FINAL
Present for the Board of Appeals and attending the meeting were: Bill Rossi, Chair, Peter Knight, Chris Murphy, Rodney Bunker, Barbara Armstrong, and Chuck Hodgkinson. Also present: David Handlin, Andrew Fischer, Chris Alley, David Grain, Bill Veno, Lenny Jason, Dennis Jason, Kent Healy, Connie and Bob Taylor, Margaret Curtin and Sandra Pollys (student). Absent were Frank LoRusso and Wendy Weldon.
Mr. Rossi opened the meeting at 7:00 PM and appointed Ms. Armstrong as a voting member on all cases.
MINUTES: The November 14, 2006 minutes were reviewed. A motion to approve the minutes as presented was made, seconded and unanimously approved.
ANDREW FISCHER YOUTH LOT MAP 24 LOT 20: Mr. Bunker recused himself from this discussion as he is related to Mr. Fischer. Mr. Fischer asked the Board to sign the youth lot deed restriction that has already been endorsed and signed by the Board of Selectmen. This is one of the conditions for granting a youth lot. The four eligible Board members signed the document.
DAVID HANDLIN FOR ROSEMALLOW FARM TRUST MAP 24 LOT 36: Mr. Rossi opened the public hearing at 7:10 PM. Mr. Handlin summarized his client’s plans to renovate a pre-existing, non-conforming structure in a shore zone. The proposed changes will reduce the non-conformity of the structures on the parcel. Mr. Handlin distributed a fact sheet dated 10/24/06 and added that the Site Review Committee, Conservation Commission and Division of Fisheries and Wildlife have approved the plans. There are currently three bedrooms on the parcel and if approved, the total bedroom count will be lowered to one. The total increase in floor area is 237 sq. ft. – below the 250 sq. ft. maximum allowed in the shore zone. The Board asked and was assured the screen porch is factored into the
additional area and will be a two-season space that is not heated. The existing piers will be used and the top of the deck will be 8 inches above the nine-foot flood plain. After further discussion a motion to approve the plan as presented was made with the condition that a deed restriction be placed on the property that limits the total number of bedrooms to one in perpetuity. The motion was seconded and unanimously approved.
CHRIS ALLEY FOR DAVID GRAIN MAP 17 LOT 23.3: Mr. Rossi opened the public hearing at 7:26 PM. Mr. Alley summarized the plans for a built-in swimming pool, exercise room and laundry facility with the pool equipment located in the basement of the exercise room. He added the fence and pool are 51 and 62 feet off the south property line respectively. Mr. Rossi read a letter from abutters Schwartz/Kramer for the record. Mr. Alley addressed all of the points raised in the letter regarding sight lines, the pool’s location and proximity to the main house for safety reasons, the pool equipment will not be heard because it will be in the basement, the lighting will conform with the town’s zoning by-law.
The board discussed how the joints in the stone fence must be tightly mortared. They asked if the gate configuration on the north side of the exercise room could be changed to restrict direct access from the room. Mr. Alley sketched a suggested change that the Board agreed would work. Mr. Grain added that he is willing to significantly increase the screening vegetation between the pool and south lot line for his and the neighbor’s privacy. After discussion a motion was made to approve the plan with the amended fence layout and a condition that the Chairman approve a separate landscape-screening plan. The motion was seconded and unanimously approved.
REBECCA GILBERT MAP 4 LOT 27: Mr. Rossi opened the public hearing at 7:40 PM. Ms. Gilbert summarized the plans to raise the roof height to 24 feet above grade without changing the footprint of the structure. Mr. Rossi read the Site Review Committee report declaring the lot as wooded terrain. He also read a letter from a neighbor (Inn at Blueberry Hill) stating their support for the plan. Mr. Rossi inquired and Ms. Gilbert confirmed the property’s conservation restriction allows a maximum of a +25 % increase in the footprint. After brief discussion a motion to approve the plan as presented was made, seconded and unanimously approved.
DENNIS JASON MAP 20 LOT 98.1: Mr. Rossi opened the public hearing at 8:00 PM. Mr. Rossi recused himself as an abutter, appointed Mr. Knight as Chairman for this hearing and explained that a unanimous vote of four in favor would be required for approval. Mr. Jason chose to proceed. Mr. Jason summarized the site plan and reasons for applying for setback relief. Mr. Knight read several letters aloud for the record: Letters of consent from the two abutters within 100 feet of the structure – Taylor and Rossi; a letter opposing the permit from Mr. Woese; a letter from the Board of Health asking for confirmation that the proposed house had three-bedrooms (this was confirmed); a letter from the Land Bank outlining its trail easement along the Taylor’s lot line. Mr. Knight
opened the discussion to the audience. The Taylors asked if the proposed location is the same as originally planned and approved by them in November 2006. Mr. Jason said it was. Mr. Rossi mentioned his lot is within 100 feet of the proposed structure and is most directly affected. He urged the Board to approve the plan with the understanding that any future construction that falls within the east boundary setback distance will require an additional special permit. The Building Inspector confirmed this would be required.
After brief discussion a motion to approve the plan as presented was made, seconded and unanimously approved with four in favor.
TED WHEELER MAP 33 LOT 18: Mr. Rossi opened the continued public hearing at 8:20 PM and read a letter requesting a continuance to January 9, 2007 @ 7:10 PM. A motion to approve the request was made, seconded and unanimously approved.
MARGARET CURTIN FOR JOHN HASTINGS MAP 30 LOT 67: Mr. Rossi opened the continued hearing at 8:25 PM. Ms. Curtin clarified and demonstrated that the height of the newly designed raised deck railing will not change or increase from the height of the current non-conforming height above grade. The Board accepted the explanation. A motion to approve the plan as presented was made, seconded and unanimously approved.
MOIRA FITZGERALD FOR HAROLD ROSENBAUM MAP 4 LOT 8: Mr. Rossi opened the continued hearing at 8:40 PM and read a letter requesting a continuance to January 9, 2007 @ 7:25 PM. A motion to accept the request was made, seconded and unanimously approved.
ADMINISTRATION: Chuck H. distributed a draft budget for fiscal year 2008. After discussion a motion to approve the budget as presented was made, seconded and unanimously approved. The Board agreed to have the site visits for the January 9, 2007 ZBA meeting on Tuesday, January 2, 2007 after 3:00 PM.
With no further business to discuss the meeting adjourned at 8:52 PM.
Respectfully submitted by Chuck Hodgkinson CAS.
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