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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1942-03-139 BOARD OF APPEALS 17EETING March 13, 1942 A meeting of the Board of Appeals was held in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, at 8:00 P. M. Messrs. Kimball, Bowker, Brown, and Locke were present. The Secretary was also present. In the absence of Mr. Glynn, Mr. Kimball acted as Chairman Pro -tem, and in the absence of Mr. Robbins, Mr. Bowker acted as Clerk. At 8:00 P. M. hearing was declared open upon the petition of Paul Costa for permission to alter the dwelling located at 1099 Mass. Ave., Lexington, so as to accommodate four families. Thirteen persons were present at the hear- ing. The notice of the hearing was read by Mr. Bowker. Mr. M. L. Brown of 41 Holland Street, Somerville, said that he represented the Brown and O'Brien Realty Corp., the owners of the property. They propose to sell the property to Mr. Costa if this petition is granted. Brown said that the house was too large now, and inasmuch as there is a shortage of small apartments in Lexington, they would like to make the house over to take care of three or four small Apartments. He said that he had no plans to show the change. Mr. Kimball asked Brown if he was familiar with the Tenement House Act, and he replied in the negative. Mr. Kimball said that the Tenement. House Act was adopted by the Town some time ago, and he read Paragraph 34, which refers to wooden buildings. This section provides that a house must be of fire -proof construction if occupied by more than two families. Mr. Brown said that if the petition was granted, he intended to tear down the ell. He did not know that the law would prohibit a four family house here. Mr. Kimball asked if the Detition would have been for two families if he had known of the law, and Brown replied in the affirmative. Pair. Locke asked how many rooms there were in the main house, and Brown said that he thought there were nine, not counting the top floor. Mr. Kimball asked what Mr. Brown thought the apartments would rent for, and he said that he did '.not know, as he had no knowledge of rentals in Lexington. He would have to consult a realtor. Mr. Kimball said that inasmuch as the Board could not consider a four apartment house, the hearing would be con- tinued on the basis of a two family house. • • • Mr. Leonard E. Goguen of 1123 Mass. Ave. was the next speaker. He said that the house in question was a good example of old American architecture and could be made very attractive. He thought that remodelling it to acconuaodate two families would lower the value of the houses in the neighborhood, and that people would be justified in asking for a decrease in their valuations. He objected to the granting of the petition, feeling that the change would be contrary to the Zoning; Laws for this neighborhood. Cne man living on Rhodes Street asked how the people would get in and out, and h"r. Brown said that they could. go out iaple Street, or out Rhodes Street. He said he had a twelve foot right of way out to Bass. Ave. He said it made no difference to him, and he would have the egress wherever pleased the majority of the people. He said that he did not want to bring in undesirables, and lie thou,,ht it would be more desirable to have the house re- modeled. 'There would be no change in the outside of the house, with the exception of the removal of the ell. Mr. Kirnball asked if l r. Brown had in mind using; the 11aple Street side of the premises for other houses, and Brown said that he did. William Armstrong of 16 Lockwood Road asked what was to prevent Brown from building two family houses on I;aple Street. Benjamin W. Day of 13 Maple Street asked if this was a change in the Zoning Law, or merely an application to change over this particular piece of property. Mr. Kimball said that this was a change permitted under the Zoning Law, subject to the approval of the Board of Appeals. He said that this was not a two-family zone. Mr. Day said that if this building was remodelled to accommodate two families, they would run into the trouble of having to face two family houses in the rest of the vacant land. He said that this house was entirely surrounded, with two exceptions, with single family houses. Mr. 0. H. Simmons of 5 Maple Street said that he agreed with Day and Armstrong. Ethel Y. Hartwell of 1115 Mass. Ave. said that when she purchased her house she understood that this was a one family zone, and she would not have purchased if she thought it could be anything else. She said she did not want a two family house here. lir. Kimball said that the Board had received a letter from J. Henry Duffy of Yaple Street objecting to the granting of the petition. nor. Kimball asked Mr. Costa if he contem- plated living in the house, and he replied in the affirmative. He asked how many rooms there would be in each apartment. Costa said that now there were four rooms downstairs and six 0 47 upstairs, but the rooms downstairs could be made into smaller rooms. He said that there were two bathrooms in the house. Mr. Kimball said that before the Board acted on the petition, it should have some plans to go on. He asked Brown to provide the Board with a sketch showing the proposed changes. Mr. Walter Beatteay of 12 Lockwood Road said that he objected to the granting of the petition. Mr. Kimball requested Brown to submit a sketch of the proposed apartments, and declared the hearing closed at 9:00 P. M. The records of the meeting held on November 21st were approved. The meeting adjourned at 9:02 P. M. x true record, Attest: Clerk Pro -tem. • • •