About the Zoning Board of Appeals
The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) is the decision-making authority for all development that requires Site Plan Approval or a Special Permit in the Neighborhood Residence, Urban Residence, Commercial Industry, Commercial Business, and Tufts University zoning districts, and is the decision-making authority for all a Hardship Variances (regardless of zoning district), and all Administrative Appeals.
Contact Information
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville, MA 02143
United States
Employee Directory
Zoning Relief and Historic Preservation-Related Applications Have Moved to Citizenserve
We are pleased to announce that we have movedĀ Zoning Relief and Historic Preservation-Related Applications to Citizenserve. offering enhanced convenience and streamlined processing.
Rules of Policy and ProcedureĀ
The Zoning Board of Appeals recently updated their Rules of Policy and Procedure. These Rules establish the organization of the Board, standards of conduct, meeting schedules and management protocols, protocols for application review, and other rules as required.Ā
Development Review Standards:
- Please be advised that, per the standards set out in Article 15 of the Somerville Zoning Ordinance, a development review application is not complete until all required community and Design Review meetings have been held, all necessary information has been submitted, and all fees have been paid. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed, will not be publicly noticed, and will not be scheduled for a public hearing.
- Planning staff will work with applicants to discuss meeting dates and review application materials.
- Applications for large projects may require a longer review period and evaluation by multiple City departments before being deemed complete and scheduled for a public hearing.
- Planning staff reserves the right to ask for additional information or to change meeting dates.
- The list of anticipated public meeting dates for this Board can be found here.
- Orsola Susan Fontano, ChairĀ
- Anne Brockelman, Vice-ChairĀ
- Katherine Garavaglia, ClerkĀ
- Ann FullertonĀ
- Zachary ZarembaĀ
- Brian Cook, AlternateĀ
- Sisia Daglian, AlternateĀ
Zoning Board of Appeals meetings are generally held on the first and third Wednesday of eachĀ month.
Please see published legal notifications and online agendas at somervillema.gov/events. Agendas areĀ published at least forty-eight (48) hours in advance of the meeting. TheĀ meeting dates below areĀ tentative: meetings will only be held if there are itemsĀ of business on the agenda to beĀ addressed at the meeting, and meetings may be rescheduled or cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.
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