Hard working planning staff are wrapping up their ward-by-ward zoning reform road shows with two more meetings, this Thursday and next. If you haven’t been to one (or even if you have), I highly recommend attending. It’s a critical change that the city is planning and you will learn a ton about the why, what, and how of zoning reform. And, you’ll hear what folks in the ward like and are concerned about.
- Ward 2
2/28, 6:30-8:00 PM
Ward School
225 Nevada St. - Ward 4
3/7, 6:30-8:00 PM
Burr Elementary School
171 Pine St.
Auburndale
I have it on good authority that you may attend a ward meeting, even if you don’t live in the ward. If you missed your ward’s meeting and go to one of these, by all means go.
Sean, what you term “critical change that the city is planning”, I would term “critical threat” since there is at least one elected City Councilor who, as documented, professes that “social justice” and “social change” should everywhere trump the “free market” by her aiming to lower home asset value throughout the city. That City Councilor seeks to achieve this through redesign of Newton Zoning to achieve what can be called, “Degentrification” of Newton.
I went to the Zoning and Planning meeting last night and the planning department presented a preliminary and very impressive projection of how all the zoning changes will affect the city in terms of number of new households, threat of demolitions, non-conformity, affordability, walkability, etc.
HOWEVER, the did not analyze what the effects will be on individual property values and on the tax base and services required for new households and businesses, which are probably the most important issues for most citizens. I hope that will be added, analyzed and discussed before these proposals move forward.
Laurie, glad that you brought to the readers’ attention that at the Zoning and Planning meeting, the planning department “did not analyze what the effects will be on individual property values…”
This is a critical failure and going forward Newton residents should insist that this be addressed at future meetings.
Jim,
I think we’ve got to the point where the phrase “preserve property values ” is interpreted as code word for “racism”
.. sad times
Jim,
As I noted on the other thread, zoning is a restraint on the free market. Upzoning will provide property owners with less regulation and with more freedom to do what they want with their property.
Sean, as I too noted on the other thread, I certainly recognize that zoning restrictions have impact on the “free market”. Up until now in Newton, those zoning restrictions have been to protect and enhance existing property values and existing quality of life for existing residences. New proposals could or would have the reverse impact — to reduce nearby property value and existing quality of live for existing residences. And that is what needs to be discussed — which per another thread — has been thus far left out by the planning department at the Zoning and Planning meetings.
Correction, as noted on THIS thread, above — has been thus far left out by the planning department at the Zoning and Planning meetings.
“Preserving property values” was used well into the last century by those explicitly promoting racial segregation in housing.
If you use it in this century, even to defend facially neutral exclusionary zoning that has had a segregating effect, you inherit the baggage.
Sean, as Bugek exactly states above, “I think we’ve got to the point where the phrase “preserve property values ” is interpreted as code word for “racism”…sad times”
Zoning for racial segregation is not only prohibited by law, it is abhorrent (at least to me).
It’s quite possible if not probable that many of these changes will preserve or improve property values, as it has in Brookline, at least among a subset of properties. If so, people need to know that, which is why it should be analyzed. If the opposite is true for some segment of properties, they need to know that as well, and they can then decide if the many compensating features of walkability, vitality, diversity, etc. is worth it.
Laurie, as I stated on another thread:
The LEAST expensive apartment at Avalon Apts (on Needham St.), just 912 sq ft, currently rents for $3,265 per mo; the LEAST expensive 2 bedroom apartment at Avalon Apts, 1,249 sq ft, currently rents for $3,735 per mo.
I believe these are way over what would be entailed for non-subsidized “affordable housing” for the purposes of true “economic diversity”.
So, what kind of newly constructed Newton apartments are we talking about which will RAISE the value of nearby existing single family homes — if those apts must be of way lower rental rates than Avalon? Is that realistic to think this is even possible in Newton?
Where exactly on Nevada Street is the Ward School?
@Max – The Ward 2 Meeting is actually at the Carr school – which is in Ward 1. Odd.