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Commissioners flag Senate Bill 418 as reason to review zoning code
Summary
A commissioner asked whether Senate Bill 418 requires zoning changes in Newton after staff and commissioners said the bill may allow certain residential types regardless of local zoning; staff announced a zoning-code review next month and asked commissioners for input.
A commissioner raised questions about Senate Bill 418 and whether Newton should revise its zoning code to respond to state-level changes, prompting staff to announce a zoning-code review slated for next month.
A commissioner (S5) asked whether staff had discussed Senate Bill 418 and whether it might require zoning-code edits. "It essentially my understanding is that anything that's owned residential, regardless of the type of residential, it's allowed for single family duplexes," S5 said, describing his understanding of the bill's effects. Staff and other commissioners discussed that the bill may have passed recently and that neighboring jurisdictions had reacted by slowing some development.
Justin (S3) said the zoning-code review will be an opportunity to consider accessory dwelling units (ADUs), special uses and other items and invited commissioners to submit comments before the scheduled review. The Chair asked for results from a prior survey of contractors and developers that could inform the process, and commissioners asked staff to involve stakeholders in the upcoming review.
No formal legal interpretation of Senate Bill 418 was provided at the meeting, and staff did not state specific code edits; the discussion was limited to the potential need for revisions and staff plans for a comprehensive code review.
