Test one, two. Good evening. Welcome. Test one, two. Yep. I'm loud anyway. But good evening. Welcome to the REA Zoning Board of Appeals meeting. Could we rise and salute the flag, please?
To the flag, United States of America to the stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Roll call of the members. Mr. Lemina here. Mr. Lopes here. Here. Mr. O'Brien
here. Here. Mr. Pelton here. Miss Pratt, alternate member here. And chairman Tucker here. Here forum is present. First application on tonight's agenda is A2510 on the application of Edward Davis 225 Endicottav Reier Mass requesting
multiple variances to enable the appellant to construct a threecar garage at 225 Endicottav. Could the applicant please step up to the microphone, press the button once, state your name and address for the record.
Uh yes, my name is Ted Davis of 225 Endotav in River, Mass. Okay. So, we have an application in front of us with a um a filing of a opposition letter um of rebutal at the end. Um, do you have
anything else to say or does that speak for itself? Sorry. Uh, the letter just speaks to all of the issues that were raised in the opposition letter. Um, to which most of them frankly were not true. Um, and I I don't think were sincere in in nature.
Um, but the letter states everything. I'm happy to to answer any questions or go through it all if if people haven't had a chance to read it. Um, frankly, as I mean, simply, um, my house is surrounded by other homes with curb cuts
and garages. Um, I'm just looking for what the other homes in my neighborhood have. A large majority of the homes have curb cuts. Uh, over eight properties uh, close to my house have 40 foot curb cuts. Uh the reason I requested a 30foot
curb cut is because it still provides um spots on either side of the garage in between the curb cuts for cars to park. So it only eliminates one car or one street parking spot and pulls three street cars off the street. Um there's
approximately 70 ft curb cut to curb cut. Uh, I'm requesting about a 30 foot curb cut, uh, which leaves two 20 foot spots or 18 foot spots on either side of the garage for street parking. So, in proceeding with the garage, I pull three
cars off of the street. Um, only removing one street parking spot and leaving two spots for street parking. So, it it adds two spots of parking to the neighborhood. U, my home is is a three family home. Um, there are three
cars currently registered at the house. Uh, my my in-laws who come to watch the kids visit us all the time. Um, the re I've been wanting a garage for a while. The reason I really went for it this year is because uh we have two kids now, so lugging all the stuff up and down the
stairs for my house is is challenging. Um, in addition, my my in-laws who come to take care of the kids a lot um are restricted by the 8day parking access uh per month. Um, so I'm I'm really trying
to get a spot for them to park off the street. Plus, my father-in-law has a bad knee. Um, so we end up having to park on Bellingham quite often, uh, which is a challenge. Uh, fortunately, our our neighbor lives behind me, so he lets me cut through his yard. otherwise it'd
have to walk several blocks to get around. Um, so yeah, I mean that's that's pretty much the gist of it. Um, it's uh I you know I'm not looking to do anything other than what's very
common in the neighborhood. I get the threecar garage isn't uh isn't typical. Um, most of them are two-car garages are just 40 foot curb cuts with driveways. Um, the the salt, you know, parking in
front of my house. When I do get parking, this the cars start deteriorating from all the the salt water in the air. So, I'm trying to get the cars out of out of the weather. Um, so that's really why I want the garage. Plus, it'll make it easier for the kids
stuff. um instead of lugging it up in up from the car to the house, it' be easier to leave some of the the um strollers and height and chairs in the garage. Um seeing that this is a public hearing, I have
to test one too. Seeing that this is a public hearing, I have to ask are there any proponents? And first I'll ask if the ward counselor wishes to speak, please step up to the microphone. Are you a proponent or an opponent? Opponent. All right. Then I
first have to ask for proponents. Then is there anyone in favor? Yes. Nick Der, uh 228 Bellingham A. Thank you, zoning board members. I'm here in uh support of this. I've been neighbors with them for three years. They're tremendous
neighbors. Um, and over these three years, I've watched Ted and Sam start a family of their own. You know, you don't really feel for the young couple without kids going up and down the stairs or looking for parking. But over these last three years, now watching them Sam be pregnant twice, parking in our driveway
when she's lucky when it's not blocked or worst case scenario, parking down the street or block away, bringing up groceries and all that while seeing their immediate abuters have similar curb cuts. Um, meanwhile, they'd park in front of their driveway. And it's just it's just something that I know would
would bring or would remove a huge hurdle in their lives, and I'd hate to see see them move. So, of course, I want to see them see them here for a while. So, thank you very much. Thank you. Are there any other proponents? Oh, just leave the microphone on and that's it. Good. Hi,
my name is Jeremy Crossgrove. I live at 218 Bellingham A. um neighbors behind the Davises and uh I'll make it brief, but yeah, most mornings when uh street street cleaning is happening, I see Ted on our street sort of shuffling cars while I'm out there doing the same. So,
just want to say I understand it's a it's a struggle having multiple cars, family stairs to go up and down. I'm there with you. So, thank you. Any other proponents? Seeing and hearing all that side of the hearing. Any opponents? Would the ward counselor who wish to
come up and speak? Joan McKenna, Ward One Counselor. Um, there's a couple of things. So, uh, Ed called me about a month and a half ago, a month, and he said, "I want to put a driveway in front of my house." And I he said, "Can you come up and look at it?" So, I said, "Okay." So, I went up to
look at it, and I said I called him. I looked at it. I called him and I said, "You can put a driveway there. You have plenty of room." Um, so since then I found out that from neighbors and from I call site plan review, I call it's Frank
Stringy, that he wants to put a garage, a threecar garage. Uh, he wants to take up uh the hole from uh uh lot line to lot line. He wants to Okay, what is it? It's 30 ft. Okay, lot. So I actually laid it out through park.
Okay, it's my it's my time. So anyways, I found out he was he's asking for four variances. Okay. Um I talked to the neighbors um and it's been brought to my attention from Airbnb and shot rental uh shot rental um department that he's
running an illegal Airbnb on the third floor. he wants the parking for the Airbnb and that um uh he just got um supposedly he just got uh issued a cease and desist today. So I don't know if I'm
making I'm not making this up. This is what I've been told. Um you know those garages on Enderot A we we just looked it up. They started in 2011 and they some of them have been there for hundred
years. Okay. So, um if you're going to do that, then the whole street should do that. But I understand you. I heard you're a terrific guy, but we, you know, we have to follow the rules in Ree and you're a terrific friend, but we have to
follow the rules in Revier. And uh if you're running an Airbnb, a illegal Airbnb, and I wrote the ordinance for the Airbnbs, you have to register it and you have to have you have to have ade adequate parking. So that's that's where
I am, you know. Thank you. Thank you. Any other opponents? Anyone opposed? Please step up to the microphone, press the red button, state your name and address for the record. Vinnie M 251 and of course got 31 years.
He is definitely I sympathize with him on the parking because we're all struggling. We've been there last year. We got our resident parking 24/7. But he is doing an Airbnb and uh he's inviting people into the neighborhood. We're trying to just get places for us to park. So I'm thinking
the garage just going to be a place to put cars in, close the door. So I'm totally against it. That's it. Thank you. Any other opponents? Anyone else? Hi, Lorraine Rossi from 221 and
Dakotaav. Um, my mom actually did write a letter. She's here. She asked me to speak on her behalf. Um, if you read the letter, it's everybody here has parking issues. I grew up on Enderav. There's always been parking issues and I feel for them. Obviously, they have little
kids. I lived in Enderav when I had a little kid. I was little alone on Endeott. We all get it. We have issues at 221 Endeott that are beyond parking with this garage. Ever since they renovated that
house and they put the deck ma'am, we're only the zoning board of appeals. So you can speak on the topic that we have. It is. This is So what my point is in doing this, it's now going to when when it was initially renovated, it changed the topography of that soil. So we now have
runoff. If they start doing that again at some point in the winter, my mom couldn't even get out of her side door. And we did send some pictures. If they redo that and send the water running around the two sides of that garage,
she's going to be in an igloo. for the winter and it's going to be impossible for her to get out without somehow being able to have the water redirect someplace. I get that they want a garage, but what they're saying is five feet from my mom's property line and one
foot on the other side of the property line. That's huge. And it it's huge for us because of the the water issues as well as the parking, but everybody's already addressed the parking. So, I don't think we need to revisit that. Okay. It's not one foot on the other
side. Just for your correction. It's not one foot. Oh, I But it's 5.6 on one six on your side. That's correct. Okay. Anyone else wish to speak? Any other opponents? Hi, my name is Alli Maddi and I just
wanted to say that your address, please. Oh. Um 247 Endicottav. Uh and um my hubby and I uh moved to River um back in 2016. And I love the little uh
neighborhood that we live in, Beachmont. And um it seems like more and more of the green spaces are disappearing and wondering if there's even going to be a tree left sometimes. So, um I too
empathize and I'm completely um have the utmost compassion regarding the parking because I know it's really difficult. Uh but I just like to see preserved any green space left that we possibly can. Thank you. Thank you. There any other
opponents? Nope. Press the Press the button just once and leave it on. Thank you. Yes, my name is Mary Beth Delazi. I own 237 Endicott Avenue. Um, it's a large piece of property two doors
down from Mr. Davis does not have any parking. So, I understand the struggle. I also live at 240 Bellingham Avenue, which is sort of directly behind. So, I
wanted to open with that I like Ed and I understand that he wants to improve his property, but I have concerns and I feel that he's operating a business that short profits from short-term rentals.
And if that wasn't the case, I'd be more sympathetic to this request. To me, this situation doesn't represent a hardship for a family in need of parking. It caters to a commercial interest that places a burden on our streets and to
our sense of community. Um he's exclusively renting the third floor. It has a very very high turnover. Um he's a super host. He advertises in Canada and the US. He has
four guests with a 4-day minimum. And we're already feeling the strain of increased vehicle congestion. um all the way to the south. All of us have come before you guys a year ago without knowing that
this was an Airbnb. We expressed our need for resident parking 247. It was granted. We got a small reprieve and then ever since there was a change to the stickers, it sort of has
come back to haunt us. Um again, I like it. I like it. family. I really like his cat, but we don't want to lose green space in our sense of community to support his business.
So, we feel that zoning laws were established to protect our neighborhoods and we ask the board to um not reward vice and punish virtue and maybe he can change his design or
redesign his business. Thank you. Are there any other opponents? Please step up to the microphone. State your name and address for the record. The microphone is on. Mark Barco, 230 Bellingham for the issues raised with
the park and uh the B&B situation, which I know has been going on for a while. So, just on the face of it, I mean, if this is happening without people knowing, but I know it's a fact. I've seen the advertisement and uh with that
issue in the parking, I'm an opponent. Thank you. Are there any other opponents? Seeing here none, I'll close that side of the hearing. Any members, wish to speak? I just want to make it clear that
um if this is voted down, you cannot come back to the board of appeals for two years. If you want to go back to the drawing table and continue or withdraw without prejudice, that's something you can do.
But once we vote on denying this, you do not have the right to go back and reapply for this for two years. Yeah. If you if you step up to the microphone and speak so it can be withdrawn without prejudice
and then you could then come back if you want to do a twocar or meet with the neighbors try to deal with this properly. That's something you can do. If we vote to deny this tonight then you'd have to have substantial changes to go to the planning board and then
come back to us. Okay. Yeah, I'll I'll withdraw and come back. So, there's a motion to withdraw without prejudice. A roll call, please. Shall the zoning board of appeals allow the applicant to withdraw his application for 225 Endicott Avenue? Mr. Lemonina? Yes. Mr.
Lopes? Yes. Mr. O'Brien? Yes. Mr. Pelton? Yes. Yes. And Chairman Tucker? Yes. Yes. The application has been withdrawn without prejudice. Thank you. Next application is A2511 on the application of Patricia Romano, 41
Steven Street, Reier, Mass. requesting uh a couple of variances to enable the appellant to construct a duplex dwelling on lots 617 to 619 Keiny Street. Minimum rear yard setback and principal building coverage requirement.
Good evening, Mr. Chairman, members of the board. Joseph Ktogio once Street Revier representing the applicants from Mono Family Trust. I'm here tonight on behalf of Mr. Richard Salvo who was the uh uh application uh creator um and
designer of the plans here. Uh Mr. Salvo was unavailable tonight and he asked that I step in for him and at least present the uh information that he's he's provided. Uh the applicant tonight is petitioning to construct a duplex style two family residential home on
three lots which consisted of a total of 6,563 square ft. These are RB lots that are presently vacant and provide a collective total of 75 ft of frontage on Keiny Street which is fully serviced by all required utilities. Uh the lots even
have an existing curb cut um that's uh in place. Um what the lots need is a variance for depth. Um the lots up and down Keeny Street and all through the ad adjoining streets off of Malden Street in this area were created back in
September of 1918, a little before the revised zoning ordinances. Back then, in order to maximize the land, the lots were sliced directly down the middle between Keiny Street and Peton uh which created and then sliced thin
horizontally to create uh numerous lots consisting of only 2,187 square ft. These are three such lots. Uh however, in order uh to obtain a reasonable and realistic best use, the proposed construction will need to provide for a
rear yard 23 ft deep and lock coverage uh which is 33% uh instead of the required 30%. Uh this is proposed uh and designed to allow all of the other setbacks including uh front yard and
sideyard uh to be met so that the house facing the street and the uh adjoining neighbors on the sides uh will meet the required setbacks. Uh it is this irregular shape of these lots that create which were created 100 years ago which create the present- day hardship
uh which the applicants are seeking relief from. The proposed dwelling will provide required off- streetet parking. Uh, and I believe the uh design uh and residential use will enhance the immediate neighborhood within uh with the removal of the vacant lot which I
understand has been a little bit of an eyesore uh over the years. Uh two family homes are allowed within the Abby district and the the proposal lies uh directly within the intent of the zoning ordinances. the applicant will fully comply with all the requirements of the
planning board uh and any other authority um that's uh included in this application. The applicants are here. Uh the builder is here. Again, Mr. Salvo is not. Um so we hope that we can answer any questions the board might have and we would ask that you would uh vote
favorably on this application. Thank you. Thank you. Are there any proponents? Anyone in favor? Uh Nick Romano, 41 Steven Street. Uh so I lived uh in River my whole life. Uh I'm going to be the one who's going to
be residing in uh one of these units. Um housing, as you know, has been uh really difficult for people uh to afford a place to to live. Um I'm fortunate enough that I can move here and care and
also uh create housing for someone else to grow up in the neighborhood. Thank you. Thank you. Any other proponents? Just for the record, the uh I did speak to the wad counselor. There was no opposition. He's in favor. Um are
there any other proponents? Seeing here and none, I'll close that side of the hearing. Any opponents? Anyone opposed? Seeing here and none, I'll close that side of the hearing. Any members wish to speak? Yeah, I'd like to make a motion to approve. Motion to approve and with the conditions standard
conditions. Standard conditions of the CBA are as follows. If the rights authorized by this variance are not exercised within one year of the date of the grant of this variance, the right shall lapse. This variance shall not be valid until the appellent has recorded this variance and plan in the Suffach County Registry
of Deeds and submits document recording numbers and dates to the city clerk and building inspector of the city of River. and the appellant must receive site plan review approval prior to applying for a building permit. Shall the zoning board of appeals grant the relief requested subject to those conditions? Mr.
Lemonina. Yes. Mr. Lopes. Yes. Mr. O'Brien. Yes. Mr. Pelton. Yes. Yes. And Chairman Tucker. Yes. Yes. The variance has been granted subject to those conditions. Next application is A2512 Rachel Fuches
144R Highland A Malden Mass requesting variances with regard to minimum rear yard setback of 20 ft to enable the appellant to construct a 15.7 foot by 16.7 foot singlestory addition at 105 Eusta
Good afternoon. Hi, my name is Cindy Molina. I'm at 105 Eustus Street in Re. And you're representing the applicant? Yes. My husband, Jorge Coronado. Okay. Okay. I think the application speaks for
itself. Do you wish to add anything or Yes. Um, I just wanted to show you this is my three-year-old son. His name is Liam, who has level three autism, which is severe autism, which means he is non-verbal. He will never say, "Mom, I
love you. Dad, I love you." Mom and dad will do anything that they possibly can for our little boy to have the space that he needs to have a sensory play, whatever he needs to be okay and feel safe. My husband and I right now we
sleep in the dining room of our home because we we have a really big family. Um we want to convert that dining room into our son's playroom, sensory room. So that's why we are requesting to do a master bedroom for to for my husband and I just to have some privacy. It's really difficult when we have a special needs
child. We have two kids. Um it was never our intention to, you know, maybe bother anybody with this. We just simply thought since the pre-existing garage already extends the required setbacks that it wouldn't be a really big issue to just extend the the
home a little bit more. Seeing that it's a public hearing, I do have to ask if there's any proponents. Anyone in favor? Seeing in here none, I'll close that side of the hearing. Any opponents? Anyone opposed? Seeing in here none, I'll close that side of the hearing. Any members wish to speak? I think the
application speaks for itself. I'd like to make a motion to approve. A motion to approve. With the standard conditions, standard conditions of the ZBA are as follows. If the rights authorized by this variance are not exercised within one year of the date of the grant of
this variance, the right shall lapse. This variance shall not be valid until the appellent has recorded this variance and plan in the Suffach County Registry of Deeds and submits document recording numbers and dates to the city clerk and building inspector of the city of River. and the appellent must receive site plan review approval prior to applying for a
building permit. Shall the zoning board of appeals grant the relief requested subject to those conditions? Mr. Lemonina, yes. Mr. Lopes, yes. Mr. O'Brien, yes. Mr. Pelton, yes. And Chairman Tucker. Yes. Yes. The variance has been granted subject to those
conditions. One minute recess, please. Next application is A2513 on the application of Michael Chapulo 87 Jones Road requesting the following variances to enable the appellant to construct a carport at 87
Jones Road minimum sideyard setback and minimum front yard setback. Is the applicant present? Please step up to the microphone. Please state your name and address for the record. My name is Michael Tribula, 87 Jones
Road. You wish to add anything to your application or speaks for itself? You know, it speaks for itself. I believe, you know, looking for a variance on setback because, you know, we're very tight to each other.
So, there's very limited room. Yes. This is a public hearing. Are there any proponents? Anyone in favor? Proponents, please step up to the microphone. State. Uh hello everyone. I'm living in the 84
Josh post. Um He's a very nice people. He helped all the neighbor around. He have a very rich anorology of the construction. So I see the couple is feel very nice. I don't see any problem with that. So we are at the neighbor. I
have been with neighbor with her for four years help everybody. So I will supported couple. Okay. Thank you. There any other proponents? Anyone in favor? singing here. None of Muhammad Mad 86 John just facing his
house. Uh he did very very good job and the value of this will be helping us because he when he covered this it look better much better. Okay. Any other proponents? But can I ask a question to the owner?
We're going to ask a question right we when we the public hearing any other proponents seeing and hear close that side of the hearing. Any opponents? Joanne if you're the ward counselor Joanne McKenna W one counselor. Uh I
just talked to uh the neighbor next door that was getting the runoff for the water. She does not want to speak. Uh, so she says is he I guess he fixed the um the water runoff. He put some sort of drainage so she's not getting any water.
So she has no problem with it now. So that's okay. Are there any is there any other opponents? Seeing here I'll close that side of the hearing. I have several questions but if the members wish to have questions please I have a question.
Is this already constructed or are you about to construct this? Because I drove by and it seems like it's already constructed. That's what I want. You have to step up to the microphone. There is a cease and desist on this just
for clarification. No, it's on already. Anyone else wish to say? Okay. So, um over the past decade while I've lived here, every winter I would temporarily cover the whole driveway with tarps and
structures. Um I I own a a lot of vehicles and to protect them during seasons, I would always string up tarps and you know just things to keep them protected for the winter. And this particular time I had some scrap material and I put something up slightly
more substantial just to protect again the investment in which I made which was you know again um almost the same value as the house when I purchased it. So I I apologize for my um you
know not following proper procedure. Okay. seeing that you're are you a contractor or you're a supplier for steel or something, right? What's your profession? Uh, so I I'm a union iron worker. I have for the past 30 plus
years have been um building in this, you know, area. I kind of figured that when you have a steel beam going down the length of the property, it has to be something. Their their channels and and angles is what what do it. So, um, and it's very respectfully done and very
neat without any, again, I I do apologize. I I apologize to the neighbor for the runoff. It was um, it was done at the end of the season hastily to protect my vehicles. I do apologize. Okay. So, there's no plans at all for this.
Did you make plans for this? Did you There are. There should be all. All right. But did you submit plans to the to the building department? Yes, I did. Um there are there are and they then put a cease and desist because it was already built. They they then said that I needed to get a setback um variance to
to proceed with the permit. So there's drawings, there's site plans um certified site um drawings. Okay. But no structural plans or there's a structural drawing for it also. Yep.
I got a question. might now I don't think anybody in the building department is going to sign off on this until the structural engineer looks at it. So the original engineer and structural um designer of the house actually has these drawings. I I
actually expected them prior to this meeting, but like everyone else in in construction, he's backlogged and he's trying to get it out to me as soon as possible. He also is the original designer and uh engineer of record for when the house was built 12 years ago.
Okay. And it again even back then it was a substantial amount of structural engineering that had to be done prior to any building because they won't sign off on it until they get that stamp. Uh they the again the drawings are already detailed. They're just he's just waiting
to review and and calculate. I I believe it should have been in my inbox today, but I didn't see it. I I will pass that on as soon as I have it. I'd like to make a motion to continue this until we get the structural drawings and then we can consult with
the building department because there is a cease and desist. I wouldn't feel comfortable on voting on this without having the knowledge in front of us. So, there's a motion to continue. I would ask for a roll call, please. Shall the zoning board of appeals
continue this matter to its next June meeting? Mr. Lemonina. Yes. Yes. Mr. Lopes. Yes. Mr. O'Brien. Yes. Mr. Pelton. Yes. And Chairman Tucker. Yes. Yes. The continuence has been granted. That June meeting will be what the 25th.
Is it? Let me just And so understood. It will be June 25th at 5:00 p.m. Having no further business, motion to adjourn.
Thank you.