HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - ZBoA - 06/06/2016 June 6,2016 Zoning Meeting FINAL
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COHASSET ZONING BOARD
DATE: Monday,June 6,2016
TIME: 7:30 PM
PLACE: Cohasset Town Hall- Selectman's Office
41 Highland Avenue, Cohasset, MA 02025
Board Members Present: S.Woodworth Chittick
Charles Higginson
David McMorris
Matthew Watkins
Board Members Not Present: Benjamin Lacy
Peter Goedecke
Recording Secretary Present: Chrissie Dahlstrom,Administrative Assistant
7:30 PM—Chairman S.Woodworth Chittick called the meeting to order.
7:30 PM- Approve Zoning Board of Appeals meeting dates for July 5, 2016 and August 1, 2016.
7:31 PM— Approve open and executive meeting minutes of May 9, 2016.
MOTION: By Matthew Watkins to Approve the Open and Executive Session Meeting Minutes for May
9, 2016
SECONDED: Member Charles Higginson
VOTE: 4—0 MOTION CARRIES
7:39 PM—SPECIAL PERMIT—Filed by Jim Kelliher of Axiom Architects on behalf of his client Jim Greene of 28
Black Horse Lane to raze the existing house and shed to reconstruct a single family dwelling. File#16.05.11.
In attendance for this agenda item: Rick Greene of 285 Jerusalem Road; Carmen Hudson of Cavanaro Consulting;
Jim Kelliher of Axiom Architects; Sarah Roche of 11 Black Horse Lane; Philip and Bernadette Faulkner of 17 Black
Horse Lane; Jim and Laura Soderberg of 16 Black Horse Lane; Bob Egan, Cohasset Building Inspector
Materials for this agenda item: Cavanaro Consulting site plan dated 5/10/16, project 16.026;Axiom Architects plans
dated May 6, 2016, File 1602-Plan;Zoning Board of Appeals Decision for 10 Black Horse Lane; Photos of 28 Black
Horse Lane
Currently, the home is owned by Douglas Tolman on behalf of the estate of Peter Tolman. Mr. Greene has a
Purchase and Sales agreement for the property at 28 Black Horse Lane and hired Axiom Architects for a plan to raze
the house and shed to construct a new dwelling.
The bulk of the house is compliant. Ms. Hudson's original site plan shows the front set back line 30'from the Right of
Way.After preparing for the Storm Water Permit and Notice of Intent she realized 16 Black Horse Lane which is
within 200'west of the main building has a front set back of 12.1'.There are no other dwellings or main buildings to
200'to the east of 28 Black Horse Lane.According to zoning by-law 5.4.3, if another main building is within 200'an
exception from the setback requirements may be made for a building constructed as near to the line of any street as
the average of the setbacks of the neighboring dwellings treating the unoccupied side of the subject dwelling as
occupied by a house with a setback of 30'. By this calculation the front setback line for 28 Black Horse Lane is 20.6'
and the actual setback is proposed to be 21.2',which will conform to the average of the neighboring front setbacks.
The plan conforms to all the other setbacks.Accordingly,the applicant contended that 8.7.2 relief is not required. The
existing building is, however, nonconforming with section 9 of the by-law and they are seeking relief under 9.11.
The height of the existing house is+/-25' high. (The midpoint is allowed to be 35',the proposed is 32'). The height
maximum is 40',the proposed is 39.5'.
The lot coverage of the present house is 16.9%and the proposed is 22.7%. The allowed coverage is 30%.
The proposed dwelling will be out of the 50 foot buffer zone.
The existing house has an enclosed 1,300 sq.ft. basement and is within the flood plain. The proposed dwelling's
foundation will be on piers which will elevate the first floor 11.4' above mean tidewater, in accordance with the FEMA
guidelines,with the exception of the garage which will be a 542 sq.ft.slab. The proposed footprint will be 1,300 sq.ft.
The existing foundation stops the water from flowing towards the gulf.The new construction will help when flooding
occurs since the water can flow underneath the house and the flow will not be interrupted as it flows towards the salt
June 6,2016 Zoning Meeting FINAL
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marsh. The downspouts on the proposed house will be placed on the back of the house, guiding the water toward the
salt marsh. They are seeking 9.11 relief because there will be a smaller on the ground footprint of the proposed
building.
The plan for the east side of the house that faces the right of way shows the patio to be removed and replaced with
pervious material, a concrete walkway, keeping the retaining walls.The proposed deck on the side of the house that
faces the right of way will have 4 steps with no railings. If after the deck is installed the height is more than 30",
railings will be installed.The existing driveway will be abandoned and seeded.There will be no change to the right of
way leading to 30 Black Horse Lane.
The front,facing the south, of the existing house is in the 30 foot setback.The proposed building will not have a
second floor in the 30'set back(where the porch currently is). The porch is currently 207'from the street and it will
be converted to a den 22'from the street. The front entry elevation is going from 7'to 11.4'.
The new driveway will be a pervious driveway that leads to a two car garage, 24'x 27'. The street has an elevation
7.5'and the garage will be 7.5 feet.The corner of the garage is not in the 50' buffer.
Bernadette Faulkner, of 17 Black Horse Lane, asked about flooding.With the size and placement of the house, will it
be difficult for the water to drain?She brought photos from 2013 when there was lots of flooding. ZBA relies on FEMA
and engineering maps. Mrs. Faulkner asked about the displacement for the water and Ms. Hudson explained there
would be crushed stone under the house.
Sara Roche, of 11 Black Horse Lane, is concerned about the flooding towards the Soderberg's and the water spilling
over the causeway. She noticed the trees don't grow much because of the salt water.
The footprint is 1100 sq ft.
Total sq ft:4880
First floor: 1900
Second floor: 2300
Attic: 661
Garage: 580
Porch: 210
Unheated attic: 500 sq ft, ceiling 12'h in the center with severe slopes
The board needs to decide which relief they are looking for, 9.11, 9.7.8, 5.4.3, or 8.72?
MOTION: By Chairman Woody Chittick to Move to Continue to July 5,2016
SECONDED: Member David McMorris
VOTE: 4—0 MOTION CARRIES
10:18 PM—Meeting adjourned.