23-37 Boylston Street (ZB-2026-062)

At a glance

Based on auto-generated captions plus the posted agenda; names, figures and vote tallies may be misheard.

• What: eight-lot division of 23-37 Boylston Street so four two-family buildings become eight semi-attached single-family homes. ZBA petition ZB-2026-062 (frontage and lot area relief) and a Planning Board definitive frontage subdivision plan (PB-2026-069).
• Where it stands: ZBA relief granted 5-0 on 2026-07-20 (per auto-captions). The Planning Board approved the subdivision 5-0 on 2026-08-26.
• Next: lots to be renumbered 24A through 34B Boylston Street; trees per amended condition.

The proposal

• Petitioner: Premier Rental Properties, LLC.
• Present use: four existing two-family dwellings on one lot.
• Zone: split-zoned BL-1.0 (Business, Limited) and RS-7 (Residence, Single Family); Water Resource Protection Overlay District (WP(GP-3)).
• Purpose: divide the lot to create eight single-family semi-detached dwellings (duplexes), each on its own lot.

Relief sought

• Eight lots (23 through 37 Boylston Street) each need frontage relief; 35 and 37 also need lot area relief.
• Variance: minimum frontage for a single-family semi-detached dwelling use in RS-7 (Art. IV, Sec. 4, Table 4.2), for each of 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35 and 37 Boylston Street.
• Variance: minimum lot area, for 35 and 37 Boylston Street.

Planning Board subdivision approval (2026-08-26)

• Divides the 42,000 sq ft lot into eight lots; existing buildings and driveways stay; purpose is home-ownership opportunities.
• Address renumbering: odd numbers do not match the street, so new addresses will run 24A through 34B Boylston Street.
• Tree condition: staff (Olivia Houle) pointed out trees may sit 20 feet back from the road line; board compromise reached.

Hearing on 2026-07-20

• Attorney Matt Eckelman (Fletcher Tilton, as heard) for Premier Rental Properties, LLC: divide the 42,000 sq ft lot so the four existing two-family buildings (eight vacant units) become eight semi-detached single-family lots to promote homeownership. No exterior changes; two parking spaces per unit; cross easements for the existing curb cuts.
• Relief: 2.5 ft of frontage relief on each lot (37.5 ft instead of 40 ft). Lot 4 (35 and 37 Boylston) also needed lot-area relief of 422 and 452 sq ft from the 5,000 sq ft minimum because the rear lot line angles.
• Staff (Michelle M. Smith): the property is in the Water Resource Protection Overlay District and a managed growth area near a bus stop; by-right alternatives are leaving the buildings as they are or reshaping lots 4A and 4B.
• The board had read the new written findings and waived a reading. No public comment. Vote: 5-0.

Status and next steps

• ZBA relief granted 5-0 on 2026-07-20 (per auto-captions).
• Planning Board approved the frontage subdivision plan 5-0 on 2026-08-26.

Discussion time

About 24 minutes across 2 meetings (from transcript timestamps; approximate).

Log

• 2026-08-26 - Planning Board - Planning Board public hearing on the definitive frontage subdivision plan (PB-2026-069); approved 5-0. Attorney Matt Eckle (Fletcher Tilton, captioned) said ZBA relief was granted and there is no site work. Standard condition of a tree every 50 feet was amended to at least four trees between and beside buildings where practical given utility and grading limits. No public comment.
• 2026-07-20 - Zoning Board of Appeals - Public hearing. Eight frontage variances (2.5 ft each) and two lot-area variances (35 Boylston 422 sq ft, 37 Boylston 452 sq ft) approved 5-0; no waivers; no public comment. Public hearing deadline was 8/12/2026; constructive grant deadline was 9/16/2026.