City Council - Regular Meeting

How are we doing on those seats, folks? I'm under pressure here. Everybody wants the fastest meeting ever. Right here, right now. All right, we're going to start with the pledge of allegiance led by Councelor Liry. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you for that. Uh just a couple uh pieces of uh housekeeping here. Uh please be aware that uh this open session meeting is being audio and video recorded. Uh joining us tonight are remotely are counselors Kais, Gordon, and Wright. Otherwise, I think we have a full compliment. Is that almost uh I'm lying. I'm almost We got 22 here tonight then.

Great. Yeah. So, I think we're at 22 then. All right. Uh so, let's begin with first call. Uh and to kick us off will be Councelor Kelly for land use.

Thank you, Mr. President. This report will be quick as I hope our whole meeting will be tonight. Uh the land use committee report starts on page 20. Um on January 27th we took up item number 15-26 which was um a request to exceed F and extend non-conforming setback at 355 Walnut Street in Newtonville. And that was approved 8 to0 by the land use committee. Next was item 58-26, which was a request for a special permit to wave 38 parking stalls at 1135 Walnut Street. The petitioner um asked to withdraw without prejudice and we were happy to oblige 8 to nothing and that is all the work. We we also discussed a consist consistency ruling which I don't think anyone cares about, but we had three three items of business that night. But I would like to uh request a public hearing. Please proceed.

Thank you. Um, I'd like to set a public hearing for items 69-26, 70-26, and 71-26, which can be found on page 26 of the docket. Like to set those for February 10th, which is next Tuesday night. Fantastic. Thank you for zoning and planning. Councelor Baker.

Thank you, Mr. President. The zoning and planning committee report is on page 21 and we had two action items to report 3526 which was requesting a discussion on VCOD and accessibility of the Auburnale and West Newton commuter rail stations that was no action necessary 7 to1 and then the other item is jointly held with uh finance and decided uh jointly item 6026 CPC recommendation to appropriate $600,000 in CPA historic resource funding. This is for the Suzuki school project elevator project and that was approved 8 to zero. Thank you very much. Thank you. Programs and services councelor Kinsman.

Thank you, Mr. President. Uh programs and services met on January 21st and both items were held. So I would move the report. Thank you, sir. uh for uh PSNT, Councelor Lucas.

Thank you. Uh the public safety and transportation committee uh met on January 21st item 10-26. Uh that item is on second call. Uh item 11-26 uh councilors Malaki, Lobovitz, and Lucas appealing the traffic council petition TC58-25 that was approved um 80. It was um repealed 80, excuse me. Item-14-26, um, traffic council appeal decision TC43-25. Holly Vara, um, appealing the approval of traffic council petition TC43-25, public safety and transportation repealed uh, that traffic council decision 8 to 0. Uh then we had the um item 17-26 providing the annual report of the work of the traffic council for 2025. Um public safety transportation voted no action necessary 80. And we have some uh auto dealer licenses 51-26 Oldtime Garage was approved 80 52-26 uh Auction Direct Pre-Owned Incorporated approved 800 and 53-26 Stands Automotive Incorporated also approved 800 and I move the report. Thank you.

Great. Thank you. Uh before we before we proceed to public facilities, I'd also like to note uh we've been joined online by councelor Frell, but for uh public facilities, vice president Kais.

Thank you, Mr. President. Uh the public facilities committee met on 121 26. Um we took up four items. 12-26 Eversource petition for a granted location on Rumford Avenue was approved. 860 6 um 30-26 appointment of Alejandro Vcarce as commissioner of public buildings that was approved 70 uh numbers 3326 requesting discussion regarding Day Street, Fuller Street and Commonwealth Avenue intersection redesign was held as was item 3426 request for review and clarification of public way improvements requiring city council approval was held. I move the report with that. Thank you. Thank you, sir. And for finance, councelor Gman.

Thank you, Mr. President. The report is on page 25. The committee met on January 26th jointly with the zoning and planning committee. We took up item 60-26, the CPC recommendation to appropriate $600,000 in CPA historic resource funding. Uh that was approved 8 to zero. And then I do need to request a suspension of the rules to accept late filed item 73-26 found on page 29 of the docket, which is a CPC recommendation to appropriate $34,626 for bike parking at parks and high schools.

Great. Councelor Gman is asking for a suspension of the rules. All those in favor, please say I. Opposed abstensions. Great. The eyes have it. Thank you. Alrighty. So, unless anybody are assuming nobody needs to uh Oh, yeah. Real real property reuse. I'm terribly sorry. [laughter] Once I'm telling you, I'm going to skip one of one committee every week. Here we go. Real property use. Councel or Malik. There is no report.

There we go. Thank you very much. I appreciate that. Now, assuming that nobody needs to jump into recess for any reason, uh, and plotting ahead to, uh, attempt to set a land speed record for the fastest city council meeting ever, uh, we have one item on second call. We need to, we need to approve. Oh, how about we take the roll call for the first for the first call items. You want to do that first this time? Sure. That's a great idea. Can we have a roll call vote, please? Councelor Albbright, I. Councelor Baker. I councelor Bixby. Hi. Councelor Block. I councelor Charm. Hi. Councelor Dabud.

Councelor Frell. Hi. Councelor Gats. Hi. Councelor Golden.

Councelor Gordon. Hi. Councelor Greenberg. I councelor Gman I councelor Irish I councelor Kalis I councelor Kelly I councelor Krenman I councelor Liry I councelor Lucas I councelor Malaki I councelor Mikley I councelor Roach I councelor Silber I councelor Wright I President Oliver I

on this vote the yays are 22 and two members are absent. Great. Thank you for that. So now the moment we've all been waiting for. All right. We have one item on second call. Item 10-26. Uh I'm going to call councelor block to read this. uh item into the record. Thank you.

Thank you very much. The Public Safety and Transportation Committee met on Wednesday, January 21, 2026 to consider the appeal of traffic council decision 59-25 adopted on November 20, 2025, which extended the trial in the Langley Road Municipal Parking lot in Newton Center, including the existing Newton Center Plaza located within a portion of the two westernmost rows of parking to be re-evaluated by October 31. 1, 2026. Councilors Tariq Lucas and Alan Loveitz docketed this item. As chair of the committee, councelor Lucas asked me to conduct the meeting as acting chair so that he could be the appellent in this matter. The planning department provided a PowerPoint presentation which reported data and findings, where we are now, and possible action for the committee's consideration. The presentation highlighted the community engagement, design concepts, and construction process, including the creation of a plaza with shade, seating, lighting, public art, and winter conditions. Parking data was collected for the four parking lots serving Newton Center before the plaza's construction and after. The data show that on average, parking was available. However, parking data was not provided for peak times. Councelor Lucas provided a brief PowerPoint presentation showing photos beginning in December 2025 of the Newton Center Plaza and the Green. The photos showed not many people using the plaza and that the chairs and tables in the plaza could be relocated to the green. Councelor Lucas showed a Google photo of the Langley Road Triangle parking lot at nearly full capacity. Councelor Lucas suggested that after the Asian supermarket opens in the space occupied by the former Walgreens, demand for

parking in Newton Center will increase. Councelor Lucas made a motion to amend the traffic council decision and end the trial on May 31st, 2026 instead of October 31st, 2026. The committee heard from three members of the public and then from Chief of Operations Josh Morris. Mr. Moore stated that the administration was committed to working closely with the parks and recreation department and parks and recreation commission to explore opportunities to create the plaza in the green and restore parking spaces. However, the administration supported the continuation of the trial to October 31 as approved by the traffic council in order to ensure the city is balancing the needs of business owners, patrons, and residents. The committee held an extensive discussion of the trial and the reduction of parking in the Langley Road Triangle. In summary, the public comments and letters received by the committee from businesses were heavily in favor of ending the trial as soon as possible and restoring the parking stalls currently occupied by the plaza. The committee voted six to two in favor of Council Lucas' motion with councilors Greenberg and Ro opposed. And that concludes my report. Great. Thank you, sir. Uh, and before uh I start uh calling on folks, uh I I do also understand through uh councelor Gordon who just wanted me to mention this evening that we do have a commitment from uh the administration that uh if if it if this is what people want to do, they would happily move the movable parts of the plaza to the green space over the course of the summer, at least in a temporary capacity. uh while we figure out a more uh permanent uh solution. Uh but with that said,

councelor Albbright, you put this on second call. Thank you, Mr. President. So, first, Mayor Fuler put the plaza in Newton Center without much public discussion. The traffic council then continued the pilot until October to collect and allow allow for the collection, the analysis, and the evaluation of the pilot data. Then public safety and transportation committee decided to end the pilot in May again without any public debate or discussion. The plaza was used by many during the pilot and we've heard from them in the last week that the plaza has become a beloved part of the village. We heard from some that they want the parking spaces back even though data has shown from a couple of studies that there's enough parking in the village. We've heard that the tables and chairs, as the president just mentioned, could be moved into the green. I'm concerned that without some kind of a platform and ramps on the green, the area will not be usable by those with disabilities. And if we add a platform, would that invoke article 97? And for those that don't know what that means, it means that this change would have to go to the legislature for a twothirds vote. Um, I've also would like to mention that we have rallies in the green and concerts on the green and consideration needs to be given to the impact of the chairs and tables on those rallies and those activities. I can't help but mention that Newton Center cries out for a master plan. It should be and could be our premier village with some master planning, but that's for the future. This item needs more thought. The outpouring of support the council has received demands more time and consideration. I want to give the ward 6 counselors time to work on this and think about this and that's why I'm chartering this item tonight.

All right. Councelor Albbright has chartered this item. Therefore, that item is off the table for this evening. Uh do I have a motion to adjurnn? Do I have a second? Fantastic. All those in favor? Opposed I abstensions fantastic everyone have a lovely e evening mark the time 8:02 well done everyone yeah with a tardy start even right

I'm going to say that was a 16minute flyby right There are three