On one side of the debate was a group of residents and advocates who argued that immediate tweaks to Brookline’s labyrinthine zoning are necessary, to accomplish goals like allowing some property owners to add an extra unit to their homes, or slowing down the pace of demolitions.
On the other side, a coalition of town leaders argued for deferring those tweaks until they can be part of a broader effort called the
Comprehensive Plan. They say that rather than make piecemeal changes, the plan will take a holistic look at Brookline’s zoning needs – and include much more community input than the typical Town Meeting proposal.
The latter argument carried the day as the legislative body voted to refer the two most consequential proposals to the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee – essentially choosing to take no action for the moment.
Article 9 would have essentially converted Brookline’s two-family zones to three-family zones, making it easier for the owners of two-family homes to add a unit. It was referred by a vote of 130 to 114, with four abstentions.
Article 7, proposed by the town’s Planning Department, would have set a cap of 2.5 stories for buildings in certain areas zoned for single and two-family homes, in an effort to “reinforce the prevailing neighborhood character” and encourage “adaptive reuse” rather than demolitions. It was also referred, by a vote of 124 to 122, with five abstentions.
The one contested zoning article which did pass was
Article 8, a narrower upzoning which would make it easier to add a unit on to some existing single-family or larger homes (specifically ones on small lots) by removing restrictions on minimum lot size. Any expansions would still have to get a special permit from the town’s Zoning Board of Appeals. It passed 149 to 91, with eight abstentions.
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