The Boston City Council Committee on Planning, Development, and Transportation held a virtual confirmation hearing Oct. 22 on three mayoral nominations to local land‑use boards and did not take votes; the committee chair said she intends to move the nominations forward at the committee’s next meeting.

The hearing covered the reappointment of Norman (Norm) Stenbridge to the Zoning Board of Appeal for a term expiring 05/01/2028 (docket 1353), the appointment of Rob Steinberg to the Saint Paul Architectural Conservation District Commission for a term expiring 06/20/2026 (docket 1354), and the appointment of Selena Barrios Milner to the Zoning Board of Appeal for a term expiring 05/01/2028 (docket 1412). The messages were sponsored by Mayor Michelle Wu and were referred to the committee in July and August 2025.

Why it matters: Appointments to the Zoning Board of Appeal and to local architectural conservation commissions shape how the city applies zoning rules and protects historic neighborhoods. Committee members said the roles are consequential for housing, preservation and city planning.

Nominees and testimony
Norman Stenbridge, who identified himself as a longtime neighborhood volunteer in Roxbury, said he views reappointment as “a way to continue my service to the city of Boston as a neighborhood mayor or appointee.” He told the committee he will “stay away from any possible conflicts, real or perceived” and said he intends to listen to the Inspectional Services Department, the planning department and neighborhood advocates when deciding cases.

Rob Steinberg described himself as a civil engineer with a master’s in construction management and an MBA, and said he has worked as a construction project manager on a range of projects. “I appreciate the vibrancy, the beauty of our city,” he said, and spoke of using his background in materials, design and construction to inform decisions about preservation and livability in the Saint Paul area.

Selena Barrios Milner, a West Roxbury resident who said she has lived in Boston for 23 years, outlined prior city experience including work in the Mayor’s immigrant advancement office, a role in economic development as director of equity and inclusion, oversight of supplier‑diversity work and administration of local hiring policies. “Land and how we use it and our built environment, is probably the greatest lever at least at the city level that we have, for creating opportunity,” she told the committee.

Committee process and next steps
No formal motions or confirmation votes were recorded during the hearing. Committee members asked nominees about their zoning philosophies and how they would approach cases that had been reviewed by the planning department. Several committee members expressed support for the nominees and thanked them for volunteering. The chair said she plans to advance the three nominations at the committee’s next meeting; a formal vote on confirmation was not held during this session.

Public comment and participation
The committee opened the record to written comments and had advised that public testimony would be taken at the end of the hearing; no public testimony was recorded in the meeting transcript. The committee noted written comments may be submitted by email and will be made part of the record.

What was not decided
Because the committee did not hold confirmation votes, the nominees’ appointments are not final. The committee did not adopt any changes to policy or issue formal directives beyond the chair’s stated intention to bring the nominations forward at the next meeting.

Background details
The hearing proceeded under Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2025, which the committee cited as modifying certain open‑meeting requirements and allowing the session to be conducted virtually. The items before the committee were listed as dockets 1353, 1354 and 1412 and were sponsored by Mayor Michelle Wu.