Chair Andrea Kelley
Newton City Council Land Use Committee
1000 Commonwealth Ave, 
Newton Centre, MA 02459

Feb. 9, 2026

Dear Chair Kelley,

On behalf of the Charles River Regional Chamber and the Newton business community, we respectfully urge the City Council to approve KF Realty Associates’ petition to rezone the property at 148 California Street and remove the existing restrictive covenant.

This request reflects a straightforward mismatch between the property’s current zoning and its actual use. The site is no longer industrial in nature, and rezoning it from a manufacturing district to a business district would align with its current conditions and unlock access to the Council’s recent commercial parking reforms.

While the city took an important step last fall by reducing and eliminating commercial parking minimums, those reforms did not apply citywide. As a result, 148 California Street remains subject to a months-long special permit process to waive parking requirements that are routinely approved. This additional layer of review has deterred prospective tenants, contributing to prolonged vacancies and lost economic activity.

The restrictive covenant requiring city approval for parking changes is similarly unnecessary. The property already has ample parking, and the covenant serves only to add another bureaucratic hurdle that discourages businesses from locating in Newton.

Approving both requests would extend the benefits of last year’s reforms to this property, keep storefronts active, and reinforce the new administration’s commitment to making it easier to do business in Newton.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Max Woolf

Public Policy & Government Relations Manager

Charles River Chamber

117 Kendrick St., Suite 300, Needham, MA 02494