Wednesday starts the week with discussion of a moratorium on banks in first floor retail spaces in some neighborhoods for a year in Zoning. This is proposed by the Economic Development Commission after noting the retail dead zones following financial institutions renting gobs of space in Newton Centre and Newton Highlands. Other village centers might benefit from a bank or two–but after three, maybe some variety? I wonder when we’ll see a similar moratorium on hair/nail salons….
Also Wednesday comes discussion of the long-awaited whistleblower policy for municipal employees, some further financial good housekeeping, including putting funds aside for a rainy day and setting up trusts for the city’s investment in future retiree health costs (aka OPEBs).
Finally, Parking. Newton North’s parking plan–which is meant to keep neighborhoods free of all-day student parking, but which requires funds (a permit fee) to cover the program. It’s a brave try, but at least THIS Newton South parent is piqued by the low cost–$25?–for an all-year permit to park, when OUR kids get to pay $360/year to park in the mostly-empty NSHS lots. Can we talk parking equity? Parking demand?
Parking at the high schools should be free. The $360 a year fee at South is just another money-grab by the city. They charge kids for the bus, and charge them more if they don’t take the bus. Ridiculous!
Just a quick note on the banking item. The EDC had pushed for a broader discussion on removing barriers to entry for a broader variety of stores and uses in the village centers. The banking docket item allowed for that discussion to happen. In our further discussion, the Zoning and Planning committee had agreed to look into means to better improve the village centers – EDC suggested at that time that a special permit requirement on banks was therefore not required.
As I understand it, the item is included this week to clean up the docket and to revisit overall next steps for village vitality.
Sorry, BUSES should be free. Encourage kids to TAKE THE SCHOOL BUS if you can’t walk. If more kids took busses then we would reduce the number of CARS.
Same applies to Boston . . . . if more people didn’t DRIVE into Boston, there would be LESS cars. . . . .
Take the bus
That’s an interesting thought, Newton Mom. My daughter would have to get up 40 minutes earlier to take the bus to school. She wouldn’t be able to go out to lunch, as juniors and seniors are allowed. And at least twice a week she’d have to stay at school more than an hour after her last class. I agree with you that buses should be free, but parking should be free too.
With regards to banks, I’d prefer to see some private client/trust investment management oriented banks opening up in Newton rather than retail banks myself. I have no issue for or against a high number of retail consumer deposit branch banking operations, but I’d like to see the banks put some of their private client investment management services in Newton instead of some broker from LPL.