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Board continues accessory‑structure request at 626 Fulton Avenue to Aug. 18 after neighborhood objections
Summary
A request to build a 1,800‑square‑foot accessory structure (two stories, garage below and dwelling above) at 626 Fulton Avenue drew strong neighborhood opposition and was continued to Aug. 18 so the applicant can consult Alta Vista and Beacon Hill neighborhood groups and refine the proposal.
The Board of Adjustment continued a high‑profile application from Sergio de la Mora to construct a large accessory structure at 626 Fulton Avenue. The proposal sought variances for structure size and height under NCD‑2 standards (an accessory structure of 1,800 square feet and a 35‑foot height, with a living unit above garage space). Neighbors and two neighborhood associations — Alta Vista and Beacon Hill — provided opposing comments, citing scale, precedent and compatibility with neighborhood conservation guidelines.
Staff presented the site plan and explained that the accessory structure as proposed would exceed the usual accessory‑structure size thresholds (staff calculated the NCD‑2 threshold at 572 square feet based on the existing primary structure’s record). The applicant said the lot is three contiguous parcels totaling roughly 11,000 square feet and described family needs (space to assist an aging parent) and existing local precedents of larger rear structures. Several callers and in‑person speakers from neighborhood associations opposed the request; written opposition came from Alta Vista and Beacon Hill. Supporters and some immediate neighbors also made statements in favor.
Board members expressed concern over the structure’s scale, the lack of formal sign‑off from neighborhood organizations and possible precedent it could set for the conservation district. Commissioners suggested alternatives (reducing height, limiting to a single story, or reconfiguring the lot to create a separate primary structure where the accessory building would instead be a main house). The applicant asked for time to meet with neighborhood groups and gather additional documentation.
The board voted to continue the item to the August 18 meeting to allow the applicant to work with Alta Vista and Beacon Hill and to provide revised plans or additional neighborhood support. The continuance passed on a motion to postpone; no final variance was approved and no vote on the merits occurred at this meeting.
