December 2014 mtg

I. Approval of Minutes of NOV. 13, 2014 Waban Area Council MTNG and Recap of Year’s Activities for Board of Aldermen - KW (5 min)  

II. APPROVAL OF NOVEMBER 13, TREASURER’S REPORT RG (2 min)

III. BURNING ISSUES: From Community for future Agenda or immediate resolution (10 min);

            City Sponsored Solar Electricity Program; Other

IV. UPDATES and ANNOUNCEMENTS/REMINDERS:

A.  Add-A-Lane Update: Info from Bill Paille’s meeting with DOT on Tues., Dec.9 (5min)

A.  Friends of the Quinobequin Update: MRM- (5 min)

B.  Report of Waban Future Vision Session held Nov 20 – CP (5 min)

Scheduling of next session.

            C.  Zervas – RG (25 min) (Including parking plan concerns)  

Action item: Letter to Board of Aldermen discussing impact on community.

            D.  Angier Construction– BB (5 min)

E.  Zoning Issues –Zoning reform progress and other zoning movements in the City (5 min) - RG

            F.  St. Philip Neri – KW and SL (2 min)

G.  Water/Sewer/Storm Water –MRM (10 min)

Public Facilities Committee decision to separate water and sewer rates to allow for possible double-metering; BOA storm water public hearing on Dec 15.

Action item: Letter of support to BOA for storm water budget expansion through impervious surface tiered charges.

            H.  Council Border Boundaries Update -SL (3 min.)

Action item: Vote to support submission of voter signatures from Warren and Upper Winslow Rds., and add Newton Cemetery and west half of Cold Springs Park to BOA for inclusion in Waban Area Council.

            I.    Report of WAC Waban Symbol Research -CP (5 min)

           

V. THE CIP and WABAN: SL(5 min)

VI. EVALUATION OF SNOW ORDINANCEAlderman John Rice (5 min)

VII. STREET AND SIDEWALK COMMITTEE:  AD (5 min)

            A. State of the Sudbury Aqueduct Project Proposal.

B. Other (Annawan and Varick Rds. in the CIP)

VIII. NOMINATION OF WABAN AREA COUNCIL OFFICERS FOR 2015: SL (5 min)

 President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer

IX. NEW BUSINESS: Items for Next WAC Meeting Agenda on January 8, 2015. Solar Installation Program; Bill Paille on Add-A-Lane and Angier traffic changes

X. ADJOURN: Next Waban Area Council Meeting: January 8, 2015, 7:30PM, Waban Library Center

We encourage you to contribute to the Newton Food Pantry, housed in the basement of the Waban Library Center, by bringing non-perishable food items when you attend our monthly meetings!

The location of this meeting is handicap accessible, and reasonable accommodations will be provided to persons requiring assistance.

 If you need a special accommodation, please contact John Lojek, at least two days in advance of the meeting:

 jlojek@newtonma.gov or 617-796-1064. For Telecommunications Relay Service dial 711.

 

 

Meeting Date: 
Thursday, December 11, 2014 - 7:30pm

Waban Area Council

Meeting Minutes

December 11, 2014, 7:30pm

           

Members in Attendance:  Rena Getz, Sallee Lipshutz, Christopher Pitts, Kathy Winters, Andreae Downs, Joe Corkery, Maureen Reilly-Meagher and Barbara Bower.

City officials: Steven Siegel-School Committee, Srdjan Nedeljkovic-Newton Highlands Area Council

Other attendees:  Mark Shooman, Julia Golden, Bonnie Glickman, Jean Hosseini, Patrick Maher, Meryl Miller, Cindy Kaplan, Rebecca Cohan, Deena David, Fran Godine, John Tourtelotte, Marilyn Broyles. 

  1. November Minutes.  Minutes of November 13, 2014 meeting approved by unanimous vote.
  1. Treasurer’s Report.  Nothing new to report.
  1. Burning Issues from the Community
  • Question regarding what’s happening at former Pillar house site.  MRM informed that DOT is constructing a retention pond there for storm water.
  1. Newton Solar Challenge.  John Tourtelotte of Rivermoor Energy and Bonnie Glickman of Green Decade Newton provided information about the Newton Solar ChallengeThe Newton Solar Challenge is a community initiative consisting of nonprofit organizations, community organizations and for-profit companies to direct resources towards producing more clean energy locally.  Goal is to double the amount of residential solar power in Newton.  NSC has scheduled a solar workshop at the Waban Library Center on Wednesday January 21.  NSC materials will be posted on the website.  Unanimous vote in favor of promoting the January 21 workshop through blast email alert.
  1. Add-A-Lane Update.  Newton Director of Transportation, William Paille, provided WAC with an email update about Add-A-Lane construction.  See attachment for details. 
  • WAC has not received a response from October 1 letter seeking more information from DOT.  Councillors agreed that we should reach out to Rep. Balser’s office for assistance in getting a reponse.
  1. FOTQ.  FOTQ committee meeting held last month.  Minutes will be posted on the website. 
  1. Waban Future Vision Project.  Initial meeting was held on November 20,2014.  CP reported that it was a brainstorming session where participants came up with a list of issues of importance to Waban.    Tentative date for next meeting is January 22, 2015.  CP will post a report on the website. 
  1. Zervas.  RG gave an update on the Zervas project and invited a number of residents to speak to the Council about their concerns regarding the planned rebuild.  The residents who spoke accepted the fact that the 490 student, 24 classroom school is now set to be built, and were focused on having specific concerns about the new school addressed.  Concerns generally fell under the following categories:
  • Traffic.  Traffic is currently bad around pickup and dropoff times.  Cars consistently clog Beethoven and block residents’ driveways.  Children are dropped off in an unsafe manner.  Residents want to be sure the new design addresses and anticipates traffic problems.  One resident raised four specific traffic problems: (1) Dropoff on Beacon, (2) Pedestrian crossing at Amy Circle, (3) Intersection of Beethoven and Puritan, and (4) the bend in Beethoven near 64 Beethoven (where people headed southbound have trouble seeing cars headed northbound). Some residents suggested having no parking on Beethoven and a drop off loop on Beacon.  AD suggests having Walk Boston come in and look at the plan for Zervas and make suggestions.
  • Trash.  Residents complained of trash being left around school grounds and Richardson field. They would like to see this issue resolved now, and also want it to be addressed as the school increases its capacity.
  • Trees.  Residents would like to see more trees and better landscaping around the school. 

School Committee member Steve Siegel also spoke about the project and the School Committee’s plans regarding enrollment increases.  He said that the intent for Zervas is that enrollment will be in the mid-400s, but that it will have the capacity for up to 490 students. 

After a lengthy discussion with the residents present, the consensus among the Council was to help residents see that their concerns are addressed.  RG suggested that WAC generate a document detailing the immediate concerns of residents.  RG asked residents to email her with their concerns for that purpose.

  1. Angier.  BB gave a brief review of the Angier update meeting that took place that evening.
  1. Zoning Update.  RG reported that Zoning and Planning is currently going through the phase 1 zoning reform document and editing it. 
  1. 1.5% Land Area.  Director of Planning James Freas emailed KW earlier this week and said they are still working on determining whether the City has met the Ch. 40B 1.5% land area safe harbor.
  1. Wells Ave.  SL reported that the ZBA denied the comprehensive permit application on the grounds that it does not have the authority to waive the deed restriction. 
  1.  Water, Sewer & Stormwater Rate Restructuring.  MRM provided an update on the proposed rate changes.  To learn about the proposed rate changes, see our website for links to League of Women Voters and Green Decade.  MRM also recommends looking at Village 14 website for information.  An email update from Ald. Crossley regarding water and sewer issues is attached.
  1. WAC Logo Research.  In response to a resident who raised concerns about the appropriateness of WAC’s logo, CP went to the Praying Indians of the Natick Praying Indians and wrote to Chief Praying Hands to ask if he thought the logo was offensive (it is not an image of Waban, there are no known images of Waban).  Chief Praying Hands wrote back to say he did not find the logo offensive and was pleased to see our attempt to honor Waban through the use of a representative image.  AD motion that CP work with WIS to figure out an appropriate way to bring communities together.  Unanimous approval.   The issue of the use of the logo was not resolved, CP will send the initial letter from the resident to Council members and we will put the issue on the agenda for January.
  1. CIP and Waban; Annawan and Varick.   Angier and Zervas are both included in the capital improvements plan.  Annawan and Varick are both slated for street repaving.  Traffic light for Angier school is also included.  AD would like to start a process where the users/residents of Annawan and Varick can let the City know about issues with the road (i.e., sinkholes, pedestrian problems, missing sidewalks) before they start the repaving process. 
  1. Evaluation of Snow Ordinance.  Ald. John Rice has requested input and documentation from the community about what problems they see this winter with plowing.
  1. Council Borders.  SL is meeting with Chris Steele on Friday to get the paperwork prepared to adjust WAC catchment area. 
  1. Sudbury Aqueduct Trail.  AD is seeking support from the abutters for the permitting of the trail. 
  1. Nomination of Waban Area Council Officers.  KW nominates JC for Secretary.  AD nominates CP for President and SL for VP.  After some discussion council members agreed to make further nominations by email between now and our next meeting.  Vote will occur at our next meeting. 

 

Next meeting will take place on January 15, 2015. 

 

Adjourn.  10:40pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Kathy Winters

 

Attachments:

William Paille e-mail

Ald. Deb Crossley e-mail

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