A weekly summary of City Council agendas and actions highlighting items of interest to the LWVN, extracted from the Friday packet.

Key to color coding: CPC, Planning, Environmental, Finance, Charter/Elections, Housing.

Reports:

• Comptroller’s Budget Analysis:  A summary level financial analysis of the Mayor’s recommended FY2019 General Fund budget dated April 17, 2018. This report is intended to
  supplement the information contained in the budget document.  report here

Agendas:

• 4-23 Needham St Public Forum:  6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at 27 Christina Street. A short presentation about the entire process will begin around 6:15, and the rest of the event will be an open house format in which the public can go to one of six stations. Topics for each of the stations include overall process, environmental health, transportation, land use, design, and implementation. Everyone is invited to attend and learn more about the Vision Plan draft.
• 4-23 Zoning & Planning:  Inspectional Services, Planning & Development and Community Preservation will present their FY19 budgets for approval  full agenda here
• 4-23 Finance Committee: Budget & CIP discussions on Information Technology, Human Resources, Financial Information Systems, Comptroller  full agenda here
• 4-24 Programs & Services and Finance Committees:  School budget & CIP discussion  full agenda here
• 4-25:  School Committee:  FY19 Proposed School Budget here
• 4-25 Programs & Services:  Budget & CIP discussion on Veterans’ Services, Newton Free Library, Newton History Museum, Parks & Rec  full agenda here
• 4- 26 Public Facilities:  Budget & CIP discussion on Public Buildings Dept.  full agenda here

A weekly summary of City Council agendas and actions highlighting items of interest to the LWVN, extracted from the Friday packet.

Key to color coding: CPC, Planning, Environmental, Finance, Charter/Elections, Housing.

Reports:

• City Council Actions 4-17:  MAYOR requesting authorization to transfer the $30,000 from the Executive Office Full-time Salaries Account to the Executive Office Consultants Account for the purpose of developing a Climate Action Plan, referred to Finance Committee;  Public Hearing set for May 7 re: proposed water, sewer & stormwater rates and capital improvement plan 
• Public Facilities 4-4:  Update on Composting residential pilot which will assess ‘whether the model is sustainable for both the City and the vendor’, composting in schools – the City is working to pilot composting at 2-3 schools and Newton North, Recycling Contamination Concerns – The City has been incurring charges based on 5% contamination from November to January. The total cost is $27,362.  The City “has sent out a bill insert explaining what should not be put in the green carts, put ads in the Tab and the Globe and has started an online campaign. DPW is diligently working to improve curbside compliance, educating residents whenever possible” full report with powerpoint on composting (pg. 2 – 16)
• Zoning & Planning 4-9:  Discussion of Shared Parking Pilot  Program and Zoning Ordinance Draft full report

Agendas:

• 4-17 City Council Items to be Acted Upon:  NEWTON HOUSING AUTHORITY petition to amend Board Order #515-61 to remove 26,366 sq. ft. of land from the existing lots at 83-127 and 106-128 JFK Circle to develop 55 affordable elderly housing units (Land Use Committee approved 7-0-1); Zoning Amendment for Shared Parking Pilot Program (Zoning & Planning held 7-0)
• 4-18  Programs & Services:  Prohibition on polystyrene-based disposable food or beverage containers up for discussion, full agenda with draft ordinance (pg. 16)
• 4-18 Public Facilities: Discussion/ Review on the Street Design Guide  full agenda

A weekly summary of City Council agendas and actions highlighting items of interest to the LWVN, extracted from the Friday packet.

Key to color coding: CPC, Planning, Environmental, Finance, Charter/Elections, Housing.

Reports:

• CPC 4-3:  voted 7-0 to adopt the proposed revisions to the program’s current funding guidelines, affordable housing allocation target increased to 35%, historic resources decreased to 20%  page 10 of memo here

Agendas:

• 4-9 Charter Review:   Continued discussion on Incorporation, Form of Government, Powers of the City, Executive Branch (excluding term limits), Financial Procedures & Administrative Departments  full agenda
• 4-9 Zoning & Planning: Zoning Amendment for Shared Parking Pilot Program in Commercial Districts  full agenda
• 4-9 School Committee:  FY19 Budget Hearing
• 4-12 Zoning Redesign:  “What’s the Process? How Stuff gets Built in Newton” at the Newton Free Library – Druker Auditorium

A weekly summary of City Council agendas and actions highlighting items of interest to the LWVN, extracted from the Friday packet.

Key to color coding: CPC, Planning, Environmental, Finance, Charter/Elections, Housing.

Reports:

• 3-22  Traffic Council:   The City Council recently approved an Ordinance change such that Traffic Council has no authority over traffic calming measures.  ALD. KALIS, requested a change Blue Zone signage to make parking more available to parents who need to enter the school to pick up children. HELD 5-0   full report here
• 3-26 Finance Committee:  5-year Financial Forecast available here
• 3-26 Zoning & Planning:  Zoning & Shared Parking Pilot Program discussion, public meeting on Needham St Vision April 23, full report here

Agendas:

• 4-2 City Council:  Zoning Redesign presentation followed by items to be acted upon including – authorization to appropriate and expend $500,000 for the purpose of developing an actionable plan for the Washington Street Corridor; Discussion and adoption of Needham Street Vision Plan; Zoning Amendment for Shared Parking Pilot Program; Review/Acceptance of 5-year Financial Forecast; Amend overtime parking ordinance (note – opposed by NN Chamber of Commerce letter here) docket here
• 4-2 School Committee:  FY19 Budget Hearing
• 4-3  CPC:    Crescent St. new proposed budget and PUBLIC HEARING on proposed revisions to funding guidelines in Newton’s Community Preservation Plan, including:
  • the percentage of funding targeted for each CPA-eligible resource (affordable housing, historic resources, open space/outdoor recreation land)
  • principles for prioritizing projects that are CPA-appropriate as well as CPA-eligible
  • expectations for matching, non-CPA funds in different project categories full agenda here  April 10 CPC meeting is canceled
• 4-4 Public Safety:  Discussion regarding preparedness for automated, electric and shared vehicles COUNCILOR ALBRIGHT, COTE AND DOWNS, requesting a discussion with the Director of Transportation for Planning.   full agenda here
• 4-5 Conservation Commission:  Discussion of wetland decisions  full agenda + here

A weekly summary of City Council agendas and actions highlighting items of interest to the LWVN, extracted from the Friday packet.

Key to color coding: CPC, Planning, Environmental, Finance, Charter/Elections, Housing.

Agendas:

• 3-26:  Zoning & Planning:   Zoning Amendment for Shared Parking Pilot Program.  DIRECTOR OF PLANNING requesting amendments to Chapter 30, Newton Zoning Ordinance, to allow for a Shared Parking Pilot Program as an accessory use in commercial districts. Discussion of ideas and issues focused on Zoning Redesign Event: Building Shape, Size, and Form in Neighborhoods and Village Centers.  Full agenda here
• 3-26:  School Committee:  FY2019 Budget Discussion and Straw Vote
• 3-28:  Invitation to the Power Choice Public Hearing here