The City’s Zoning Board of Appeals will hold longer hearings that will be televised and live-streamed online, in a move to boost speed and transparency.
Mayor Martin Walsh and the City’s Inspectional Services Department announced the changes, effective Aug. 5.
Currently, applicants seeking zoning variances face a wait list of up to six months for a ZBA hearing, according to the Mayor’s Office. To clear the backlog, ZBA hearing times will double from half-days to full days, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., every other Tuesday.
“The additional hours will help streamline the hearing process time. We will continue to run longer hours until the backlog of cases for review has been addressed,” said ISD Commissioner William “Buddy” Christopher in a press relase.
For those who can’t attend City Hall during a weekday, the hearings will air on Boston City TV (Comcast Channel 24 and RCN Channel 13) and online at cityofboston.gov/cable/live.asp.
The Walsh administration, which just took office in January, continue to review the City’s permitting process and will announce more changes in the coming months, according to a press release.