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Two epic events in one day

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Two epic events in one day

Spring Seasonings

Thanks to the more than 40 local restaurants and 500 chamber members and guests, who celebrated the sold-out grand return of “Spring Seasonings: A Taste of Our Towns” last night at the Newton Marriott Ballroom.

Added appreciation to our presenting sponsor NBC10 Boston, the Marriott crew, scores of volunteers and the chamber team who made it possible.

It was the second epic event of the day.

If you were there, I imagine you’re already looking forward to next year. If you weren’t, I’d humbly suggest you may not want to make the same mistake twice.
And today? It's opening day at Fenway Park. 

Life can’t possibly get much better.

A lost opportunity in Wellesley  

Wellesley just joined dozens of other communities across eastern Massachusetts that have voted to comply with the MBTA Communities Law.

That certainly beats the alternative. But it remains to be seen how many actual homes -- if any -- might be built as a result of town’s conservative approach to the housing law.

Close to 60 percent of Wellesley's plan is centered on The Nines complex at the intersection of Route 9 and I-95, an 850-unit 40R project that's already approved, already half-built and 90 percent leased.

While including The Nines helps Wellesley meet its state mandate to zone for 1,392 units, it doesn't create one single new home that wasn't already approved.

(Oh yeah, there’s another problem with The Nines too.)
 
The remainder of Wellesley’s plan also plays it safe. It avoids up-zoning any single-family residential parcels near its three commuter rail stations, relying instead on existing, mostly commercial parcels in Wellesley Square or the Hills. (And potentially risking displacing some businesses in the process.)

There’s no increased allowed building heights, or density either. Only the special permit requirements and project of significant impact process are dropped. That’s not insignificant. But it’s not nearly as welcoming as Brookline, Arlington, Lexington and some other communities have been, or possibly enough to make many projects viable.
 
Last week, a handful of Town Meeting members suggested waiting until the state’s Milton’s law suit is settled. But more than 175 members overwhelmingly supported the town's plan, with no more than 18 members voting no on any of the three related zoning articles.
 
The landslide vote suggests Executive Director Meghan Jop and Planning Director Eric Arbeene read their political tea leaves right when they drew up their maps. 

But the overwhelming margin also suggests they could have taken bigger, bolder, additional steps to open up additional housing opportunities for our employees, young families and seniors.

More optimistic for Watertown’s housing plan  

The other big MBTA Communities-related event in one of our chamber communities took place last Thursday in Watertown where the full plan is now taking shape.

Look for more on this in the coming days. For now, here’s the video and handouts from last week’s presentation. After you check it out complete this survey due no later than this Saturday (April 13).

Senate leader hasn't met restaurants that want to-go cocktails 

Restaurants have not been allowed to sell cocktails to-go since the pandemic-era authorization expired on March 31.

Whether or not it returns depends on the House, which supports extending it, convincing the Senate which doesn’t, to bring it back.

But Senate Ways and Means Committee chairman Sen. Michael Rodrigues says he has not heard from one restaurant that wants to offer to-go alcoholic drinks, according to State House News.
 
"I've heard a lot from inside the building, I hear a lot from the media, but from restaurants, they want outdoor dining," he said on WCVB’s “On the Record.”

Didn't realize it was an either/or, senator.
 
If you’re that "one restaurant" that wants to bring drinks to-go back, here’s Rodrigues’ email and office phone: (617) 722-1114.

IDG still committed to Needham 

“Needham’s our global headquarters [and] it’s our largest center of gravity.”

That’s what Genevieve Juillard CEO of the Kendrick Street-based technology company IDG tells the Globe’s Jon Chesto.

Juillard took over from Mohamad Ali last fall. But it was Ali who moved IDG from Framingham to Needham just before the pandemic and who had a regular presence on their campus, famously holding business meetings while walking the circumference of Cutler Pond.

More than 500 employees out of the company’s 3,600-person workforce are Massachusetts based. That does not include Juillard, who is based in Chicago, as well as some other top execs who are based in other markets too.

Website helps Newton homeowners identify ADU opportunities 

Accessory dwelling units are one tool that can help address our housing shortage.

And now, two local entrepreneurs have developed a website that can instantly tell Newton homeowners if their property can legally accommodate a detached ADU, reports Bryan McGonigle at the Newton Beacon.

ADUs are also on Gov. Maura Healey radar. She’s proposed allowing ADUs by right statewide, a move that would remove the complicated myriad of regulations that exist in many municipalities today, and allow them in places that currently do not.

The administration estimates that the ADU proposal could create 8,000 new housing units in the five years after its adoption.

Today’s grab bag 

  • Looking for a great team-building opportunity for you and your employees? The YMCA of Greater Boston’s 2024 YGB Games is happening May 10 at the Charles River Y in Needham. View past games and register.

  • Nonantum-based Manifold just raised $15 million to launch a new AI-powered research and data management program. The Chapel Street-based company says its new technology will speed up healthcare research by eliminating workflow slowdowns. (BostInno)
 

  • The MBTA will host a virtual meeting focused on plans to improve the Newtonville commuter rail station, tomorrow (April 10) 6 p.m. RSVP
 
  • The Newton City’s Council’s Zoning and Planning Committee and Planning & Development Board were scheduled to meet last night to consider revising city ordinances to allow home businesses in all residence districts by right.

  • Family-owned Connelly Hardware in Brookline’s Washington Square, has closed after 72 years in business. (Brookline News).

  • There will be a virtual community meeting on Thursday (April 11), 6 p.m. to discuss the Washington Street Pilot, which runs from Lowell Avenue in Newtonville to Chestnut Street in West Newton. City staff will present an update on the design, proposed plantings, accessible bus stops, and left turn pockets onto the abutting streets.
 
  • The Mass office of Travel and Tourism is looking for your ‘50 Under $50’ listing for July/August and September/October. Your offer must be valid for the entire two-month duration, under $50 and cover: 1.) admission for two adults and 2.) admission for two adults with two children aged 12 and under. Submissions to Phyllis M. Cahaly.

  • Are we finally about to see a revised proposal for the Riverside MBTA station? Mark Development is meeting with community members today.

  • The Newport Restaurant Group -- operators of Bar ‘Cino in Watertown and Papa Razzi in Wellesley -- has donated $64,000 to local nonprofits, including the Centre Street Food Pantry in Newton. Funds come through a program which earmarks $2 from every gift card sold to area nonprofits fighting food insecurity. (Newton Beacon)

Watertown lowers business taxes for some, raises the rest 

There’s good news for 118 Watertown businesses.

Not so much for 326 other businesses in the city.

The city council just voted to exempt businesses that have between $5,000 and $10,000 in personal property (such as machinery, equipment and tools, inventory, furniture and fixtures) from personal property taxes reports the Watertown News.

But the city won’t be absorbing the $19,237 in taxes it collected last year from those 118 small businesses out of the goodness of their hearts.

Instead, the $19,237 or so will be spread out onto the tax bills of the 326 businesses with more than $10,000 in personal property.

State law sets the maximum exemption at $10,000. The council voted 9-0 to approve the increased exemption.

To our members: We're not happy about this either 

Much to our irritation -- and no doubt to many of you as well -- someone out there in cyberspace has been offering to sell our members' email addresses. We don't vouch for the legitimacy of this vendor and believe this is spam/phishing. 

Please know that we never share, or sell, your email addresses to third parties (or even to fellow members).

BBJ editors call for businesses to speak up about MBTA Communities 

Finally today, I leave you with this excerpt (emphasis added) from last week's Boston Business Journal editorial:

“Every one of the 177 communities included in the MBTA Communities Act that shrugs off its responsibility hurts its own local business owners in the process.

"Simply put, there are not enough workers who can afford to live near the businesses that desperately need them. That means businesses must become more vocal in the conversations taking place in their towns and advocate for the passage of zoning plans to alleviate their worker shortage.”

Couldn't agree more.

Are you a business owner, manager, or employee, that's ready to help deliver the message that businesses need housing? Let me know where your business is located and where you live.


That’s what you need to know today, unless you need to know about the thing buses do in Hawaii that no other buses in the world do.

I'm counting down to 2079. But be back Friday.

 
Greg Reibman (he, him)
President & CEO
617.244.1688
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