Newton City Council - October 5, 2026

The City Council considered committee reports and uncontested matters on First Call:

• Land Use Committee:
  • Special permit petition to allow five attached single-family dwellings in two buildings with dimensional and parking relief at 83 Lexington Street (Item 208-26). Approved 8-0 in committee.
  • Special permit petition to exceed FAR and facade ratio at 22-24 Mechanic Street (Item 227-26). Approved 8-0 in committee.
  • Special permit petition to allow retaining walls exceeding four feet in height at 696 Dedham Street (Item 304-26). Approved 8-0 in committee.
  • Public hearings were requested for a reduction in lot area and frontage at 62 Miller Road (Item 309-26), a retaining wall exceeding four feet at 9 Nardale Road (Item 310-26), and an amendment to Special Permit 179-21 for valet parking and directional signage at 777 Winchester Street (Item 311-26).
• Programs and Services Committee:
  • Appointment of Valerie Pontiff to the Newton Commonwealth Foundation (Item 266-26). Approved 5-0 in committee.
  • Appointment to the Newton Commonwealth Foundation (Item 267-26). Approved 6-0 in committee.
  • Appointment of Susan Eaton to the Human Rights Commission (Item 272-26). Approved 7-0 in committee.
• Public Safety and Transportation Committee:
  • John Ryan appeal of Traffic Council decision TC 15-26 (Item 275-26). Approved as amended 6-1-1 in committee.
• Public Facilities Committee:
  • Request to revoke the two-foot rule regarding gas company non-emergency grants of location (Item 273-26). Held in committee 5-2.
  • Authorization to enter into an intermunicipal agreement for coordinated solid waste contract negotiations (Item 298-26). Approved 7-0 in committee.
• Finance Committee:
  • Community Preservation Committee recommendation to appropriate $35,032 from CPA funds for the installation of permanent bike share infrastructure at two recreation sites (Item 252-26). Approved 8-0 in committee.
  • Authorization to enter into an intermunicipal agreement for coordinated solid waste contract negotiations (Item 298-26). Approved 8-0 in committee.

Action on First Call Reports: Passed 23-0, except Item 275-26 which passed 21-2. Councilor Farrell and Councilor Irish voted no on Item 275-26. One member was absent.

Mayor Marc C. Laredo and Chief Financial Officer Maureen Lemieux presented the city's multi-year financial forecast and long-range plan:

• Guiding Principles: The administration's plan is built around three overarching goals: providing excellent education for every child, delivering outstanding city services, and building community.
• FY 2027 Baseline Initiatives:
  • Budgeting 99% of anticipated revenues to balance service investments while preventing mid-year freezes.
  • Extending the Newton Retirement System full funding amortization date to 2035, securing $5 million in operating budget relief while instituting a 3.6% annual pension appropriation schedule.
  • Pursuing special act authorization on Beacon Hill for pension obligation bonds, which could yield up to $10 million in annual budget relief when market interest rates become favorable.
• Revenue Projections:
  • Interest income is projected at $7.5 million annually across the five-year forecast, assuming an average yield of 2.5% on approximately $300 million in daily cash balances.
  • Building permit revenue remains steady at approximately $12 million annually.
  • Certified new growth from redevelopment was 1.36% (the lowest in 14 years), and is conservatively projected at 1.3% annually as major pipeline developments (Northland, Riverside, 11 Florence Street, 528 Boylston Street, 38 Crafts Street, and 78 Crafts Street) advance.
  • Overlay reserves for abatements were reduced to 0.75% of the tax levy, and $1.5 million in free cash is built into the annual revenue baseline.
• Expenditure Highlights:
  • Newton Public Schools received an increase of $21.6 million (7.38%) in FY 2027. The forecast models 4.9% appropriation increases in each of the next two fiscal years, followed by 4.5%, 4.25%, and 4.0% in outer years.
  • The administration and NPS committed to a collaborative plan to eliminate the school department's $2.5 million annual budget carry-forward over three years.
  • Near-term capital initiatives include opening the new Franklin and Countryside Elementary Schools this winter, followed by planning for a new police headquarters, major renovations at Newton South High School, replacements for Ward and Underwood elementary schools, and an MSBA-funded Brown Middle School, each supported by debt exclusion overrides.

Councilor Lucas presented the Public Safety and Transportation Committee report on a proposed amendment to Newton City Ordinance 19-175 concerning the winter overnight parking ban:

• Ordinance Scope: Ordinance 19-175 currently permits the Traffic Council to authorize overnight winter parking by permit exclusively in on-street perpendicular parking stalls (presently restricted to Chestnut Street in Upper Falls). The proposed amendment would grant the Traffic Council the regulatory authority to permit overnight parking in on-street angled parking stalls.
• Eligible Locations: Identified existing angled parking locations include Albemarle Road and Washington Street in Newtonville, Auburn Street in Auburndale, Beacon Street in Waban, and Commonwealth Avenue between Centre Street and Grant Avenue. Councilor Lucas indicated Ward 2 councilors would co-docket a Traffic Council petition for a one-year trial for stalls on Albemarle Road.
• Procedural Dispute and Proposed Amendments:
  • Councilor Block objected to advancing an ordinance with citywide application, arguing the amendment should explicitly name Albemarle Road rather than include commercial and mixed-use corridors.
  • Councilor Getz raised safety, maintenance, and snow-clearing concerns regarding narrow angled spaces in Waban Village Center on Beacon Street and moved an amendment to categorically exclude angled parking stalls abutting commercial parcels.
  • Councilor Baker raised concerns about ambiguous drafting and moved to postpone the item to the next City Council meeting to give councilors and staff time to review the ordinance text and potential exclusions.
  • Councilor Getz withdrew her floor amendment to allow the motion to postpone to be considered.

Action: Motion to postpone Item 62-26 to the next City Council meeting passed 16-8. Dissenting: Councilors Golden, Greenberg, Kelley, Lucas, Roche, and Silber (with two additional members voting no).