HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - ZBoA - 10/01/2019 APPROVED MINUTES
COHASSET ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
DATE: Tuesday,October 1,2019
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,Associate Member(LD)
Town Staff Present: Jennifer Oram,Assistant Clerk,ZBA
Chairman Chittick opened the meeting at 7:32PM. He introduced the Board.
BOARD BUSINESS
The Board agreed that November 5, 2019 and December 3,2019 would be the next meetings of the Zoning Board of
Appeals.
Request from Architect, Clark Brewer,to come in before the Board at the next hearing to request an extension for the
Special Permit for the Greek Orthodox Church. The Board agreed this could be placed on the November 5,2019 agenda.
CONTINUED HEARINGS
SPECIAL PERMIT—Filed by Cavanaro Consulting, on behalf of their client,Edna W.Barry. Special Permit per
section 000.8.7.B. Applicants seek to raze and rebuild a single-family home at 179(187)Atlantic Avenue. File
#19.05.07B.
Documents submitted for this hearing: Letter from Heidi Condon of Heidi Condon Design,Inc. dated September
23,2019-requesting that this hearing be continued to November 5,2019.
MOTION BY MEMBER HIGGINSON: TO CONTINUE THE HEARING
SECONDED: MEMBER GOEDECKE
VOTE: 3-0 MOTION CARRIES (WC,PG and CH)
SPECIAL PERMIT—Filed by Cavanaro Consulting, on behalf of their client,James Norton—Young Belford,
LLC. Special Permit per&300.11. the applicant seeks to convert an existing barn into a single-family residence
within the Water Resource District/Flood Plain &Watershed Protection District at 15 Brook Street. File
#19.05.07C.
In attendance to represent this agenda item: Brendan Sullivan of Cavanaro Consulting
Documents submitted for this hearing:
➢ Updated Site Plan prepared by Cavanaro Consulting and Date Stamped October 1,2019
Chairman Chittick recused himself from this hearing. Vice-Chairman Goedecke will chair this hearing. Mr. Sullivan
distributed an updated Site Plan. He stated that with the decision of Town Counsel saying that the Zoning Board would
be the Special Permit Granting Authority on this,the applicant has chosen to change the use to a Guest House. Member
Watkins read the definition of Guest House: Guest House—Dwelling used only intermittently by personal guests and
family without renumeration. Mr.McMorris asked who would use the guest house. Mr. Sullivan said it would be the
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APPROVED MINUTES
owner of the property who lives in Cohasset. Mr. Sullivan added that the tree that has been a part of the plan is actually
dead or dying and will be replaced. They are also working with the abutters on utility easements. The easements are in
legal form but will not be signed until the approvals are in place.
Mr. McMorris said that he did not have any issues with the Flood Plain. He thinks the introduction of the Guest House
introduces the logical question of who the guests are. Mr. Sullivan stated they are going for this use because it's allowed
in the Village Business District and the applicant did not think the ZBA would approve a single-family dwelling.After
some further discussion regarding the structure itself,Acting Chairman Goedecke recommended that the hearing be
continued and that perhaps the Board could see if there are any cases that have interpreted/defined Guest house.
MOTION BY VICE-CHAIRMAN GOEDECKE: TO CONTINUE THE HEARING
SECONDED: MEMBER HIGGINSON
VOTE: 3-0 MOTION CARRIES (PG, CH and DM)
SPECIAL PERMIT—Filed by Cavanaro Consulting,on behalf of their clients,Kenneth Paull and Denise Hall.
Special Permit per 000-9.711. Applicants seek to raze the existing house and build a new house and re-grade in
the Flood Plain at 135 Nichols Road.File#19.08.07.
MOTION BY VICE-CHAIRMAN GOEDECKE: TO CLOSE THE HEARING
SECONDED: CHAIRMAN CHITTICK
VOTE: 3-0 MOTION CARRIES (WC,PG and CH)
DELIBERATION
SPECIAL PERMIT—Filed by Cavanaro Consulting, on behalf of their clients,Kenneth Paull and Denise Hall.
Special Permit per 000-9.711. Applicants seek to raze the existing house and build a new house and re-grade in
the Flood Plain at 135 Nichols Road. File#19.08.07.
The Board reviewed the draft decision as prepared by Member Higginson. After some review:
MOTION BY VICE-CHAIRMAN GOEDECKE: TO APPROVE THE DECISION AS AMENDED
AND GRANT THE RELIEF SOUGHT FOR A SPECIAL
PERMIT UNDER§300-9.7H
SECONDED: ASSIOCIATE MEMBER McMORRIS
VOTE: 3-0 MOTION CARRIES (PG, CH and DM)
MINUTES:
MOTION BY CHAIRMAN CHITTICK: TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF MAY 7,2019
SECONDED: ASSIOCIATE MEMBER WATKINS
VOTE: 3-0 MOTION CARRIES (PG, CH and MW)
MOTION BY CHAIRMAN CHITTICK: TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 3,2019
AS AMENDED
SECONDED: MEMBER GOEDECKE
VOTE: 3-0 MOTION CARRIES (WC,PG and CH)
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APPROVED MINUTES
NEW HEARING
SPECIAL PERMIT—Filed by Attorney Richard Henderson,on behalf of his client,the Cohasset Historical
Society,located at 106 South Main Street. The applicant seeks a Special Permit per 000-4.2. Applicants seek to
have a Historical Society located 51 Church Street which is a residential zone. File#19.09.04.
In attendance to represent this agenda item: Attorney Richard Henderson, Glenn Pratt and Kathy O'Malley from
the Cohasset Historical
Documents submitted for this hearing:
➢ ZBA Application dated September 4, 2019
➢ Copy of Assessor's Map date stamped September 4,2019
➢ Site Plan prepared by Cavanaro Consulting dated July 31,2019—date stamped September 4,2019
The Cohasset Historical Society acquired this property and is requesting a Special Permit to run the structure as a
Historical Society in a residential area. The applicants reviewed the history of the property's deed research. They plan on
having events like they do at their other location on South Main Street. They plan on operating it like the Lightkeeper's
and other similar locations handle events.
In addition to the regular business of a Society,the building also houses two Hand Pumper Fire Engines that are very
valuable.
MOTION BY CHAIRMAN CHITTICK: TO CONTINUE THE HEARING
SECONDED: VICE-CHAIRMAN GOEDECKE
VOTE: 3-0 MOTION CARRIES (WC,PG and DM)
MOTION BY ASSOCIATE MEMBER WATKINS: TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 8:46PM
SECONDED: MEMBER HIGGINSON
VOTE: 3-0 MOTION CARRIES (WC, CH and MW)
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