I strongly encourage everyone to attend one of the ward review meetings of the first draft of the redesigned zoning ordinance. (That’s a mouthful, eh?) Up next is Ward 1’s meeting, on 2/7 at 6:30 PM at the Ciociaro Club, 144 Bridge St., Nonantum. They don’t keep out interlopers, so if you missed your ward’s meeting, definitely go, but maybe let the locals ask the questions. (If you are in Ward 3, 5, 6, or 7, you’ve already missed yours.)
After Ward 1’s meeting:
- Ward 2, 2/28 at the Carr School
- Ward 4, 3/7 in the Lower Falls Community Center Gymnasium
- Ward 8, 2/13 in the Countryside Elementary School Cafetorium*
All meetings are from 6:30 to 8:00 PM.
You will not get a clearer, more interesting explanation of the zoning redesign than you’ll get at these meetings (except in my zoning explanation posts). Well worth your time for this very important change to our city.
* Seriously? That’s a word?
Here’s a video of the meeting. Citizen comments start about 50 minutes in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0a-TzOCrkc
Rick Frank,
Entertaining video… the presenters did not expect residents living near Washington street to be smart enough to realize they are being taken advantage of. 🙂
As proposed, it will certainly pass because there is enough support from residents who “don’t live near Washington street”. They can support density because its literally “not in my backyard”
The planning department takes their marching orders from the mayor.
She’s the ultimate NIMBY and always there for the photo op.
But afaict never attended one of these citizen meetings. She probably wouldn’t like what she heard. #canttaketheheat
Interesting article by councilor Brenda Noel regarding the new zoning changes
https://patch.com/massachusetts/newton/why-you-should-care-changes-newtons-zoning-noel
Much of the article talks about fixing a zoning law steeped in racism. I wonder how many councilors see the zoning as a way to “social justice” which must be pushed through to preserve their liberal badge of honor?
Personally, I would like to see the zoning rewrite as practical way for the city to raise new revenue by attracting business to Newton and to help promote improvement of public transportation. Pushing this through in the name of “white liberal guilt” just seems a little misguided to me…
Newton certainly discriminates against people who cannot “afford” to live by the simple fact of having good schools and close to Boston. Please name an affordable town which has
good schools + low crime + quick commute to Boston
It doesn’t exist because of the laws of supply and demand… not because of some “racist” conspiracy