Click below to find your area of interest:

Important Contact Numbers
Voting
Trash and Recycling
Other Building Ordinances
Parking
Renovation and Construction
Dogs

Below are some important contact numbers and a discussion of some of the City regulations that affect day-to-day life in our neighborhood. We hope you find this information useful. Many thanks to NABB members Jennifer Lowe, Elliott Laffer and the City Services Team for their research. Please contact us at nabbinc@verizon.net to suggest any additions or corrections.

Important Contact Numbers

Mayor's Office
Hotline (24 hours): To report potholes, snow removal problems, street light repairs, utility problems, building code violations, tenant information: 635-4500;
e-mailneighborhood@cityofboston.gov;
website www.cityofboston.gov/mayor/mayor24.asp
Mayors' Office of Neighborhood Services (Nikko Mendoza) 635-3485;
Email:nikko.mendoza@cityofboston.gov

Elected Officials
City Councilors. Website: www.cityofboston.gov/citycouncil
Michael Ross, 635-4225, Michael.Ross@cityofboston.gov
James Kelly, 635-3203, James.Kelly@cityofboston.gov
Councilor-at-Large Felix Arroyo, 635-3115 , FelixD.arroyo@cityofboston.gov
Councillor-at-Large Michael F. Flaherty, 635-4205, Michael.F.Flaherty@cityofboston.gov
Councillor-at-Large Maura Hennigan, 635-4220 , MauraH@cityofboston.gov
Councillor-at-Large Stephen J. Murphy, 635-4376 Stephen.Murphy@cityofboston.gov

State Representatives
Marty Walz, 722-2000 marty.walz@state.ma.us
Byron Rushing, 722-2637 rep.byronrushing@hou.state.ma.us

State Senators
Stephen Tolman, 722-1280 stolman@senate.state.ma.us
Dianne Wilkerson, 722-1673 dwilkers@senate.state.ma.us

Fire Department
Emergency: 911 ; non-emergency 343-2880, website www.cityofboston.gov/bfd

Police Department
Emergency (from home phone): 911; non-emergency 343-4200
Emergency from cell phone (for Area D): 617-343-4911 website: www.cityofboston.gov/police
24 Hour Information/Assistance 343-4250
Back Bay neighborhood concerns
Community Service Office (8 am - 4 pm) d4cso@aol.com 343-4457
Area D station, 9AM - 5PM) 343-4457
Crime Watch unit: 343-4345
Hawkers and peddlers (street vendors): 343-4425
Stolen vehicles (to see if recovered): 343-4535 Towed Vehicles (to find location of a towed vehicle): 343-4629

Noise Complaints
Hatch Shell: Department of Conservation and Recreation: 722-1188
Licensing, Entertainment (food and liquor licenses): 635-4165
Licensing, Public Events: 635-3834
Licensing, Street Vendor Issues: 635-4909
Car alarm complaints: 911

Graffiti Removal
Wipe it Clean Program hotline: 635-4500.

Commonwealth Ave.
Mall issues, street tree pruning. Parks Department Constituent Services: 635-7275.

Leaks and Sewer Problems
Boston Water and Sewer Commission, 989-7000.

Street and Sidewalk Repairs
Missing street sign (Department of Transportation): 635-3124.
Potholes (Department of Public Works): 635-3050.
Sidewalk problems (DPW): 635-7555.

Lighting problems
Street light out: 635-7576.
Mall Street lights; 635-7500.

Voting

If you have questions about where or how to vote, call 635-4635. Voting is an important right and responsibility. To verify that you are registered, you can use the web page at www.cityofboston.gov/elections/voter 617-635-4635. You can request a Registration Form, which will be mailed to you. If you are not sure where to vote, you can look that information up on the website www.wheredoivotema.com. Absentee ballots may be requested in writing from the Election Department up until noon on the day before the election.

Trash and Recycling

To report a missed trash or recycling pick-up: call 617-635-7573.
To report trash violations: call ISD during the business day (9 to 5) at 617-635-4896. At other times call the Mayor’s Hotline at 617-635-4500.
To request a special pickup for computer monitors, refrigerator, tv, etc., call 617-635-7574.
For recycling information, to request recycling boxes: Boston Recycling Department: 635-4959.

The following are the City regulations that govern the storage of trash and how it should be put out for collection. By observing these rules, we can make our neighborhood cleaner and more sanitary.

Building materials. The City is not allowed to collect the following trash: plaster, building materials, earth or stones or dead animals.
Cardboard boxes. Moving/delivery boxes must be broken down and tied securely.
Hazardous Waste. The City holds bi-annual hazardous waste drop-off days for the collection of household chemicals, paint, etc. Watch the Boston Courant for announcements.
Leaf and Yard Waste Collection. The City announces special fall pickup days, usually on Saturdays, when leaves can be put out in paper leaf bags for collection and composting. Watch the Boston Courant for announcements.
Containers. Trash must be put out for collection in 2-ply strength plastic bags, securely tied, or in rodent-proof barrels with tight fitting lids. Trash cannot be in paper bags shopping bags or cartons.
No overflow/lids. Trash receptacles may not be in an overflow condition.
Trash Storage. Barrels must be returned to their normal storage area within 12 hours. Between collection days, if outside storage is necessary, rodent-proof containers must be used.
Dumpsters. Dumpsters must be on private property, and have tight-fitting lids that are fully closed at all times.
Responsibility for cleanliness. The owner or person in control of the property is required at all times to maintain the sidewalks, alleys, and places adjoining to his or her property free of trash, rubbish and litter (and leaves). This does not prohibit the storage of litter in the manner and at times prescribed by the City for the purposes of collection.
Keep trash on your own property. No person may deposit, drop or throw trash, rubbish or litter on any private property or public place, without the permission of the owner. To report a missed trash or recycling pick-up: call 617-635-7573.
To report trash violations: call ISD during the business day (9 to 5) at 617-635-4896. At other times call the Mayor’s Hotline at 617-635-4500. To request a special pickup for computer monitors, refrigerator, tv, etc., call 617-635-7574.

Recycling. Materials are picked up for recycling on Mondays (except west of Mass. Ave., when it is done on Tuesday).
Paper must be separate from bottles/cans (the trucks have two bins). For small buildings, paper may be put out in paper (not plastic) bags; cans and bottles are put out in blue recycling boxes (available from the Recycling Department). For buildings with 7 or more units, "toter" style containers are required, each having the appropriate label (available from the Recycling Department . Green toters are used for paper; Blue for cans and bottles. For recycling information, to request recycling boxes: Boston Recycling Department: 635-4959.

Rodents. The best rodent control is to ensure no food is available to the colony by making trash and garbage inaccessible. Inspectional Services will place traps at trouble spots on public property. If the rodents are found to be dwelling on private property, the responsibility for control resides with the property owner. Test for rodent presence by putting newspaper wad in suspected hole and, the next day, seeing the newspaper wad is pushed out. Contact a private rodent control firm for baiting and trapping.

If you see a rat or a rat harborage: call Rodent Control/Environmental Services at 635-5352 between 8 am and 4 pm weekdays; after hours leave detailed information and your name/phone and they will fill out a trouble ticket and confirm with a call-back the next day.

Other Important Building Ordinances

Building Identification. Each building is required to have identification as follows:
Name and Contact. For building s with three or more units, the name and contact number of the management company or trustee must be displayed at the front entrance. They must be visible without having to go through a locked door.
Street Address on Rear. To assist the Fire and Police Departments, street numbers must be affixed to the rear of buildings.

Snow Removal--Sidewalks
Snow shoveling. The owner or person in control of the property is responsible for clearing the sidewalk adjacent to the property. Snow may not remain on the sidewalk for more than three hours after a storm.

To report unshoveled sidewalks: During day, call 635-4896. Between 5 pm and 8 am, call 636-4500.

Icy Slippery conditions . No owner may allow any ice to remain on that sidewalk unless the ice is made even and covered with sand or other appropriate material. To report unshoveled sidewalks: During the day, call 635-4896; between 5 pm and 8 am, call 636-4500.

Parking

Resident Parking. On street parking in the Back Bay residential district generally consists of full time resident only spaces on Beacon Street, Marlborough Street, and Commonwealth Avenue, although there are some metered spaces on these streets.

To obtain a new Resident Parking Permit, you must go to the Office of the Parking Clerk, room 224, City Hall. The office is open Monday-Friday, 9 to 4:30. There is no fee for the permit, but all outstanding City of Boston parking tickets must be paid before a permit will be issued. You can download an application from www.cityofboston.gov/transportation/parkprogr.asp . In addition to the application, you must bring a valid Mass. Automobile registration showing that your car is registered and principally garaged in your name and at your current address. In addition, you must bring a proof of residency, bearing your name and Boston address. (The proof of residency must be postmarked within the past 30 days.) Any of the following is acceptable: Gas, electric, or phone bill; cable TV bill, bank statement, credit card bill, water and sewer bill. For questions on how to apply for a parking permit, call 635-4682. For other parking questions, call the Parking Clerk (Transportation Dept.) 635-4410. To request ticketing of illegally parked cars on city streets (Dept. of Transportation days & evenings), call 635-3125. After hours, call police on 911. To report a broken meter, call 635-3123. To find the location of a towed car, call Boston Tow Line 343-4629.

For questions on how to apply for a parking permit, call 635-4682.
For other parking questions, call the Parking Clerk (Transportation Dept.) 635-4410.
To request ticketing of illegally parked cars on city streets (Dept. of Transportation days & evenings), call 635-3125. After hours, call police on 911.
To report a broken meter, call 635-3123.
To find the location of a towed car, call Boston Tow Line 343-4629.

Metered Parking. Metered parking exists on Berkeley, Clarendon, Dartmouth, Exeter, Fairfield, Gloucester, and Hereford Streets. Meters on the cross streets (except for Berkeley) operate from 8:00AM to 6:00PM Monday-Friday. Meters on the west side of Berkeley Street operate until 4:00PM, when the lane becomes no parking for rush hour traffic.

Metered spaces on the north side of Beacon Street between Dartmouth and Exeter Streets become resident only during hours when the meters are not in operation. The Boston Transportation Department is in the process of converting the metered spaces on Clarendon, Dartmouth, Exeter, Fairfield, Gloucester, and Hereford Streets between Commonwealth Avenue and Beacon Street to operate in the same manner.

Meters in the commercial zone south of Commonwealth Avenue operate on longer hours, generally 8:00AM to 8:00PM Monday-Saturday. Portions of Berkeley and Clarendon Streets in the commercial district become tow zones during the rush hours.

Street Cleaning. Parking restrictions for street cleaning are critical to maintaining the cleanliness of the neighborhood. The east-west streets are cleaned on Monday mornings between 8:00 and 12:00, with the odd numbered side swept on the first and third Monday of the month and the even side on the second and fourth Monday. When there are five Mondays in a month, there are no restrictions on the fifth Monday. The cross streets are cleaned on Wednesday mornings between 6:00 and 8:00. The same schedule of weeks applies. Street cleaning is seasonal from April 1 through November 30.

Snow Emergencies. Commonwealth Avenue, Clarendon, Dartmouth, Newbury Street and Beacon Street are posted as emergency arteries for snow storms. In the event of a snow emergency, no parking is allowed on these streets. On those streets not designated as emergency arteries, parking is allowed on the odd side only. By observing these restrictions, residents can help to assure the most efficient possible snow removal. During snow emergencies, reduced rate parking is available to Back Bay residents at specific garages. See http://www.cityofboston.gov/snow/parking.asp for a list of these garages.

Click here for the City of Boston Snow Information and Advisory Program.

Alley Access. Please do not park closer to alley entrances than the meters allow, as vehicles parked near the intersections can prevent fire trucks from turning in to an alley, jeopardizing the safety and property of you and your neighbors in an emergency.

Renovations and Construction

Because the Back Bay is a Historic District, any change to the exterior of the buildings requires the approval of the Back Bay Architectural Commission. The Commission has prepared a set of Guidelines for the Residential District to guide residents in making appropriate renovations. These guidelines are available from the Boston Environment Department (635-3850) and can be downloaded at http://www.cityofboston.gov/environment/pdfs/backbayguidelines.pdf .

Construction outside of the Historic District is monitored by the NABB's Development Committee. The committee has prepared a document, Principles and Guidelines for the Future Development of the Back Bay, which is available online (click here) or from the NABB office.
If you are contemplating any exterior changes, or if you observe construction that you think may be illegal: Contact the Back Bay Architectural Commission, Boston Environment Department , 635-3850.
If you need a Building Permit for interior changes, or have questions about construction: Call the Inspectional Services Department (ISD) at 635-5312.
If you suspect a Building Code violation: Call ISD at 635-5326.

Dog Ordinances

Every dog owner is required to license his/her pet yearly. Proof of rabies vaccination is required to purchase a license. Dog licenses may be purchased by mail by completing the dog license application (available from cityofboston.gov/animal control/petpeeves.asp.) and mailing it with the fee and proof of vaccination to the Animal Control Commission, Room 811, Boston City Hall, 02201, 635-5348. The Commission also requires a letter from your landlord if you rent, and proof of ownership if you own your home. License fees are $17 for unspayed/unneutered dogs. $6 for spayed and neutered dogs, and $2 for duplicate licenses. Unlicensed dogs may be fined $50.
When your dog is off your property, it must be leashed. Dog owners are also required to remove and properly dispose of any feces left by their dogs on sidewalks, streets, parks, and their neighbors' yards. Owners are required to carry a bag or other equipment for waste removal.

Dog licenses: To ask about licensing your dog, or to report a problem, call the Animal Control Commission at 617-635-5348.