In the aftermath of a recent Land Use Committee meeting about Northland during which opponents booed, hissed and jeered fellow Newton residents who support the project (for a good example go to the 1:58 mark here).), Right Sized Newton’s Leon Schwartz, sent this message in an email to its supporters..
… I find this very difficult to write, because I really appreciate the passion and energy that everyone brought to the meeting last time and I understand the frustration that arises when you feel like you are not being heard or not being listened to, but: please let’s try to keep our interactions with the council and with those that may not be on the same page as us as civil as we can. An oft-told story attributed to a law professor comes to mind: when the facts are on your side, pound the facts; when the law is on your side, pound the law, and when neither is on your side: pound the table! In this case, the facts are very clear: the proposed project is too big. We certainly don’t need to pound the table to get our point across.
Facts are only useful in a court of law with an impartial judge/jury. In this case we have a council and mayor who have predetermined they want density in the name of social justice and global warming…
Rightsize should focus on upcoming elections as we’re led to believe approval will happen after elections
Leon Schwartz is exactly right. There are all sorts of genuine, valid, and important issue to be raised about this project. Raise them in the public meetings as Leon did eloquently and articulately in the last meeting. Hissing, booing and heckcling doesn’t forward anyone’s interest.
@Bugek – that’s a pretty broad brush you’re wielding. The council is made up of 24 individuals with a wide range of perspectives on development in general and this project in particular. Yes, by all means pay attention to those 24 different perspectives when considering your vote. But the “council and the mayor wants density” is a generic generalization that doesn’t help any more than hissing, booing and heckling.
For me, a local resident, my biggest concern is the shear scale of the project. I definitely think that parcel today is a bit of a wasteland. I’m all for a major new development on the site. I have high hopes that a project there can be a shot in the arm for our struggling village center. I’ve been encouraged that Northland has taken feedback from the neighborhood and made a whole range of improvements to the project in response.
What worries me most is that this single project will almost double the number of households in Upper Falls as well as introducing a really big jump in the amount of retail and other commercial uses. The shear size of it all seems a bit out of whack with what can be handled on that site – especially given the fact that Needham St traffic today is already at or over capacity.
What’s the “right size”? Damned if I know. That said, 800 new units in a village that today only has 1200 units seems like a formula for all sorts of unintended consequences.
The one thing that’s always in the back of my mind though is that “by right” Northland can develop that site in a way that virtually everyone will agree would be a disaster. I’d much rather work through this special permit process and have the neighborhood have some input into what ultimately gets built, then shut the project down and have them build something “by right”.
There has been a fair amount of give and take so far. Northland has gone back a few times and adjusted the design in response. Our local councilors have been very involved in various in advocating for significant improvements in the project. I think at this point what’s missing is a clear voice of what the biggest issue for the neighborhood is.
RightSizeNewton has been effective in communicating to the neighborhood that this project is coming and rallying those with concerns to express them. What seems to be missing though is a clear distillation of those very varied concerns into something focused and actionable. What exactly is RightSizeNewton pushing for.? What exactly would the neighbors in Upper Falls like to see? So far, its a cacophony of contradicting voices, easily ignored.
I’d love to see RightSizeNewton do the hard work to distill all of the sometimes contradictory positions of my neighbors into some rough consensus and then push for that consensus with Northland and the City Council. Without a clear position, neither the Council nor Northland is in a position to negotiate on anything other than what the last person they talked to said.
This is way too big a project for our neighborhood to not know exactly what we’re pushing for.
I’m all for blah, but … = I oppose
I may not agree with the RightSize Newton crowd but what is on this video is not a testament to their bad behavior or lack of civility but rather about the lack of leadership from Councilor Schwartz. Right Size Newton should be applauded for their efforts and restraint during this meeting. I’m not too sure I would have been so civil. Perhaps councilor Schwartz can take a lesson from the other Schwartz in the video, Leon from Right Size Newton and his civil tone and demeanor.
What I don’t understand is why Councilor Schwartz is getting a free pass on his role in the meeting. Am I the only one who is frustrated by this video?
From the record Councilor Schwartz shows up late makes a comment about traffic and proceeds to blame parking for his tardiness which feeds to the crowd. Then when some in opposition to the project start taking offense to some of the speakers and comments, he does little to control the crowd. And furthermore stirs up everyone by saying “thought we all played nice in 2nd grade” which led to Ms. Lori Ruskin(sp?) calling out Councilor Schwartz for his condescending speeches and attitude.
A couple of questions… Does Councilor Schwartz have the authority to clear the council area? If so why did he not do that? As a followup was councilor Schwartz’ behavior, lack of professionalism and leadership addressed by the council president or vice president in any manner? Both I believe who were in attendance. There is no excuse for being late to a meeting nor being able to control a crowd in a professional manner. – jack
@Bugek, lawyers have a saying: “When the facts are against you, argue the law. When the law is against you, argue the facts. And when the law and the facts are against you, bang the table with your fist.”