Zoning & Planning Committee - July 20, 2026

• Governing Body: Zoning & Planning Committee
• City: Newton, MA
• Meeting Type: Regular Committee Meeting
• Date: July 20, 2026
• Attendees:
  • Committee Members: Councilor Marc C. Laredo (Chair), Councilor John Oliver (Vice Chair), Councilor Cyrus Dahmubed, Councilor Rena Getz, Councilor Lisa Gordon (online), Councilor Susan Albright (online).
  • Other Councilors: Councilor Andrea W. Kelley (Land Use Chair), Councilor Randy Block, Councilor Stephen Farrell, Councilor Julia Malakie, Councilor Tarik J. Lucas, Councilor Sean Roche.
  • Staff and Guests: Kat Temet (Chief Planner), Peter Bowman (Eversource), Jason Kaminski (Eversource), Rick Schiaffone (Eversource), Catherine Feerick (Director of Planning Appointee), Hattie Kerwin Derrick (Director of Community Engagement), David Lewis (Chief Planner).

The committee discussed a request from the Mayor to amend the zoning code regarding the placement of electrical transformers within setbacks.

Key Discussion Points:

• Current Status: Chief Planner Kat Temet explained that transformers are currently classified as structures: "Transformers are considered structures and they must meet the same setback requirements that apply to principal buildings."
• Electrification Goals: The city's sustainability policies and the new stretch code are increasing the demand for transformers in residential and commercial projects, leading to frequent requests for zoning relief.
• Utility Requirements: Peter Bowman and Jason Kaminski of Eversource discussed technical constraints, including safety clearances defined in the utility's "Blue Book." They noted that transformers must be accessible for maintenance and often need to be close to the public way.
• Proposed Solutions: The committee explored whether transformers should be treated similarly to heat pumps, which have existing setback exemptions.

Action Taken: A motion to Hold the item was approved unanimously to allow the Planning Department to further investigate early coordination processes with Eversource and potential modifications to setback standards.

The committee interviewed Catherine Feerick for the position of Director of Planning, pursuant to Section 3.3 of the City Charter.

Candidate Presentation:

• Ms. Feerick described herself as an "asset-based planner" with a background in economic development in Attleboro and Foxborough.
• She emphasized the importance of village identity, stating, "You can't create Hollywood here, but you can create the best Newton."

Councilor Inquiries:

• Economic Development: Ms. Feerick noted that commercial and industrial growth are vital to increasing the tax base without burdening individual ratepayers.
• Housing: Regarding the MBTA Communities Act, she discussed her experience in Foxborough and noted that multi-family housing often pays for itself in terms of tax revenue vs. service impact.
• Village Character: She expressed support for human-scale development and form-based codes that avoid being overly prescriptive.

Action Taken: A motion to Approve the appointment was passed unanimously (6-0).

The committee discussed two related items: a review of the workload and vacancies of the Historic District Commissions (242-26) and a mayoral request to merge the Auburndale, Newtonville, and Upper Falls commissions into a single Local Historic District Commission (392-26).

Administrative Perspective:

• Hattie Kerwin Derrick reported difficulties in recruiting the 42 members required to fully staff the current three separate commissions, leading to quorum issues and project delays.

Public and Commission Testimony:

• Jeff Bricklin (Chair, Upper Falls): Opposed the merger, stating, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," and noted that Upper Falls has rarely missed a meeting in 26 years.
• Ralph Abel (Newtonville): Opposed the merger, emphasizing the need for local expertise and architects who "speak the language" of the specific neighborhood.
• Tim LeBlanc (Newtonville): Criticized the city's recruitment process, noting he had applied for the Auburndale commission but received no response.
• Ellen Fitzpatrick (Former Chair): Suggested that the issue is a recruitment process failure rather than a structural one, advocating for a "return to fundamentals."

Action Taken: A motion to Hold both items was approved. A straw poll indicated a majority of the committee (4-2) opposed the consolidation proposal in its current form.

The committee considered the reappointments of Michael Alperin and Judy Weber to the Newton Affordable Housing Trust.

Action Taken: Both reappointments were Approved unanimously.