Issue summary
The City of Newton is considering significant changes to the zoning in our Village Centers. We are currently in the period where the zoning framework proposals for the Village Centers are to receive comments from the Newton public through a survey called the “Feedback Tool.”
As an informational outreach, the Neighborhood Area Councils hosted two joint community meetings on the zoning framework proposals.
Here are the links for the meetings, as well as the slide decks.
Saturday, September 24, 2-4pm - link
Monday, October 3rd, 7- 9 pm - link
Please consider completing and submitting the Feedback Tool by the current deadline of Sunday, October 16th.
Issue full description
The City of Newton is considering significant changes to the zoning within our Village Centers. The Planning Department working in collaboration with hired consultants, Utile and Landwise, shaped the zoning proposals and presented them to City Council’s Zoning & Planning subcommittee (ZAP). The ZAP Committee then considered the zoning framework proposals, asked questions of the Planning Department, and held preliminary straw votes. The Planning Department has installed an exhibit at the Newton Free Library, 2nd floor - Room C, with information on the Zoning Framework Proposals.
The schedule below indicates the times Planning Department Staff will be present to answer questions and offer guidance on the material in the exhibit.
Here is the link for the virtual Library Exhibit - link
We are currently in the period where the Zoning Framework proposals are to receive comments from the Newton public through a survey called the “Feedback Tool.” This public engagement period ends on October 16th, so please take the time to complete the survey.
Here is a copy of the Feedback Tool - link.
There is a document, Feedback Tool 101122, to the right in the Document Archive, that correlates the content at the Newton Free Library Exhibit to the Feedback Tool.
What will be done with the Input received through the Feedback Tool?
(This information comes directly from the Zoning Redesign Village Centers webpage under the question stated above.)
All of the community input collected will be shared and presented to Newton City Council. More specifically, to the Zoning and Planning Committee - also known as ZAP. This committee consists of 8 city councilors and oversees the Zoning Redesign project.
If the ZAP committee wishes to move forward with some or all of these proposed zoning changes, it will hold a formal public hearing on the proposed amendments to the City’s Zoning Ordinance. The ZAP committee will then take a vote on whether to recommend adopting the changes. Following that vote, the full Newton City Council will vote as to whether to adopt these changes.
And finally, the zoning maps that locate the new proposed zoning districts are scheduled to be released at the ZAP Committee meeting - Monday, October 24, 2022.
Other useful links:
City of Newton Planning Department webpage on Zoning Redesign - link
Zoning & Planning Committee webpage with relevant Zoning Redesign documents - link