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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1946-08-29124 BOARD OF APPEALS MEETING ' August 29, 1946 A meeting of the Board of Appeals was held in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, on Thursday evening, August 29, 1946. Chairman Bowker, Mr. Redman, Associate Members Ballard and Rich were present at the hearing. The Clerk was also present. At 8;15 p.m. hearing was declared open upon the petition of Alice Shannon for permission to alter the dwelling owned by her and located at 321 Bedford Street to accommodate two families. Six persons were present at the hearing.. Notice of the hearing was read by Mr. Ballard. Inasmuch as the petitioner did not attend the hearing, no action was taken on the application. At 8;20 p.m. hearing was declared open upon the petition of B. A. Simeone for permission to erect houses on Maple Street, the construction of which will not meet the requirements of the Building By-law. Mr. Simeone, Mr. Shaw, his engineer, and approximately ' fifteen other persons were present at the hearing. Mr. Simeone said that the houses he is contemplating building may not be in compliance with the Building Laws, but they have been drawn and approved by one of the leading engineering houses in Boston. He said that he was asking permission to put up one house only. He said that if after he had erected one house, and the people in the vicinity did not approve of it, he would not go any further. Mr. Shaw presented plans and stated that the general idea is partially prefabricated reinforced houses. The Chairman asked if the house would have a base- ment and Mr. Shaw replied in the negative. He explained the blueprints in detail and stated that the rooms would be put on a slab. The Chairman asked if the house would be built "piece meal". Mr. Shaw stated that the units, four of them, are made in Newton, hauled over the road, and set on the site with a crane. He said that after that they pro- ceed as in customary structures. He stated that his permit was refused by the Building Inspector because of 125 ' the thickness the of wall, which is three I)hches, and he is appealing the matter on this basis. He said that the Building Inspector had classed this as masonry construction, and masonry construction is defined as "construction held together with mortar". He said that a certain minumum wall thickness is set up for that type of construction. Mr. Shaw stated that reinforced concrete is not masonry constr- uction. He said that the appeal is based on the fact 'that the Building Inspector has called this masonry construction and has not correctly interpreted the Building Code. He said that the wall will support, without failure of any sort, about 1,000 times the load that can ever be put on it. The Chairman asked how much that would be, and Mr. Shaw stated that it would support 5,000 pounds per square inch. Mr. Shaw stated that Thomp- son and Lichtner Company, Inc. of Boston has been designing this type of concrete structure for over twenty years. The Company is accepted as one of the outstanding authorities, in the country. The Chairman asked about the structure of the roof, and Mr. Shaw said that the house would have the customary roof, similar to that put on wooden houses. The Chairman asked if it were a one story build- ing, End Mr. Shaw replied that it would be a story and a half. The Chairman asked what the ground area is, and AW. Shaw said 10,050 square feet. The Chairman asked how much it would cost to erect a building of this type. Air. Shaw replied that he did not think anyone can give figures on houses today. He said it is difficult to build anything around 1,000 square feet on the floor for much less than 4p10,000. He said that this was merely a rough figure and the actual cost would depend on the land etc. The Chairman asked how the building would be heat- ed, and Mr. Shaw replied that they would use wrought iron coil which would be welded, fabricated and put in the floor slab. The Chairman asked what they intended to put under the slab. Mr. Shaw stated that the slab will rest on a Good grade of sand and gravel fill. The Chairman inquired about the thickness of the slab, and 1 -dr. Shaw stated that it would be from 4-'2" to 6" thick. The Chairman asked if the walls would be insulated. 126 a a Mr. Shaw said that they will be furred off with a layer of aluminum and rock wool with one half inch of stucco on the outside. He stated that the total wall thickness will be from 32" to 51". 11r. Redman asked if this were a new type of construction, and Mr. Shaw replied that he is build- ing one in Newton now. Mr. Redman asked where the building is located, and Mr. Shaw replied at 91 East Quinobequin Road, Wab an . Mr. Ballard asked about the heating system, and Mr. Shaw said that it would be hot water heat. Mr. Ballard asked if the slabs would be of standard size, and Mr. Shaw replied in the affirmative - 121 x 121. He stated that they can turn out a house a day in their Newton plant. The Chairman asked about the lots, and Mr. Shaw said that most of the lots are 12,500 square feet or over. The Chairman asked if they would have the required 100 foot frontage, and Mr. Shaw replied in the affir- mative. The Chairman inquired about the drainage, and Mr. Shaw said that they would have the customery drainage. Mr. Rich asked how the thickness of 42" to 6" ' would be determined, and Mr. Shaw replied that it depended on the grade. He stated that one of the chief advantages of using the floor slab is to save expense on the house. The Chairman asked if they intended to have anything underneath the slab. Mr. Shaw replied that the house for which they are asking for permission to build tonight will have customary construction. He said they can use a pier construction and cast the floor. Mr. Kenneth E. Hannon, 44 Maple Street, asked what the approximate cost of the completed house would be. Mr. Shaw said that they can only estimate the cost. He said that the cost of the house, for which they are applying this evening, will run in the vicinity of �p10,000. Mr. Hannon asked how many rooms would be in the houses, and Mr. Shaw replied that they would have five rooms on the main floor and space to finish two up- stairs. Mr. Hannon wanted to know why they were asking permission to build only one house, and Mr. Shaw replied that there has been some question as to the type of construction ' 127, ' and that although they are willing to put up 100 houses, they thought they would put up one and let the local people see it. Mr. Hannon asked how many houses could be built on the land and Mr. Shaw replied 145. Mr. Hannon asked if they would all be prefabricated. Mr. Shaw stated that they would not necessarily be all prefabricated, and they might have a dozen types. Mr. Hannon wanted to know if Mr. Shaw was granted a permit tonight for the erection of one house, would he have to apply for every house erected. The Chairman said that if they were given a permit for one at a time they would have to apply. Mr. Hannon inquired about the toilet facilities. Mr. Shaw stated that the public sewer goes through on this side of the property. Mr. Hannon asked if the future houses, all prefabric- ated, would be without cellars. Mr. Shaw replied in the affirmative. He stated that for what it costs to put in a cellar, they can give the purchaser a good finished room above ground. Mr. Ilannon asked where the trial house would be erected, and Mr. Shaw replied that it would be right on Maple Street. ' Mr. Hannon asked if the house in Waban is the same as the one which they intend to erect on maple Street. Mr. Shaw said that the two, were identical. idr. Robert D. Chapman, 57 Maple Street, said that in most cases he thought that houses of this type would have good dry land under them. However, in this case, he believed they would be put on a mud hole. He said that he has lived there for 30 years, and he does not believe that there is enough fill in the Town of Lex- ington to fill some of the holes in that area. Mr. Chapman said that if they put a 6" slab and piers underneath, he would like to know what is going to happen when it starts to settle. Mr. Shaw said that there is approximately 50 acres in this area and he has walked the boundaries, figured the topo map and believed that approximately 30% of the land is what you might call wet. The rest is high gravel and 30 feet above the surface of Maple Street. IIe said that in the wet areas they propose to go right down to hard pan, and he said that it might be five feet or it might be fifteen feet . One of the individuals present at the hearing asked if any drillings had been made. Mr. Shaw said that you don't have to make drillings ' on peat. lie said that the Building Laws require that 128 they go down to hard pan. Mr. Shaw said that if he understands the situation, the whole point at issue tonight is whether or not the Building Inspector is correct in refusing a permit based on his interpretation of the masonry construction. He said that there is not the house itself, but entirely the interpretation. Alice S. Willoughby, 27 Maple Street, said that she is opposed to the proposed houses. She said that the building might be safe enough but other things such as appearance should be taken into con- sideration. Someone asked what the object was in constr- ucting this type of building. Mr. Simeone replied that there is no lumber available. He said that everyone seems to be opposed to the houses and that when he purchased the land, he bought it for the main purpose of a gravel pit. He said that there is about one-half million yards of gravel there and since the housing situation developed, he decided to use the gravel for fill. He said that he would either have the gravel pit or a housing project. , Mr. John C. Solberg, 30 Maple Street, said that he had a great deal of sympathy with Mr. Simeone, and apparently the neighborhood is faced with the alter- native of a gravel or a housing development. He said that he thought that careful consideration should be given to any change in the Building Laws. fie said that if there is any possibility that a type of construction is going to be started which will deteriorate, it is possible that this section may become a blighted area. Mr. Solberg said that these houses have not been tested on the type of land they are thinking of, even with fill. He said that he thought before blanket permission is given, a great deal of thought should be given to the possibility of having; undesirable buildings. He said that if one building falls, they will all fall at the same time, and he believed that the Building Laws should be regarded very carefully, Mr. Shaw said that he felt the same, and thi-O type of construction is proposed because other mater- ials are not available at the present time. He said that he does not want to use green, unseasoned lumber. 1 The hearing was declared closed at 9:10 p.m. The meeting was ajourned until Thursday, September 12, 1946 at 7:30 p.m., at which time the Building Inspector and the Superintendent of Public Works are to be present. The records of the meeting held on August 22, 1946 were declared approved. A true record, Attest: 1 1 Clerk, Board of Appeals.