The Zoning & Planning Committee met on Tuesday, May 5. See the video. Budget materials can be found on the City’s website.
Inspectional Services Department (report)
Commissioner of Inspectional Services Department (ISD) Anthony Ciccariello, ISD Executive Administrator Deb Finamore, and COO Josh Morse presented the ISD budget. The greatest need identified is an additional vehicle for the Assistant Zoning Enforcement Agent, who currently shares a car with the full-time Zoning Enforcement Agent three days a week. A new full-time electrical inspector position was added (converted from part-time) to keep pace with electrification requirements. Ciccariello said the biggest bottleneck in the department is customers not submitting all required documents or changing project scope after submittal. Counter wait times are much shorter than in previous years.
Councilors asked about the need for more vehicles, and the Commissioner replied that an extra car would allow more efficient inspector schedules. ISD is coordinating with the Mayor’s Office to accelerate the timeline for digitizing property documents beyond the currently projected two-year estimate.
“The Committee took a straw vote to approve the proposed Inspectional Services Department
budget of $2,457,396, which passed unanimously.”
Department of Planning & Development (report)
Acting Director Katie Whewell and Acting Deputy Director Lara Kritzer presented the Planning Department budget. The department has been in transition following the departure of three senior colleagues. Notable budget changes include the reorganization of Economic Development to the Mayor’s Office (reducing the budget), a $100,000 reduction in the consulting line, and the elimination of the Transportation Coordinator role. The department is currently hiring a Senior Planner for Long-Range Planning, Deputy Chief of Current Planning, and Director of Planning.
Councilors asked about the consulting budget and were told unused funds drop to Free Cash at year’s end; the $100,000 recommended for consulting was based on the expected workload of docket items currently referred to Zoning & Planning; COO Morse said a recovery schedule for the backlog of Historic Commission meeting minutes would be generated before the end of the budget process. Acting Director Whewell noted that AI is being used cautiously to help streamline meeting minutes and that NewGov has become an important tool for receiving and reviewing applications.
“The Housing Planner, Housing Rehabilitation Construction Manager, and Community Development Planners are federally funded; the Fiscal Manager is partially federally funded.”
“The Committee took a straw vote to accept the proposed Department of Planning & Development budget of $2,499,301, which was approved unanimously.”
Community Preservation Act (report)
CPA Program Manager Mollie Hutchings presented the CPA budget. CPA funding comes primarily from a 1% surcharge on property taxes and a State matching fund (currently 15%). The FY27 provisional budget is $5,102,818. Funds are restricted to Open Space, Community Housing, Recreation, and Historic Resources categories.
Councilors asked about debt service for Webster Woods (funded from the Open Space Reserve; 30-year bonds ending in 2050; the full amount spent on debt service is $1,494,902); a discrepancy between the budget book and presentation for FY26 local surcharge revenue (the budget book projected too high; the accurate figure is $4,303,902); when the Newton Affordable Housing Trust receives its funding (appropriations typically approved in fall); and the ongoing legal case regarding the payment to Boston College for Webster Woods (Boston College sought more than was paid on the grounds that a property restriction was invalid, still before the courts).
“The Committee took a straw vote to accept the proposed Community Preservation Act budget of $5,102,817.78, which passed unanimously.”
Present: Councilors Baker (Chair), Wright (Vice Chair), Oliver, Albright, Dahmubed, Getz, Gordon, and Kalis. Also present: Councilors Malakie, Kelley, Roche, Block, Farrell, and Lucas.
City staff: Josh Morse, COO; Anthony Ciccariello, Commissioner of ISD; Deb Finamore, ISD Executive Administrator; Katie Whewell, Acting Director of Planning; Lara Kritzer, Director of Housing & Community Development; Mollie Hutchings, CPA Program Manager; Doug Botelho, Manager of Financial Services; Endrit Poreci, Senior Financial Analyst; Trevor Goehring, Financial Analyst; Caroline Wilson, HR Benefits Manager; Miles Starkey, Committee Clerk.