Newton Referendum Forum Held Despite Opposition No Show

NEWTON, MA — The League of Women Voters held a forum on the Northland Project vote last week with the aim of having both the side for the project and the side against present their cases. Two days before, RightSize Newton pulled out of the event criticizing it as biased.

The league switched out the moderator at the last minute in an effort to address the issue, but on Thursday only one side showed up. A couple dozen people filled a small room to hear more about the project. Many submitted questions, showing they were concerned about what the project might mean for traffic, schools and what would happen if on Election Day voters chose "no."

Newton heads into a citywide vote on March 3 to decide the future of the Northland Development - a 22 acre project slated for Newton Upper Falls. A "Yes" vote would set the project in motion. A "No" vote would send the project back to the drawing board.

In December, city council members approved a zoning change so that Northland Investment Corporation's project, which Northland and then Mayor Setti Warren presented as a concept in 2016, as part of a pro-active housing plan for the city, could transform three parcels making up the 1.1 million square-feet corner of Needham and Oak streets into 800 units of apartments, including 140 deemed affordable. It would also be home to a park, 750 new trees and 180,000 square feet of offices, businesses and restaurants and a shuttle service to link the area to the MBTA in an effort to attract non-drivers.

The referendum comes after a group petitioned the city council to rescind their own vote on the project, or put it to the Newton voters.

There are two organized camps to get out the vote: both for, and against, the proposed Northland Development Project on Needham and Oak streets.

Mayor Ruthanne Fuller, who is for the proposal, has said the shuttle service will help cut down on traffic to the area. Others question whether that will be enough to put a dent in the Needham Street corridor that is notorious for slow traffic, especially during the rush hour.

City Councilor Deb Crossley, who stood next to then Mayor Setti Warren back in 2016 with the project was first announced in the Marshall's plaza, said neighbors have been working with the developer since the beginning.

Northland's Peter Standish told Patch he invited neighbors who were protesting the latest iteration to sit down with them and walk through the project, RightSize Newton said that's true, but they weren't convinced they would be heard, so declined the invitations, according to its website.

A No vote would mean Northland would have to start the process over again. The folks who are for the development say this has been years of negotiations and compromise and are happy with where it landed, calling the deal generous and say they worry a No vote would take local control out of the equation. If Northland decided to turn each of the three parcels into 40Bs, they could build more than 1,200 units and leave out the perks.

RightSize Newton members have said if a No vote passes, they believe the developer would be more willing to sit down with them and adjust the project rather than go through a 40B process.

To check out the video from the League of Women Voters' forum with City Councilor Deb Crossley presenting: The full video here.

Resources:

• City of Newton's project website.
• Northland Development's website
• The Committee for Responsible Development (RightSize Newton, against the project)
• Yes for Newton's Future ( The group for the project)

Read more:

• Newton To Hold Citywide Vote On Northland Project In March
• Northland Project Vote: Both Sides To Present At Newton Forum
• Group Pulls Out Of Newton Voter Forum On Northland Project ...

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).