Newton Land Use Committee Approves Two Home Expansions, Holds Richfield Road Rebuild

NEWTON — February 24, 2026 — Newton Land Use Committee approves two home expansions, holds demolition-rebuild on scale and zoning grounds. The committee, chaired by Councilor Andrea Kelly, voted 8-to-0 to approve a roof raise at 55 Auburndale Avenue for the Murnane family and 7-to-0 with one abstention to allow a 683-square-foot addition at 1445 Commonwealth Avenue for the Hennessy family, both in West Newton. A third petition — to raze and rebuild 11 Richfield Road at 4,760 square feet, well above the 3,371-square-foot FAR limit — was held 7-to-0 after four of five neighboring households filed a letter of opposition and planning staff disclosed a previously unadvertised facade ratio violation taking effect March 1. Councilor Sean Roach said the proposal contained "six ensuite bathrooms and five walk-in closets" with no compelling reason the project could not be redesigned to meet zoning. The petition is the second iteration of a rebuild proposal; an earlier version was withdrawn in December 2025.