BZA Case No. 1230992 Bowden Street Carport

At a glance

Based on auto-generated captions; names and numbers may be misheard.

What: a special permit to remove a pre-existing nonconforming carport on Bowden Street and rebuild it with a solid roof, slightly narrower (about 9 ft 10 in to 9 ft 6 in, to stop overhanging the side lot line) and a bit longer toward the rear.
Where it stands: granted 5-0 on 2026-10-15, conditioned on the drawing set "Proposed Carport Addition" by GCD Architects dated August 24, 2026.
History: a 2023 petition (heard March 9, 2023, as a variance to re-roof) was denied. The carport was built without a permit around 2007 to 2011 and was originally treated as an arbor; the plastic roof later collapsed under snow sliding off solar panels.

The owner's architect said the structure is more than 10 years old with no enforcement, so it is legally existing nonconforming, and that the rebuild reduces the nonconformity. Plans add a slotted privacy screen, rear roof drainage to an infiltration system, and no change in height or scale.
Support letters came from several neighbors. One abutter spoke against, saying it looks over his dining room and worrying about about 20 other properties asking for carports.
Daniel Hidalgo favored it as better than the status quo; Wendy Leiserson noted the old case record echoed the precedent concern but said the legal standard is different now. Brendan Sullivan recalled the 2023 history. Steven Ng read the findings.

About 22 minutes across 1 meeting (from transcript timestamps; approximate).

Meeting	Minutes
2026-10-15 - Board of Zoning Appeal BZA Agenda	22

2026-10-15 - Board of Zoning Appeal BZA Agenda - Hearing and vote. Special permit granted 5-0; one abutter opposed.