https://www.bostonplans.org/getattachment/a4c0dc15-bad1-4e6c-83b1-59f216a86b48

For the Boston Redevelopment Authority

By Sara C. Bronin

ABNORMALLY LONG AND COMPLEX The first thing one notices about the Boston Zoning Code is its length: it runs 3,791 pages across 90 “articles” (chapters). To some extent, length is a proxy for complexity, because every page contains distinct regulatory text. The longer the code, the more rules with which property owners must comply. Too many rules usually mean more bureaucratic hurdles, more time, more confusion, and more expense for owners. Putting the length and complexity of the Zoning Code in context can help us understand whether it goes too far.