But he's not I'm reading the folder. Whatever. Okay, we need three for the minutes, so we're good. I want from you. They're brand new, correct? >> Yep. A little story about that house. Everybody keeps telling me >> to hear the stories. [laughter]
Well, I know I'm on video, so this will be captured, but it's okay cuz it's wasn't bad. But girlfriend way, way back in the '80s about that property. It was her uncle's house. I put the roof on that house. Oh, really? Back in '84.
And it was the the summer that I realized I wasn't going to do roofing so >> [laughter] >> ever again in my life if I could help it. It's a big roof. So But it was nice by the lake. You had the water view for lunch and stuff, but it was it was brutal. Yeah. But yeah, it was a roofs over roofs over roofs. Now
is where we're finding how It's '84, so that was like what, 40 years ago? Oh, yeah. >> You probably have two, three layers of that. Oh, there's there's another roof on another >> Because it was because they added onto that particular Yeah. Anyway, so that was all, but
Every person I've met in town have been in the house. Yeah, every I felt like it was a good family that had a lot of friends and stuff, so We did. With you. Attendees. I did. I'm thinking about I could have Who do we do the rules and who speaks first?
Oh, you're open I'm sorry. I'm sorry, sir. Oh, sure. I needed folders I'm going to read the article and then I'm going to listen. Okay. I have it. There you go. Let me get the script. I should do this, right?
Uh So we're going to call the meeting to order at about 7:00, a little bit late, 7:03. Um on April 27th, 2026. This will be recorded hybrid on Zoom as well as live. Um
And we're ready to go with the first one, right? Oh. 7:05. >> I got to approve the minutes. Oh, you want to do that first? Yeah, after you're done. Oh, you you you haven't finished reading them, have you? Almost. Okay. This this really should come up here. Go for it. Cuz you would be talking
about the people who do that after when we read them. That's that's how I would do it. That's what I have been doing. But there's not going to be a ton of I don't think participants. No. Okay. You good? Yeah? All right, we have a motion to accept the meeting's minutes from From April March
>> 4/20. Accept the meeting minutes from April 13th, 2026. >> Second. All in favor? I. Unanimous. Those are done. We're right on time, so You want me to read the folder and I can do that, Paul. Thank you Chris.
That's the one. Okay. Good. Okay. Notice hereby given that public hearing to be held Monday, April 27th at 7:05 p.m. to hear the petition of Rachel Sutherland for the property located at
16 Grandview Street in Southwick, Mass. The applicant is seeking a front setback variance of 16 ft and a side setback variance of 5 ft in order to construct a two-bay prefabricated shed on the property.
And that's what we're here for. So It's actually 24 ft from the 16 from the front. I just wanted to make sure we have we're on the same the same thing. So what we ran though was probably 24 ft from the road and 5 ft from the side.
What was wrong? 16 and 5 front setback variance 24. We're actually back at the 26. All right. So That may have been an error in the paper. What do we have This is fine. It doesn't matter. We're going to go through it anyway. Okay. Okay. It's just from a
legal standpoint we should have it corrected, that's all. Thank you. Okay. I need a little drum roll. The floor is yours. Describe what you're trying to do. Okay, do I need to go through go through Can I say the letter was read or should I go through my proposal?
Oh, that's you don't have you don't have to read it. >> No, no, we'll we'll be submitting on I trust you. You know I already had submitted this. Yeah, that's fine. Right, okay. Oh, it's been submitted, that's fine. Okay. So right now we've got two non-conforming sheds that are that have been on the property for I
think for a very, very, very long time. Uh this back one they're both kind of decrepit and falling down. This back one's like actually rotting away in the back corner. So what we would like to um seek your approval appeal for the
regulation is to be able to replace that with basically a similar footprint with a two-car prefabricated shed {slash} garage. So we'd be putting in a 24 by 24. Um we went with the skiffs and
it's going to look something like this. And we are proposing to make it look like this. Mhm. Um it's the the same footprint as the original one. So But just on
you know, so that so that we can have something that's safe and secure and weather proofed where our vehicle's in, our generator, our equipment, our tools, things like that that is locked up and safe. Okay. So it's prefab. Mhm. All right, so
wooden floor? Um No, we're going to pour a slab. Okay, so you're going to pour a slab. Okay, that's good to hear. Yeah. Cuz that's a problem when it comes to these. Right. A lot of town ordinances say, "Oh, you can drop that." I'm like, "No." They want to cuz they're selling you the shed. Mhm. But anything with a vehicle with oil Right.
>> to convince us to go with the first floor it'd be like cheaper than say the concrete slab. No, I understand. We knew it was the right thing to do. That's definitely a plus for you. And we met >> you can do what you what you're intending to do without any Right. backlash from the town or us, to
be honest with you. Right. I called the building department and I asked to talk to Al and they told me that cuz we asked That's the first question, though. about the about the second the horns from the perimeter and the rebar and all that and he explained that and he said that would be fine. Right. Okay, so basically you're going to pour a slab and put the Yes. You're going to
install the shed on it. Basically prefabbed. >> Yep. That's 24 by 24. Mhm. So my question was what sizes are the are the sheds currently? The size of the sheds that are there. You're saying it's a similar footprint, but I'm looking at what this It's
bigger. It's a bigger footprint. It's going to be a little bit of a bigger footprint. >> We're going to take the area and scoot it back. That's why I asked. Maybe it's You know. Cuz then what what the question or the problem comes is to how close to that side because I mentioned we looked at it and if I look at the property lines, which
again are sometimes blurred by our town records, they're not exact, but We were planning to come off >> There's not a lot of room to get a vehicle by there. Right, we were planning to come off of the property. Even these are like right on the line these back of these.
So we're going to come off a little bit and put some rock back there just so that they're we're sure we're off of the hood. What are you talking about? five properties 14 So so this is the property right now. That's the shed area she's talking about. Is there one down the bottom slope? Yes. Yeah, okay. So this
is all top then it slopes down to the lane pretty pretty severely, actually. I remember correctly, but It appears on this that your house is actually over the line to your neighbor. Yes, and we we had an
encroachment added to our deed and they signed it. And that's how you did Right. So So if you look at this, what happens is from a safety standpoint, right? The town wants they want 15 ft to get an emergency vehicle behind your property.
Mhm. Fire truck, paramedic, whatever if they had to. So I don't know right now the corner that it looks like it's less than 15 ft. So if you put a garage here, you're going to block There'll be no access to that. We're going to leave it wide enough to get at least a a full-size
Bobcat down in behind there. >> but a full-size fire truck is 12 ft. That's why they want 15 That's part of the But you know I mean if you I guess you could do the water bucket with a Bobcat, but you know what I'm saying? The safety of a fire their concern is a lot of these places they can't get a fire truck behind and I don't I don't
have the hydrant layout where you get water. But that is that is a concern that comes to us when we're doing this like make sure you allow try to get 15 ft. It used to be 10 was the zone, so I think we could at least 10 there. >> What we do there, but we they like now
they want us to do 15, so if we go below 10, that becomes an issue. I don't know. You said you wanted there was a side back side setback, right? Of 16 ft. I read that correctly. The side setback was against our neighbor's property on the Or 5 ft. It's actually longer. I
think it's deeper than 16. I think it's 26. But we were kind of down on the side it was 24, 26 back based on the street line and property line, which is sometimes a a blur as well, you know, because when you if you don't have a fence, you go by at least by the asphalt line. That's probably not your property
line, it's probably in. And because they allow for plowing and all that. >> Yeah, I did find that found a a metal pin with a tag on a rivet on it. Did you measure from that? I didn't know to measure on the back of the house, so I didn't measure that. But it gave me a line of sight, you know, up to the street. Yeah.
They're big piece of equipment back there, too, to put the depth force in. The the application says that you've you're proposing to be 24 ft from the street. And if you look at the town map >> That's what I was we were trying to figure out like scale. And it looks like
the on the town map it looks from the from the corner of the from the edge of the pavement and your property line is 26 ft. >> Right. This is 12. That's what's there. Where we're going to put the So that means your your garage is going to be over on your over
the front of your property line. If you're measuring 24 ft from the street and the property line is 26 ft from the street, you're going to be 2 ft over where where your property line That house you're talking about? From the street? How far back? So cuz what you're looking
for is a relief to put the shed in. Yeah. Right? >> Yeah. And you said it was 24 ft. But the street line Chris is saying It's actually 26 [clears throat] ft. You you're actually going to lose. You'd have to come you'd have to adjust it to get the extra two or you'd be on the line.
You're not going to be on the line of the street. So we had the plenty of room to us. There's a fire hydrant. had a lot of them. But but it might not be your property. What in the front of the house you're talking? Where where did you find the pin? Right here cuz we're looking at 92. We were
talking about the side of the house at that time. Yeah. Okay. No but no pins in the front. >> run any. Okay. No but there's a street there, you know. Right. So what we're talking about is you're coming off of this line. Yeah. >> Yes. Deep, right? >> Yeah. But that that's the street line.
The property line is probably back here 3 ft. Well, the property line Property line is this yellow but the street The street line. This this is not the street. Yeah. The street is in here. What is the yellow? 5 ft, right? Yeah. Right.
We had a building guy come look and he actually thought we had plenty of space in the front. Big pavement there. You have a large pavement. Yes, you do. Yeah. Massive. So it's right here is is cut into that. So Yeah. We So the street line I'm saying is probably 5 ft difference than what
your property line is. Oh. >> [clears throat] >> Because they allow for plowing and snow removal and stuff. So if you're measuring from your property line or measuring the street it's a difference. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. I understand now. We were going from the street and there was like Yeah. 12 and you got all kinds
of pavement there. Yeah. >> It's deceiving where the actual street might be. Yeah. I just I would assume That's why I was asking. the street was following along the same line. That's Yeah. And that's you know we're talking about the property line When they paved this did they pave the street? I mean that would They paved on their property
it looks like. That's what it looks like to me. >> Yeah. Uh and it would have been the homeowner way back then that filled it cuz it's different. >> Right. Correct. Right. So he he actually added that in probably for parking. Right. Exactly. Again I have his driveway. path as everyone else's driveway along there.
Everyone else's driveway is like same on the street. But he's there to entertain a lot so I think they wanted extra parking. He did it on his own I guess way back. But cuz I know it's different pavement. Mhm. Correct. Right. Cuz they added on to that house as well
at some point. I can't remember one exactly but that was pretty good addition on the on the side over here cuz it used to be like a cottage. Yeah. Oh there was there was Inside you can see where probably the homeowner No that's unbelievable. Yeah. Yeah.
Um okay. So So the only concern I've got is placing that garage. So cuz you got I think it like you said I think Dan did some work too and it looked like it's pulled to 8 ft on this side. Yeah. of the garage. So I don't know room to
to shift and then the other concern if you look at your picture um what we try to avoid or eliminate is the giving the garage coming forward of the house. Mhm. I mean your shed's probably that way right now but you don't probably have enough room to
to jockey it back. I'd say you keep jockeying it's going to be tough to fit it, right? Um So so as we get into these tight scenarios one option you you quoted out of a two-car garage
Mhm. you might only have really the room to get a one-car. You have which still gives you some undercover stuff, you know what I mean? So I that's the concern cuz you really we've got to be careful on the side. You know 8 ft or less is going to be cuz you don't have any on the other side. If
you had aggregate a lot of times we'll say oh there's 20 ft on this side. We can give you down to 8 because you can still get something on the other side. Right now you're you're kind of health locked to the land getting by there. Could they go and I don't know what's on the property on the neighbor. That's that's the hard part. Could be trees. It
could be a lot of obstacles blocking to get in there. >> Two neighbors down has a full driveway all the way down. Right. The driveway is like 8 ft wide. You probably know what that that is too. They have their own boat ramp. Yeah. Yeah. Oh I don't believe me. I mean
with all the houses around there I don't know how they get a fire truck around any of those houses to be honest with you. Like every house is on top of each other. So that that's just that's my concern. So the biggest concerns are the dimension in between the side lines the
the shed and the house. Like you know like from here to here to make sure equipment can go down. >> No. I'm saying from here to here. But the side Cuz right here you only got about 5 ft 8 ft, right? Well, we can move that Yeah. There's there's at least 10 there.
Cuz we we laid down boards like 20 ft boards and only got 24 of them. So you're saying you could get So we laid them down to like space it out so we could visually look at it. Because you know it's nothing's a perfect straight line. Everything's off
a little. So we laid them down so we could actually see. Um and there's plenty of room from the house to the garage. And there's plenty of room to turn in and you know as far as going from the street to there it seemed like
there was plenty of room but uh So you're saying on the side Well, if well because if this was connected let's say, right? Yeah. You'd have very little room on that left side. You have no room on the right side. You have no access to your property for emergency
vehicles whatsoever. If the garage can be placed where such where you get like 8 ft and you still get 12 10 to 12 ft between the two buildings that's unobstructed obviously wider or that you still have an access point to get to the back area.
If you built a hallway or like a connecting that would be bad. Right. You lose all that and you're back to the side. But leaving it open if you had 12 10 to 12 ft 12 ft anyway. 10 ft minimum I would say 12. At least you have a some access
>> point cuz you're going to close it up on this side. You're going to be pretty close to your line with the corner of the garage. And that's it with the 8 ft if you don't move it one bit right now, right? So I don't know I guess the key is is what that dimension is between the two. And can we get
you know I guess that if it would be my preference you'd want to make that as small as possible so that you're carrying your groceries and stuff with And you know a little amount and and get and make the access make the emergency access at the That's that's I mean that's the option.
would be my preference. Right. So I would you know try to tuck tuck the garage as close to the to the corner of the house. And then and gain and gain on the other side. 8 [clears throat] 5 8 ft on the other side and probably have 12 ft based on what you have now. Cuz you have I think about 8 is where it sits
thereabouts. So if you shifted it 3 or 4 ft you get 12. You'd gain that Then you We don't have to do anything because the bylaw is 10. Correct. On the side setback. Right. So we're trying to we're trying to give you No I I
appreciate I mean We're going to probably have to do the yard area. Yes. So and then the frontage. And the frontage So those are aren't your problem. Those are those are what we do to clean up the mess because there's not a property down here that meets the zoning.
Yeah. They applied with the 80 or whatever it was. So you know some of these are like 2 acres. And a house you know in a property this big it's like what what do you want me to do? Yeah. So that's kind of the builds the hardships, right? And and you talked about safety and and that's kind
of the hardship that you don't have cuz you don't have a garage. The hard part is we say to you have these small narrow lots. Some of them you got a large lot. Mhm. >> Actually if you look at most lakes they're half that. >> Right. And then somebody wants to put a two-story garage with a room and it's like okay well this is where we got to
compromise because we literally you could have this or you come and say what can you allow? Yeah. You know and that's the good attitude of like can we move it? Can you shift it? You know. Since you're pouring the pad you have kind of the flexibility. There's nothing there now. Right. Exactly. The wood shavings are
going to go away and you're going to have a a dirt driveway or whatever. Right there there's a grade. Can we plot this out to gain 12 ft over here and 4 ft or whatever to Right. This is what we need to do to make it happen. Yeah. That's kind of where we're at like Chris said that's one less
variance that we'd have to grant. Because then but technically all you need is the area and the frontage. There's well the And the distance in this. setback. Cuz you need 75 ft is what the legal Yeah. That would put
you in the So near the water. Your total width is 70. You got 70 ft to the water, right? Or 170 so you'd have like 50 ft. >> [laughter] >> You could jump off your deck into the house to the lake. They're like right on the road practically. So that's why we try to help and fix as
we unravel some of these. And like I said there's not one down there that cuz the association sold all these lots years ago and they were literally like bungalows. Mhm. Some of them were conjoined. Even two lots doesn't meet Four lots could barely meet the zone requirements, you know.
Um so we'd have to kind of re- reword our our numbers a little bit. But I think it's doable. If you guys could Yeah. We could give you that Okay. boom and say you have to do this >> Okay. as part of the condition >> Yeah. and then we would read the other
zone. Okay. Okay. Um that's that's my suggestion based on limiting the amount of variances that you need and then you still get kind of the town safety, you get your part and you know it's a win-win for both of these as much as we can.
>> Yeah. I appreciate that. Any other questions? No, I thought my neighbor was here today. That's mostly Scott. This is for the next one. Next meeting. For Berkshire. Okay, well you're you're early then. My neighbor, yeah. Yeah, you're early. So right they'll be here shortly.
They should be here probably in about 5 minutes. Okay. Cuz that's the next one. That's probably the next meeting. Mostly like There you go. Okay. See? We're in the same neighborhood. Yeah. They're right on the corner from me. Grandview 16 Grandview. Okay, yeah. It's hard with these lake lots.
I mean you're saying 75 ft. I'd do it my neighbor. >> Oh yeah. We'd be in the water. They're coming in next. >> [laughter] >> I just want to see what he's what he's doing. Yeah. It's 24 and then so that would be I have to learn touch screen. Except that grants It's hard with these
lots. It is it is it is. And then the lot is straight. You know Everything's on an angle. All right. Yeah, that's what the That's what we should say cuz it's a condition to make it 10 minimum. Then they can plot it to wherever it has to fit.
Okay? Yeah. Okay, so you want to Any other questions, Paul? Concerns? We good if we we fix that? But we're talking with the 10 12 ft on it cuz we really get 10 ft minimum. And then and then the rest falls in place. For us to do the rest of it's easy cuz
it's area in front of the house. The slab will closer to the house. Yeah. Which will still get a path through there. Mhm. May have 3 or 4 ft versus 8. Mhm. But that four is going to give you nice legal siding and everything. I have a unrelated question. Did you
know that the assessors uh list your house as two family? Yeah. Yes. And it technically is, right? Yeah. Yes, it is. I could have told you that. Oh, sorry. I got I didn't go to the office. I've been in that place. Don't get me on that topic.
And right you you you either drove a snowmobile through there or you ice-skated. >> [laughter] >> I did ice-skate on that lake for sure and I snowmobile on that lake, too. But it was I even fished that lake. I learned to swim right not too far from where you are there in Buckland back in the day, remember? The record you can
stop by won't you can tell us some of the history. Some of you don't want to know. You can need to save >> Nobody died or anything. >> [laughter] >> All right, you want to read this one first or you got the numbers? Okay? Yeah, I just Since since there were no pens, well
we're going to we're do the variance from the from this pavement. And the little a little layout that Dan did looks if we take the 24 ft you said from the pavement and add in this uh 11
off off where the property line should be then then your setback from the pavement will be 35 ft and then so you only need a variance of 40 40 ft. That's just to get to the 75. Mhm. Then you
have to make me So what this does what we're going to do tonight is giving you the variance to put that in but also puts all the variances for the lot completely so something else comes up >> Okay. you're you're legally now a legal lot in in that in that street. >> Yeah. Right now you're not. Okay. It's a
pre-existing non-conforming. Right. We're helping to make it conforming by doing these extra variances. So when you hear all the numbers it's more or less fixing the lot. So if something ever came up again or somebody checked it you are legal. Okay. All right. I'll make a motion to grant
the following variances for 16 Grandview Street for the purpose of installing a prefab garage a front setback variance of 40 ft a lot area variance of 28,000 square feet
and a lot frontage variance of 58 ft. That's those are the only three you're going to need, Russ. I second. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. >> [laughter] >> It's all set. Okay, so we move forward. What's the
next step? 20 days. It's kind of a waiting period to get paperwork through in case somebody wants to call and challenge it. But after that you're free to get your building permit. You know that. I mean you could probably do your purchase and pre- pre- Get these waiting. Okay.
No, no. We got to go out That's in case but you can start laying out the floor and get your stuff rolling for your permit. >> And then you know you get your building permit cuz a copy of this will end up in the this building department so they'll know you're you're good to go. Okay. Cuz the first thing they'll look at is like, "Well, this lot's non-conforming now so
you got to go see us." It's all ready or we just need to come back in 20 days to the Well I can call you when it's ready. All right, correct. You'll have to come to the town hall to pick it up. Okay, that's fine. When it gets filed Perfect. Okay? All right, thank you. Enjoy your evening. Thanks. Good luck.
I'll be going by there as well. I'll see you at some point. I'm sure. All right. Very nice to meet everybody. >> Take care. Thank you. My passport was in that old We'll bring it back when we go through it. Take care. I didn't know they were one meeting at a
time. Yeah, it's what we have to do. a whole room No. Yeah, well Well, so depending on the depending on the application sometimes you get a whole room. Not sure if there's a lot of negative content. Yeah. That's usually when you see people want to voice their opinion. So
I'm just And we're online as well. I got Lou Gorelli. I don't know Do you know Lou Gorelli? He's he's on here but he's maybe waiting for the next one. Yeah, he yeah. This Brian Drennen should be here representing. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Brian? Come on in.
The water is fine. Not too hot yet. Hi there. We're working through it. Hi. Hi. All right. Hi. Ready for the next one? Check it out what you guys are up to. Oh, I see.
Taking my view away. >> [laughter] >> Oh, where do you live? I live right behind them. Oh, you do? >> Yeah. Okay. Sharon, I know I've met him before, Brian. Yes. Yes. I was trying to catch a bass over the fence. When you did this? Here's the
other one. Gotcha. Okay. He's got plans. Oh, man. All right, ready? Yes. Okay. Notice is hereby given public hearing to be held Monday, April 27th at 7:20 a little bit late, 7:30. Hear the petition of Wellesley Scott for
property located at 125 Berkshire Avenue, Southwick, Mass. The applicant is seeking a front setback variance of 33 ft and 25 ft. A frontage variance of 83 ft and a lot variance of 33,031 square feet in order to construct a
balcony and a family room addition to existing home. What up, Paul? Okay. Floor is yours. Okay. Brian Drennen, Southwick Builders representing Wes and Terri Scott, 125 Berkshire Avenue. Um so we're looking I'm Terri. Okay.
Thank [laughter] you. Um And you are? I'm Sharon Green. And I live right behind them. On Berkshire? Tobacco. What's the number? 16. Just state it for the record. Sorry. It's all No problem. Okay. And we'll give you a chance to speak once we get the presentation and if
you've got comment well we'll open up the floor. Sure. For a few minutes, okay? Sure. Um so we're looking for the square foot variance because this is a pre-existing non-conforming zone. Um as all of them are over in that area. Yes, sir. Um requiring 60,000 ft which
I'm assuming they don't have so we would be just be looking for that variance just because of the nature of that um lot size. And then the frontage we have 67.7 ft currently and minimum is 250. Um and it's the frontage um
variance request. And >> Are you in R20? I'm sorry to We are R20, yeah, Berkshire. R20 is 150. Oh, I'm sorry. I circled the wrong I did the same thing for the as 40,000. Right. It's not as bad as Yeah, it's a
little better. Oh. We're still We've still got a big difference. We would fix it anyway. No, I'm sorry about that. Um Yeah, so those two for obvious reasons and then the setback front setback
uh currently the house sits at 67.7 ft um with a minimum setback of 75 so >> [snorts] >> um currently there's a covered entrance way which is about 5 by 6 and we're looking to replace that with
a 10 by 6 second floor balcony which would create that same covered entrance way increased by a few feet. Um covers the current steps in the front entrance. And then the addition would be that
second uh setback variance because that side addition family room addition would also fall uh short of making that 75 ft setback. It's setback from the house front of the by 2 ft uh but still falling a couple feet short
because of that 75 minimum requirement. >> [snorts] >> I did just draw the plane of the two neighboring houses just showing that this house is currently set back uh like 16 ft further than the the plane of the two neighboring houses, right and left. So, we're already set back I I don't
know um uh just to kind of uh put that out there but this is um our three or four variance requests that we have. I have copy a several copies of the plan if you'd like to What was the Yeah, I'd like to see the
main the main variance Is it some natural foundation and I think you showed that on 3 in negative So, I'll look on on I got a kind of a vertical This this is the covered porch area right now, right? Mhm. So, you're
going to extend this then you want to put an addition on the back of this, correct? So, then Um So, that'd be This is This way This is the addition over here. The addition would be right here. It'd be off this side. Yeah, yes. Okay, that's how you then there's the porch. >> Here's the covered porch right now. We'd
be coming out about a foot further Yeah. and a couple feet wider cuz she they want to put a door up. This is their master bedroom. They want to have a sliding glass door patio door facing the lake. And so, we need to make that balcony just a little bit wider to accommodate that 6-ft width. Mhm.
This is the neighboring garage but the house actually I think they they have a porch out here. >> Yeah. And that's the driveway currently, correct? It is, yeah. >> Right. I know it's bordered by trees. Um how large is that addition? 16 by 20
16 by 20 How tall is it? One story is a state of the ceiling. I I think he's got the overall elevation somewhere on You know, it might be on another plan that I didn't include. Uh but I have it here. Well, if I just have a phone number this
is a So, we got just a little bit So, That's the only real problem then. Question? That's all he has. I think they're just understanding. Yeah. This one I brought a question up so I want to get
What's the purpose of the addition? We want to put a Well, we don't have enough space as far as like formal dining room. So, we're going to go our kitchen, our existing kitchen, and then we want to put an an addition off to have a formal dining
room. Um even like a workspace cuz I work at home. And so, that is the main purpose is to have a family or dining room that we don't have today. Um It'd be nice to have a balcony off so that we have a view of the lake. We
don't have that today. But yeah, we just more space. It's a very tight area to begin with and we can't really host that much so that's main purpose is more space as far as dining room and living room. Um as we get into all these applications
Mhm. with non-conforming you know, everyone is trying to get hardship to do it. What what would be the hardship for you other than just space? That's that's what we struggle with, you know, I can see the porch if you're extending it for snow cover, blah blah
blah blah blah. Safety and all that but adding a room you can stretch for hardship. Uh we were thinking the hardship would be that the lot is restrictive, you know. I know the neighboring house here put a a
good size addition off the front extending into that um and it's a porch which is covered porch or it's like three season room with a second floor porch which was approved by the town in you know, well into and further and much further beyond
um Um Understand that these are all non-conforming pre-existing non-conforming. That's part of the reason we do this and like you said that sometimes they'll be you know, they're on a garage and they're trying to put a garage on it because of weather or ramp elderly people so expanding into your home or bringing
somebody in. The soil question or the size of lot is it's [snorts] comes into more if there's a slope or something with the soil where you couldn't build on it. Mhm. Um and that's where that kind of gets into the hardship of the lot.
So, you just say this is a raise or we struggle at times like I know the lot is non-conforming. That's part of the problem. Mhm. But ex- the expansion doesn't give a hardship to either first floor access for somebody, you
know what I mean? It says you want a dining room. So, I guess that's where I we all kind of struggle is like what what would be the other purpose other than wanting more space? I mean about a house with a small lot that's restrictive. And by zoning is very restrictive. Um
so, I'm just trying to dig into that trying to help like find a hardship that we can kind of agree on to present, you know what I mean? Uh she's recently home working from home in a home office could be the you know, the reason for it is a reason for Um
because we we The reason I say that we've had a couple challenge over the years where someone comes back and says well they really didn't have a hardship they shouldn't get it and they fight the zoning board in mass and then got overturned. So, we're cautious on trying to identify and report a legitimate
hardship that makes it feasible that why we did this. Mhm. It's flat land, right? You know, so again I'm I'm just trying to help create how we would do that and I'll leave it to the board for us to discuss but um So, anyway, we got the idea that I think you laid out
what you're looking for. So, I can open up if you want to comment on your side. >> Well, I think a 16 by 20 is quite large. Um so, if I say comment, you know, it's going to bite on to not probably not my side but you know,
16 by 20 is probably as big as the house is now, right? But but it does meet the side setback so that Yeah, did you have some other comment? You're Are you It seemed like it was it's just big in size when she's Brian said 16 by 20.
Um But you know, that's you know, the need you I guess you feel you need, right? Um We don't have a lot of space to begin with inside. So, I'm just I had the same house as you years ago, yeah. And I town let me demolish it and rebuild.
Yeah. And but I can only go I think 24 by 28 and that was it. >> You want a foundation that was there. Yeah. So, the I mean when I hear those numbers it just seems big because I know my floor plan on my house that Mhm. But
>> [clears throat] >> I mean you know, the point is the config and I think some of the variances are minimal to do that. Kevin Kevin they're not bad. Being set back from where the house is >> Yeah. is a plus. Mhm. Uh not needing a side setback variance on where that
I'll call that the tighter side. That that's a plus. Uh You know, having a work from home situation you know, like I could kind of get on board with that as being a a decent decent reason for it.
Any thoughts from you guys? Yeah, I agree. Questions? I agree with that, you know, yeah. Working from home taking up less space in your house. Yeah, I'm trying to That's it. I'm not trying to not to I'm just want to make sure we're on the same page that that because if a question comes up
there is a little consensus of why we were able to kind of allow this on a lot that really shouldn't have it is my point. Yeah, let's take that 20 ft and make it 30 ft and give her a 10-ft uh office space. I would like that.
>> [laughter] >> Uh anything I think gains even if you have an office space, you know, I've had We've had daycares where they're trying to do that where they're you know, to business again and it's not a room so they try to do that too. But the hardship is you know, trying to make money out of the hardship, right? So,
there's kind of that gray area if you will. Um so, cuz they're really not a hardship to create income. So, you know, so But if it's you know, cut it. So, anyway, um I think I think that's a fair
fair assessment from from the board on this side. Um On the layout you had We had you had a kind of a drawing as far as there was I want to go back to the same thing with access. Which is public access from Lake Winyou to get to the backyard, you know, which
is this side on the left. Which leaves us leaves us 17 ft >> Well, there this is still good but the other side's got more. It does, yeah. You're right. So, that's all. So, okay. That was my concern is want to verify that one. So, you got pretty good back here. Just for a background, do you know where the pins are on the front of the
view? Um So, we have we found this one, the iron pin in the I'm sorry, in this back corner here we located in this back corner. So, we know where these are. You kind of just Yeah, uh well, there's there's an iron pin like right here but
there's a there's trees in between and it's the same iron pin. It's not out in the typical corner of the lot. But it makes perfect sense looking at it and uh You measure off this pin. 303 I guess my question is the dimensions you've asked for are to the
property line. They're to the property line, correct. And it's and it even if it was plus or minus where you know, because we have that extra 17 ft. From the street, I did tell like when I talked to Wendy, this is to the asphalt. I don't really know where the, you know, the where the right away ends, where the
town owns. Oh, okay. This dimension is to the asphalt. >> And that dimension, you don't know what You don't have pins out there. No, I don't. No, correct. >> Nobody Nobody does, but we always assume I was I was counting the pins. We were like metal we back with a metal detector and but there is an iron pin that's
exactly the same as the one in the back, too, but it's like 15 ft into the property line. I just want, you know, when we get to the point where we're going to talk about dimensions, just know as accurate as we can get. Yeah, this will be to the asphalt. Okay, that's all I could come up with.
There's that 5-ft walkway right there, too, between there and the property. >> Well, yeah, and then and usually like It is pinned over there. >> We we pretty much can assume that there's to the asphalt 5 ft back to the property line because they allow that for maintenance and most We couldn't
even find that on the walkway in the properties. You can see it in the back. Yeah, you can you can pin on my property, I think. Yeah, just out front we we lose that for some reason. I actually think I mean, honest opinion, it's going to improve the home. Yeah, it's worth it for sure. The
neighborhood. >> Yeah. Everything, yeah. Cuz it's one of those houses you drive by and it's like it's for my OCD it's like it's turned the wrong way, you know, it's it's going this way, it should be this way. They did that a lot with those trying to fit it on the properties that they had to deal with, but
Okay. Now, do we have to consider a variance both for this porch or and the condition or does since the porch is closer, does that cover the addition? I had asked for both not knowing what to do with that. I would say it's the
concern is more the addition. The addition, even though that's closer. Yeah, but it's the how much closer? A foot from the existing overhang right now. Now, it's kind of there already. It's just, you know, I mean, it's it's going to be a little bit more of a shadow cuz you're going to extend it a little bit, but it's not coming down to
the ground, right? But that's what I'm saying, so it's not like deck. I look at the foundation as where I would do the variance from. Okay. Cuz it's actually attaching, becoming real estate. You know, where the you could take that porch off anytime you really wanted to. Right, and that's 2 ft back from the
front corner of the house. >> set back anyway. A couple feet, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. The best I I mean, I could do was this you're going to be about 46 ft back from the From the corner. From the beginning. To the to the addition.
About 50 cuz we're 48 currently and actually the the property line kind of gets further away from the house. It's not parallel with the front, but it's 48 to the house and then that addition is a 2 ft back from that. Oh, I'm sorry. From the pavement or from From the pavement. That's that's why we
went. Oh, okay. That's why we do that and we'll watch you. Okay. It's fair. Why use the pavement so? I think that's the best measurement that we've got. But we can base on that that way we can back it up in what we did, you know, so
Okay, so we can base the variance off of that for the setback. Yeah. And then the lot one, you know, you got all that. So, that's a given. And then the frontage? Frontage is is off also. >> Yeah, correct. Okay. Any other questions? Comments from the
board? Nothing. Okay. Dr. Wohl. I will uh enter a motion to grant the following variances for 125 Berkshire Avenue for the purpose of adding a
a balcony over the existing front entryway and a an addition on the side of the house. A front setback variance of 29 ft. A lot area variance of
33,600 ft. And a lot frontage variance of 82 ft. That should be it. Okay. Second that. Okay. All in favor? Aye. Aye.
Aye. Boom. 40 days, you know the you know the drill. Thank you guys. Yeah, no problem. We appreciate your time. Thank you. >> [laughter] >> Thank you. Thank you. Can I see what it looks like? Yeah, I'll show you. Yeah. I got a plan here for your home. Just curious, yeah. You want to keep a
copy of that? Okay. We will. Well, that'll be really nice to have that in the front of my house. Well, you know, by everything. Yeah. Yeah, it's going to be nice. It feels just seem It just seemed big, you know, when you were talking. Did you run We have such a little house.
>> Yes, this You were you were on the marathon? I did. Did you Thank you. That's a big If I'm running, then I'll be running, too, cuz something's chasing us. Remember any days before I review. Good for you. Thank you. That's a good
accomplishment, any kind of accomplishment, especially a full one. 26 is no joke. Oh, New York New York City Marathon, yeah. All right. All right. Thank you. Thank you very much. No meetings. We have a business one here
for you. This is the second. Yeah. 119. 119. I have something. Yeah, I'll just do the recap. You want to do plan And plan B in a minute quick on both. It's hard cuz there's no real good
plot plans on the town. You know, they they give you a an ages thing that they probably shot in the satellite that says kind of here. And they give you a scale, so then you try to like guess how far off you are from the street. The quickest line to get is the street line. You know that's a defined line, but
Well, he says they had some pins. But we they got them squared as much as they could, but there's no front pin. Just the back corners. So, you you're measuring, you're guessing. You know how far forward it's supposed to be from that pin? It should well, within 5 ft. That's That's why I put 5 ft on it
extra, you know. And that's balcony actually doesn't really count. It shouldn't do that. It's not touching anything. It's already there. They just They just resting But But it doesn't count. It's up there. Right, that's what I mean. There's
nothing nothing to They put posts on it and wanted to walk it in. Now it's a it's like a room, right? So, Okay. Andy, anything else coming up soon? We've got a the continuation, right? Yes. >> [laughter] >> The fun one.
And then you you got to do That's right cuz of cuz of the holiday and then all that stuff. Early June. So, May 11th. That's the our next meeting. You're not here. I'm not here. I'm going to be out. I'm
not here, either. Wait, let me let me put it to you this way. I'm next week all week. Uh I'm going the next week. >> I'll be back for the 11th, but do you want to have a meeting on the 11th? No, cuz I'm going, too. I can put in a no meeting for the 11th. Okay, perfect. Yeah, I mean, I can be proxy in Florida,
but I've done that before. Can we vote on that one now? Yeah. >> [laughter] >> The answer is no. All right, um want to put up a motion to adjourn? Second. All in favor? Aye. Aye. All right, thank you very much. So, move to adjourn.
>> Okay. Okay. Okay.