Meeting summary for Newton Corner Neighborhood Association February Meeting (02/27/2025)

Quick recap:

The meeting covered various aspects of improving Newton Corner's infrastructure, including discussions on the rotary renovation, safety issues, and long-term development plans.

Participants explored ideas for enhancing the community's appearance and functionality, such as incorporating barn quilts and poetry installations, as well as addressing concerns about park maintenance and environmental improvements.

The group also received updates on city council activities, budget considerations, and ongoing projects, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing feasible solutions and effective communication of neighborhood concerns.

Next steps:

• Robin to compile and package feedback on DOT options, particularly objections to option 5, and send to Amy.

• Amy to submit compiled feedback to DOT and schedule a separate meeting outside of public meetings for more interactive discussion.

• Keith to sign up as a leader for Newton Serves day on May 4th for Farlow Park cleanup.

• Volunteers to clean aerators in Farlow Pond on a weekly basis during summer months.

• Robin to resend links with barn quilt images to the group.

• Robin will contact Newton Historical Society about potential local historical quilters.

• Alison to meet with Ned Codd and Transportation Advisory Group about implementing asphalt art for traffic calming at Center/Church and Washington/Park/Tremont intersections.

• Alison to research durability of asphalt art in high-traffic intersections.

Summary

Renovations, Safety, and City Updates:

In the meeting, Robin welcomed the attendees, introduced the councilors and explained that Councilor John Oliver was at a Zoning and Planning meeting. The Councilors discussed various topics, including the return of the Artful Piano and the renovation of the rotary, which will involve more work this spring. Councilor Allison Leary updated the group on safety issues including the traffic lights around the rotary and the adjacent streets.  The new LED lights are now fully functioning.

Councilor Maria Scibelli-Greenberg  discussed the appeal filed by the developers of 41 Washington Street before the Mass Housing Appeals Committee. Andy Gluck informed the group that Hunnewell Hill residents had hired an attorney to represent them in the appeal process. 

Maria reported on the progress of the Spears Community Garden project and requested that those interested in a garden plot could contact her.  She also noted that $50,000 had been allocated by the state for improvements to the street and sidewalks at the intersection of Vernon and Eldridge, in front of the Underwood School. Then, Janet expressed her concern about the poor condition of the street and sidewalk in front of her house.

Lastly, Councilor Mark Laredo provided a general update on the City Council's activities and discussed the BERDO program.

City Council Projects and Budget Review:

Councilor Marc Laredo provided an update on the city council's ongoing projects and future plans. He mentioned that the zoning and planning committee is working on issues related to accessory apartments and avoiding tear-downs. The city council is also preparing to deal with energy consumption and emissions from buildings, with a focus on commercial buildings first.

Marc also discussed the revision of the city seal and the upcoming Northland and Riverside projects. He highlighted the importance of the annual budget review starting mid-April and the potential risks of federal and state funding cuts. Alison and Robin expressed their appreciation for the update and acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding future funding.

Newton Corner Rotary Improvement Overview

Robin provided a historical overview of the Department of Transportation's (DOT) project to improve the Newton Corner rotary. The project, which began in 2018, aimed to address safety and operational deficiencies associated with the roadwork and ramp. The project was divided into three stages: short-term improvements, midterm improvements, and long-term improvements.

Robin highlighted that the project's goals evolved over time, with a shift from short-term improvements to long-term improvements. The DOT also announced plans to implement immediate safety improvements at the I-90 eastbound off-ramp at Newton Corner. However, Robin expressed frustration with the lack of data provided on the impact of these improvements and the overall project's progress.

City & State Road Maintenance Responsibilities:

Robin discussed the division of responsibilities between the city and the state regarding road maintenance and improvements. She highlighted that the city is responsible for surface roads, while the state is responsible for ramps and highways. Robin also shared that the state's annual budget is approximately 962 million, with an annual debt service of 138 million. She concluded by expressing her confusion about the process and handed over the discussion to Councilor Scibelli-Greenberg, who shared her conversation with Newton's director of Transportation, Ned Codd.

Maria explained that Ned was unsure about the city's ability to manage and design the midterm improvements due to other ongoing major projects and a lack of staff and funding. The conversation ended with Alison questioning the necessity of midterm improvements when long-term plans are already in place.

Newton Corner Infrastructure Improvements

The group discusses improvements to Newton Corner's infrastructure, focusing on short-term changes and long-term plans. Andy suggests prioritizing a pedestrian-bicycle overpass to reconnect the north and south sides of Newton Corner.

Srdj Nedeljkovic, who designed a bidirectional bridge concept, emphasizes the importance of the bridge in reconnecting the community and improving safety. He advocates for moving the long-term vision closer to 2030 rather than 2050 and highlights the benefits of relocating the westbound ramp to the turnpike.

Robin expresses concern about a proposal to move the eastern exit ramp onto Church Street, which contradicts the objective of minimizing impact on residential neighborhoods.

Addressing Neighborhood Concerns and Proposals

The meeting focused on discussing the negative impacts of certain proposals on the neighborhood and how to effectively communicate these concerns. The team decided to compile a document summarizing the most objectionable and appealing aspects of the proposals, which would then be submitted to the relevant authorities.

The importance of acting quickly was emphasized due to the upcoming decision-making process. Additionally, the team discussed the need for traffic expertise to address concerns about the safety of certain streets. Lastly, Keith Jones, the president of the Friends of Farlow Park, was invited to discuss park issues and potential environmental enhancements in the Newton Corner area.

Volunteers Needed for Pond Cleaning

Keith requested volunteers to clean Farlow Pond Basin on May 4th, emphasizing the importance of cleaning the aerators to oxygenate the water and reduce algae. He noted that the city sometimes fails to do this task.

Robin asked about the organization of Newton Serves, to which Keith responded that he would become a leader and encouraged people to show up on May 4th to help with cleaning. Maria asked about the functionality of the pond, to which Keith replied that they wouldn't know until they tested the aerators and pumps after filling the pond with water. Alison asked about the importance of cleaning the basin before filling it with water, and Keith confirmed that it was necessary. Joan and Robin expressed their appreciation for the information.

Farlow Park Poetry and Traffic Calming

In the meeting, Robin proposed the idea of inscribing poetry on concrete blocks at the entrances to Farlow Park and considering the use of barn quilts to celebrate the city's agricultural history.

Keith raised concerns about permission and ownership of the buildings. Alison suggested engaging with the city's transportation department and Newton Pride or the Bloomberg Foundation for funding. Myra pointed out the need to consider the durability of paint in high-traffic intersections.

No decision was made on traffic calming with asphalt art.