Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Tuesday, April 28, 2026

About this meeting

Government Body
Planning Commission
Meeting Type
Planning Commission
Location
Newton, MA
Meeting Date
April 28, 2026

Video will appear here as soon as Newton Planning Commission posts it — usually within a day of the meeting

Tuesday, April 28, 2026

5 items on the agenda.

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Items Scheduled for Discussion:Item #126-26

Authorization to submit FY27 Annual Action Plan

HIS HONOR THE MAYOR requesting authorization, pursuant to the 2025 Revised Citizen Participation Plan, to submit the FY27 Annual Action Plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the City of Newton's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds, as well as for the WestMetro HOME Consortium.

Items Scheduled for Discussion:Item #42-26

Ordinance change in Chapter 30 to allow raised beds in the front and rear setback under certain conditions

COUNCILORS ALBRIGHT and KELLEY requesting a discussion and amendments to Chapter 30, Zoning to exempt raised beds 4- feet or less from the definition of a structure and allow them to be placed within the setback. (180 days: 07/19/2026) Held 8-0 on 01/26/26 Held 8-0 on 04/13/26; Public Hearing scheduled for 05/11/26

Items Scheduled for Discussion:Item #45-26

Changes to the MRT section of the VCOD to increase MRT proposals

COUNCILOR ALBRIGHT requesting discussion with Planning staff on suggestions to update the MRT (within the VCOD), requests discussion and ordinance updates on the following aspects of the MRT: 1) Allow more flexibility on the number of units per building when there are 2 MRT buildings on one site 2) Modify parking setbacks 3) Modify the minimum distance between buildings to incentivize the adaptive reuse of more homes 4) Reduce the MRT parking requirement, and 5) Increase the maximum MRT footprint and relate changes to the number of units proposed. (180 days: 07/19/2026)

Items Scheduled for Discussion:Item #46-26

Periodic updates on VCOD proposals

COUNCILOR ALBRIGHT requesting updates twice per year on potential projects brought to the Planning Department under the new Village Center Overlay District. The updates should include indications of interest and actual permits filed; for which villages and under which zoning districts, number of stories and units as well as type of entity requested (VC2,VC3, MRT), with suggestions for change made about any of these. (180 days: 07/19/2026) Held 8-0 on 02/09/26

Items Scheduled for Discussion:Item #99-26

Presentation on Town of Brookline Rezoning at Route 9 & Hammond St

COUNCILORS BAKER, GROSSMAN, KALIS, FARRELL, GOLDEN, SILBER, DAHMUBED, LUCAS, ALBRIGHT, MALAKIE, WRIGHT, GETZ, and BLOCK requesting a presentation and discussion about the proposed rezoning and related traffic modifications under consideration by the Town of Brookline for the Boylston St/Route 9 corridor between Hammond St and Hammond Pond Parkway abutting the City of Newton (180 Days: 08/29/2026). Held 8-0 on 03/09/26