Folks in Newton have been concerned about the proliferation of banks in our village centers for some time now.  Alderman Vicki Danberg, for one, has been leading an effort to change zoning to make it harder for banks to take space in our villages.  The city’s Economic Development Commission is considering a moratorium on banks in the first floor of village center buildings.

Why the resistance to more banks?

A fellow village lover in Beacon Hill tells the story very clearly in a recent blog post. Here’s an excerpt:

They’re out to destroy retail districts. The banks don’t see this as their aim, but this is the result if they infest our neighborhoods with their blank windows…. But these new banks may not want customers…. Real estate broker Ivy A. Turner, however, set the audience straight on why banks want to come. She said they don’t care so much about market share. They want a retail branch that acts as a billboard for their national expansion goals.

Go here to read the full article.

The League of Women Voters, along with a number of co-sponsors, including Newton Villages, is bringing us an evening of deep insight on what works for transportation in Newton and what we can do to improve it. We owe LWVN a debt of gratitude for bringing this forum together.

It will include some of the biggest names in transportation planning and thinking in Greater Boston. If you’re wondering about what’s next for pedestrian connectivity, bike lanes, transit, and traffic management, you need to be at this forum.  It’s in the Druker Auditorium at the Newton Free Library on Tuesday, November 29th, at 7 pm.

The full flyer is here.

The Newton Zoning Reform Group, appointed by the Mayor and Board of Aldermen, will hold a public workshop to present its work to date and solicit input and ideas from the public on the process and substance of Zoning Ordinance reform.

The workshop will be held from 7-9pm on Wednesday, July 27, in the War Memorial Hall at City Hall, 1000 Commonwealth Avenue.

The Zoning Ordinance shapes development in residential and commercial areas of the City, as well as for religious and educational uses. Based on the City’s new Comprehensive Plan, the Zoning Reform Group is studying the current Ordinance to identify parts in need of updating or clarification.

Newtonians from all walks of life are encouraged to attend and join the conversation.

For more information please contact Alderman Deb Crossley,  dcrossley@newtonma.gov,  or Seth Zeren, Chief Zoning Code Official,  szeren@newtonma.gov.

At the monthly meeting of the Chestnut Hill Association, WS Development Associates LLC will present its proposal for the demolition and reconstruction of part of the building at 33 Boylston Street.  The proposed new building will include three stories, with new ground floor retail uses, potential second floor office or retail space, and the development company’s corporate offices on the third floor. The developer is also requesting a zoning change because the building will be 50 feet in height.

The meeting will be held at 7pm on Tuesday, June 7th, at the Church of the Redeemer, 379 Hammond Street, in the Parish Hall. For more information, please contact Alexandra Ananth, 617-796-1121, aananth@newtonma.gov.

The Boston-area’s Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) will hold its annual meeting in Newton in June.

The keynote speaker is Barbara G. Fields, New England Administrator of the federal Housing and Urban Development Regional Office. The MAPC announcement says she will be discussing “the Obama Administration’s priorities in housing and community economic development, especially as they relate to state and local programs.”

After her presentation, attendees will sort into four breakout discussions on:

• Successes in Multi-Family, Mixed-Use Development
• Regionalization of Housing Services
• Senior and Supportive Housing
• Fair Housing

Among MAPC’s housing goals for the Boston area is for

“18. The region’s seniors will have more housing choices and opportunities to downsize while staying in their own community.”

The meeting will run from 8:30-11:30am on Wednesday, June 1, at the Boston Marriott Newton, 2345 Commonwealth Avenue, in Auburndale. For more information on this meeting and to RSVP, please see MAPC’s event calendar.

5/31 update: This event has been rescheduled for 7pm on Wednesday, June 15.

Newton Mayor Setti Warren is hosting a community coffee for Newton Corner residents and business owners.

The mayor’s office is soliciting input on such questions as:

• How can we improve the quality of life in Newton Corner?
• What changes can we collectively bring about?
• How can you work with your neighbors, businesses and City Hall?

The Newton Corner meeting will be held from 7-8pm on Tuesday, May 31, at the West Suburban YMCA at 276 Church Street.

This is the third community coffee in a series of outreach efforts by the mayor. Earlier meetings have been held in Auburndale and Newtonville.

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