diff --git a/bindings/python/mapnik_symbolizer.cpp b/bindings/python/mapnik_symbolizer.cpp
index 1b80bb03f..814d65fb0 100644
--- a/bindings/python/mapnik_symbolizer.cpp
+++ b/bindings/python/mapnik_symbolizer.cpp
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ boost::python::object __getitem__(mapnik::symbolizer_base const& sym, std::strin
 
 std::string __str__(mapnik::symbolizer const& sym)
 {
-    return boost::apply_visitor(mapnik::symbolizer_to_json(), sym);
+    return mapnik::util::apply_visitor(mapnik::symbolizer_to_json(), sym);
 }
 
 std::string get_symbolizer_type(symbolizer const& sym)
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ std::string get_symbolizer_type(symbolizer const& sym)
 
 std::size_t hash_impl(symbolizer const& sym)
 {
-    return boost::apply_visitor(mapnik::symbolizer_hash_visitor(), sym);
+    return mapnik::util::apply_visitor(mapnik::symbolizer_hash_visitor(), sym);
 }
 
 template <typename T>
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ std::size_t hash_impl_2(T const& sym)
     return mapnik::symbolizer_hash::value<T>(sym);
 }
 
-struct extract_underlying_type_visitor : boost::static_visitor<boost::python::object>
+struct extract_underlying_type_visitor : mapnik::util::static_visitor<boost::python::object>
 {
     template <typename T>
     boost::python::object operator() (T const& sym) const
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ struct extract_underlying_type_visitor : boost::static_visitor<boost::python::ob
 
 boost::python::object extract_underlying_type(symbolizer const& sym)
 {
-    return boost::apply_visitor(extract_underlying_type_visitor(), sym);
+    return mapnik::util::apply_visitor(extract_underlying_type_visitor(), sym);
 }
 
 }
diff --git a/include/mapnik/attribute_collector.hpp b/include/mapnik/attribute_collector.hpp
index 77d53d5ff..99fbfec52 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/attribute_collector.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/attribute_collector.hpp
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ private:
     expression_attributes<std::set<std::string> > f_attr_;
 };
 
-struct symbolizer_attributes : public boost::static_visitor<>
+struct symbolizer_attributes : public util::static_visitor<>
 {
     symbolizer_attributes(std::set<std::string>& names,
                           double & filter_factor)
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ private:
 class attribute_collector : public mapnik::noncopyable
 {
 private:
-    std::set<std::string>& names_;
+    std::set<std::string> & names_;
     double filter_factor_;
     expression_attributes<std::set<std::string> > f_attr;
 public:
@@ -224,9 +224,9 @@ public:
     {
         typename RuleType::symbolizers const& symbols = r.get_symbolizers();
         symbolizer_attributes s_attr(names_,filter_factor_);
-        for (auto symbol : symbols)
+        for (auto const& sym : symbols)
         {
-            boost::apply_visitor(s_attr,symbol);
+            util::apply_visitor(std::ref(s_attr), sym);
         }
 
         expression_ptr const& expr = r.get_filter();
@@ -256,12 +256,13 @@ inline void group_attribute_collector::operator() (group_symbolizer const& sym)
 
     // get columns from child rules and symbolizers
     group_symbolizer_properties_ptr props = get<group_symbolizer_properties_ptr>(sym, keys::group_properties);
-    if (props) {
+    if (props)
+    {
         for (auto const& rule : props->get_rules())
         {
             // note that this recurses down on to the symbolizer
             // internals too, so we get all free variables.
-            column_collector(*rule);
+// FIXME            column_collector(*rule);
             // still need to collect repeat key columns
             if (rule->get_repeat_key())
             {
diff --git a/include/mapnik/feature_style_processor_impl.hpp b/include/mapnik/feature_style_processor_impl.hpp
index b67f3de97..ee7ac46d3 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/feature_style_processor_impl.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/feature_style_processor_impl.hpp
@@ -44,10 +44,10 @@
 #include <mapnik/projection.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/proj_transform.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/util/featureset_buffer.hpp>
-
+#include <mapnik/util/variant.hpp>
 // boost
 #include <boost/variant/apply_visitor.hpp>
-#include <boost/variant/static_visitor.hpp>
+//#include <boost/variant/static_visitor.hpp>
 
 // stl
 #include <vector>
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ struct process_impl<false>
  * \param sym        Symbolizer object
  */
 template <typename Processor>
-struct feature_style_processor<Processor>::symbol_dispatch : public boost::static_visitor<>
+struct feature_style_processor<Processor>::symbol_dispatch : public util::static_visitor<>
 {
     symbol_dispatch (Processor & output,
                      mapnik::feature_impl & f,
@@ -665,7 +665,7 @@ void feature_style_processor<Processor>::render_style(
                 {
                     for (symbolizer const& sym : symbols)
                     {
-                        boost::apply_visitor(symbol_dispatch(p,*feature,prj_trans),sym);
+                        util::apply_visitor(symbol_dispatch(p,*feature,prj_trans),sym);
                     }
                 }
                 if (style->get_filter_mode() == FILTER_FIRST)
@@ -686,7 +686,7 @@ void feature_style_processor<Processor>::render_style(
                 {
                     for (symbolizer const& sym : symbols)
                     {
-                        boost::apply_visitor(symbol_dispatch(p,*feature,prj_trans),sym);
+                        util::apply_visitor(symbol_dispatch(p,*feature,prj_trans),sym);
                     }
                 }
             }
@@ -701,7 +701,7 @@ void feature_style_processor<Processor>::render_style(
                 {
                     for (symbolizer const& sym : symbols)
                     {
-                        boost::apply_visitor(symbol_dispatch(p,*feature,prj_trans),sym);
+                        util::apply_visitor(symbol_dispatch(p,*feature,prj_trans),sym);
                     }
                 }
             }
diff --git a/include/mapnik/renderer_common/process_group_symbolizer.hpp b/include/mapnik/renderer_common/process_group_symbolizer.hpp
index db8c3de4a..878cb1846 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/renderer_common/process_group_symbolizer.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/renderer_common/process_group_symbolizer.hpp
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ using render_thunk_list = std::list<render_thunk_ptr>;
 // The bounding boxes can be used for layout, and the thunks are
 // used to re-render at locations according to the group layout.
 
-struct render_thunk_extractor : public boost::static_visitor<>
+struct render_thunk_extractor : public util::static_visitor<>
 {
     render_thunk_extractor(box2d<double> & box,
                            render_thunk_list & thunks,
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ void render_group_symbolizer(group_symbolizer const& sym,
                 for (auto const& sym : *rule)
                 {
                     // TODO: construct layout and obtain bounding box
-                    boost::apply_visitor(extractor, sym);
+                    util::apply_visitor(extractor, sym);
                 }
 
                 // add the bounding box to the layout manager
diff --git a/include/mapnik/symbolizer.hpp b/include/mapnik/symbolizer.hpp
index 666d8bbf8..8e0f63acb 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/symbolizer.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/symbolizer.hpp
@@ -536,18 +536,18 @@ struct MAPNIK_DECL group_symbolizer : public symbolizer_base {};
 struct MAPNIK_DECL debug_symbolizer : public symbolizer_base {};
 
 // symbolizer
-using symbolizer = boost::variant<point_symbolizer,
-                                  line_symbolizer,
-                                  line_pattern_symbolizer,
-                                  polygon_symbolizer,
-                                  polygon_pattern_symbolizer,
-                                  raster_symbolizer,
-                                  shield_symbolizer,
-                                  text_symbolizer,
-                                  building_symbolizer,
-                                  markers_symbolizer,
-                                  group_symbolizer,
-                                  debug_symbolizer>;
+using symbolizer = util::variant<point_symbolizer,
+                                 line_symbolizer,
+                                 line_pattern_symbolizer,
+                                 polygon_symbolizer,
+                                 polygon_pattern_symbolizer,
+                                 raster_symbolizer,
+                                 shield_symbolizer,
+                                 text_symbolizer,
+                                 building_symbolizer,
+                                 markers_symbolizer,
+                                 group_symbolizer,
+                                 debug_symbolizer>;
 
 using dash_array = std::vector<std::pair<double,double> >;
 
diff --git a/include/mapnik/symbolizer_hash.hpp b/include/mapnik/symbolizer_hash.hpp
index 0d2718099..1a85fca65 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/symbolizer_hash.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/symbolizer_hash.hpp
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ struct symbolizer_hash
     }
 };
 
-struct symbolizer_hash_visitor : boost::static_visitor<std::size_t>
+struct symbolizer_hash_visitor : util::static_visitor<std::size_t>
 {
     template <typename Symbolizer>
     std::size_t operator() (Symbolizer const& sym) const
diff --git a/include/mapnik/symbolizer_utils.hpp b/include/mapnik/symbolizer_utils.hpp
index 7a43bf1f9..ae7ae481e 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/symbolizer_utils.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/symbolizer_utils.hpp
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 #include <mapnik/parse_transform.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/util/variant.hpp>
 // boost
-#include <boost/variant/apply_visitor.hpp>
+//#include <boost/variant/apply_visitor.hpp>
 
 namespace mapnik {
 
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ struct symbolizer_traits<debug_symbolizer>
 // symbolizer name impl
 namespace detail {
 
-struct symbolizer_name_impl : public boost::static_visitor<std::string>
+struct symbolizer_name_impl : public util::static_visitor<std::string>
 {
 public:
     template <typename Symbolizer>
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ public:
 
 inline std::string symbolizer_name(symbolizer const& sym)
 {
-    std::string type = boost::apply_visitor( detail::symbolizer_name_impl(), sym);
+    std::string type = util::apply_visitor( detail::symbolizer_name_impl(), sym);
     return type;
 }
 
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ private:
     Meta const& meta_;
 };
 
-struct symbolizer_to_json : public boost::static_visitor<std::string>
+struct symbolizer_to_json : public util::static_visitor<std::string>
 {
     using result_type = std::string;
 
diff --git a/src/svg/output/process_symbolizers.cpp b/src/svg/output/process_symbolizers.cpp
index f6baaeabe..637f9d559 100644
--- a/src/svg/output/process_symbolizers.cpp
+++ b/src/svg/output/process_symbolizers.cpp
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 
 namespace mapnik {
 
-struct symbol_type_dispatch : public boost::static_visitor<bool>
+struct symbol_type_dispatch : public util::static_visitor<bool>
 {
     template <typename Symbolizer>
     bool operator()(Symbolizer const& sym) const
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ struct symbol_type_dispatch : public boost::static_visitor<bool>
 
 bool is_path_based(symbolizer const& sym)
 {
-    return boost::apply_visitor(symbol_type_dispatch(), sym);
+    return util::apply_visitor(symbol_type_dispatch(), sym);
 }
 
 template <typename OutputIterator, typename PathType>
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ bool svg_renderer<OutputIterator>::process(rule::symbolizers const& syms,
         {
             process_path = true;
         }
-        boost::apply_visitor(symbol_dispatch(*this, feature, prj_trans), sym);
+        util::apply_visitor(symbol_dispatch(*this, feature, prj_trans), sym);
     }
 
     if (process_path)