At a meeting on Monday, February 9, the City Council’s Zoning and Planning Committee reviewed the status of potential projects proposed under the Village Center Overlay District (VCOD) zoning ordinance, following a request by Ward 2 City Councilor Susan Albright for twice-yearly updates. Nora Masler Colello, the City’s chief of…
Posts published in “Government”
Timothy Cohoon, the current Braintree Police chief, will meet with the entire City Council on February 17, as part of the approval process for him to become the next leader of the Newton Police Department. In preparation for that meeting, Cohoon met with the Council’s Public Safety and Transportation Committee…
When METCO (the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity) program began in 1966, organized opposition emerged in Brookline, Wellesley, Needham, and other neighboring suburbs, but not in Newton. METCO had “a smooth start here” without “incident or fanfare.” Instead of protesting METCO, Newton’s parents were protesting lunchtime. Between 1940 and 1970,…
A new zoning ordinance regulating the maximum frontage of a residential building is scheduled to take effect on March 1. It was passed by the City Council on October 20, 2025. The ordinance pertains to what is called the “Residential Facade Build Out Ratio,” which is the ratio of the…
When Tova Speter and Lily Weitzman began discussing ideas for creating a community art installation in celebration of Newton Free Library’s 150th anniversary, they knew they were on the same page when they came up with the idea for “Leaves in the Library.” Weitzman – the Library’s manager of programs…
In a press conference in Boston on February 5, Mayor Marc Laredo joined the chief executives of Boston, Cambridge, Chelsea, Lynn, and Somerville in announcing Executive Orders defining their cities’ policies and actions regarding federal immigration operations. This coordinated response from Greater Boston cities follows fatal shootings of two protesters…
Zoning & Planning will meet in person (Room 204) and virtually (Zoom link) on Monday, February 9 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following items: Finance Committee will meet in person (Room 211) and virtually (Zoom link) on Monday, February 9 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following items: Land…
School Committee is not scheduled to meet this week. Negotiations Sub-Committee of the Newton School Committee will meet in person (Education Center, Room 111) on Tuesday, February 10 at 9AM in Executive Session for the purpose of negotiations with collective bargaining units. The agenda includes: Negotiations Sub-Committee of the Newton…
Commission on Disability will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Monday, February 9 at 6PM. The agenda includes the following items (see Meeting Packet): Community Preservation Committee will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Monday, February 10 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following items: Parks & Recreation Signs & Naming Committee…
Development Review Team (DRT) will meet this week regarding the following potential project/proposal (see DRT Snapshot):
On Monday, February 2, Ward 2 City Councilor Susan Albright raised a charter objection to the Public Safety and Transportation Committee’s recommendation to shorten the Newton Centre Plaza pilot to May 31. This effectively delayed consideration of that recommendation until the next City Council meeting. (The City’s Charter allows any…
[Cancelled due to inclement weather] Please join State Representative Greg Schwartz for his monthly office hours on Monday, February 23 from 9:30AM-11AM at Newton City Hall (1000 Commonwealth Avenue) in Room 211. No appointment is necessary. For further information or to schedule a time to meet with Representative Schwartz outside…