The Zoning Board of Appeals of the Town of Avon held a meeting on Thursday, January 27, 2011 at the Avon Town Hall. Present were Messrs. Drew, Eschert, Ladouceur, Johansen, Ms. Hard and Mr. McCahill, Planning & Community Development Specialist. Mr. Drew called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
PUBLIC HEARING January 27, 2011
The clerk read the call to meeting.
Mr. Drew read the Application of Gregory S. Makowski & Melinda L. Ramsby owners, Gregory S. Makowski applicant; requesting from the Avon Zoning Regulations, Sections III.C. & IV.A.6., a 14’ variance from the 60’ front yard setback requirement, an 18’ variance from the 20’ side yard setback requirement, a 5’ variance from the 30’ rear yard setback requirement, to permit an addition and garage on a nonconforming dwelling, located at 621 Huckleberry Hill Road in an R-30 zone.
Mr. Gregory Mahowski and his daughter Stephanie were present. Mr. Mahowski said they have an existing one car garage which they plan to remove and put in an entry way with a bathroom and laundry room and a two car garage. He is on Huckleberry Hill Road which is a connector road needing a 60’ frontage. The addition will need a 14’ variance from the front building line. The side variance is 18’ from the 20’ requirement and the rear variance is 5’. His abutting property owner is CL&P in back and along the side. They used to have power lines there but have taken them down. You go down the hill to a ditch, which was a canal, then a bump goes up and the river is on the other side of that.
Mr. Ladouceur stated it looks as if the entire house or a portion of it is in the front yard so they can’t do anything without a variance. The deck is in the back yard setback too. It’s a strange size lot, almost hexagon and the house is in a small corner of it.
Mr. McCahill said this lot is unique and is the last lot as you go out of town. It’s a triangular shaped property, CL&P owns about 18 acres, everything to the west and to the south of them. The actual house dates back to 1850 which predates zoning. It has been subject to a couple of variances in the past. To the north is a septic system so there’s not a lot of room to improve. The application in 1997 was an addition to enlarge the footprint and add a second story. In 1999 they added an addition on the north side, 20’x20’ which required just a front yard variance, a side yard variance was not needed.
Mr. Makowski showed the location for Jim & Pam Bombara who have a big hill so can look to the other side of the river, The Doeg’s are on one side and no one on the other side. He does not have drawings of the proposed addition yet but said the addition would match with the existing house. The entry way would probably be a single story but there would be a possibility of a bonus room over the garage. That point has not been decided.
What actually started this renovation is the present bathroom is in an old section of the house and had started to sag so they needed to redo it. They have never had a two car garage. They have a beautiful blue spruce which sits next to the garage and didn’t want to disturb it, but now that’s dying from some kind of fungus. His neighbor across the street had the same fungus and had to cut down his tree too. Mr. Makowski said several years ago they planted three more blue spruce in the front yard and they look diseased as well. So the blue spruce stopped us from going forward many times but now that it’s dying it’s time to make the changes. It’s a shame as it’s a beautiful tree.
There was no one else present. The Public Hearing closed at 7:42 p.m.
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS MEETING January 27, 2011
A Zoning Board of Appeals meeting was held following the Public Hearing.
Mr. Eschert made a motion to GRANT, seconded by Mr. Ladouceur, the Application of Gregory S. Makowski & Melinda L. Ramsby owners, Gregory S. Makowski applicant; requesting from the Avon Zoning Regulations, Sections III.C. & IV.A.6., a 14’ variance from the 60’ front yard setback requirement, an 18’ variance from the 20’ side yard setback requirement, a 5’ variance from the 30’ rear yard setback requirement, to permit an addition and garage on a nonconforming dwelling, located at 621 Huckleberry Hill Road in an R-30 zone. The vote was unanimous by Messrs. Drew, Eschert, Ladouceur, Johansen and Ms. Hard.
Reason – To grant variance is in harmony and keeping with the purpose and intent of the regulations and would not be injurious to the neighborhood.
Hardship – To deny would deprive the owner of a reasonable use of the property.
Mr. McCahill said board members are welcome to attend the CT Land Use Law Seminar which the town will pay for. It is held every two years. Mr. Ladouceur and Ms. Hard agreed to attend.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Shirley C. Kucia, Clerk
| 
