Arlington ZBA Closes Hearing on Lancaster Road Bathroom Addition, Sets June Vote

ARLINGTON — May 26, 2026 — Arlington Zoning Board closes hearing on small second-floor bathroom addition at 9 Lancaster Road. The board voted 6-0 Tuesday to close the public hearing on a 134-square-foot second-floor addition to a 650-square-foot historic railroad worker's cottage, with a final vote on the written decision scheduled for June 9. Chair Christian Klein walked through the full special-permit criteria on the record, noting that the pie-shaped lot carries two preexisting nonconformities — a 4.2-foot rear yard setback and zero usable open space — and finding that neither adverse effect outweighs the benefit of providing the homeowners a second bathroom accessible without traversing stairs. The board also voted unanimously to adopt a written decision granting a special permit for a separate single-story front-yard-setback addition at 304 Washington Street. The immediate abutter at 33 Woodbury Street, Valeria Ramden, told the board she had "no concerns" and called the project "good for the neighborhood."