5 Things You Missed at the Board of Aldermen Meeting: New Police Chief, Newtonville Parking

1. Changes to outdoor cafe furniture ordinance

After voting "no action necessary" last month, the full board reconsidered changes to the outdoor cafe furniture ordinance Monday. After making a motion to reconsider, the full board approved the ordinance changes.

The changes, which were proposed by Planning Department Director Candace Havens, Health Dept. Commissioner Dori Zaleznik and Inspectional Services Commissioner John Lojek, aim to streamline the permit process for cafe sidewalk furniture.

The new ordinance requires the sidewalk furniture permit request to go through the Health Department, rather than the Public Works department. The item was previously approved by the Zoning and Planning, Programs and Services and Public Facilities committees.

More details on the changes are available in the Jan. 23 Public Facilities Committee meeting minutes and the new ordinance is available in the March 11 Zoning and Planning Committee meeting minutes.

2. Police chief approved

The full Board of Aldermen officially approved Howard Mintz as the new Newton Police chief. Mintz attended the meeting Monday night and received a round of applause from the full board.

Mayor Setti Warren appointed Mintz as chief last month and the Public Safety and Transportation Committee approved the appointment last week.

3. Parking plan and fees

The full board approved an item that will allow the city to establish a new Newton North area parking plan. The changes will update the current Tiger parking plan as well as establish a new Newtonville Neighborhood Parking District.

The board also approved a $25 fee for parking permits for the proposed parking plan. Full text of the new ordinance is available here.

Both items were previously approved by the Public Safety and Transportation and Finance committees. The March 27 Public Safety and Transportation meeting minutes include more details on the discussion around the proposal.

Proposed parking restrictions will be considered tonight in the Traffic Council meeting (7 p.m., room 222 at City Hall). The proposed changes are available here.

4. Increase in fines

The board voted unanimously to support an increase in fines for illegally parking commercial vehicles or trailers on city roadways and parking lots.

Currently, the penalties are: A warning for the first offense, $25 for a second offense and for subsequent offenses, the vehicle may be towed.

The Police Department recommended changing the penalties to a $100 fine for the first offense, $200 for the second offense and $300 for subsequent offenses. The vehicle would be towed after the second offense. 

The Public Safety and Transportation Committee, and ultimately the full board, approved the Police Department's recommendations. 

5. "Moratorium" on banks on the ground floor of buildings in business districts

During a meeting last week, the Zoning and Planning Committee voted "no action necessary" on a proposed "moratorium" on banks setting up in the ground floor of buildings in business districts unless granted a special permit.

The measure was originally proposed by the city's Economic Development Commission to help spark village vitality. However, the EDC reported last week that the impact on banks in village centers was found to be "relatively modest" and the group agreed a "no action necessary" vote would be appropriate, as the city has implemented other measures to help village vitality. 

At Monday night's full board meeting, the full board agreed to support the "no action necessary" vote, for the exception of Aldermen Susan Albright and Ted Hess-Mahan, who voted "no." Alderman Marc Laredo was recused.