John Koot
Land Use Committee Approves Washington Place
Well, at last it’s happened: After a year of public hearings, developer presentations, and questions and comments from the members of the Land Use …
Faulty Towers: Rezoning as a Gift to Developers
Developers often like to present an image of themselves as risk-takers in the mold of Leif Erikson, Vasco DaGama, and Christopher Columbus—or the captain …
Austin Street as a Clinical Trial
Before a new drug is released to the public, it must undergo a series of trials, first on animals in the laboratory, then on …
Look Who Wants to Upzone Your Neighborhood
Back at the end of March when I was writing what I intended to be a humorous piece for April Fools’ Day on zoning, …
Smaller Homes—Vanishing, but Still Needed
Last week my younger daughter, after having spent nearly 11 years in Cleveland in college, postgraduate education, and residency, returned to Massachusetts with her …
The Meaning of “Discrimination” in Newton
In one of my favorite books (and movies), “The Princess Bride,” one of the villains repeatedly uses the word “Inconceivable!” at the hero’s ability …
Thoughts on the Universality of Proverbs
In a nod to my approaching seventieth birthday, I thought I’d take a break from municipal matters and talk about an aspect of language …
Scaling [Back] the Heights
During the recent prolonged public debate over the Austin Street project and the much briefer introduction of Mr. Korff’s plans for the Orr Block, …
The ISD Money Machine
While reading reporter Jonathan Dame’s excellent article on Newton’s Inspectional Services Department (ISD) in the February 24, 2016 Newton TAB, I was struck by …