On a tight Boston site the unit goes wherever the lot and the public way allow: a curb lane under a permit, a rear yard or a gap in the frontage, or a fenced corner of a larger lot. Placement is planned from a photo or sketch of the frontage, and the count follows the crew. Units used only by construction personnel are exempt from the accessible share under the Massachusetts notice.
Key takeaways
- The spot is worked out from the frontage, the stop and the route, not from the lot's size alone.
- A unit on the public way needs the permit for that space before it is delivered.
- A rear yard or a gap in the frontage is often the best spot on a rowhouse block.
- The count follows the crew and the trades, reviewed at each stage.
- Units used only by construction personnel are exempt from the accessible share under the Board's notice.
- A unit shared with visitors, inspectors or neighbors is part of the public cluster and is not exempt.
How is a tight spot chosen?
By walking the frontage with the truck route in mind. The spot must be legal to occupy, level enough to hold the unit, and reachable by the service vehicle without blocking the walk.
Start with a photo from each end of the block and one from the spot the unit would stand. Note the stoop, the hydrant, the tree pit, the parked-car zone and any low wire or awning on the route.
Then sketch the truck's stop and its turn, and mark the carry from the stop to the spot. A carry of more than a short walk is a planning item, because it is the step most often underestimated.
The provider reviews the sketch before the booking. A spot that cannot be reached legally or safely is changed before the truck is sent, not on the day.
Curb lane, rear yard or fenced corner?
Each option has its own permit and its own route. The curb lane is on the public way, the rear yard is on private ground with the owner's consent, and the fenced corner is inside the site's own enclosure.
A curb lane unit is set under the permit for that space, which the City office governs. It usually needs a pad on brick or cobble and a clear width left for pedestrians.
A rear yard is the best spot where it exists. The route through the side gap is checked for width, and the owner's written consent is kept with the file.
A fenced corner on a larger lot is the easiest spot to manage. The unit sits inside the fence, the route is kept clear of material stacks, and the gate is planned for the service vehicle.
- Curb lane: permit for the public way, pad on cobble or brick
- Rear yard: owner's written consent, route through the side gap
- Fenced corner: inside the site enclosure, clear of material stacks
Does the construction exemption apply?
Units used only by construction personnel do not have to be accessible under the Architectural Access Board's notice. The exemption depends on who uses the unit, not on the fact that the site is a construction site.
A unit kept for the crew alone is exempt. The site lead should say so in writing, and the plan should label the unit as a construction unit.
A unit that inspectors, delivery drivers, neighbors or the public may use is not exempt. If the site is open to visitors, the accessible share should be worked out across the whole group of units that visitors can reach.
The exemption is a question of use, so a site that changes from a closed crew site to one shared with the public needs to revisit its accessible count.
How many units does a construction crew need?
The operator sets the count from the crew size, the trades on the site, the length of the job and whether a shared facility is nearby. No City ratio for construction is published.
A small renovation crew needs fewer units than a multi-trade build, and the trades change the count over time. Framing has a large crew, and finishing a smaller one, so the count is reviewed at each stage.
Whether a shared facility is nearby matters. A restaurant kitchen or a public toilet that the crew may use is a different situation from a site with no toilet within reach, and the site lead should say which applies.
The count should be written into the plan with its reasons, so the site can show how it was reached if an inspector asks.
What changes in winter or heat?
Winter snow and ice slow the truck and block the approach, and summer heat speeds the filling of the units and the odor. Both change the servicing schedule, and the route is kept clear before the weather arrives.
In winter, the approach to a rowhouse unit is often the first thing to freeze or fill with snow. The site lead should clear a route and the provider should be told where it is.
In summer, a unit in full sun on a hot pavement can become unpleasant quickly. Extra servicing visits and a shaded placement, where one exists, help.
A unit that has been set on a frozen or wet pad should be checked after thaw, since the pad can settle and the door can stop closing.
What happens when the job moves on?
The unit is collected when the work at that spot ends, and the spot is left as it was found, with the pad and the approach clear.
A pickup is set for the day the crew leaves the spot, and the time is confirmed with the site lead the day before. The truck's route is checked again on the day, since a new delivery can block it.
The waste is emptied on each scheduled visit and not left standing. The last visit is recorded before the unit is collected.
If the job continues in a new spot, the new placement is planned from the same steps, and the permit for the new space is arranged before the unit is moved.
How do I plan access for materials and the unit at the same time?
Materials, skips and the unit all compete for the same curb and the same gate, so they are planned on one sketch. The unit gets the spot that does not block the delivery route, and the skip is placed where the crane or the truck can reach it.
Mark the delivery windows on the sketch. A unit that stands where a concrete truck must turn will be moved or blocked, so the spot is chosen with the deliveries in mind from the start.
A skip bin is a frequent blocker. A skip placed on the curb lane near the unit can take the only legal stop, and the provider should be told where skips and deliveries will stand.
What records should a construction site keep about its unit?
A short record for each unit: the spot, the permit or consent that covers it, the dates of each servicing visit, the hauler's permit number and the date of pickup.
The record helps when an inspector, a neighbor or the local board asks what was placed, where and when. A single page per unit is enough.
The record is kept with the job's file and copied to the provider, so both parties work from the same dates.
What should a crew do when the spot has to change mid-job?
Move the unit only after the new spot has its own permit or consent, the route has been checked, and the provider has agreed the date. A move on the day, without that check, is the usual cause of a blocked truck and a lost visit.
A spot may need to change when a new delivery, a crane or a neighboring build takes the old one. The site lead should raise it early, with a photo of the new spot and the route to it.
Record the move on the site record, with the old and new spots and the date, so the permit and the consent for each spot are traceable.
Frequently asked questions
Can a construction crew use a unit on the street?
Only under the permit for that space, and with the unit placed on the plan that the permit office reviews.
Are construction units accessible?
Units used only by construction personnel are exempt under the Board's notice. Shared units are not.
How do I pick a spot on a rowhouse block?
Photograph the frontage, mark the stop and the carry, and let the provider review the sketch before the booking.
Can a unit go in a rear yard?
Yes, with the owner's written consent and a route through the side gap that the provider has checked.
What if the truck cannot reach the spot?
The provider re-plans the delivery, usually from a nearer legal stop with a carry.
Who approves the count?
The operator sets it with the site lead, and the reasons are written into the plan.
Can a skip and a unit share one curb space?
Only if the curb is wide enough and both are on the permit or plan for that space. The provider and the skip company should agree the positions in advance.
Sources
- Massachusetts Architectural Access Board, portable toilets notice
- City of Boston, Public Works
- City of Boston, Mayor's Office of Consumer Affairs and Licensing
This guide is general information for Suffolk County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.