2023-01-12-ZBA-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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Minutes of the Lexington Zoning Board of Appeals Virtual, Via Zoom January 12, 2023 Board Members: Chair – Ralph D. Clifford, Nyles N. Barnert, Martha C. Wood, Norman P. Cohen and James Osten Alternate Member: David Williams Administrative Staff: Jim Kelly, Building Commissioner Julie Krakauer Moore, Zoning Administrator and Sharon Coffey, Administrative Clerk Address: 31 Simonds Road The petitioner is requesting SPECIAL PERMIT in accordance with the Zoning By-Law (Chapter 135 of the Code of Lexington) section(s) 135-9.4 and 135-8.4.2 to allow modification to non- conforming structure. The petitioner submitted the following information with the application: Nature and Justification, Plot Plan, Plans, Elevations and Gross Floor Area Calculations. Also submitted was a Historical Commission Decision Letter. Prior to the meeting, the petitions and supporting data were reviewed by the Building Commissioner, Conservation Administrator, Town Engineer, Board of Selectmen, the Planning Director, the Historic District Commission Clerk, Historical Commission, Economic Development, and the Zoning Administrator. Comments were received from the Zoning Administrator, Building Commissioner and the Historical Commission. Presenter: Brigitte Steines on behalf of Ruchi Hamal and Dinesh Thapa The Hearing was opened at 7:05 pm. Ms. Steines presented the petition. She stated the Historical Commission approved this proposal on December 14, 2022. The property is a non-conforming corner lot with many restrictions. The topography is challenging. The setbacks leave little room to stay within the setbacks. Ms. Steines then reviewed the proposal. The proposed addition encroaches on the front and rear setbacks. They will be reducing the nonconforming setback with this proposal. The grandparents visit often and the current house is too small to accommodate these visits. The garage is too small for modern sized cars and the driveway is steep. She showed pictures of houses in the neighborhood. This proposal is not substantially more detrimental to the neighborhood and does not affect traffic. It will increase impervious surface by only 304 square feet. A Board Member, Norman P. Cohen, stated they received abutter letters in support. He questioned if any of those letters came from abutting neighbors on Gleason and Simonds (They did speak with direct abutters and they were in support). Ruchi Hamal, owner of 31 Simonds Road, stated they went to the neighbors but didn’t get letters from the direct neighbors because they should be at this meeting.