150,000 repurposed and $177,000 transferred for shower and locker room renovations at Fire Station 2
- Authorizing a potential lease for third-party solar energy generation at 191 Pine Street (Burr Elementary School)
- Special permits to:
- Construct four attached single-family dwellings at 60 Brookside Avenue
- Construct a retaining wall four feet or more in height at 335 Langley Road
- Construct 16 attached single-family dwellings at 93, 103 and 0 Thurston Road
- Construct a new two-family dwelling at 91-93 Newtonville Avenue (Item was postponed at last meeting)
- No Action Necessary: Study on removing the Bullough’s Pond dam
The New Docket contains the following:
- Special Permit requests:
- Four-story, 48-foot commercial building with parking waivers at 74 Needham Street (Public Hearing 8/4)
- Exceed FAR for multi-story rear and side additions with attached garage at 43 Newell Road (Public Hearing 8/4)
- Demolish and construct a two-family dwelling exceeding FAR and façade ratio at 22-24 Mechanic Street (Public Hearing 7/21)
- Exceed FAR for multi-story rear and side additions at 33 Aspen Avenue (Public Hearing 7/21)
- Appointments:
- Sapir Ng, Christopher Markiewicz, and Dante Capasso (alternate) to the Zoning Board of Appeals
- Catherine M. Feerick as Director of Planning
- Paul Levy to the Newton Commonwealth Foundation
- Marc Grossman and Linda Brenner to the Health and Human Services Advisory Council
- Christopher Brezski and Geoffrey Stein to the John C. Chaffin Educational Fund
- Reappointments:
- Carolyn Bernstein and Janet Huettig to the Health and Human Services Advisory Council
- Doug Cornelius to the Newton Historical Commission
- Alexander B. Jablon to the Financial Audit Advisory Committee
- Grant acceptances and expenditures:
- $218,708 from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Community Compact Municipal Fiber Grant Program for repair and maintenance of the City’s fiber optic network
- $19,500 from AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) for a design competition to create “permit ready” Accessory Dwelling Unit plans
- Appropriation request of $232,000 in Community Preservation Act funding for the cupolas and windows at City Hall
- Eversource petition for a grant of location to install underground conduit and a new manhole at 75 Prescott Street (Public Hearing 7/22)
- Discussion items:
- Consistency rulings, with the Inspectional Services and Law Departments
- Workload, appointments, and support of the Historic District Commissions
- Possible ordinance amendment to allow the Auburndale, Newtonville, and Upper Falls Local Historic Districts to be governed by a single Local Historic Districts Commission
- New public auto license for Fredik, LLC
- The “two-foot rule” allowing gas-pipe street openings without a grant of location
- Resolution in support of Medicare for All for Massachusetts
Programs & Services will meet on Wednesday regarding:
- Appointment of Synthia Wayne to the Human Rights Commission
- Early voting hours for the September 1 State and Federal Primary and November 3 General Election
- Tree Permit ordinance amendments: extending abutter notification to all tree permits, and requiring species and DBH reporting of trees preserved and removed
- Review of the Newton City Charter, focusing on Article 4 (School Committee)
School Committee
School Committee is not scheduled to meet this week.
Boards and Commissions
Commission on Disability will meet on Monday regarding:
- ADA Coordinator role priorities and interview questions
- Audio descriptions for city events
- Housing Sub-Committee report
- Disability Pride event July 19
Zoning Board of Appeals will meet on Monday regarding:
- 40B Comprehensive Permit for a 234-unit development with 59 affordable units at 19-21 Court Street and 34-50 Crafts Street
- Variance for a microfulfillment center over 10,000 square feet at 241-247 Riverview Avenue
- Whether sidewalk changes to the 528 Boylston Street comprehensive permit are substantial or insubstantial
Planning & Development Board will meet on Monday regarding:
- Proposed subdivision plan amendment for Lots 2 & 3 (60 & 61 Chapin Road) at 132 Homer Street
- Discussion with the Economic Development Department
Auburndale Historic District Commission will meet on Tuesday regarding:
- Certificate of Appropriateness for a garage-to-ADU conversion and porch/deck work at 8 Leighton Road
- Certificates of Appropriateness for solar LED street lamps at 53 and 21 Vista Avenue and 118 Windermere Road
- Recommendation on combining the Auburndale, Newtonville, and Newton Upper Falls Historic District Commissions
Community Preservation Committee will meet on Tuesday regarding:
- Public hearing on the Bike Share Improvements at Recreation Site full proposal
- Public hearing on the Newton Affordable Housing Trust FY27 full proposal
Economic Development Commission will meet on Tuesday to formalize its 2026 working groups:
- Managing the Curb
- Wayfinding signage
- Vitality of Village Centers
- Commercial Businesses for Newton
- Business Access & Regulatory Review
Board of Assessors will meet on Wednesday to approve June 2026 exemption and abatement reports.
Chestnut Hill Historic District Commission will meet on Thursday regarding Certificates of Appropriateness for:
- Windows, light fixtures, and driveway repaving at 130 Beacon Street
- Siding at 25 Old England Road
- Shed, fencing, driveway apron, and egress window well at 101 Old Orchard Road
- HVAC at 30 Kingsbury Road
Other
Development Review Team will meet this week regarding the following potential project/proposals:
- 777 Winchester Street: Two amendments to an existing special permit for an oversized signage package and daytime valet parking for up to 25 cars.
- 221-223 Adams Street: Proposed mixed-use development with five residential units and ground-floor commercial.
- 15 Lothrop Street: Extension of a nonconforming multifamily use to a different nonconforming use with six dwelling units, without expanding the footprint.
This week’s road construction schedule.