Public commenters raise accessibility and historic‑preservation complaints about planning‑board candidate; candidate denies allegations

Public comments and a candidate interview over a Planning Board appointment at the Town of Brookline Select Board meeting focused on disputes between applicant Robert (Rob) Schoen and nearby neighbors over accessibility accommodations, demolition and zoning enforcement.

Multiple residents spoke during public comment. Abby Swain told the board she submitted written materials opposing Schoen’s appointment and described a case heard by the Zoning Board of Appeals on Feb. 2, 2023. Swain said the appeal involved a neighbor’s reasonable‑accommodation request under the ADA and local bylaws to build an accessible entrance and garage to accommodate a child who uses a motorized wheelchair. Swain said that the request related to both setbacks and an entry sized to fit a large wheelchair‑accessible vehicle and that the matter involved ADA considerations in planning‑board work.

A neighbor identified in the record as Dawn Oates described long‑running disputes with Schoen, alleging that in 2012 Schoen and his then‑wife substantially gutted a historic house and that required preservation and demolition processes were not followed; she said her family subsequently prevailed at the ZBA on a reasonable‑accommodation issue but that Schoen had pursued litigation thereafter. Oates also described a dispute over a town‑designated handicap accessible parking spot near her home and said she believes Schoen obstructed accessibility and public process in multiple ways.

Rob Schoen, who applied to the Planning Board and appeared for questions, said the comments were "false, misleading and unfair." He described 17 years of residency in Brookline, service on neighborhood organizations including the Friends of Longwood Mall and the Brookline Greenspace Alliance, and a long career in the investment industry. Schoen said he supports accessibility and that his dispute with neighbors was about process and not opposition to accommodations; he told the board the case went to court and said the court supported his position on process.

Select Board members questioned Schoen about accessibility sensitivity and about his approach to planning decisions. Some members praised his community involvement and said a diversity of perspectives—including non‑planners—can be useful on a planning board. Schoen told the board he had studied recorded planning board meetings before applying and said he would emphasize listening to neighbors and seeking consensus.

No appointment was made at the meeting; the board said it would make decisions on appointments at a future meeting.

Why it matters: The public comments raised concerns about how an appointed planning board member might handle cases involving accessibility, historic preservation and neighbor disputes. The exchange underscores how local land‑use appointments can become focal points for broader concerns about equity, process and enforcement.

What’s next: The board will decide on Planning Board appointments at a later meeting; the public record and written comments submitted by residents were part of the Select Board’s materials.