Coolidge Corner Theatre Gets Green Light for Expansion

Town Meeting voted in favor of three warrant article which grant the Coolidge Corner Theatre expansion.

Brookline Town Meeting voted in favor of the three warrant articles for the Coolidge Corner Theatre expansion on Thursday, May 30.  The proposed expansion would add either a two or three story addition in the rear of the theatre. This would allow for a 120 to 180-seat theater with an expanded lobby, new concession stands, more bathrooms, and additional office space. Executive Director Denise Kasell told Town Meeting that the major movie distributors require a 140-seat auditorium for their first-run films. The Coolidge’s main theater seats 440 and the upstairs theater can seat 220, but the other two screening rooms have 45 and 13 seats respectively. The warrant article asks the town to give up an a 2,500-sqaure foot easement at the rear of …

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Town Meeting Votes Temporary Moratorium on Medicinal Marijuana

Brookline will have to wait for their medical marijuana.

Town Meeting voted to place a one-year moratorium on medical marijuana facilities in Brookline while the state hashes out their new laws on medicinal marijuana. Both Selectmen Ken Goldstein and Brookline Advisory Committee Chair Sean Lynn-Jones offered pun-heavy speeches suggesting the need to wait for more detailed guidelines on cultivation, diagnosis, growth, transportation and distribution of medical marijuana.  It was clear that the Board of Selectmen, the Advisory Committee and the Public Health Department were not against a treatment center once the state laws were decided on. “The regulation is a work in progress. We need to balance the needs of the industry with the needs of the town while laws are being worked out,” Goldstein said…

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Town Meeting Passes $229 Million Budget

Town Meeting resumes on Thursday evening at 7 p.m.

Town Meeting Passes $229 Million Budget

Town Meeting resumes on Thursday evening at 7 p.m.

Brookline Town Meeting voted to pass a $229 million budget for the Fiscal Year 2014 on Tuesday evening. After well over two hours, Town Meeting members voted unanimously on Article 8, the Annual Appropriations Article. The largest issue facing the budget is the influx of new students in the Brookline School System. The budget included a $3 million improvement plan for the Old Lincoln School so that it can serve as a swing space to host displaced students while the town builds new school facilities. The vote also skirted the budget issues, which would have cut the enrichment and music programs. The budget also included a plan to add a new Kindergarten through Eighth Grade school in either one building or in several sites at a cost of about…

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Five Things, May 28: Town Meeting

Here are five things going on in town today.

1. Weather: The National Weather Service predicts a cloudy day with a high of 72. There is a chance of rain in the evening. 2. Annual Town Meeting: The Annual Town Meeting will be held in the High School auditorium at 7 p.m. 3. Project Nursery: You can learn all about modern nursery furniture with help from representatives of our favorite brands, and expert customer service from our team, free nursery design consultations, great deals on nursery products, and more! 4. POETRY BROOKLINE: Poetry Brookline is a new project that invites you to create and submit poems, songs, and art about Brookline places or people. Judy Steinbergh, Brookline poet laureate, will be collecting works, by and for those of every age who live, learn, work or play in…

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Get to Know the Warrant Articles: Coolidge Corner Theatre Expansion

Town Meeting is on May 28.

The Coolidge Corner Theatre is looking to expand. Here are the three articles for Town Meeting addressing this expansion:    ARTICLE 19 Submitted by: Michael Maynard, Coolidge Corner Theater Foundation Board of Trustees To see if the Town will vote to extinguish, abandon or otherwise release a portion of an easement granted by the First Parish In Waltham, Universalist-Unitarian, Inc., to the Town of Brookline over a portion of land adjacent to 280-292 Harvard Street for the purpose of allowing the Coolidge Corner Movie Theatre to proceed with its proposed theatre expansion. That portion of the easement to be terminated is known as Easement A which is one of three easements granted to the Town by way of a Grant of Rights and Easements dated…

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Get to Know the Warrant Articles: Defining Medical Marijuana Treatment Center

Town Meeting is May 28.

With the Annual Town Meeting coming up on May 28, now is a good time to get familiar with the warrant articles. Article 17 addresses the definition of a medical marijuana treatment center as put forth by the Department of Planning and Community Development. In its’ own language, the article defines the a “MEDICAL MARIJUANA TREATMENT CENTER—Any medical marijuana treatment center, as defined under state law as a Massachusetts not-for-profit entity that acquires, cultivates, possesses, processes (including development of related products such as food, tinctures, aerosols, oils, or ointments), transfers, transports, sells, distributes, dispenses, or administers marijuana, products containing marijuana, related supplies, or educational …

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Town Meeting is 10 Days Away

Get to know the warrant articles for Town Meeting.

Town Meeting is just 10 days away. Take a minute to get familiar with the warrant articles attached in the photos section. This year, there are questions about noise issues, the Coolidge Corner Theatre expanding, school enrollment and more to know about. Using the comments section, tell us what you think about a specific issue. Is there one that you want to weigh in on? How would you like to see the town handle a certain article? Let us know.

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Banned in Brookline: Polystyrene Food and Beverage Containers

Brookline’s Special Town Meeting voted to ban the use of polystyrene food and beverage containers on Tuesday night.

The use of Polystyrene, more commonly known as Styrofoam, will be prohibited for take-out or to go in Brookline. Town meeting member Nancy Heller proposed the article due to the health risks. “Styrene (the chemical found in and released from polystyrene) is noxious to make, does not biodegrade and are on the (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) list of reasonably anticipated carcinogens,” Heller said. The issue with styrene is that it may leach into food and beverages as well as on going environmental concerns. “Styrene is incinerated at landfills or turned into pellets to make new polystyrene,” Heller said. “The environmental effects are reason enough to ban the stuff. The article passed with 169-to-27. Christine Riley director …

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