The Mattapoisett Planning Board held its regular meeting on Monday, February 6 at the Town Hall. The agenda was comprised of two points of new business, both involving land zoning. The first was a Request for Approval of a Repetitive Petition, by engineer Doug Schneider on behalf of applicant, Dian L. D’Orlando, regarding renovations to be made to a beach house at 52 Pico Beach Road.
Mr. Schneider was submitting revised plans in an effort to be in compliance with orders from the Zoning Board of Appeals, who decided the overall square footage should be reduced by 25 percent. The plans call for the original single-floor, three-bedroom structure to be razed, with a two-story structure to be built atop the existing deck and pylons.
This new home was originally to have a second full bath, as well as five total bedrooms. Following the initial rejection of the plans by the Zoning Board, Schneider and the applicant scaled back the vision for the project by eliminating two bedrooms, lowering and simplifying rooflines, and shaving off “bump-out” sections of the second floor. In total, Mr. Schneider said they reduced the area of the second floor from 1233 square feet to 916 square feet. Despite having twice the original square footage, the second home will still fit the footprint of the original structure.
During the discussion, Attorney Marc R. Deshaies, on behalf of a next-door neighbor to the D’Orlando property, voiced concern that the overall height of the home would obstruct the views of the ocean for homes located in lots nearby. Even with the lowered rooflines, the “home would be 12 to 15 feet too high.”
Mrs. D’Orlando’s husband, Allen, responded by saying that restricting the height of the home would be unfair because there were four houses close by that were two stories.
Planning Board member Karen Field inquired about the exact height of the home, but Mr. Schneider did not know the exact measurement. “It will be well below the 35 foot maximum,” he said.
“Overall, there has been a pretty dramatic changes made to the aesthetics of the house,” said Planning Board Clerk Ronald Merlo.
The Planning Board decided that since the Zoning Board Committee did not set more specific standards for how the home’s size should be reduced, they voted unanimously to approve Mr. Schneider’s petition.
“They have lost the overhangs, reduced the visual impact of the house, and the number of bedrooms. I find that is a substantially smaller house, taking everything into consideration, than what was originally proposed,” said John Mathieu, of the Planning Board. The plans must now go back to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Mr. Schneider was also presenting a Form A application on behalf of an applicant who wished to remain unnamed. The Planning Board approved a division of land near Park Place and Park Lane that fully conforms to zoning regulations for frontage and area.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board is scheduled for March 5 at 7:00 pm.
By Eric Tripoli