Docket Digest for the Week of July 12, 2010

A weekly summary of Board of Aldermen agendas and actions highlighting items of interest to the LWVN. Archive of previous weeks here.

Board and Committee Meeting Schedule

Extracted from full calendar. Links to full calendar and docket packet here.

Key to color coding: CPC, Planning, Environmental, CAG, Charter, Housing.

July 2010

Monday

6:45

7 pm

7:45 pm

Finance

Public Facilities

Board of Aldermen

222

Chamber

Tuesday 13

7:45

Land Use

Zoning and Planning

222

202

Wednesday

7:45 pm

Programs & Services

Public Facilities

222

209

NO MEETINGS

WEEK OF JULY 19!

Reports:

Long-Range Planning 6-02 includes: discussion of CAG recommendations, Green Community designation update (Newton should be awarded $179,500 in grant funds. The City also will receive six big-belly solar compactors to put throughout the City and four signs to show that the City has earned a Green Community Badge)
Programs & Services
Rules Subcommittee
Zoning & Planning
Public Safety & Transportation

Documents:

News Notes, includes:
- Boston College Stokes Building Discussion – Wednesday, July 21 at 7:00 pm – The meeting will be held at the Church of the Redeemer, 379 Hammond Street, Chestnut Hill. The Planning & Development Department will be hosting an Administrative Site Plan Review meeting to discuss the plans to construct a new academic building on the middle campus which it will name ‘Stokes Hall.’ The building will be located near the intersection of College Road and Beacon Street. Plans will be presented for public viewing. Both city staff and the architect will be available to hear public comment and answer questions.
- Chairmen’s Meeting - September – After Labor Day, I will be having a Chairmen’s Meeting (all Board members are invited to attend). I will follow up on the date. David Olson will be providing an update and discussion on the Open Meeting Law. I would also like to discuss some items that VP Lappin and I have been working on and planning for the remainder of the calendar year.
Memo re: Comm Avenue construction: "Current Project Status
1. Due to the dispute between MassDOT and the General Contractor (Newport Construction) relative to fees due NSTAR, all construction activities have stopped.
2. As previously mentioned, the overall project budget is approaching the 10% exceedance level. Primary project over-runs include police details and fuel adjustment costs. MassDOT is to provide a detailed list of over-run items to the city for review."

Agendas:

Finance, includes:
- #184-10 HIS HONOR THE MAYOR requesting authorization to eliminate the part time Chief Zoning Code Official and the part time Principal Planner positions (19 hours each) and to create a full time (37.5 hours) Chief Zoning Code Official position, which salary will be absorbed in the existing FY2011Planning Department budget, although there may need to be additional funding for benefits.
Public Facilities for Monday and Wednesday (Wednesday's agenda includes:
- #107-10 ALD. YATES, LAPPIN, FREEDMAN, FISCHMAN, AND HESS-MAHAN
  requesting an update on the Newton South High School athletic field drainage
  project.
- #23-10 ALD. YATES & DANBERG proposing a Resolution urging His Honor the
  Mayor to re-present the city’s request for State bond money to be appropriated to
  implement the Needham Street reconstruction plan developed in partnership with
  the Needham Street property owners over the past decade.
- #385-07 ALD. SCHNIPPER AND GENTILE updating the Public Facilities Committee on
  the progress of the Newton North High School Project.)
Land Use
Zoning and Planning, includes:
- #142-09(4) INTERIM DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT requesting discussion of findings of Floor Area Ratio Working Group and consideration of recommended revisions to Chapter 30 regarding FAR limits tied to lot sizes and definitions of “gross floor area”, “carport”, “mass below first story”, “porch”, “enclosed porch”, and “floor area ratio” as well as phasing of ongoing changes.
- #154-10 ALD. JOHNSON, CROSSLEY AND HESS-MAHAN requesting to amend Section 30-1 Definitions, by inserting a new definition of “lot area” and revising the “setback line” definition for clarity.
- #153-10 ALD. JOHNSON, CROSSLEY AND HESS-MAHAN requesting to amend Section 30-15 Table 1 of the City of Newton Ordinances to allow a reasonable density for dwellings in Mixed Use 1 and 2 districts.
- #183-10 ALD. JOHNSON, CROSSLEY AND HESS-MAHAN requesting to amend Section 30-13(a) Allowed Uses in Mixed Use 1 Districts by inserting a new subsection (5) as follows: “(5) Dwelling units above the first floor, provided that the first floor is used for an office or research and development use as described above;”

Reports Docket, includes:

#87-09 ALD. SANGIOLO, BRANDEL, FREEDMAN AND HESS-MAHAN requesting a Home Rule Petition to allow the City of Newton to require elected officials to contribute a higher percentage rate for health insurance benefits than is required for other employee groups.
#142-09(3) ZONING & PLANNING COMMITTEE proposing that subsection 30-15(u) of Chapter 30 relative to floor area ratio, as established by Ordinance Z-51, dated August 10, 2009, be amended by extending the provisions of paragraph nos. 1. 2. and 3. from July 30, 2010 to October 31, 2010.

Docket for 7-12, includes :

#205-10 ALD. YATES proposing that Chapter 30 be amended to allow by special permit railroad-related uses in the Mixed Use 1 District.
The following item was filed after the close of the docket and will need a suspension of the Rules to be referred to Committee:
#207-10 ALD. SANGIOLO, YATES, FISCHMAN, JOHNSON requesting a discussion with the Newton Housing Authority regarding the various housing programs offered and the process and procedures in (1) selection of appropriate housing for tenants with special needs (2) any special services offered to tenants with disabilities (3) resolution of tenant disputes and possible eviction procedures and (4) tenant resources and recourse in the event of tenant complaints.
#209-10 ALD. FULLER, BAKER, BLAZAR, DANBERG, FREEDMAN, HESS-MAHAN, JOHNSON, LAPPIN, LINSKY, SALVUCCI AND SWISTON requesting that the Board of Aldermen establish an investment vehicle into which appropriations may be made for future post employment benefits, especially health care coverage for retirees. A number of investment vehicles will be considered, including an Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB) Stabilization Fund or an Other Post Employment Benefits Liability Trust Fund that can be adopted under the provisions of Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 32B, §20.