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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - ZBoA - 10/02/2018 APPROVED MINUTES COHASSET ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS DATE: Tuesday,October 2,2018 TIME: 7:30 PM PLACE: COHASSET TOWN HALL 41 HIGHLAND AVENUE COHASSET,MA. 02025 Board Members Present: S. Woodworth Chittick, Chairman(WC) Peter Goedecke,Vice Chairman (PG) Charles Higginson, Member(CH) David McMorris,Associate Member(DM) Matthew Watkins,Associate Member(MW) Lee Darst(LD) Assistant Clerk Present: Jennifer Oram,Assistant Clerk, ZBA Chairman S. Woodworth Chittick called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM. The Chairman introduced the Board members that were present. BOARD BUSINESS The Board confirmed the next meetings of the Cohasset Zoning Board of Appeals as November 13, 2018 and December 4,2018. The Board agreed on these dates. NEW HEARING SPECIAL PERMIT—Filed by Chris McKenna, on behalf of his client,Reid Schiess, of Dover,MA. Special Permit per sections U300-8.7 and 9 and any relief the Board deems appropriate. Applicants seek to raze and reconstruct the existing house and garage at 52 Summer Street. File#18.09.04 In attendance to represent this agenda item: Chris McKenna of McKenna Builders and Hoyt Land Surveying Documents used at this hearing: ➢ ZBA Application, date stamped September 4,2018 ➢ Site Plan prepared by Bob Rosa of Hoyt Land Surveying,date stamped September 4,2018 ➢ Architectural Plans prepared by 209 Design and date stamped September 4,2018 ➢ Comments from the Planning Board,Conservation Commission and the Board of Health ➢ Volume Calculations prepared by McKenna fine home builders and date stamped,September 26,2018 ➢ ZBA Recommendation from the Cohasset Planning Board,dated September 27,2018 ➢ Memo from Robert Egan,Building Commissioner,dated and date stamped October 2,2018 ➢ Updated Site Plan,prepared by Bob Rosa of Hoyt Land Surveying,date stamped October 2,2018 Chairman Chittick opened the hearing. The applicant and Builder,Chris McKenna, addressed the Board. He is representing the owner of the house at 52 Summer Street,Reed Schiess of 23 Farm Street,Dover,MA. He stated the house is non-conforming in nearly every way and is essentially habitable. The lot is nonconforming in width, lot size, frontage, front setback and both side setbacks. Mr. McKenna is aware that there was a previous application filed on this property that was withdrawn. The plan they are presenting now they think is very tasteful and is comparable to the other houses in the neighborhood. Mr. McMorris pointed out that the site plan needs to reflect the abutting houses and they are not presently on the plan. The site plan will need to be amended for the next meeting. Page 1 of 2 APPROVED MINUTES Mr. McKenna reviewed the plans for the structure. They are proposing to make the house narrower and put in a pervious paver driveway. Mr. Higginson did not think the house looked narrower on the plans. Mr. McKenna stated that the proposed structure is 2 feet narrower than the existing house. There was then a lengthy discussion regarding the proposed structure and how it sits on the lot. Mr. Watkins asked if they are considering the FEMA guidelines in the design of this home. It was those guidelines that contributed to the approximately 41' height of the last proposal in the previous filing for this property. Mr. McKenna stated that the proposed finished elevation will be 11 feet. It will have a walk-out basement(with 7' ceilings);you don't need to put the house on stilts. The water would come in and out and what is in the basement could be destroyed. They would store items in the basement at their own risk. The mechanicals can be raised UP. The Board then discussed the elevations. Mr. McKenna noted that both sides and the front are non-compliant, so any increase on those sides will be an increase in the nonconformity. Chairman Chittick stated that the two largest increases in the non-conformity are on the sides that the neighbors look at and that's what the Board has to consider. Mr. McKenna added that they are pulling the house further back from the street. Mr. McKenna reviewed the plans for the proposed garage. They took it from the previous plan that had been before the Board because they thought it was tasteful. They are proposing to increase the size of the garage so that it can be used as a one car garage. The height would be 17.5 feet from the average grade. The proposed garage would be 100%flood compliant. Chairman Chittick stated that he is concerned about the proposed increase in massing on the left and right side of the house. He understands that it is because of the FEMA floodplain requirements,but the appearance will make the new structure look 100 to 150 percent bigger than what is there. Mr. McKenna said he thought an increase of 32%was a good number. Mr. McMorris said that 32%is the overall increase the Board is looking at the sides. Mr. Goedecke stated that the Board will have to look at the side-setbacks and it has to decide if what Mr. McKenna is proposing is more detrimental to the neighborhood. The Board asked if anyone in the audience wished to speak. Ms. Debbie Shadd of 31 Summer Street spoke and said that she is not speaking for or against the project,but she does think it is good that they are proposing to pull the house back from the front setback. The Board then made some final comments. Mr. Goedecke asked how Mr. McKenna will address the Building Code issue regarding the fire code. Mr. McKenna said it could be changed when framing the structure on site. Chairman Chittick said that where this is new construction,you need to make the structure compliant with R302.1 (2). Mr. Higginson suggests that Mr. McKenna meet with the neighbors. MOTION BY CHAIRMAN CHITTICK: CONTINUE THE HEARING SECONDED: MEMBER HIGGINSON VOTE 3-0 MOTION CARRIES (WC,PG and CH) APPROVE MINUTES OF JUNE 5, 2018 AND AUGUST 7,2018 MOTION BY CHAIRMAN CHITTICK: TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS AMENDED SECONDED: MEMBER HIGGINSON VOTE: 3-0 MOTION CARRIES (WC, CH and DM) ADJOURNMENT: MOTION BY CHAIRMAN CHITTICK: TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 8:30 PM SECONDED: MEMBER HIGGINSON VOTE: 3-0 MOTION CARRIES (WC, CH and DM) Page 2 of 2