The Boston Planning Department’s Neighborhood Housing Zoning Initiative held a virtual public meeting on Sept. 15 to review feedback gathered during the public comment period on preliminary rezoning proposals for Hyde Park, Roslindale, and West Roxbury. More than 67 people attended, and the chat section generated over 180 posts, allowing participants to ask the planning team questions and discuss issues with one another. Spanish and Haitian Creole interpreters were also available.

Senior Planner Will Cohen, with Planner Lindsay Crockett, gave an overview of why rezoning is necessary.

“Across the city, because the zoning rules were put into place much later than when the buildings were often constructed at the turn of the 20th century or perhaps even earlier, what the zoning says should be there and what is actually there in reality don't align,” Crockett said.

As a result, any changes to a home often generate a zoning violation and require a variance and a time consuming and costly trip to the Zoning Board of Appeal.

“So, the primary purpose of Neighborhood Housing is to update the rules, to revise the zoning, and to match what we see in reality and across the various neighborhoods to make it possible to allow Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), additions and new construction as appropriate,” she said. Feedback was gathered through nine community and civic group meetings, eight office hours, and nine tabling events, from which the planners continue to develop the proposal and refine the zoning map.

The proposed districts have focused on unit counts, some of which already allow for ADUs, with homes that have similar lot size and lot coverage within a specific Residential Dormer (RD) district. Districts are identified as RD1-RD6 and are more physically akin to one another than to homes in other districts, regardless of their neighborhood.

“Because the districts are based on so many exact details, you might see different parts of the same street proposed for different zoning,” said Crockett. Also considered is tree coverage.

The response has been positive overall but varied depending on the neighborhood, according to Cohen. “But for many people, the issue which has come up the most has been one around this idea of density. On one hand, we've heard a lot of commentary from homeowners that this increased the goals of this project to allow for renovations, ongoing maintenance, and upkeep of their properties, and adding ADUs” he said. “And we've also heard feedback from neighbors that in whatever format comes in, increased density is a concern and perhaps even undesirable.”

Cohen said that they are being flexible to make renovations easier.

“The goal of this project is about helping existing property owners continue to use their properties as suits their needs and to allow for ongoing maintenance and AD use.” He stressed that it is not about large-scale teardowns, demolition, and redevelopment. “We know that's a really big concern …we share that concern.”

Cohen wants to keep the rezoning process simple, “We are hearing from residents, no matter where they fall on the side of support or having questions, that the principle of making it easier for people to do reasonable things makes sense.”

Audience Comments and questions dominated the two-hour meeting. Most speakers favored the plan with some even feeling that the rezoning effort had not gone far enough. Resident Elliot Shrock wanted something bolder.

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“I understand that this proposal does not actually do much in terms of addressing affordability and density, but to the extent it does, I strongly support it.”

James Cordero spoke about increasing housing. “I'm just speaking again with a lot of support for this… what this really does is allows a few more ADUs, a few more units created by renovations that will a little bit help with this problem.”

Brian Rose from West Roxbury said, “I've been a West Roxbury resident for over 20 years …I'm broadly supportive of this plan.”

Others expressed concern that many people had been excluded from the process. Laurie Radwin of Roslindale said the plan does not have input from “lower-income residents, immigrants, people with limited English proficiency, residents and communities of colors whose voices have not been represented in the same way.”

District 5 City Councilor Enrique Pepén thanked the planners. “This kind of rezoning in our neighborhood is needed.”

Cohen reiterated that the plans offer more flexibility to make renovations that are reasonable on the side, rear, or other kinds of ways.

“Our goal is to make it so everyone has the ability to do something reasonable. But almost no one has the ability to do anything they want.”

The public comment period is set to end on Oct. 31. The Planning Department will continue to work on revisions to the proposed zoning. For more information go to https://gvimes.link/nhbrhdzng