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Councilors push ONS to tighten ZBA and licensing notice process after missed abutters
Summary
City councilors pressed the Office of Neighborhood Services to improve notice and proof-of-notice requirements for Zoning Board of Appeals abutters meetings and licensing applications, and asked the office to explore automatically notifying district councilors when meetings are scheduled.
Boston — Councilors at a May 27 hearing pressed the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services to tighten how applicants notify neighbors about Zoning Board of Appeals abutters meetings and licensing hearings, citing instances where nearby businesses and residents said they did not receive timely notice.
The council’s questioning, led in part by Councilor Flynn and others, focused on the city’s current practice that requires an applicant to deliver flyers within a 300-foot radius and said the Office of Neighborhood Services (ONS) recently added requirements for applicants to post meeting dates on the city events webpage and to provide photographs showing flyering.
Why it matters: Notification drives who participates in development and licensing decisions. Councilors said inconsistent notice can leave neighbors and nearby businesses unaware until after decisions are made, limiting public…
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