Newton Councilors Push Back On Parking At Upper Falls Development

NEWTON, MA — If you build it, traffic will come. That's the heart of the argument against the number of parking spaces currently proposed at the proposed development along Needham Street in the highlands. Several city councilors and residents are recommending dropping the number of parking spots from 1,450 to 1,050 at the major development, saying it will only encourage people to drive.

And the more cars, the more traffic, to an area notoriously congested.

If all goes to plan, Northland Investment Corporation, a Newton-based developer will build the largest multi-use development that the city has seen in recent memory.

The developer is proposing to redevelop the mill in Newton Upper Falls, turning an old mill building and vacant lot into a 22.6-acre mixed-use project. As the multi-year project has moved company officials have been working on the three main concerns residents have surrounding the project: transportation, schools, and traffic.

To help ease potential traffic the developer has proposed introducing a free shuttle that runs every 10 minutes for 16 hours from the development to the Green Line.

And in February, after working with the city on concerns that continued to pop up, the developer unveiled updated plans that scaled back plans even further than before, reducing the number of units to 800, but keeping the original proposed 123 affordable units, reducing the number of parking spaces and business space.

This month, Northland revised proposal again, reducing the affordable units to 120 units. But it would include units ranging from 50 percent to 80 percent of the area’s median income. For a single person in Newton the area median income is $79,310, according to city data. They are also reserving 20 units for "workforce housing," and would be aimed at residents earning from 80 percent to 110 percent of the area’s median income.

City councilors Jake Auchincloss and Andreae Downs were behind a letter that also called for eliminating access to the development from Oak Street. Councilors Josh Krintzman, Alison Leary, and Brenda Noel signed on.

What people are not criticizing is the improvements the developer has proposed: $10 million to put 1.5 miles of utility lines underground along Needham, Oak, and Christina streets; land for a city-operated skating rink and splash park, 9 acres worth of public open space in seven parks there.

Northland's response?

Watch the Land Use Committee meeting:

The Northland development is just one of a number of other developments in the works in Newton:

• Austin Street (28 Austin Street)
• Needham & Oak Streets - 14 buildings/ 800 units. Northland - http://www.newtonma.gov/civicax/filebank/documents/97770
• Orr Project (Washington Place) @ Washington & Walnut St.
• Riverside Special Permit 2019
• Riverside Vision
• Washington Street Vision Plan - "Hello Washington Street!"
• Webster Woods, 300 Hammond Pond Parkway

Related:

Newton Upper Falls Edges Closer To Major Makeover

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).