Newton Pattern Book 2018

October 19 2018

Prepared by Richard Rasala r.rasala@gmail.com

Companion Site: Newton MA Zoning Documents

Companion Site: Newton MA Historical Zoning Documents

The Newton Pattern Book 2018 [289 pages]

Detailed Contents of the Newton Pattern Book 2018

The Newton Pattern Book 2018 is a complex and fascinating collection of maps, data, photos, and opinions about the land, buildings, and zoning of Newton MA. The detailed contents below collects titles of chapters, sections, subsections, and occasionally individual pages. Page numbers are in {}. Hopefully the detailed contents will enable the reader to see what is in the Newton Pattern Book 2018 and where to find it.

We strongly recommend that you download the Newton Pattern Book 2018 rather than attempt to read it in a web browser.

To the Newton Community {3}

Contents {5}

Chapter 1: Introduction to the Pattern Book {7-18}

Purpose of the Pattern Book {8}

Holistic Planning for Newton's Future {10}

The Pattern Book & The New Zoning Ordinance {12}

Recoding Newton by Understanding Newton {14}

Using the Pattern Book for Development & Redevelopment {16}

Chapter 2: The Development of Newton {19-32}

Newton's Development Timeline (1646 - 2017) {20}

Newton Today {26}

Newton's Zoning History {28}

Recent Planning Initiatives {30}

Chapter 3: Newton's Patterns {33-262}

How the Pattern Book is Organized {34}

Citywide Map Series {36}

Newton Map {37}

City Systems {38}

Development Era {38}

Business Centers {40}

Circulation: Walkability {44}

Circulation: Transit Access {46}

Circulation: Automobile Access {48}

Circulation: Parking {50}

Physical Barriers {52}

Open Space {54}

Hydrological Features {56}

Permeable & Impermeable Surfaces {58}

Development Forms {60}

Land Use (2016) {60}

Lot Sizes (Residential) {62}

Gross Square Feet (Residential) {64}

Development Height in Stories (Residential) {66}

Streetwall {68}

Accessory Structures {70}

Property Tax Revenue by Acre {72}

Nonconforming Properties {74}

Character Patterns {76}

After a comprehensive analysis of the many characteristics that together compose Newton's neighborhoods and village centers, the planning team assigned character pattern designations to each area of the city. These character patterns are one of the two primary organizing features of the Pattern Book (the other being context-based areas). Character patterns define the city's area by the aggregated development form and key built and unbuilt characteristics of predominant and secondary uses.

Pattern Subsets {78}

Pattern Subsets describe the more granular patterns comprising a neighborhood or center, and describe the variations between neighborhoods and blocks. The factors that go into distinguishing one subset from another within a character pattern are those that contribute to the consistency of a streetscape. This is to say, the factors that can be evaluated from the street are determinant over those which only impact the private, off-street realms of a neighborhood or center.

Neighborhood {80}

Newton is today a predominantly residential community. Over the course of its three centuries of history, the majority of structures within the city have been single family homes. These homes, when clustered together, form unique neighborhoods comprising approximately 68% of Newton's land area.

While the neighborhood character pattern is primarily composed of residential structures, neighborhoods in cities like Newton are almost always dotted with additional uses and building typologies. It is not at all uncommon for small commercial and retail establishments to become embedded in these areas, in the form of doctors offices, dental practices, small commercial offices, banks, coffee shops, small grocers, and restaurants. These outliers offer local residents the benefit of convenience and small instances of the vitality that comes with a mix of uses in a neighborhood.

68% of Newton's total area is identified as Neighborhood.

Neighborhood instances

1. Traditional - Small {82}

2. Traditional - Medium {83}

3. Traditional - Large Compact {84}

4. Traditional - Large {85}

5. Manor {86}

6. Community - Single Family {87}

7. Community - Attached {88}

8. Multifamily - Small {89}

9. Multifamily - Large {90}

Village Center {92}

Village centers are Newton's primary mixed-use areas serving as the commercial and retail hearts of the city. These centers often provide an identity for the neighborhoods that encompass them through place-making and practical functions. Though storefronts range in size, they are all generally suited for smaller retail establishments owned by local and regional operators, as was the predominant retail model throughout the period of their development and growth. They are eminently walkable and pedestrian friendly, and serve as places for community members to gather, socialize, and shop. Many are accessible by at least one form of public transit. The different character pattern subsets are largely categorized based on their scale and offerings, as the general architectural and urban design characteristics are similar throughout most of the village centers.

2% of Newton's total area is identified as Village Center.

Village Center instances

1. Convenience Center {94}

2. Neighborhood Center {95}

3. Town Center {96}

4. Gateway Center {97}

Commercial Cluster {98}

In many areas of Newton, large concentrations of land and development square footage are - by virtue of circumstance, regulation, or intention - dominated by one primary commercial use. Whether it is a cluster of office buildings, retail establishments or industrial/manufacturing uses, these areas create a unique development pattern within Newton. Typically, these areas serve a regional population, attracting residents of Newton and the surrounding communities to large employers and retailers. The form of development is often auto-oriented, with close proximity to major vehicular infrastructure, giving primacy to automobile access and parking while considering pedestrian and bicycle access secondarily.

5% of Newton's total area is identified as Commercial Cluster.

Commercial Cluster instances

1. Employment Cluster {100}

2. Retail Cluster {101}

3. Legacy Industrial Cluster {102}

Campus {104}

The campus character pattern classifies a unique formal quality of development, rather than the specific uses commonly associated with the word "campus" (namely institutional uses) exclusively. Campuses in Newton are defined as a building (or cluster of buildings having an association with one another) and associated landscapes. While this comprises nearly all the primary, secondary, and post-secondary educational institutions in Newton, it also encapsulates religious, corporate, civic, and special uses. Campuses often operate as self-contained microcosms within the larger city fabric and can be understood, in many cases - both legally and spatially - to use development rules and priorities that are independent of the larger city context.

6% of Newton's total area is identified as Campus.

Campus instances

1. Civic/Public School {106}

2. Institutional {107}

Recreation & Public Use {108}

Recreation and public use lands encompass a wide variety of uses within Newton. Unlike the previous four character patterns, this classification does not primarily describe development form. In many cases, the lands within the recreation and public use category contain little or no development. Instead these properties are those throughout the city that are intentionally designed to support recreation (fields, recreation centers, ball courts, jogging tracks, golf courses, regional and neighborhood parks, etc.) and other public uses such as community gardens and cultural centers. In some cases - but certainly not all - these areas have associated development such as clubhouses, retail shops, meeting spaces, residences, office buildings, etc. included within them.

9% of Newton's total area is identified as Recreation & Public Use.

Natural/Landscape {110}

The natural/landscape designation is reserved for those lands throughout Newton that are today - and will remain in perpetuity - free from development. This includes both lands unsuitable for development (water bodies, wetlands, river banks, etc.) as well as those protected from development through regulation and easements. While many of these lands are commonly used and intended for public use and recreation, they are informal recreation spaces and protected from the kind of intense impact normally associated with neighborhood and regional parks.

9% of Newton's total area is identified as Natural/Landscape.

What is a Context-Based Area? {112}

Newton is a city defined by its villages. Whether resulting from historical settlement patterns, transit and transportation decisions made decades ago, or the interventions of mid-twentieth century city planners, Newton’s many villages and centers take on a variety of character types and patterns. To best understand the unique character of the city’s many areas, it made sense to use these villages to inform a more localized analysis. As there are no official boundaries to Newton’s villages (as well as some debate about how many there are), these context-based areas will serve as the basic unit of geographic analysis for the purposes of this pattern book.

These 17 areas are designed to be the building blocks of an in-depth, localized pattern analysis. By analyzing patterns in a more finite geography than the city as a whole, we can understand the differences between areas and compare development dimensions between neighborhoods. Since these serve only as tools for understanding and comparison, context-based areas should be understood only as units of analysis in the Pattern Book.

The following factors generally contributed to the location of the CBA area outlines.

Physical Barriers
Nearest Center
Built & Use Patterns
Local Wisdom
Historical Development

Map showing the 17 Context-Based Areas {113}

Newton's Streets {114}

A city's street network is one of the strongest determinors of development and growth patterns, and the most important component of any successful neighborhood plan. While streets serve a vital role in the organization of and movement through cities, not all streets are created equal or designed to support the same range of uses. As part of the context-based area analysis, development within each area is measured relative to its frontage on one of four different street types: arterial, major collector, minor collector, and local. The intent of this analysis is to understand the influence certain street characteristics have on development, including traffic flow, density, and volume, street width, accommodated means of travel, and pedestrian features.

The 4 street types.

Arterial Roads
Major Collector Streets
Minor Collector Streets
Local Streets

Map of Newton's Streets by street type {115}

Descriptions and data for the 17 Newton Context-Based Areas {116}

Note: For those interested in the area maps that show the village centers [in orange], look at the sections entitled: Character Patterns & Pattern Subsets

1. Auburndale {116}

Area Overview {116}

Development Form Metrics by Land Use {118}

Development Form Metrics by Street Type {120}

Character Patterns & Pattern Subsets {122}

2. West Newton {124}

Area Overview {124}

Development Form Metrics by Land Use {126}

Development Form Metrics by Street Type {128}

Character Patterns & Pattern Subsets {130}

3. Nonantum {132}

Area Overview {}

Development Form Metrics by Land Use {134}

Development Form Metrics by Street Type {136}

Character Patterns & Pattern Subsets {138}

4. Newton Lower Falls {140}

Area Overview {140}

Development Form Metrics by Land Use {142}

Development Form Metrics by Street Type {144}

Character Patterns & Pattern Subsets {146}

5. West Newton Hill {148}

Area Overview {148}

Development Form Metrics by Land Use {150}

Development Form Metrics by Street Type {152}

Character Patterns & Pattern Subsets {154}

6. Newtonville {156}

Area Overview {156}

Development Form Metrics by Land Use {158}

Development Form Metrics by Street Type {160}

Character Patterns & Pattern Subsets {162}

7. Newton Corner {164}

Area Overview {164}

Development Form Metrics by Land Use {166}

Development Form Metrics by Street Type {168}

Character Patterns & Pattern Subsets {170}

8. Waban {172}

Area Overview {172}

Development Form Metrics by Land Use {174}

Development Form Metrics by Street Type {176}

Character Patterns & Pattern Subsets {178}

9. Newton Highlands {180}

Area Overview {180}

Development Form Metrics by Land Use {182}

Development Form Metrics by Street Type {184}

Character Patterns & Pattern Subsets {186}

10. Newton Centre {188}

Area Overview {188}

Development Form Metrics by Land Use {190}

Development Form Metrics by Street Type {192}

Character Patterns & Pattern Subsets {194}

11. Chestnut Hill {196}

Area Overview {196}

Development Form Metrics by Land Use {198}

Development Form Metrics by Street Type {200}

Character Patterns & Pattern Subsets {202}

12. Route 9 East {204}

Area Overview {204}

Development Form Metrics by Land Use {206}

Development Form Metrics by Street Type {208}

Character Patterns & Pattern Subsets {210}

13. Newton Upper Falls {212}

Area Overview {212}

Development Form Metrics by Land Use {214}

Development Form Metrics by Street Type {216}

Character Patterns & Pattern Subsets {218}

14. Needham Street {220}

Area Overview {220}

Development Form Metrics by Land Use {222}

Development Form Metrics by Street Type {224}

Character Patterns & Pattern Subsets {226}

15. Oak Hill {228}

Area Overview {228}

Development Form Metrics by Land Use {230}

Development Form Metrics by Street Type {232}

Character Patterns & Pattern Subsets {234}

16. Wells Avenue {236}

Area Overview {236}

Development Form Metrics by Land Use {238}

Development Form Metrics by Street Type {240}

Character Patterns & Pattern Subsets {242}

17. Oak Hill Park {244}

Area Overview {244}

Development Form Metrics by Land Use {246}

Development Form Metrics by Street Type {248}

Character Patterns & Pattern Subsets {250}

Newton’s Building Types {252}

Baked into Newton’s pattern subsets is a great diversity of privately developed and owned building types, ranging from small cottage-style single family houses to office towers. This building type inventory describes some of the key characteristics of each primary building type, including general dimensions, architectural styles, and common building elements and articulations. This section is organized into “cards” by predominant land uses (e.g. residential, commercial, retail, industrial/manufacturing) and is intended to evolve as new types are discovered or introduced into the urban fabric of Newton.

While this inventory comprises the majority of Newton’s development, it may not fully represent every development form present throughout the city.

List of Building Types {254}

Residential Building Types {254}

Commercial Building Types {257}

Retail/Mixed-use Building Types {258}

Industrial/Manufacturing Building Types {260}

Chapter 4: The Pattern Book Process {263-286}

Community Engagement {264}

CoUrbanize Online Engagement Platform {266}

Newton's Kickoff Questions {270}

City Council Comments {277}

Reflections on Newton's Development {278}

Preserve, Enhance, Transform {280}

Engagement Activities {282}

Assembling the Pattern Book {284}

Methodology {284}

Appendix A: Glossary of Terms {287-289}