Boston Zoning Board of Appeals Approves Housing Developments Amid Community Concerns

The Boston Zoning Board of Appeals approved several housing and commercial projects during its recent meeting, despite facing vocal community opposition on grounds of overdevelopment and preservation of green spaces.

One of the most projects discussed was the six-story mixed-use building containing 95 residential apartments and retail space with 53 off-street parking spaces, including 16 affordable units. Despite undergoing a two-year Article 80 process and receiving Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) approval, the project faced criticism over a lack of communication regarding the hearing and a contentious change of address. The BPDA project manager addressed these concerns, attributing the address change to an internal process based on the location of the building’s entrance. Despite opposition, the board approved the proposal.

Another case that caught attention was the proposed development project in the Mission Hill neighborhood, which faced scrutiny over an address change and the adequacy of public notification. The proposal was approved by the board after a thorough discussion of the community process and the changes made throughout the planning and design stages.

The Zoning Board also deliberated on a proposal for a two-story addition to an existing single-story building in the Hill neighborhood, which would include two apartments and a restaurant on the first floor. Despite resident concerns about overdevelopment and its impact on neighboring properties, the proposal was approved with a condition for review by the Boston Landmarks Commission.

In East Boston’s Eagle Hill section, the board tackled a proposal to change the occupancy of a two-family dwelling to a three-family dwelling with a vertical addition. This plan, which complied with new zoning regulations and did not exceed lot coverage limits, met with resistance from local residents who feared the impact on natural light and the precedent it could set for future development. However, following public testimony, the board approved the project with BPDA design review.

The meeting also discussed a proposed modification to a building on High Park Avenue, which included moving a portion of the building to the top and adding an accessibility ramp. The board approved the plan, recognizing the applicant’s efforts to alter the design to preserve a large tree. The approval came with a condition for design review, and the board acknowledged public support for the project, especially the preservation of green spaces.

Further, the board examined a proposal for a building in South Boston involving a roof deck in a residential area. Despite opposition from a council member citing negative impacts of roof decks, such as noise and trash concerns, the board approved the project.

Another notable approval was for a project on East 7th Street, which involved reducing the number of dwelling units from 21 to 16, decreasing parking spaces, and enhancing landscaping. The board supported the project after discussing the reasons for the reduction in units

Note: This meeting summary was generated by AI, which can occasionally misspell names, misattribute actions, and state inaccuracies. This summary is intended to be a starting point and you should review the meeting record linked above before acting on anything you read. If we got something wrong, let us know. We’re working every day to improve our process in pursuit of universal local government transparency.
Mayor:
Michelle Wu
Zoning Board Officials:
Giovanni Valencia, Norm Stembridge, Shavel’le Olivier, Sherry Dong, David Aiken, Katie Whewell, Hansy Barraza, Raheem Shepard, Alan Langham, Dave Collins, Arthur Jemison (Chief of Planning)

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