This chapter shall be administered by the Building Commissioner/Inspector of Buildings or his delegates, who may delegate the responsibilities set forth hereunder to members of the Inspectional Services Department. Buildings, structures or signs may not be erected, substantially altered, moved, or changed in use and land may not be substantially altered or changed in principal use unless in compliance with then-applicable zoning, and after all necessary permits have been received under federal, state, or local law.

Pursuant to the State Building Code, the Building Commissioner/Inspector of Buildings may require such plans and specifications as may be necessary to determine compliance with all pertinent laws of the commonwealth. For the purpose of constructing accessory buildings and structures to residential uses and the addition of unroofed decks to residential uses, mortgage survey plans are sufficient for determining compliance with zoning requirements, provided that the mortgage survey plan shows the proposed construction and setbacks.

The Building Commissioner/Inspector of Buildings shall, where such permit so authorizes and after proper identification, have the right to enter any premises for the purpose of inspecting any building or structure, at a reasonable hour and at such times as may be reasonably necessary to enforce this chapter.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, any alleged violation of any of the provisions of this chapter may, in the sole discretion of the Building Commissioner/Inspector of Buildings, be made the subject matter of proceedings initiated by the Building Commissioner pursuant to the noncriminal disposition provisions of MGL c. 40, § 21D. If the Building Commissioner so elects to initiate such provision, all the terms and provisions thereof shall govern said action.

There is hereby established a Board of Appeals of five members and two associate members appointed by the Mayor in accordance with Section 3-3 of The Charter.

The Zoning Board of Appeals shall have and exercise all the powers granted to it by Chapters 40A, 40B, and 41 of the General Laws and by this chapter. The Board's powers are as follows:

The Board of Appeals may adopt rules and regulations for the administration of its powers.

The Board of Appeals may adopt reasonable administrative fees and technical review fees for petitions for variances, administrative appeals, and applications for comprehensive permits as provided in Chapter A110, Fee Schedule, of the City Code, to be paid to the Planning Division.

In accordance with MGL c. 40A, § 16, no application or petition which has been unfavorably and finally acted upon by the special permit granting or permit granting authority (Zoning Board of Appeals) shall be acted favorably upon within two years after the date of final unfavorable action unless said special permit granting authority or permit granting authority finds, by a vote of four members of a board of five members, specific and material changes in the conditions upon which the previous unfavorable action was based, and describes such changes in the record of its proceedings, and unless all but one of the members of the Planning Board consents thereto and after notice is given to parties in interest of the time and place of the proceedings when the question of such consent will be considered.

The Planning Board may adopt reasonable fees and applicable legal advertisement costs and abutter notification costs, as provided in Chapter A110, Fee Schedule, of the City Code, to be paid to the Planning Division.