Cambridge Board of Zoning Appeals: special permits granted, one withdrawal accepted, one case continued to April 10

The Cambridge Board of Zoning Appeals on Jan. 9 accepted the withdrawal of a proposed hotel application, continued one condominium application to April 10 with conditions, and approved a slate of special permits and a variance for property renovations and a new rooftop telecommunications installation.

Why it matters: The decisions affect small-scale housing renovations across several Cambridge neighborhoods and allow one wireless carrier to install rooftop equipment in Harvard/Brattle Square. Several approvals included standard conditions about adherence to submitted plans and filing federal radio-emissions reports with the Inspectional Services Department.

Votes at a glance

- BZA 281576 — 723–731 Cambridge Street (hotel): Withdrawn. The board read and accepted a written letter from proponent Manny Barrow withdrawing the petition. Vote: Daniel Hidalgo, Virginia Keesler, Steven Ng and Chair Jim Monteverdi voted in favor of accepting the withdrawal; the case is recorded as withdrawn.

- BZA 285359 — 100 Oda Street, Unit 1 (condominium/alteration): Continued to April 10, 2025, 6:00 p.m., conditional on (1) petitioner obtaining and filing a letter of approval from the condominium association that revises the BZA ownership information form so it comes from the association, (2) changing the posted hearing sign to reflect the new date/time, (3) petitioner signing a waiver of statutory hearing-timing requirements and returning it to the Inspectional Services Department within seven days, and (4) any new submittals being filed by 5 p.m. the Monday before the continued date. Vote: 4–0 in favor (the members eligible to vote on the continued case cast votes).

- BZA 1144-543 — 1 Brattle Square (Dish Wireless LLC — rooftop telecommunications special permit): Special permit granted with conditions. The proposal authorizes two 10-foot-tall cylindrical concealments on the roof (each 36 inches diameter), associated cabling, and an equipment shelter on the first floor. The applicant said the installation is a new DISH facility (not a replacement) and that collocation with a nearby T‑Mobile installation is infeasible because the carriers use adjacent spectrum and require approximately 40 feet of horizontal separation to avoid interference; the applicant’s RF engineer also explained that the canisters must clear the penthouse roofline and so require the proposed height. Conditions recorded in the board’s required statement (played on the record) include: work to proceed according to the submitted plans and photo simulations; maintenance of the appearance consistent with the photo simulations; removal if equipment is unused for six months; timely filing with the Inspectional Services Department of any reports the petitioner files with federal authorities about electromagnetic emissions (within 10 business days); and automatic termination of the special permit if the petitioner’s federal licenses are suspended, revoked or terminated. Vote: 5–0 in favor.

- BZA 114-335-390 — 190 Lexington Avenue (renovation, gross floor area and setback relief): Special permit granted to allow alterations and modest GFA increases tied to dormers, bays, a window well, patio steps and roof decks; petitioner noted the project includes an elevator and internal reconfigurations to accommodate family needs and the basement is exempt from GFA in Cambridge provided it is not in a flood plain. Conditions: work to conform to the drawings submitted (dated Jan. 2, 2025) and supporting materials. Vote: 5–0 in favor.

- BZA 114-3317 — 102 Scarappa Street (renovation after foundation issues): Special permit granted to permit reconstruction and modest changes to fenestration, a deeper basement with new egress and relocation of an entry door; the applicant explained an earlier contractor’s underpinning and foundation work was found insufficient, forcing reconstruction and deeper excavation to replace foundation walls. The board noted uncertainty about how much of the original superstructure can be retained. Vote: 4–1 (Chair Monteverdi recorded a no vote; four members voted to grant relief).

- BZA 114-3415 — 207 Lexington Avenue (create accessory dwelling unit / basement ADU): Special permit granted to create an ADU in the basement, widen a door in a left-side setback, and install two rear window wells. The board recorded supporting letters from nearby neighbors. Conditions: work to match drawings dated Nov. 15, 2024 and supporting forms. Vote: 5–0 in favor.

- BZA 114-340911 — 11 Perry Street (conversion of barn structure; variance request for a window on a nonconforming wall): Variance granted. Attorney James Raffney explained the original conversion was granted in 2023 and that construction is ongoing; staff advised that because the structure does not yet have a final Certificate of Occupancy the alteration requires a variance rather than a special permit. The board found hardship tied to the construction timeline and the need to avoid rework, and granted the requested relief on condition the work conform to drawings dated Oct. 29, 2024. Vote: 5–0 in favor.

- BZA 216–218 Bank Street (multiunit renovation): Special permit granted. The owner and architect said the project keeps the same number of dwelling units and does not add GFA, but relocates and enlarges several windows and doors within the property’s setbacks and adds two dormers; the design team said the changes re‑balance interior spaces and upgrade the envelope and systems. Conditions: work to conform to drawings dated Nov. 18, 2024 and supporting materials. Vote: 5–0 in favor.

- BZA 1145038177 — 177 Hancock Street (basement egress windows and window wells): Special permit granted with a specific condition that the proposed light wells in the left‑side setback be fitted with covers (capable of supporting a person) so someone walking along that tight side yard cannot fall in. The project received a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Mid‑Cambridge Historical Commission and includes a rear walkout egress and several basement/light‑well changes that affect average grade/building height. Vote: 5–0 in favor.

How the board framed decisions and conditions

Board members consistently tied approvals to: (1) strict compliance with the plans submitted and initialed by the chair, (2) filing required documents with the Inspectional Services Department when federal reporting is required (notably for the Dish application), and (3) the board’s standard condition that equipment or work inconsistent with federal licensing must be removed or will terminate the permit. For the Oda Street condominium case, staff advised the board it could not proceed without a condominium‑association letter and a corrected ownership form, prompting the continuance and the list of compliance steps recorded as conditions.

Notable comments from participants

- Keenan Bridal, representing Dish/Network Building & Consulting, described the proposal for two camouflaged cylindrical canisters and an invisible equipment shelter and noted a positive recommendation from the Harvard Square Advisory Committee; Elijah Ruto, Dish RF engineer, explained collocation and height constraints tied to spectrum adjacency and roofline setbacks.

- Michael McKee (petitioner, Oda Street) described months of attempts to resolve a neighbor objection within the condominium and said the association did not provide the required letter of approval; staff advised that the board could not proceed without the association’s letter and the revised ownership form.

- Carolyn Park and architect Steve Heiserow described the Scarappa Street project’s reconstruction after foundation failures attributed to prior contractor underpinning; the architect explained the need to increase basement depth and add egress openings, and said much of the foundation will be rebuilt in new concrete.

- Several renovation applicants (190 Lexington; 207 Lexington; 216–218 Bank St; 177 Hancock) noted neighbor outreach and submitted letters of support from abutters in the files.

What the board did not do

- The board did not rule on curb‑cut/driveway concerns raised by a nearby resident about the Hancock Street property; the chair and staff directed the resident to the separate curb‑cut process (city council/Inspectional Services Department) because curb‑cut approvals are not resolved by the BZA.

Next steps and follow up items

- The Oda Street petition is scheduled for continuance on April 10, 2025 at 6:00 p.m.; the petitioner must provide the association’s letter, update the ownership form to show the condominium association as the owner, post a revised hearing sign and submit any new materials by the deadline specified by staff.

- For the Dish approval, the petitioner must file any federal reports on electromagnetic emissions with the Inspectional Services Department within 10 business days of filing with federal authorities; failure to file can terminate the special permit per the board’s conditions.

- The board requested that the Hancock Street petitioner provide window‑well covers able to support a person and noted that fencing or other measures that preclude emergency access were not recommended by the board.

Ending

Board members closed the session after confirming the approvals and conditions. Several approvals were unanimous; the Scarappa Street application passed 4–1. The board asked petitioners and staff to ensure timely fulfillment of the conditions recorded on the record.