Boston Zoning Commission hears South Boston, Hyde Park and citywide definition amendments Nov. 18

The Boston Zoning Commission will hold a virtual hearing on Wednesday, Nov. 18, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on three sets of zoning amendments, including a change that would allow planned development areas in part of South Boston and "Squares and Streets" zoning for Hyde Park.

The Boston Planning Department's calendar listing gives the agenda in three parts.

At 9 a.m., the commission takes up Text Amendment 557 and Map Amendment 801 for the South Boston Neighborhood District (Article 68, Map 4F). The text amendment would permit planned development areas within the WM Subdistrict, giving sites there more flexibility to shape the uses, character and design of complex proposals that include housing and public realm improvements. The map amendment would extend the WM Subdistrict boundary to West First Street to better align with current and projected land use patterns.

At 9:15 a.m., the commission hears Text Amendments 554 through 556, the citywide dimensional definitions. The listing says they would amend 23 definitions in a substantive way, clarify the text of 20 more without changing the meaning, add diagrams to explain 25 definitions, and delete 13 definitions, most of them for terms not used in the code. Nine articles would be deleted and consolidated into a single article.

At 9:30 a.m., the commission considers Text Amendment 558 and Map Amendment 802 for the Hyde Park Neighborhood District (Article 69, Map 12). The text amendment would implement Squares and Streets zoning, remove named Neighborhood Business Subdistricts that the new Squares and Streets districts overwrite, and keep the Neighborhood Design Overlay District in force in those districts. The map amendment would add the Squares and Streets districts.

The listing says the commission rules on proposed amendments to the Boston Zoning Code. After the commission adopts an amendment, the listing says, it goes to the mayor for approval and then is codified in the zoning code.

Anyone can speak at the hearing by registering for the Zoom session at bosplans.org/BZC-Nov182026. Written comments can be emailed to ZoningCommission@boston.gov or mailed to 1 City Hall Square, 9th Floor, Boston, MA 02201. Questions can go to Jeffrey Hampton at 617-918-4308.

The listing links to documents for each item. It does not say whether the commission will vote on the amendments on Nov. 18.