ZBA Continues 23 White Street Case to September

Zoning Board of Appeals · Meeting of August 3, 2026

BELMONT — The Belmont Zoning Board of Appeals voted 5-0-0 to continue a four-unit mixed-use special-permit case at 23 White Street to September 14. Attorney Joseph Noone, representing owner Frank Valentino, sought permits for a mixed-use conversion, a front-setback exception and a floor-area-ratio increase to 1.49, just under the bylaw's 1.5 cap. Land surveyor Cliff Rober, representing the abutter at 43 White Street, said conflicting plan dimensions, 6 feet 8 inches versus 6 feet 10 inches, could push the FAR over the limit, and said "there's been no communication" from the applicant despite the properties sharing a wall.

Member David Stiff called the communication gap "concerning... especially because in this case, direct abutter means literally sharing a wall." Inspector of Buildings Ara Yogurtian separately flagged a pending code-enforcement appeal over the site's abandoned auto garage that could force a special meeting before September 14.

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Source: the Zoning Board of Appeals meeting of August 3, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.