Meeting Agenda:
Thursday, April 24
7:30 PM.
Greetings, all members of the Newton Corner Neighborhood Association!
I hope you’ve had a most relaxing weekend and an enjoyable Patriot’s Day.
Our Zoom link for this meeting is:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82420571463?pwd=1bWqDfUYzT5qsNUkYIr4grLw5k9m8F.1
Meeting ID: 824 2057 1463
Passcode: 394483
Again, we are fortunate that four of our city councilors will join us to discuss issues of importance to the city, particularly Newton Corner. They include:
Alison Leary and John Oliver — Councilors at Large from Ward 1
Maria Scibelli Greenberg, Ward Councilor from Ward 1, and
Marc C. Laredo, Councilor at Large from Ward 7.
The issues we will be discussing are:
1. Newton Public Schools Budget and, in particular, the gap between what Superintendent Anna Nolin has requested for NPS Fiscal Year 2026, what the School Committee voted for, and what the Mayor is likely to propose. City Council President Marc Laredo will review the negotiations to this point and discuss whether the city’s free cash could be used to fill this gap.
2. Tasum Community Garden at Spears Park: Marcus Breen, President of the Spears Park Community Garden Committee, will update us on how work on the garden is proceeding and what is required to complete the project.
Please note that donations can be made by check and either mailed or hand-delivered to:
Friends of Tasum Community Garden,
Marcus Breen, 56 Gardner Street, Newton, MA 02458.
3. Keith Jones will update us on plans for this year’s Newton Serves on Sunday, May 4, and describe the work of Friends of Farlow Park.
4. Dominique Fowler will say a few words about her interest in creating neighborhood events to bring people together and what she has learned so far about such activities in other villages.
5. Councilors will be asked to address the following concerns:
• Once again, trash is accumulating in front of the Sunrise Citizen Center after the two large garbage cans provided by the NCNA have been removed. There is no money in the budget for another Big Belly can. What can be done?
• 226 Church Street. It appears the current owner has ignored many rebukes from the city regarding renovations without a permit, converting a two-family home into a four family, and paving over the yard to create more parking places than allowed. This has been called to the city’s attention. What is being done?
• 41 Washington Street. Another case of zoning overreach by current building owners.
Where do we stand now?
— Potential changes to Newton’s Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Ordinance.
— Possible amendments to zoning and other ordinances to enhance the preservation of existing homes over their replacement by larger and more expensive structures.
6. Initiating a discussion with the city regarding providing more space for Underwood After School at what used to be the Newton Children’s Library (Chaffin House).
7. Plans for an NCNA picnic in June in Farlow Park.
8. Work is currently being done on the sidewalk in front of Underwood School.
9. A request for assistance in counting the number of pedestrians crossing critical intersections as students go to and return from school. The numbers provided by the Department of Transportation for pedestrian traffic at specific crossings during peak traffic flow periods are disturbingly low. Please let me know if you are interested in helping with the count.
Looking forward to seeing you soon.
Warm regards,
Robin Boger, President
Newton Corner Neighborhood Association