LWV Newton logo

Visit us on Facebook!

ACT - Action & Advocacy

LWVN Supports Act to Modernize Participation in Public Meetings

On March 8, 2023, LWVN sent a letter to the state delegation requesting that they advocate for passage of the Act to Modernize Participation in Public Meetings.

The bill, as summarized by the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts, supports these goals:

This bill Amends MGL 30A (Open Meeting Law) to require public bodies to provide an adequate, alternative means of public access to their deliberations, such as telephone or video conferencing and that access information be provided in the minutes of all meetings. It provides municipal public bodies experiencing financial hardship the ability to request a waiver of the provision.

You can read the entirety of LWVN’s letter below.

Read more →

LWVN Members Vote to Support Newton’s Override Proposal

Members who attended the February 7th member meeting on the 2023 override proposal voted unanimously in favor of supporting the 3 ballot question package. 

Members heard from Christine Dutt, co-chair of Vote Yes for Newton, about the history of Prop 2 ½, how overrides are used in other municipalities and have been used in Newton in the past, and what the current proposal offers Newton residents.  Leaders of No Override Newton were also invited to present, but the group did not participate.  The address for the No Override Newton website, which had launched earlier in the day, was shared with the group, and some Newton Taxpayer Association videos expressing the “vote no” position had been shared prior to the meeting.

Following the Vote Yes for Newton presentation, LWVN president, Marcia Johnson, shared slides containing information compiled by LWVN member Jane Harper that outlined how each provision of the override package aligns with LWVN positions in the areas of Land Use, Human Services, Environmental Quality, and Transportation.

Debbie Winnick, of the LWV of Cape Cod, facilitated a question and answer period before the question of whether LWVN should “support the passage of Newton’s 2023 override proposal” was put to a vote.  Attendance at the meeting exceeded the requirements for a quorum, and all 26 members attending voted in favor.

Read more →

Join Our Consensus Study Committees

League of Women Voters of Kalamazoo Area PoliciesAt its Annual Meeting held on June 12, 2022, the LWVN membership approved the formation of a Consensus Study Committee to update it’s zoning positions. This will be an intensive study of local zoning, and will be conducted in four stages:  research and study; consensus meetings; preparation of a study report; and determination if an existing position should be revised or deleted, or if a new position is warranted and development of that position.

We are inviting all members to join us in the conduct of this study.  There are lots of opportunities to participate, on whatever level and devoting as much time as you are comfortable with.

City of Gastonia - Applications and PermitsThe study will be focusing on five key areas:

  • review of Newton’s Comprehensive Plan
  • examination of current zoning techniques
  • examination of zoning ordinances that affect housing
  • reevaluation of our support for historic districts
  • examination of transportation goals

Anyone interested in participating should fill out this Form, letting us know what you are interested in and how much time you have to participate.  A LWVN Board member will get back to you with further details.

Read more →

LWVN Supports West Newton Armory Project

On January 9, 2023, LWVN sent a letter to the Zoning Board expressing its support for Metro West Collaborative Development Inc.’s request for a Comprehensive Permit, pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 40B, to redevelop the West Newton Armory into a 100% affordable development with 43 affordable residential rental units, community space, office space, and 33 parking stalls.

Support of this request is in alignment with Newton’s Comprehensive Plan and LWV values and positions.  Given the City’s need for these units, we think that approval of this project should not be delayed and we urge timely approval of this Comprehensive Permit.

You can read the entirety of LWVN’s letter below.

LWVN Supports Updates to Accessory Apartment Ordinance

On October 13, 2022, LWVN sent a letter to the City Council expressing its support for proposed updates to the Accessory Apartment Ordinance.  These changes will amend the Accessory Apartment Ordinance originally adopted in December 2017, which allows homeowners to create an accessory apartment, as of right, within the main residence.

The proposed updates are primarily intended to address the two things that were not adopted five years ago by allowing:
1. The building of detached accessory apartments, by-right, up to 900 sf in size (these will continue to conform with other rules for accessory buildings).
2. The creation of an accessory apartment in a newly built home, thus eliminating the requirement that the main residence be at least four years old before an accessory apartment can be built.

You can read the entirety of LWVN’s letter below.

LWVN Joins U-CHAN on Follow-Up Petition to the Mayor Regarding the Use of ARPA Funds for Housing Needs

On April 22, 2022, LWVN wrote to the Mayor to join U-CHAN (Uniting Citizens for Housing Affordability in Newton) in recommending that the Mayor (i) set aside of $10 million in ARPA funds as a grant to non-profit developers to purchase site(s) and/or buildings that have the potential to provide no less than 12 units of housing, most of which should be for families with annual incomes below 30% of AMI, and (ii) allocate a multi-year grant of $1 million to a Newton community-based organization with a goal to create a program to deliver comprehensive services to individual households facing instability.

In September, as a follow-up to LWVN’s April letter, LWVN joined a number of non-profits, including a number of Newton non-profits and over 50 individuals who signed U-CHAN’s follow-up petition to the Mayor.

These recommendations are aligned with LWV national, state and local positions supporting programs and policies that meet basic human needs and address affordable housing needs.

Read the entirety of the letter below: