Beruflich Dokumente
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_BuCHBINDER, LLP
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
STEPHEN J. BUCHBINDER 1200 WALNUT STREET
ALAN J. SCHLESINGER
NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02461-1267
LEONARD M. DAVIDSON
TELEPHONE (617) 965-3500
A. MIRIAM JAFFE
~_sab .. la'\N.colT1.
SHERMAN H. STARR, JR.
JUDITH L. MELIDEO-PREBLE
BARBARA D. DALLIS
PAULN. BELL
KATHERINE BRAUCHER ADAMS
FRANKLIN J. SCHWARZER
RACHAEL C. CARVER
Email: s jbuchbinder@sab-Iaw.com
ADAM M. SCHECTER
October 25,2019
BY HAND and BY EMAIL
Re: Riverside/Revised Proposed Text Amendments to Mixed Use 3/TOD Sections 4.2 and 7.3.5
Dear Nadia,
I am enclosing herewith revised proposed text amendments to Sections 4.2 and 7.3.5, respectively, of the
Newton Zoning Ordinances. I have included both red-lined and clean copies of each. The red-lined copy of Section
4.2 reflects changes to the Planning Department draft of October 11,2019. The red-lined copy of Section 7.3.5 reflects
changes to the current text. I have also enclosed a companion sketch plan entitled "MU3/TOD Plan, Grove Street,
Newton, Massachusetts" dated October 25,2019 by VHB.
Over the past several months, Mark Development has been engaged in extended discussions with
representatives of the Lower Falls Improvement Association ("LFIA") in an effort to craft amendments which will be
reasonably acceptable both to the developer and to the LFIA. The developer is submitting the revised proposed text
amendments today in order to have the same considered by the Zoning and Planning Committee at its meeting this
coming Monday evening. However, the LFIA has not as yet had an opportunity to consider the same fully.
The significant aspects of the revised proposed text amendments include the following:
1. A reduction in density from 1,234,000 square feet to 1,025,000 square feet of which 60% shall be
residential and 40% shall be commercial.
2. The establishment of maximum heights and minimum setbacks along the Grove Street corridor.
We iook forward to an ongoing dialogue respecting these revised proposed text amendments.
Sincerely,
Sm/mer
Enclosures
SCHLESINGER AND BUCHBINDER. LLP
Page 2
3. No Changes
B. Approval Process.
1. Special Permit Required. No Changes
2. Site Plan Review Required. No Changes
3. Stories. No Changes
Height (max) - 36' by-right; up to 170' by special permit (see Section 4.2.4.A)
Stories (max) - 11
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Any development permitted by special permit must meet the following requirements and the
requirements of Sec. 4.2.3. The City Council may grant a special permit to allow exceptions
to the by-right dimensional standards of the MU3ITOD, provided that the requirements of this
Sec. 4.2.4. are met and no dimension exceeds those allowed in Sec. 4.2.3 for the mixed-use
development special permit.
i. Building Height from Grove Street Corridor shall mean, for buildings
located along the Grove Street Corridor, the vertical distance
between the lowest grade of the Grove Street right of way line within
the Grove Street Corridor closest to the subject building at a point
perpendicular to the relevant building to the highest point of the roof,
excluding parapets, HVAC equipment, elevator overrides and
elements, stair towers, and the exclusions from height set forth in
Section 1.5.4.A.1.a through d.; and
ii. Grove Street Corridor shall mean that portion of Grove Street shown
on the plan [insert reference to VHB Plan] (the "MU3ITOD Plan") as
the Grove Street Corridor.
b. Buildings along the Grove Street Corridor that are located within Zones A
through E shown on the MU3ITOD Plan shall be subject to the following
maximum Building Heights from Grove Street Corridor:
ZoneC 50 feet
Zone D 55 feet
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a. For all buildings in Zone F on the MU3fTOD Plan, the maximum height shall
be 70 feet excluding parapets, HVAC equipment, elevator overrides and
elements, stair towers, and the exclusions from height set forth in in Section
1.5.4.A.1.a through d.
b. For all buildings in the MU3fTOD district not located in Zone A, Zone B,
Zone C, Zone D, Zone E or Zone F, the maximum building height shall be
170 feet, including all rooftop mechanical structures, whether or not
enclosed.
a. Any structure or building must be set back a minimum of 25 feet from the
development parcel perimeter lot line along Grove Street that is not within a
state-highway right-of-way or land owned by a Commonwealth of
Massachusetts instrumentality. Balconies, canopies, and minor architectural
features may project into the setback, and pedestrian and bicycle paths may
also be located within this setback. In accordance with the procedures
provided in Section 7.3, the City Council may grant a special permit to allow
a reduction in this minimum setback to 20 feet only in Zones C, D and E on
the MU3fTOD Plan if it determines that the proposed setback is adequate to
protect abutting uses.
B. Beneficial Open Space Open to the Public. At least 42,450 square feet of the beneficial
open space required by Sec. 4.2.3 for a mixed-use development must be freely open to
the public. Any portion of the beneficial open space designated as open to the public
must be (i) at least 400 sf of area and at least 20 feet in width and 20 feet in length,
(ii) not on rooftops or other elevated portions of buildings, and (iii) designed to
accommodate public congregation and use, including any necessary amenities or
infrastructure. Examples of such spaces include plazas, parks, playgrounds, playing
fields, and community gardens.
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F. Intensity of Development.
1. The development must have at least one use from each of the three categories (A,
B, and C).
a. Category A: Office (including research and development, business
incubator, medical office, and other similar uses but excluding office
incidental to residential, retail or community uses);
b. Category B: Retail sales, personal services, restaurants, banking, health
club, place of amusement, indoor or outdoor, theater, lodging, hotel, motel,
animal services; and
c. Category C: Multi-family, live/work space, single room occupancy, single
person occupancy, assisted living, nursing home.
2. No changes.
3. For purposes of calculating gross floor area in the MU3ITOD district, in addition to
the exclusions set forth in Section 1.5.5.B.2 and 4.2.4.C, the calculation of gross
floor area shall exclude accessory and non-accessory enclosed parking, loading
areas, and enclosed areas devoted to housing mechanical equipment on the roof of
a building or structure.
G. Maximum Gross Floor Area. The total gross floor area of all uses in the district shall not
exceed 1,025,000 square feet. At full build out, the total square footage of Category C
uses within the MU3ITOD district must comprise no less than 60 percent of the total
square footage of Category A, Band C uses in the MU3ITOD district. Category A uses
shall not exceed 300,000 square feet of gross floor area.
Any development, as fully constructed, shall include two primary means of vehicular
non-emergency access and egress to and from the development parcel (provided,
however, that no means of vehicular non-emergency access shall be located within 450
linear feet along the Grove Street Corridor from the northeast corner of the development
parcel), one of which shall provide access to and from the development parcel to and
from Route 128/1-95 Northbound without utilizing Grove Street. Any development may
4
DRAFT - 10/25/2019
also include accessory vehicular access and egress into the development parcel from
Recreation Road
4631405.4
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A. Applicability.
1. No ChaRge Changes
2. Where more than one dwelling unit is provided on a lot in certain Mixed Use
districts, the following residential density control shall apply:
Mixed Use District MU1 MU2 MU3/TOD MU4
Lot Area Per Unit 10,000 sf 10,000 sf ~ ,QQQ 800 sf 1,000 sf
(min )
3. No ChaRge Changes
B. Approval Process.
1. No ChaRge
2. A.'o ChaRge
a. A,,1o ChaRge
1. Special Permit Required. No Changes
2.. Site Plan Review Required. No Changes
.3... Stories. No Changes
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Floor Area Ratio (max) - up to 36' = 1.0; up to ~170 '-_= 2.7 2.5
Any development permitted by special permit must meet the following requirements and the
requirements of Sec. 4.2.3. The City Council may grant a special permit to allow exceptions
to the by-right dimensional standards of the MU JITODMU3/TOD, provided that the
requirements of this Sec. 4.2.4. are met and no dimension exceeds those allowed in Sec.
4.2.3 for the mixed-use development special permit.
1. Building Height from Grove Street Corridor shall mean, for buildings
located along the Grove Street Corridor, the vertical distance
between the lowest grade of the Grove Street right of way line within
the Grove Street Corridor closest to the subject building at a point
perpendicular to the relevant building to the highest point of the roof,
excluding parapets, HVAC eguipment elevator overrides and
elements, stair towers, and the exclusions from height set forth in
Section 1,5.4.A.1.a throu gh d.: and
!L, Grove Street Corridor shall mean that portion of Grove Street shown
on the plan (insert reference to VHB Plan) (the "MU3/TOD Plan") as
the Grove Street Corridor .
.b... Buildings along the Grove Street Corridor that are located within Zones A
through E shown on the MU3/TOD Plan shall be subject to the following
maximum Building Heights from Grove Street Corridor:
ZoneC 50 feet
Zone D 55 feet
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a.. For all buildings in Zone F on the MU3ITOD Plan , the maximum height shall
be 70 feet excluding parapets, HVAC equipment. elevator overrides and
elements, stair towers, and the exclusions from height set forth in in Section
1.5.4.A.1.a through d .
.b... For all buildings in the MU3ITOD district not located in Zone A. Zone B,
Zone C, Zone D, Zone E or Zone F, the maximum building height shall be
170 feet. including all rooftop mechanical structures, whether or not
enclosed.
A. Beneficial Open Space Open to the Public. At least 50 persent 42,450 square feet of the
beneficial open space required by Sec. 4.2.3 for a mixed-use development must be
freely open to the public. +he-Any portion of the beneficial open space designated as
open to the public must meet the tollollling oriteria:be (i) at least 400 sf of area and at
least 20 feet in width and 20 feet in length, (ij) not on rooftops or other elevated portions
of buildings, and (iii) designed to accommodate public congregation and use, including
any necessary amenities or infrastructure. Examples of such spaces include plazas ,
parks, playgrounds, playing fields, and community gardens.
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g. ,1>"-0 CRaRges
E. IntenSity of Development.
1. The development must have at least one use from each of the three categories (A,
B, and C) f)lus a comml;Jnity I;Jse sf)ace.
a. Category A: Office (including research and development, business
incubator, medical office, and other similar uses but excluding office
incidental to residential. retail or community uses);
b. Category B: Retail sales, personal services, restaurants, banking, health
club, place of amusement, indoor or outdoor, theater, lodging, hotel, motel,
animal services; and
c. Category C: Multi-family, live/work space, single room occupancy, single
person occupancy, assisted living, nursing home.
2. No changes~
.3... For purposes of calculating gross floor area in the MU3ITOD district. in addition to
the exclusions set forth in Section 1.5.5.B.2 and 4.2.4.C, the calculation of gross
floor area shall exclude accessory and non-accessory enclosed parking. loading
4
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areas, and enclosed areas devoted to housing mechanical equipment on the roof of
a building or structure.
E Maximum Gross Floor Area. The total gross floor area of all uses in the district shall not
exceed 1,025,000 sguare feet. At full build out. the total square footage of Category C
uses within the MU3ITOD district must comprise no less than 60 percent of the total
sguare foota ge of Category A. Band C uses in the MU3ITOD district. Category A uses
shall not exceed 300,000 sguare feet of gross floor area.
Any development, as full y constructed , shall include two primary means of vehicular
non-emergency access and egress to and from the development parcel (provided ,
however, that no means of vehicular non-emergency access shall be located within 450
linear feet along the Grove Street Corridor from the northeast corner of the development
parcell, one of which shall provide access to and from the development parcel to and
from Route 12811-95 Northbound without utilizing Grove Street. Any development may
also include accessory vehicular access and egress into the development parcel from
Recreation Road
G. The square rootage in eaoh oategory shall not exoeed the maximums listed below,
exoept, where approved by speoial permit, the maximums may be adjusted by up to 10
peroent in eaoh oategory, so long as the total gross floor area of all uses, exoluding
aooessory parking, does not exoeed 1,250,000 square roet:
1. Category A shall not exoeed 525,000 square feet (exoluding offioes inoidental to
residential, retail or oommunity uses), the majority of whioh must be oontained within
one struoture;
2. Category B shall not exoeed 72,000 square feet, exoluding those uses that are
aooessory to a use listed in Category A or C as determined by the Commissioner of
Inspeotional Servioes;
a. Category C shall not exoeed 600,000 square feet not to exoeed 550 d'Neiling units.
H. III,if) eRaR€}fJS
4923393.2
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4631405.4
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l. No Changes
2. No Changes
3. No Changes
4. No Changes
5. No Changes
c. Detailed analysis and explanation for the maximum peak hour and
daily motor vehicle trips projected to be generated by the mixed-
use development, documenting:
1
DRAFT - 1012512019
2
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7. No changes
8. No changes
9. No changes
11. No changes
12. No changes
B. Review Criteria.
The provisions of Sec. 7.3 .3 apply to all special permit applications in the MU3/TOD
district. Thus, no special permit may be granted unless all of the criteria set forth in Sec.
7.3.3.C are met, including but not limited to Sec. 7.3.3.C.2 which states that: "The use as
developed and operated will not adversely affect the neighborhood." For avoidance of
doubt, as applied in the MU3/TOD district, the neighborhood to be considered includes
Newton Lower Falls and Auburndale.
Additional special permit criteria for a mixed-use development in the MU3/TOD district.
In granting a special permit for mixed-use development under Sec. 4.2.4, the City
Council shall not approve the special permit unless it also finds, in its judgment, that the
proposal meets all of the following criteria in addition to those listed in Sec. 7.3.3:
1. No changes
2. No changes
3. No changes.
4. No changes.
5. No changes.
6. No changes.
7. No changes.
3
DRAFT -1012512019
8. No changes.
9. No changes.
10. No changes.
11. No changes.
12. No changes.
13. No changes.
4641957.7
4
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1. No Changes
2. No Changes
3. No Changes
4. No Changes
5. No Changes
c. Detailed analysis and explanation for the maximum peak hour and
daily motor vehicle trips projected to be generated by the mixed-
use development, documenting:
1
DRAFT - 10125/2019
2
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7. No changes
8. No changes
9. No changes
11. No changes
12. No changes
B. Review Criteria.
The provisions of Sec. 7.3.3 apply to all special permit applications in the MU3/TOD
district. Thus, no special permit may be granted unless all of the criteria set forth in Sec.
7.3.3.C are met. including but not limited to Sec. 7.3.3.C.2 which states that: "The use as
developed and operated will not adversely affect the neighborhood." For avoidance of
doubt. as applied in the MU3/TOD district, the neighborhood to be considered includes
Newton Lower Falls and Auburndale.
B.Re¥ie'N Criteria. Additional special permit criteria for a mixed-use development in the
MU3/TOD district. In granting a special permit for mixed-use development under Sec.
4.2.4, the City Council shall not approve the special permit unless it also finds, in its
judgment, that the proposal meets all of the following criteria in addition to those listed in
Sec. 7.3.3:
1. No changes
2. No changes
3. No changes.
4. No changes.
5. No changes.
6. No changes.
3
DRAFT - 10/25/2019
7. No changes.
8. No changes.
9. No changes.
10. No changes.
11. No changes.
12. No changes.
13. No changes.
4941957.1
14. Post-Construction Traffic Mitigation Measures. The traffic mitigation
measures set forth in the Special Pennit application pursuant to Sec.
7.3.5.A.6.c.iii, ifrequired to be implemented, are expected to allow the mixed-use
development project to meet the trip generation standards set forth in Sec.
7.3.5.E.l.c.
4641957.7
4
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M U3/TOD Plan :--":"a aO