8.20.2026 Zoning Board of Appeals

The Fall River Zoning Board of Appeals, chaired by Joseph Pereira, convened on August 20, 2026, to review a series of property development petitions. The board approved several projects, including two revised proposals on Durfee Street. The first, at 333 Durfee Street, was unanimously approved to convert an auto repair shop into four residential units, creating a nine-unit property, after the petitioner increased the proposed parking to 14 spaces. The second, at 637 Durfee Street, saw a proposal for a new apartment building reduced from 12 to 8 units, which eliminated the need for several waivers and earned unanimous approval for the remaining setback variance and parking special permits.

The board also unanimously granted variances for subdividing a lot with three multi-family dwellings at 424 3rd Street, converting an office building into a four-unit apartment at 550 Locust Street, and dividing a lot to build a new single-family home at 302 Orchard Street. A special permit was granted for an electronic sign at 483 Bedford Street. A petition for a new apartment unit with no off-street parking at 189 Durfee Street was tabled until the September 17th meeting, following public opposition and board concerns about access and parking. The board also granted a two-year extension for a previously approved project on Duval Street. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to a discussion led by Director of Engineering and Planning Daniel Aguiar about recent amendments to Massachusetts General Law Chapter 40A. The new law replaces the strict "hardship" standard for variances with a more lenient "practical difficulty" standard, a change intended to spur housing development across the Commonwealth, which will significantly impact the board's ability to deny housing-related projects.

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