Board of Zoning Appeal — April 16, 2026

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📄 📄 agenda

Cases (3)

• 6:00 P.M. BZA-1202049 — 1 MYRTLE AVENUE Residence C-1 Zone FAN WANG Appeal: The Applicant submitted a written request to the Cambridge Inspectional Services Department (“ISD”) pursuant to M.G.L. c.40A §7 requesting a zoning determination regarding the interpretation of several provisions of the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance as applied to the property located at 1 Myrtle Ave. The request sought clarification as to whether the following elements of a proposed amendment to the building envelope are permitted by right under the ordinance: 1. Application of the contextual front setback provision under Article 5.40 Footnote (3) to the subject corner lot 2. Bay window projections into required yards under Section 5.24.1(f); and 3. A vertical addition above an existing side wall under Article 5.40(4)(c). ISD acknowledged receipt of the determination request but declined to issue a written zoning determination. During a meeting with ISD staff on March 10, the zoning inspector stated that: • the contextual front setback provision does not apply to corner lots because only one adjacent building exists along each street frontage; and • bay projections are limited to 25% of an exterior wall length, based on a prior Zoning Board decision. ISD nevertheless declined to issue a formal written determination under M.G.L. c.40A §7. This appeal is therefore brought pursuant to M.G.L. c.40A §§8 and 15 from the refusal of the zoning enforcement authority to issue a determination regarding the interpretation of the relevant provisions of the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance. Art. 5.000, Sec. 5.40 (Footnotes to Table of Dimensional Requirements (Footnote 3) – Contextual Setbacks. Sec. 5.24.1.f (Obstructions Allowed in Required Yards). – Bay Projections Sec. 5.40.4.c (Side and Rear Yard Setbacks for Existing Buildings). – Vertical Addition Art. 10.000. Sec. 10.20 (Appeal). [zoning]
• 6:30 P.M. BZA-1202022 — 407 CONCORD AVENUE Residence C-1 Zone SOHEIL FATHI Variance: To increase indoor seating capacity and extend hours of operation that increases previously approved seating and hours under variance BZA-255390. Art. 4.000, Sec. 4.35.o & Art. 11.000, Sec. 11.30 (Fast Order/Quick Service Food Establishment). Art. 10.000, Sec. 10.30 (Variance). [variance]
• 6:45 P.M. BZA-1202871 — 10 GARDEN STREET Residence C-2 Zone PRESIDENT & FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE – C/O GABRIEL RAMOS, SENIOR CAMPUS PLANNER Variance: To install two wall signs to Fay House that exceeds the allowable amount of signs conforming to this zoning district. Art. 7.000, Sec. 7.16.21.b (Identification Signs). & Sec. 7.16.22.c (Wall Signs). Art. 10.000, Sec. 10.30 (Variance). [variance]

Hearing Record (transcript)

Present: Steven Ng (Chair), Wendy Leiserson (Vice Chair), Virginia Keesler, Jim Monteverde, Miranda Cecil

Staff: Olivia Ratay

Verbatim record: Data/Boards/BZA_transcripts/2026-04-16.txt (60 pages)

• BZA-1202049 — 1 Myrtle Avenue — denied
• Spoke: Fan Wang
• BZA-1202022 — 407 Concord Avenue
• Spoke: Soheil Fathi, Sarah Moridpour
• Public comment: 3 members of the public spoke (speakers are named in the official minutes; not listed here, by policy)
• BZA-1202871 — 10 Garden Street
• Spoke: Gabriel Ramos, Matt Brunell