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LWVN supports the proposed Northland project

September 24, 2019

September 24, 2019

Newton City Council
Land Use Committee
Newton City Hall

Dear Chairman Schwartz and Members of the Land Use Committee,

The League of Women Voters of Newton (LWVN) supports the proposed Northland project because it leverages underutilized space that offers substantial improvements for Newton residents.  With this development we will be able to work towards our common goals of increasing housing diversity; mitigating the use of cars; creating new recreational open space; encouraging walking, biking, and use of the Greenway; attracting new shops, restaurants, and other kinds of employers and increasing our commercial tax base.

In the Globe article NIMBY? Not in these cities and towns Watertown, our neighbor, was cited as an example “In Watertown, which permitted 1,296 housing units in the four-year period, Community Development and Planning director Steve Magoon credited the town’s regulatory and elected boards with making the tough decisions needed to allow projects to go forward”.  We believe that Newton should also continue to step up to address the housing crisis in the metro Boston area.

The Newton City Council over the past few years made the difficult decisions to approve both the Austin Street and Washington Place projects.  With the Northland project, the City Council of 2018-2019 once again has the opportunity to make another tough decision and do the right thing by approving this development.

Northland’s proposal will provide a diversity of housing options that Newton needs, with an alternative to single-family homes, which many people – from young professionals, to seniors looking to downsize, to people who work in Newton – are looking for but cannot find right now.

  • It will increase the housing supply overall and provide much-needed affordable units.
  • With the newest proposal, 17.5% of the units will be affordable, producing 140 new affordable units, including 120 of affordable units at a blended 65% of AMI and 20 units of work-force housing for persons at 80 to 110% of AMI

The developer is committed to sustainability and is working with Green Newton to maximize environmentally-friendly features, including those listed below.

  • Passive House design in three buildings, exploration of Passive House design in the five remaining residential buildings and LEED for Neighborhood Development certifiability throughout.
  • The development will create new connections to the Greenway, plant 600 new trees, and will include 10 acres of active open-space available for public use.

And finally, the project will generate increased tax revenue for the City.

Overall, the combination of increased housing diversity, environmentally-friendly design, added green space, and additional tax income provide an opportunity that LWVN encourages the City Council to support.

 

Sincerely,

 

Marcia Johnson

President, League of Women Voters, Newton

 

Categories: Housing, Land Use, Local Action Log

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League of Women Voters of Newton, MA

League of Women Voters of Newton, MA

The League registers voters and educates them about the important issues and challenges facing Newto

League of Women Voters of Newton, MA

3 days ago

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National Voter Registration Day is Sept 19!Make sure you're #VoteReady in 2023 by checking your voter registration status on MA's online voter registration site, especially if you haven't voted in awhile or your life has included any of the following:🚚 a move💍 name change🇺🇸 new US citizenship🎂 an 18th birthdayAnd, this is a good day to remind your family, friends, and neighbors to register & vote in the upcoming local elections! ... See MoreSee Less
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League of Women Voters of Newton, MA

1 week ago

League of Women Voters of Newton, MA
In this month's episode of The League Presents, learn about the Village Center Overlay District Ordinance from Jennifer Caira – Deputy Director, Planning & Development Department and Councilor Deb Crossley – Chair Zoning & Planning Committee. ... See MoreSee Less

The League Presents - Zoning Redesign 111

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Marcia Johnson, Jennifer Cairo and Deb Crossley discuss the Newton Zoning Redesign.

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League of Women Voters of Newton, MA

3 weeks ago

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The preliminary election for Ward 2 and 6 is September 12. Mark your calendar and make your voting plan. Learn about the candidates and get voting information here: lwvnewton.org/2023/08/newton-preliminary-election-tuesday-september-12-2023/ ... See MoreSee Less

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League of Women Voters of Newton, MA

3 months ago

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In the last few days of Pride Month, check out these two informative programs by the League of Women Voters of Newton, MA1) The League Presents... Pride Month Edition - A Conversation with Newton Youth: lwvnewton.org/2023/06/the-league-presents-pride-month-edition-a-conversation-with-newton-youth/ 2) LGBTQ+ Backlash: What you can do to push back. View the recoding here: lwvnewton.org/2023/06/video-presentation-anti-lgbtqia-backlash-what-can-you-do-to-push-back/ ... See MoreSee Less

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League of Women Voters of Newton, MA

4 months ago

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Anti-LGBTQIA+ initiatives are taking root throughout the country and Newton is not immune. Hear from the ACLU’s Ruth Bourquin about the context, consequences, and responses to the anti-LBGTQIA+ backlash at this month’s virtual topic meeting. This meeting is free and open to the community. Register in advance: us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0lfuyhrzwtGNTYlmG-GpCBxTa1Z5MS81Ga#/registration ... See MoreSee Less

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