Newton City Council - September 22, 2026

City Council
September 22, 2026
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Executive Summary

At its September 22, 2026 meeting, the Newton City Council approved first call committee reports across land use, zoning and planning, programs and services, public safety and transportation, public facilities, and finance by a 23-0 roll call vote (with one member absent). On second call, the Council voted to recommit a proposed rule change requiring grants of location for non-emergency gas street openings back to Public Facilities following concerns raised by National Grid. The Council also amended and approved an appropriation for the Commission on Disability from $600 to $582.67 to reimburse expenses for a Disability Pride event, and voted to re-refer a $1.9 million Community Preservation Committee recommendation for the Newton Affordable Housing Trust to the Zoning and Planning Committee after determining it had been improperly referred originally.

Meeting Announcements and Procedural Matters

  • Council President Oliver announced upcoming key meeting dates for the City Council calendar:
    • Annual Financial Forecast Meeting: Monday, October 5, 2026, scheduled for a 7:00 PM start.
    • Annual Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Hearing: Monday, October 19, 2026, scheduled for approximately a 7:00 PM start.
    • Tax Classification Hearing: Monday, November 16, 2026, also expected to be an early start.
  • Councilor Cyrus Dahmubed was noted as absent for the evening.

Committee Reports on First Call

  • Land Use Committee (reported by Councilor Kelley):
    • Approved a request to withdraw without prejudice for 2 Rose Street (Item 207-26).
    • Approved a request to allow a four-story building, 48 feet in height, with associated dimensional parking waivers at 74 Needham Street by a committee vote of 8-0 (Item 225-26).
    • Approved a request to exceed the facade ratio at 40 Burdine Road by a committee vote of 8-0 (Item 280-26).
    • Approved a request to exceed the facade ratio at 29 Pierpont Road by a committee vote of 8-0 (Item 281-26).
    • Approved a request to allow two parking stalls within the front setback at 45 Ware Road by a committee vote of 8-0 (Item 282-26).
    • Scheduled a public hearing for September 29, 2026, regarding a request to allow retaining walls exceeding four feet in height at 696 Dedham Street (Item 304-26).
  • Zoning and Planning Committee (reported by Councilor Baker):
    • Reappointment of Jeffrey Zabel to the Conservation Commission (Item 268-26).
    • Reappointment of Susan Lunin to the Conservation Commission, approved 7-0 in committee (Item 269-26).
    • Reappointment of Kathryn Cade to the Conservation Commission, approved 7-0 in committee (Item 270-26).
    • Appointment of Kevin Mendik to the Conservation Commission, approved 6-0 in committee (Item 271-26).
    • Held a discussion of data regarding the demolition of homes and their replacements (Item 290-26).
  • Programs and Services Committee (reported by Councilor Krintzman):
    • Approved an ordinance amendment to Chapter 3 regarding animals and fowl by a committee vote of 6-0 (Item 211-26).
    • Voted no action necessary (6-0 in committee) on a resolution in support of Medicare for All for Massachusetts (Item 217-26).
    • Approved authorization to purchase 492 Waltham Street by a committee vote of 6-0 (Item 265-26).
  • Public Safety and Transportation Committee (reported by Councilor Lucas):
    • Held the winter parking ban discussion (Item 62-26).
    • Voted no action necessary (6-0 in committee) on a request for a new public auto license for Farid Isavyev (Item 274-26).
  • Public Facilities Committee (reported by Councilor Kalis):
    • Discussion and straw vote regarding the Bullough's Pond project was approved in committee with 4 in favor, 1 opposed, 2 abstentions, and 1 absent (Item 247-26).
    • Held a request for discussion with the Mayor concerning the staffing of Climate and Energy (Item 278-26).
    • Approved an Eversource petition for grant of location on Moody Street by a committee vote of 8-0 (Item 283-26).
  • Finance Committee (reported by Councilor Grossman):
    • Approved authorization to accept and expend an Emergency Management Preparedness Grant of $23,040 from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency by a committee vote of 6-0 (Item 262-26).
    • Approved authorization for full and final settlement of Case No. 217268 by a committee vote of 6-0 (Item 263-26).
    • Approved authorization to transfer $623,130.15 in excess debt exclusion bond proceeds by a committee vote of 7-0 (Item 264-26).
    • Approved authorization to purchase 492 Waltham Street by a committee vote of 7-0 (Item 265-26).
    • Approved authorization to enter into a contract greater than three years by a committee vote of 7-0 (Item 299-26).
    • Approved authorization of $11,500 for a legal settlement by a committee vote of 6-0 (Item 303-26).
  • Real Property Reuse Committee (Councilor Malakie):
    • No report was submitted.
  • Vote on First Call Motion:
    • Passed 23-0 (Absent: Dahmubed).

City Council Workload Survey Presentation

  • Councilor Farrell distributed an informal, anonymous questionnaire titled "A Totally Unsophisticated Survey" to all council members.
  • The survey asked councilors to estimate the number of hours they spend officially and unofficially on City Council work to provide baseline data ahead of upcoming charter discussions regarding Council size and structure.

Revocation of DPW Two-Foot Rule for Non-Emergency Gas Grants of Location, referred back to Public Facilities (Item 273-26)

  • The Council considered a docket item sponsored by Councilors Leary, Roche, Dahmubed, Malakie, Albright, and Bixby requiring all requests by gas companies for non-emergency street openings for gas infrastructure to come before the City Council for grant of location approval, revoking the DPW's previous administrative observation of the "two-foot rule."
  • Committee Chair Kalis explained that although the item had previously passed the Public Facilities Committee 8-0, National Grid representative Amy Smith had recently submitted a letter raising technical and logistical concerns and requested to speak before the committee.
  • Councilor Kalis moved to recommit the item to the Public Facilities Committee for further discussion.
  • Councilor Silber asked if the correspondence from National Grid would be shared with the full Council, and Councilor Kalis confirmed it would be provided.
  • Vote to recommit to committee: The motion was carried by unanimous voice vote.

Transfer of Funds for Commission on Disabilities Disability Pride Event (Item 261-26)

  • The City Council considered a mayoral request to transfer $600 from the Handicapped Parking Fines Disability Commission Account to a dedicated Disability Pride event account to cover event expenses.
  • Councilor Grossman reported that Ema Johnstotter, co-chair of the Commission on Disability, appeared before the Finance Committee and clarified that the event had already occurred and the actual expenses incurred totaled $582.67.
  • Councilor Grossman noted that transferring more than the actual expense would either tie up the surplus $17.33 until fiscal year closeout or cause it to revert to the general fund instead of remaining with the Commission on Disability.
  • Motion by Councilor Grossman to amend the appropriation amount from $600.00 to $582.67.
    • Vote on amendment: Passed by unanimous voice vote.
  • Motion to approve Item 261-26 as amended in the amount of $582.67.
    • Vote on main motion as amended: Passed by unanimous voice vote.

CPC Recommendation to Appropriate $1.9 Million for Newton Affordable Housing Trust, referred to Zoning and Planning Committee (Item 250-26)

  • Council President Oliver introduced a motion to refer Item 250-26—a Community Preservation Committee recommendation to appropriate $1,900,000 for a grant to the Newton Affordable Housing Trust—to the Zoning and Planning Committee.
  • President Oliver stated that the item had been erroneously assigned to Public Facilities and Finance, but under City Council rules, all CPC items must be reviewed by the Zoning and Planning Committee.
  • Councilor Roche inquired about the scheduling timeline and whether the item would be expedited.
  • Zoning and Planning Committee Chair Baker stated that although the upcoming committee agenda was already set and required coordination with CPC and Planning Department staff, he planned to take it up in due course within a reasonable timeframe.
  • Vote to refer to Zoning and Planning Committee: The motion was carried by unanimous voice vote.

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Last updated: Sep 23, 2026

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