BRA Considering Change To Off-Street Parking Rules

[UPDATED Wednesday, March 20, 12 p.m.]

Charlestown residents are encouraged to attend a public meeting on Wednesday, March 20 to consider a potential change to the neighborhood’s off-street parking rules.

The meeting, hosted by the Boston Redevelopment Authority at the request of the Charlestown Neighborhood Council Development Committee, will be the second public meeting on the proposed changes and the first hosted by the BRA.

Currently, Charlestown zoning rules require one off-street parking space per unit for each new single-family residential project containing one to three units as well as rowhouse and townhouse projects, according to a press release submitted by CNC Development chairman Mark Rosenshein.

“The [current] requirement for parking obligates the City of Boston to allow developers to install curb cuts and remove on-street parking spaces without community input or review,” Rosenshein said in the release.

At the March 20 meeting, the community will be asked to review the current condition and to determine whether this zoning bylaw should remain as written, be modified or be removed completely.

If modified, the parking rule could become conditional, with the parking ratio requirement remaining the same but community input required on a case-by-case basis.

The requirement could also be removed entirely, and developers would be required to obtain zoning variances to install first-floor garages and parking spaces, according to the CNC release. The zoning change would not affect projects going through the city’s Article 80 large project review process.

“All residents of Charlestown will be affected by this potential zoning change and are therefore encouraged to participate in this dialogue,” Rosenshein said in the release. “If a resident cannot attend, they are encouraged to reach out to their CNC precinct representative or other CNC member to voice any concerns, questions or opinions on this issue.

At the CNC meeting on Tuesday, March 5, Rosenshein further emphasized the importance of public attendance, saying the BRA would not change the bylaw unless there was a large showing of support for the change.

"They need to see a room full of people," he said.

Rosenshein included with the press release a chart outlining some of the comments and concerns raised at the first public meeting on the issue, available as a PDF in the image gallery above.

The March 20 public meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall.