Inside Arlington

Experimental News Digest for Arlington, MA


Zoning Board of Appeals, November 28, 2023

42 Dorothy Road

The board approved the written decision for 42 Dorothy Road from the prior hearing on November 14. This decision was written by Mr. Hanlon and distributed to the board for review. There were no additional comments and the board voted unanimously to approve the written decision.

46 Amston Street

This was an appeal of a building permit that had been issued. The permit has since been rescinded by the applicant. Therefore, there is no decision of the building inspector to appeal and the matter is withdrawn. The board voted unanimously to accept the withdrawal of this appeal.

212 Pleasant Street

This was a continued hearing for a special permit for a large addition. The applicant provided updated plans showing the footprint and height of the existing house compared to the proposed addition. There was discussion about trying to work with neighbors to address concerns, but no agreement was reached.

The board discussed whether the proposed addition would be in harmony with other structures in the vicinity, as required for approval. Some members felt the addition would have too much impact on the neighbor’s views and light, while others felt it was generally in harmony. The applicant indicated willingness to continue working on potential modifications.

The board voted unanimously to continue the hearing to January 9 to allow further discussion on potential changes to address neighbor concerns while maintaining a feasible project.

54 Mary Street

The owners of a 2-family condominium unit sought approval to enclose an existing upper level balcony for use as a home office. The initial application was for a variance, but since this was a pre-existing nonconforming structure, the board determined a special permit under Section 8.1.3B was appropriate.

The applicant agreed to withdraw the variance application. The board then discussed the special permit criteria and determined the changes would not be detrimental to the neighborhood. The board voted unanimously to approve the special permit with conditions, including that final plans match those submitted and acknowledgment that usable open space information was insufficient.

The meeting was then adjourned, with the next meeting scheduled for January 9, 2023.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjBlYmvY17g


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