The Brookline house at the center of a zoning controversy that resulted in an important 2010 Appeals Court decision (pdf) on nonconforming uses, “infectious invalidity” and standing, which in another important decision (pdf) was partiallly reversed by the Supreme Judicial Court, has been destroyed by fire. Our prior posts on the case are here and here. As reported by the Brookline Tab, the house, which has remained vacant since it was built in 2005, burned last Friday, and local and state fire officials are investigating. Yesterday, the Brookline Fire Chief determined that the fire was deliberately set. I note without further comment that the owner of the property, 81 Spooner Road, LLC, has a mailing address c/o The Village Smokehouse.
