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Zoning Board of Appeal

We inspect and review buildings for zoning compliance. The board regulates the rules behind what you can build and where you can build in Boston.

LAtest Updates:
  • The Legislature has updated the Open Meeting Law to allow the Zoning Board of Appeal to hold virtual hearings until the end of March 2025. All scheduled Zoning Board of Appeal hearings will be held virtually until that date. 
  • Please see the City's public notices page for details on how to access the virtual hearings.
  • The Board of Appeal accepts service of complaints under Rule 4 of the Massachusetts Rules of Civil Procedure. Please serve all complaints that name the Board or its Members at the Administrative Office of the Board of Appeal located at 1010 Massachusetts Avenue, Fourth Floor, Boston, MA 02118. You may submit a courtesy copy of any documents to edward.coburn@boston.gov
  • To ensure timely review and filing Zoning Board of Appeal decisions,  attorneys should direct all draft zoning decisions to ISDBoardofAppeal@Boston.gov.

Notice of Accommodation


City officials created the Boston Zoning Code in 1964. There are now 14 neighborhood codes and 18 codes for downtown Boston and the waterfront. You can also find the zoning for addresses in the City.

Zoning codes in Boston

Upcoming events

Events
Search public notices

Zoning Board of Appeal tracker

Through the Zoning Board of Appeal tracker, you can:

  • search for a specific appeal that has been submitted, or
  • search for appeals based on criteria, such as location or applicant.
Search our tracker

Board of Appeal reviews

The board reviews exceptions to the City’s zoning code.

The mayor appoints seven people to the board every three years. They meet every other Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. The meetings take place at:

1 City Hall Square, Room 801
Boston, MA 02201

You can ask for an exception if your project gets rejected because it doesn’t meet a City zoning code. You have go to a public hearing to explain why you think you should get an exception to the zoning code.

how to apply for an appeal

2023 Hearing Dates

  • Tuesday, January 10, 2023
  • Tuesday, January 31, 2023
  • Tuesday February 7, 2023
  • Tuesday, February 28, 2023
  • Tuesday, March 14, 2023
  • Tuesday, March 28, 2023
  • Tuesday, April 11, 2023
  • Tuesday, April 25, 2023
  • Tuesday, May 9, 2023
  • Tuesday, May 23, 2023
  • Tuesday, June 6, 2023
  • Tuesday, June 27, 2023
  • Tuesday, July 11, 2023
  • Tuesday, July 25, 2023
  • Tuesday, August 8, 2023
  • Tuesday, August 29, 2023
  • Tuesday, September 12, 2023
  • Tuesday, September 26, 2023
  • Tuesday, October 17, 2023
  • Tuesday, October 31, 2023
  • Tuesday, November 14, 2023
  • Tuesday, November 28, 2023
  • Tuesday, December 5, 2023
  • Tuesday, December 12, 2023
  • Thursday, January 19, 2023
  • Thursday, February 16, 2023
  • Thursday, March 16, 2023
  • Thursday, April 6, 2023
  • Thursday, May 18, 2023
  • Thursday, June 15, 2023
  • Thursday, July 20, 2023
  • Thursday, August 17, 2023
  • Thursday, September 21, 2023
  • Thursday, October 26, 2023
  • Thursday, November 9, 2023
  • Thursday, December 7, 2023

2024 HEARING DATES

  • Tuesday, January 9, 2024
  • Tuesday, January 23, 2024
  • Tuesday, February 6, 2024
  • Tuesday, February 27, 2024
  • Tuesday, March 12, 2024
  • Tuesday, March 26, 2024
  • Tuesday, April 9, 2024
  • Tuesday, April 30, 2024
  • Tuesday, May 7, 2024
  • Tuesday, May 21, 2024
  • Tuesday, June 4, 2024
  • Tuesday, June 25, 2024
  • Tuesday, July 16, 2024
  • Tuesday, July 30, 2024
  • Tuesday, August 13, 2024
  • Tuesday, August 27, 2024
  • Tuesday, September 10, 2024
  • Tuesday, September 24, 2024
  • Tuesday, October 8, 2024
  • Tuesday, Otcober 29, 2024
  • Tuesday, November 19, 2024
  • Tuesday, November 26, 2024
  • Tuesday, December 3, 2024
  • Tuesday, December 10, 2024
  • Thursday, January 18, 2024
  • Thursday, February 15, 2024
  • Thursday, March 21, 2024
  • Thursday, April 25, 2024
  • Thursday, May 16, 2024
  • Thursday, June 13, 2024
  • Thursday, July 25, 2024
  • Thursday, August 22, 2024
  • Thursday, September 19, 2024
  • Thursday, October 24, 2024
  • Thursday, November 7, 2024
  • Thursday, December 5, 2024

2025 Hearing Dates

Tuesday, January 14, 2025 Tuesday, January 28, 2025 Tuesday, February 4, 2025 Tuesday, February 25, 2025 Tuesday, March 4, 2025 Tuesday, March 25, 2025 Tuesday, April 8, 2025 Tuesday, April 29, 2025 Tuesday, May 6, 2025 Tuesday, May 20, 2025 Tuesday, June 3, 2025 Tuesday, June 24, 2025 Tuesday, July 8, 2025 Tuesday, July 29, 2025 Tuesday, August 12, 2025 Tuesday, August 26, 2025 Tuesday, September 9, 2025 Tuesday, September 23, 2025 Tuesday, October 7, 2025 Tuesday, October 28, 2025 Tuesday, November 18, 2025 Tuesday, November 25, 2025 Tuesday, December 9, 2025 Tuesday, December 16, 2025

Thursday, January 23, 2025
Thursday, February 13, 2025
Thursday, March 20, 2025
Thursday, April 17, 2025
Thursday, May 15, 2025
Thursday, June 12, 2025
Thursday, July 24, 2025
Thursday, August 21, 2025
Thursday, September 18, 2025
Thursday, October 23, 2025
Thursday, November 6, 2025
Thursday, December 4, 2025

Meeting minutes

Minutes

Subcommittee Meeting Videos

Subcommittee Videos

Full Board Meeting Videos

Full Board Videos

Boston Planning & Development Agency

The Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) reviews appeal applications. They help builders plan projects and stay within zoning codes.

When reviewing an appeal application, they'll make recommendations to the Zoning Board on what to do.

They work with community groups and neighboring property owners. They also attend public hearings and help builders through the approval process.

Contact the Zoning Planner

Commission Info

Members and alternate members of the Zoning Board of Appeal receive a stipend of $460 per day of service, up to a maximum of $34,000 per year.

Current members

Member Appointed Expires Status
MemberJeanne Pinado
Appointed1/25/2023
Expires5/1/2024
StatusActive
MemberHansy Better Barraza
Appointed12/14/2022
Expires5/1/2024
StatusActive
MemberSherry Dong
Appointed12/14/2022
Expires5/1/2023
StatusActive
MemberDavid Aiken
Appointed12/14/2022
Expires5/1/2023
StatusActive
MemberKatie Whewell
Appointed10/3/2022
Expires5/1/2024
StatusActive
MemberNorm Stembridge
Appointed12/14/2022
Expires5/1/2025
StatusActive
MemberGiovanny Valencia
Appointed12/14/2022
Expires5/1/2024
StatusActive
MemberAlan E. Langham
Appointed12/14/2022
Expires5/1/2025
StatusActive
MemberShavel'le Olivier
Appointed12/14/2022
Expires5/1/2025
StatusActive
MemberDavid Collins
Appointed12/14/2022
Expires5/1/2025
StatusActive
MemberShamaiah Turner
Appointed4/1/2024
Expires5/1/2026
StatusActive
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