Special to the Times-Free Press
Boston City Councilor Gabriela Coletta (District 1) submitted comments to the Boston Zoning Commission last week regarding the zoning text amendment of Article 53, East Boston Neighborhood District from PLAN: East Boston. A central tenet of Coletta’s comments included calling on the Mayor’s administration to hold the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) accountable to the approved zoning amendment. She requested written correspondence to ensure the ZBA will uphold new zoning regulations set under the recently approved plan.
In her letter, Councilor Coletta said, “It is vital that the Zoning Board of Appeals be held accountable to uphold and enforce these zoning changes approved by the BPDA and this Commission, should it codify the proposed text amendment. It would be devastating for the ZBA to unravel five years of deep partnership, and ultimately wasting valuable city resources, by granting variances to the new rules we created together.” Coletta also stated that it would be “fiscally irresponsible” to go back to the makeshift variance approval process the ZBA has historically undertaken, given the taxpayer dollars and time that has been dedicated to establish a development ceiling and predictability in East Boston.
PLAN: East Boston is a five-year planning initiative conducted in partnership with elected officials, Boston Planning and Development Agency staff, and community members. The initiative was spearheaded to codify planning to dictate development after many years of having developers take advantage of Boston’s outdated zoning code. Coletta also noted, “Multiple iterations of the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) membership allowed for precedent setting exceptions, or variances of hardship, and made them the rule. For many years in East Boston, zoning occurred on an ad hoc basis which led to irresponsible proposals inconsistent with existing design or uses.”
She went on to say, “Unfortunately, there is already concern that the ZBA will approve variances that are not in line with this text amendment. After the BPDA board approved PLAN: East Boston in January, my staff attended a ZBA hearing on March 12th to speak in opposition of 141 Addison Street due to misalignment with the plan. However, despite community opposition, the board approved the proposal. This is a concerning precedent for the ZBA to set that must be addressed if this zoning text amendment is approved.”
Following the release of the first draft of PLAN: East Boston in 2022, there were several concerns from the community related to height, density, transit, and historic preservation. Coletta and the state delegation heeded those concerns and advocated for meaningful changes directly to the Mayor and the BPDA. They ultimately moved many aspects of the Plan to an iteration that is truly reflective of what residents wanted. The final iteration of the Plan includes changes to housing and transportation, such as:
• Pushed for zoning in residential areas consistent with neighborhood context while setting a ceiling for height, density, set backs, and parking requirements for future development; appropriate transition zones between sub districts;
• Protected the entirety of the Mary Ellen Welch Greenway from irresponsible height and density levels that would wall off the rest of the neighborhood from this vital open space;
• Promoted the vibrancy of major squares and corridors by allowing for commercial and small business spaces with uses that are critical to the neighborhood; transit-oriented growth;
• Established maximum heights where the BPDA holds unique powers in special zones like Economic Development Areas and Planned Development Areas;
• Prioritization in creating and preserving affordable housing by instituting a twenty percent minimum for Inclusionary Development Units (IDP) for Article 80 projects;
• Commitment to utilizing and growing the East Boston Neighborhood Housing Trust for smaller projects;
• Secured historic preservation considerations across East Boston and strengthened recommendations to preserve existing structures;
• Pushed back on a one-size-fits all “road diet” strategy for Bennington, Meridian, and Border Streets and received a commitment for a thoughtful planning and design process in the future;
• Encouraged creative solutions to multi-modal safety issues across East Boston including better signaling and signage, on-street infrastructure improvements like bump outs and speed humps; and
• Amplified ferry service recommendations and improved regional connections.
To read the full text of Councilor Coletta’s letter, please visit: https://bit.ly/EB_Zoning
The Boston Zoning Commission approved the new zoning amendment during their meeting on April 24, 2024.
For additional information, please contact the Office of Councilor Gabriela Coletta by phone at (617) 635-3200 or by email at [email protected].