Demolition
Applying for a Demolition Permit
- First, register an account on our online permit portal, Accela. Follow this guide:
you may skip this step if you already have an account.
Guide to Registering - Then, open our guide to apply for an inspection on Accela.
Guide to Applying - Click the following link to open Accela and follow the steps in the Guide to Applying.
Apply for Permit
Note: An amendment to Section 5.3 approved by Town Meeting temporarily extends all demolition stays until April 21, 2025.
Demolition Review
The town’s Preservation Commission and Preservation Planners review full and partial demolition of all buildings in Brookline. If a building is deemed to have historic merit, the Preservation Commission may impose a stay of demolition for 12 months or 18 months for properties listed on or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The demolition delay period allows the town and the owner to discuss alternatives to demolition of the building.
Please check that Massachusetts Historical Commission’s online database, MACRIS, or contact preservation staff to determine if a property is listed on or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
Application Process
As of July 1, 2022, Historic Determination Demolition applications are accepted online. This Accela guide will you help you navigate the online permitting system for this determination. Applications must include a completed demolition application (PDF), photos of all sides of the building, proof of ownership & payment. Please complete a separate application for each structure proposed for demolition.
Fee Schedule
To pay, follow the directions on the Accela online permitting platform.
Certificate | Price |
---|---|
Certificate of Significance | $750 |
Certificate of Non-Significance | $100 |
All full demolitions require an application. To determine whether an exterior renovation or addition triggers a review for partial demolition, please contact Preservation Planners. For further information on what changes constitute partial demolition please see the diagrams that illustrate common situations in partial demolition cases.
PLEASE NOTE: in addition to a Historic Determination, several other Department approvals are required as part of the Building Department's Demolition Permit process. Use this Building Permit Accela Guide, and if no building is being proposed, then choose the Building Application Record Type based on the existing building (either Residential Building or Commercial Building). Select "Demolition" in the drop down menu for Type of Improvement. You will be asked to upload several documents, including a copy of signatures from several Departments on the Demolition Approval Package. Each of these signatures may require separate review fees. For example, the Preservation Commission signature is signed once they determine through the Historic Determination Demolition application process above that: (i) the structure is not significant; (ii) that the demolition delay has expired; or (iii) that a Lift of Stay has been granted by the Preservation Commission (see below). Applicants may decide to seek all these approvals in parallel or decide to wait until they first know whether the outcome of the Historic Determination Demolition application process will require a demolition delay.
Beyond the Delay
How are buildings protected?
Once the demolition delay of 12 or 18 months has expired, a property owner is free to demolish or alter their building as they choose. During the delay period, Preservation Planners invite property owners to consider working with the Commission to investigate alternatives to demolition. Owners may request a "Lift of Stay" before the delay period expires, based on plans to preserve the building. This process does not require any additional fee or permit. Owners should email one of the Preservation Planners, along with plans, and request a Lift of Stay review. The Commission then undertakes design review, ensuring that the submitted plans adequately protect the historic resource. Once the Commission votes to lift the stay, the Building Department may issue a permit based on the approved plans.
In some cases, the surrounding neighborhood desires more permanent protection for their own homes as well as the property under Demolition Delay. Many Local Historic Districts in Brookline have been started in response to a demolition or threat of demolition. To learn more about this process, please see the Local Historic Districts page.
-
Jake Collins
Preservation Planner
-
Tina McCarthy
Preservation Planner - Community Preservation Planner
- What buildings in Brookline are subject to review for demolition delay?
-
All buildings in Brookline are potentially subject to a demolition delay. If a proposal for work on a building meets the definition of complete or partial demolition, then the building will be reviewed for its historical and architectural significance.
- What qualifies a project as demolition?
-
For the most part, demolition includes removing or covering 25% or more of the square footage of the building’s exterior sides and roof, removing or covering one side of a building, removing the roof, or significantly altering the shape of the roof. Please vie the Planning Examples of Partial Demolition illustrative drawings for examples of how partial demolition is determined, and see below for demolition of buildings designated as historic.
- Who reviews a building for its historical and architectural significance?
-
If proposed work qualifies a building for demolition delay review, the Preservation Commission staff, with the oversight of the Brookline Preservation Commission, makes an initial determination of historical and architectural significance within 10 business days after a complete application form has been submitted.
- What happens when a building is assigned an initial determination of significance?
-
The Preservation Commission will hold a public hearing to determine whether it will uphold the initial determination of significance. If upheld, the commission will impose a demolition delay on the building for a period of up to 12 months, or 18 months for a National or State Register property.
- How do I know if a National or State Register-listed building requires demolition review?
-
The definition of demolition is more inclusive for buildings that have local, state or federal historic designations. Demolition of buildings listed, eligible for listing, or with a preliminary determination of eligibility for listing in the State or National Registers of Historic Places or located within State or National Register districts are automatically determined to be initially significant.
Generally, proposed work that includes the systematic removal, effacement or destruction of the exterior architectural elements which define or contribute to the historic character of a building might qualify the project for review. This may include, but is not limited to removing or altering windows, siding, chimneys and decorative elements. - What is the process for making changes to my home in a Local Historic District?
-
For any proposed exterior work on a home located in one of Brookline's Local Historic Districts, you must apply for a Certificate by completing this application. The Preservation staff will work with you to determine which type of Certificate will apply to your type of work and whether this work can be approved at the staff level or will require the approval of the Preservation Commission. If a building is located in a Local Historic District, the applicant should refer to the Design Guidelines for Local Historic Districts for an understanding of the regulations and guidelines for approved work. In almost all cases, the Preservation Commission will not approve demolition of buildings in Local Historic Districts.
- What is a demolition delay? Why do I have to wait to demolish my house?
-
A demolition delay is a hold that prohibits any demolition permits from being issued for a property for a specified amount of time. In Brookline, a demolition stay is triggered when any full or partial demolition is proposed on a house that is found to be historically/architecturally significant. For most properties, the demolition stay is issued for 12 months. For properties listed on the National or State Register of Historic Places, the demolition stay is 18 months.
The purpose of a demolition stay is to give the applicant time to consider alternatives to demolition. If an applicant would like to lift their demolition stay early, they can work with the Preservation Commission to submit a design and go through a design review process. The demolition stay thus serves as an incentive for applicants to work with the Commission to improve the quality of new construction or partial new construction.
- Where can I find historic images, maps, plans, etc. of my house or any building in Brookline?
-
The Preservation staff recommends that you try searching online in the MACRIS (Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System) for inventory forms and photos of historic buildings. You can also visit the Brookline Room in the Brookline Public Library for archival information, atlases, town records, etc.