A part of me wants to go grab a clipboard, head down to the Newton Centre T station, and start soliciting signatures. Send me a t-shirt, Randall Block!
Excuse me, good neighbor. Are you, like me, an advocate for more housing choice in Newton? Can I get you to sign the Right Size Newton petition demanding a referendum on the City Council’s approval of the Northland project?
Sure, from a housing advocate’s perspective, what the Council approved is a great project: 800 new apartments, 17% — 123 apartments — affordable. But, if we force a referendum and we prevail at the ballot, who knows how many apartments we can get. 1000? 1200? It’s a huge site — 22 acres.
Wait. I’m confusing you? How will overturning the City Council approval lead to more, not less housing? Good question.
If the developer can’t get a special permit, they can proceed under a state law that allows them, essentially, to build whatever they want. It’s called 40b, an anti-snob-zoning law. If the developer provides a 20% or more affordable housing, they can basically ignore a city’s zoning ordinances and the city’s review mechanisms, like the special permit process. It’s a huge site. It could easily accommodate a few towers as tall as the Towers at Chestnut Hill.
You thought that Right Size Newton were against large apartment buildings? So did I.
If Right Size Newton are against large apartment buildings, why do they want a referendum? Why do they want to overturn the special permit and open up the likelihood of even larger apartment buildings? You’ve got me.
But, I’m not in the habit of questioning people’s motives when their actions align with my objectives.
Hey, thanks for signing. Don’t worry about ward and precinct. We’ll add that before submitting the sheet.
Thanks for your time. Have a terrific day!
I hope the Right Sized volunteers are honest with voters.
But as you point out Sean, they may not be. Not only could Northland potentially build more than 1,800 apartments under a 40B (about 640 units per parcel and this project encompasses three parcels) but we’d likley lose a lot of the traffic mitigation, including free shuttles every ten minutes and free T-passes for all residents.
Greg, what’s going on with the MBTA redo of Needham Street? Haven’t heard much in a while.
@Marti: Here’s the latest.
So I take it that you think the current plan is “right sized” as it is? So you too are a right sizer. You just don’t admit it.
You see, everyone including you has a “right size”.
People are out there with clipboards because they’re pissed off at tone deaf elected officials, that stuck a deal that’s high on flash, but not enough substance where it matters, i.e. a traffic management plan hinged on a prayer.
A referendum allows citizens to take matters into their own hands (ballot) when they feel their public officials have failed them. Feel free to disagree but that’s the reality we are in today. And mocking Right Size will only makes them more determined.
Matt, how does overturning a super-majority vote of the city council allow “citizens to take matters into their own hands?” Other than a vacuous victory at the voting booth, what specifically is the outcome you are looking for if this referendum were to pass?
Matt,
I don’t know how well you represent the average Right-Sizer, but this comment sounds like a tantrum. The people who spent months carefully considering the project, after hundreds of meetings with various stakeholders are “tone deaf,” because they don’t agree with you. The deal is high on flash. The TDM a prayer. (By the way, I don’t like the TDM, either. I really wanted about half the parking. But, I’m not putting a gun to my own head.)
So, you’re willing to blow it all up. Because, a referendum most certainly does not allow citizens to take matters into their own hands. If the referendum gets to the ballot and then passes, the future of the parcel is going to be solely in the hands of the developer. Right Size Newton won’t be able to control the outcome. The elected officials of Right Size Newton and the rest of us won’t be able to control the outcome.
I’m not mocking Right Size Newton. I’m just pointing out that there is no strategy here. Just plain pique that they — you — haven’t gotten what you want. And, this won’t end well for any of us, except in as much as we will get even more of the housing we desperately need. But, without any of the mitigation that really only affects the most immediate neighbors.
What am I missing? What is the Right Size expectations about what will happen if the referendum succeeds?
You’re asking citizens to take the highly unusual step of reversing a super-majority vote of the City Council. What are you promising the folks that sign in support of the referendum?
Stop complaining about how badly you were mistreated and lay out a vision.