Cambridge Zoning Board Continues All January Cases Over Faulty Meeting Notice

CAMBRIDGE -- January 11, 2024, Cambridge's Board of Zoning Appeals continued every case on its January 11 docket to February 1 after the official meeting notice listed a wrong Zoom webinar link. Chair Jim Monteverde, re-elected unanimously along with Vice Chair Stephen Ng at the meeting's opening, confirmed that the link printed on posting signs at each property differed from the actual meeting link, and that the city's website was not corrected until moments before the 6 p.m. start, too late for abutters who had relied on the mailed or posted notice. Neighbors of 65 Bristol Street, including Stephanie and David Faraz of 60 Bristol Street and Justin Montesano of 59 Bristol Street, reported being locked out for up to 20 minutes; public commenter John Hawkinson called the error "tantamount to saying go to the wrong building." All eight regular-docket cases, covering properties on Bristol, Hazel, Palermo, Avon Hill, Hurlbut, Linnean, Cambridge, and Harvey streets, were continued by unanimous 5-0 votes, conditioned on petitioners signing statutory waivers with the Inspectional Services Department by the following Monday or facing automatic adverse rulings.