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Brookline ZBA unanimously waives two parking spaces for 264 Washington Street mixed-use project
Summary
The Zoning Board of Appeals granted a special permit to waive two parking spaces required under Harvard Street form-based zoning for a mixed-use project at 264 Washington Street; the Planning Department supported elimination of required parking and the Building Department raised no objection.
The Town of Brookline Zoning Board of Appeals on Feb. 11 unanimously granted a special permit to waive two parking spaces required under the Harvard Street form-based zoning for a mixed-use project at 264 Washington Street.
The applicant, represented by attorney Jennifer Depazo Gilbert, sought relief for three modest residential units above a childcare facility in a transit-rich part of Brookline Village. Planning staff recommended support for elimination of required parking, and the Building Commissioner submitted a memo saying the building department has no objection and will review code compliance at permit stage.
Depazo Gilbert told the board the project has 9,842 square feet of gross floor area with a childcare facility on the first two floors and three residential units on the third and fourth floors. She described the units as small: a 750-square-foot, two-bedroom unit; a 598-square-foot, one-bedroom unit; and a 970-square-foot, two-bedroom unit. The site includes 591 square feet of outdoor space and was approved through site-plan review under the Harvard Street form-based zoning; that site-plan decision was filed Dec. 18, 2024.
“Residential uses are allowed as of right in this district,” Depazo Gilbert said, and she argued the proposed development would not create a nuisance or serious hazard to pedestrians or vehicles because the neighborhood is well served by transit and curb cuts are prohibited on Washington Street. Planning staff zoning coordinator Nicole Paré (listed in the materials as Nicole Parade) told the board, “Planning Staff finds its site is located in the Harvard Street Main Street District and is well served by existing public transportation. Therefore, we are supportive of elimination of required parking.”
A memo from R. Campbell, the Town of Brookline building commissioner, was read into the record stating the building department has no objection to the requested relief and will ensure compliance with state building codes at the time of permit review.
Board member Randolph Meiklejohn said the applicant presented clear evidence that the area is transit-rich and that nearby buildings of similar or greater size have no parking, and he moved to grant the relief under section 9.05 of the zoning bylaw. Chair Jesse Geller and member Wodner O’Shea joined him in a unanimous vote to grant the special permit.
The board reserved the right to impose standard conditions common to special-permit approvals, and planning staff read the usual conditions requiring final stamped plans and recording the decision. The Planning Board decision (PLN2500012) served as the Planning Board’s report and did not recommend additional conditions.
Owners Lucy and Gladys Ruiz were identified as owners of the property in the application materials, recorded as Ruiz and Rejudice Realty LLC in the filing. Architects from Bloom Architecture participated in the hearing but the ZBA limited its review to the parking relief within its jurisdiction. The board’s decision allows the site to proceed toward building-permit review subject to standard plan submission and code compliance checks.
