What We Do

The Department of Planning & Development is responsible for overseeing and planning projects that enhance and preserve Newton’s unique character. Through projects, studies, community engagement, public meetings, and a host of other activities, Planning & Development staff work hard to improve the quality of life for all Newton residents and the experience of visitors to our great community.

As a City with thirteen distinct villages, our department aims to develop plans that enhance each village with thoughtful consideration. The Department of Planning & Development also seeks to promote appropriate economic development and to support amenities that make Newton a desirable place to live, work, and spend time.

Click on the image to go to the division page

RECENT UPDATE

There are two active grants, the FY27 CDBG Human Service Grant and FY27 Emergency Solutions Grant, accepting applications NOW until January 30th! Click the plus button next to each grant to learn more and apply.

FY27 CDBG Human Service Grant

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What is it?

The City of Newton receives CDBG annually from the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to fund activities that primarily benefit low- and moderate-income (LMI) Newton residents. The City is initiating a competitive application process to allocate a portion (capped at 15%) of the CDBG funds for Human Service grants.

Eligibility and Target Populations

An activity must benefit low- and moderate-income residents with household incomes at or below 80% of the Boston-Cambridge-Quincy Area Median Income limit (see attachment) or Newton residents who are otherwise “presumed” to be eligible, including: adults with disabilities, people who are homeless, people who are survivors of domestic violence, elders, abused children, people with AIDS, and people who are illiterate.

General Application Instructions:

All applications must be submitted through Neighborly Software here: https://portal.neighborlysoftware.com/NEWTONMA/Participant. Applicants will need to register at the above hyperlink using an email address and password to log in. Once the applicant registers and logs in, the application will be available.
Completed applications must have all required signatures.
Thoroughly read all the instructions and complete the entire application.
An activity must benefit low- and moderate-income (LMI) persons (total household income is at or below 80% of the Area Median Income) or a group primarily presumed to be LMI, such as abused children, survivors of domestic violence, elderly persons, disabled adults, homeless persons, illiterate adults, and persons living with AIDS.
If the organization is requesting financial support for multiple projects, please submit only one (1) consolidated application per organization that includes information, goals, timelines, and budgets for each project.
Organizations applying as part of a collaborative grant application must identify a lead agency that will also serve as the fiscal agent for the project(s). This agent will be identified as the primary applicant/organization on the cover sheet.
Applications need to be submitted on or before 5:00 pm on January 30, 2026, through Neighborly Software. Applications submitted via email or mail will not be accepted.
There is a mandatory technical assistance session on January 14, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. via Zoom. All new applicants must attend this meeting to be considered for the FY27 grant opportunity. To RSVP, contact Sharon Cullins at scullins@newtonma.gov.

LATE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

FY27 Emergency Solutions Grant

CLICK FOR DOCUMENT WITH ALL INFORMATION

What is it?

Annually, the City of Newton receives ESG funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), under the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act of 2009 (HEARTH), enacted into law on May 20, 2009. The ESG program funds eligible activities that enable communities to prevent homelessness and ensure homeless individuals and families are rapidly rehoused and moved toward independent living.

Who is eligible to apply?

Grants are available to 501(c)(3) organizations who deliver services to individuals and families that are homeless or at-risk of homelessness within the Brookline-Newton-Waltham-Watertown (BNWW) CoC geography.

In addition, to receive ESG funds and to do business with the federal government, applicants must have an active registration with the System Award Management (SAM) prior to contract execution.

Application instructions

Thoroughly read all the instructions and complete the entire application.
All applications must be completed on Neighborly.
Submit one application for each ESG eligible component. Do not combine more than one eligible activity in the proposal.This will help ensure compliance with federal requirements. See Table of Contents for applications of specific components.
Please submit application to Neighborly for review.
Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. on January 30, 2026. LATE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
Technical assistance is required for new applicants. If you would like to schedule an appointment for assistance, please contact Sharon Cullins at scullins@newtonma.gov. Appointments must be made by 12:00 p.m. on January 9, 2026.

Important Links:

City Ordinance

Zoning Ordinance

Zoning Map

Village Center Zoning

The Village Center Overlay District (VCOD), was passed by the City Council on December 4th, 2023. This was a comprehensive zoning update designed with three distinct districts:

Village Center 3 (VC3) for commercial cores
Village Center 2 (VC2) for smaller commercial areas
Multi-Residence Transit (MRT) to gently transition to existing residential areas

This new zoning is an overlay district, meaning, the current zoning remains while allowing property owners the option to build according to either the pre-existing zoning or the newly updated zoning. This new zoning does NOT require new buildings to be built to the updated zoning, but rather expand development rights.

Planning Applications

All planning applications should be submitted through Newton’s NewGov portal.

Different types of applications include:

Administrative Site Plan Review
Building Permit
Comprehensive Permit
Comprehensive Sign Package
Demolition Review
Design Review
Fence Appeal
Historic District
Historical Review
Inclusionary Zoning
Local Landmark Review
Preservation Restriction Review
Rezoning
Section 558 Planning Review (Public Buildings ONLY)
Sign Review
Site Plan Review (Village Center Overlay District - VCOD)
Special Permit
Wetlands Permit
Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA)
- 40B Insubstantial Change
- Appeals
- Variance
Zoning review

Information about creating an account and applying on NewGov can be found here: https://newtonma.portal.opengov.com/categories/1086

Boards, Commissions , & Committees

There are several Boards, Commissions, and Committees that provide and receive support from the Planning & Development Department. Click the linked name to explore the respective page of each Board, Commission, and Committee. Each page includes meeting information, agendas and minutes, and other relevant information.