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ZBA approves conversion of 110 Branch Street commercial unit into two residences with utilities condition
Summary
The board granted variances to convert a vacant ground-floor commercial unit at 110 Branch Street into two residential units, increasing the building’s residential count; the approval included a condition to work with the wastewater department on utility/connection details.
The Lowell Zoning Board of Appeals voted Aug. 11 to allow conversion of a vacant ground‑floor commercial unit at 110 Branch Street into two residential units, a change that will turn an 11‑unit mixed‑use building into a 12‑unit residential building.
Engineer Ian Ainsley, representing the applicant Soporn Singh, said the building currently has 10 residential units and one commercial unit; converting the commercial space into two residences would create a 12‑unit residential building. Ainsley summarized the variances sought as relief from minimum lot area per dwelling unit, usable open space per unit, and minimum off‑street parking requirements.
Ainsley said the property’s current lot‑area‑per‑unit is “535 square feet,” that the applicant is seeking “4 45, so about a reduction of about 90,” and reminded the board the TMU/TMF minimum is 2,500 square feet per unit. He also said the building has eight deeded parking spaces recorded at the registry of deeds across Branch Street and that the subject unit has rights to one of those eight spaces.
A unit owner in the same building, Nina Abeditari, told the board the commercial unit had been vacant for some time and that “being residential, it would kind of be better not only for the tenants in the building, but, you know, it's all residential neighbors as well.” She said the change would add one more car to the area given the existing dedicated spaces.
Board members discussed parking availability and egress. Member McCarthy called the repurpose a “great repurpose” and said the conversion provides modest, potential homeownership through condos. Members asked that utility connections and site‑plan details be clarified with city departments. The applicant agreed to supply record utility documents; counsel said they could add those as a condition.
The board voted to approve the variances with a condition that the applicant work with the Wastewater Department (and other utility reviewers) to illustrate and satisfy utility‑connection requirements on the site plan. Member McCarthy made the motion; Vice Chair Callahan seconded. Roll call shows the motion approved by the members present.
The project still requires a Planning Board special permit and site plan review for the change of use and any building‑permit approvals; the board’s action allows the conversion to proceed toward those reviews, subject to satisfying the wastewater/utility comments.
