beagenda

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MINUTES<= o:p>

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WATERTOWN ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

PUBLIC H= EARING

WEDNESDA= Y, APRIL 13, 2005 - 7:30 P.M.

WATERTOWN HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY

APPLICAT= ION #794 – CHARLES MCGRAINE

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PRESENT: = &nb= sp; = Mary Bisson, Secretary

&nbs= p; John Griffith

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; Roger Mitchell

= ; &n= bsp; = ; &n= bsp; = ; Enrico Sarandrea, Chai= rman

ABSENT: = &nb= sp; = Phil Roger, Vice Chairman

ALTERNATES PRESENT: Chris Lafferty

ALTERNATES ABSENT: &= nbsp; Scott Stewart

OTHERS PRESENT: &n= bsp; = ; Mary Barton, Zoning Enforcement Officer

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; Paul Jessell, Town Attorney

= ; &n= bsp; = ; &n= bsp; = ; Moosa Rafey, Assistant Zoning Enforcement Officer

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1. = Call Meeting To Order

Mr. Sarandrea, Chairman, Called the Public Hearing to Order at 7:30 p.m.

2. &nb= sp; Roll Call

Ms. Bisson, Secretary, executed the Roll Call.

Mr. Sarandrea, Chairma= n, asked Mr. Lafferty to sit in for Mr. Roger, in his absence.

Mr. Sarandrea, Chairman, read aloud the Ground Rules for the record as follows:=

“Rules For Conduct of Public Hearing

The applicant, or his representative will make his formal presentation to the = Board stating his specific hardship and precisely why this merits a variance from= the Zoning Regulations of the Town of Watertown. All comments, discussions, and observations shall be made through the Chair after proper recognition by the Chairman. This is necessary to ensure that only one person at a time speaks on any issue, thus making it easier for everyone to understand for clear, legal transcription.

WATERTOWN ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

PUBLIC H= EARING

APPLICAT= ION #794 – CHARLES MCGAINE

APRIL 13= , 2005

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All persons addressing= the Board shall begin by first clearly stating their name and address for the record. If necessary, the per= son may be asked to spell his name for the record. Following the presentation of the application the Zoning Board of Appeals will ask specific questions of the applicant. After the Board has asked its questions of the applicant, the Chairman shall then allow any mem= bers of the public who wish to speak either for or against this application, to address the Board. The Chairm= an shall then allow the applicant to respond to the comments of the members of= the general public. The Chairman = shall then allow members of the general public who wish to discuss any additional information or clarifying discussions, to do so. The Chairman shall then provide an opportunity for the applicant to respond to these additional remarks if he = or his representative(s) so wish.

The Zoning Board of Appeals has 35 days from the date the Public Hearing commen= ces to complete the Public Hearing. The Board may ask the applicant for a 35 day extension of the Public Hearing pe= riod if the Board requires any additional information or wishes to schedule a si= te walk to observe the situation for themselves. The Zoning Board of Appeals has 65= days from the date the Public Hearing is closed to render its decision. The Board may or may not make its decision tonight at its Regular Meeting following the Public Hearing. You may stay for the Regular Meeti= ng if you wish or you may leave at the end of the Public Hearing and contact the Zoning Officer the following morning to determine the status of your application.”

Ms. Bisson, Secretary,= read aloud the Legal Notice for the Record:

“Legal Notice

The Zoning Board of Ap= peals of the Town of Watertown will hold a Public Hearing at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13, 2005 at the Watertown High School Library, 324 French Street, Watertown, <= st1:State w:st=3D"on">CT to hear and act upon the following applications:

Application #794 of Ch= arles and Patricia McGraine of 68 Bangor Street, Oakville, CT request for a varia= nce of 6 feet to a front yard property line setback to permit the construction = of a 26’ x 40’ addition to an existing single-family dwelling to be located 29 feet from a front yard property line at 68 Bangor Street, Oakvil= le, CT in an R-12.5 Residential Zoning District.

Section 24.5.3a of the= Watertown Zoning Regulations requires 35 feet front yard property line setback for a principle building in an R-12.5 Residential Zoning District.

WATERTOWN ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

PUBLIC H= EARING

APPLICAT= ION #794 – CHARLES MCGAINE

APRIL 13= , 2005

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At this Hearing intere= sted persons and written communications will be heard. A copy of the application is on fi= le in the Planning and Zoning Office, 51 Depot Street, Suite 502, Watertown, Connecticut.

Da= ted at Watertown, Connecticut, this 31st day of March, 2005.

Da= ted at Watertown, Connecticut, this 7^th day of April, 2005.

Mary Bisson, Secretary=

Zoning Board of Appeals”

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3. Hearing of Cases=

&= nbsp; A. Application #794 of Charles McGraine request for a variance of 6 feet to a front yard property line setback to permit the construction of an addition at 68 Bangor Street, Oakville, CT.

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&= nbsp; Recess or Adjourn, the Public Hearing must be Closed by May 18, 2005 unless applic= ant grants a time extension.

&= nbsp; Charles McGraine, 68 Bangor Street, Oakville, CT&n= bsp; 06779

= ; Mr. McGraine: The hardship that I ha= ve is that there is no foundation underneath the back half of the dwelling, where= it is now, so I really can’t construct my new addition on it. There’s really no footings o= r any drains around. This building = is probably about 75 or 80 years old.

= ; Ms. Barton: If you look at the last sheet, it’s got a copy of the survey, it’s probably easier to l= ook at it from that way.

= ; Mr. Sarandrea: What are you using this addition for?

= ; Mr. McGraine: It’s going to be= a garage, a kitchen, living room, and 3 bedrooms.

= ; Mr. Griffith: How many rooms in the existing hou= se?

= ; Mr. McGraine: 4. Do you mean in the whole thing rig= ht now?

= ; Mr. Griffith: Yes.=

= ; Mr. McGraine: There’s 6 rooms.=

WATERTOWN ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

PUBLIC H= EARING

APPLICAT= ION #794 – CHARLES MCGAINE<= o:p>

APRIL 13= , 2005

Page 4

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= ; Mr. Rafey: The existing house is = only 12.8 feet from the side property line.&nbs= p; By removing that section of the house and putting this new addition, actually the non-conformance of this property will be reduced because the n= ew addition will be 11.8 feet from the side property line and for that zone, t= he zoning requirement is 10 feet side of property line. The only variance that they’= re asking for is from the front. The existing house is also non-conforming from the front, it’s 32.8 feet = and with the new addition it will be 29 feet from the front property line, but = the total of the non-conformance of this structure will be reduced.<= /span>

= ; Ms. Barton: Here’s Bangor. This is off of Buckingham Street.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> There’s Augusta, then the new school, John Trumbull, then Sacco, Augusta, you’re the one right after John Trumbull, right?

= ; Mr. McGraine: Right, go down, make t= he right, then come across and Bangor is a dead end street, actually a paper street behind (inaudible). Th= is street doesn’t go any farther than my house.

= ; Ms. Barton: Fulton Street is a pap= er street that’s been abandoned.

= ; Mr. Sarandrea: So he wants to knock t= his down?

= ; Ms. Barton: He wants to knock what’s there right now.

= ; Mr. Sarandrea: The garage is coming d= own?

= ; Mr. McGraine: Yea, the garage is com= ing down, a living room and a kitchen that’s there right now, it’s = like a 2 car, that’s all going to come down. I’m just going to cut it a t= wo story . . . . .

= ; Ms. Barton: And your house is how old? I know it was quite old.= 30’s I thought.

= ; Mr. McGraine: At least 40 years I wo= uld think, that part of it is.

= ; Ms. Barton: So that there’s = no foundation. What he wants to = do is he wants to take down the portion that doesn’t have a foundation, he can’t build on it, cause he checked with the building officials, but = the wants to take it down, leave the side yard setback but he wants to go close= r to the street line, cause in this zone it’s a 35 foot street line setbac= k.

= ; Mr. Rafey: The existing drive is = 32.8 feet from the street line, and the addition will be 29 feet. They’re asking for a 6 foot variance.

WATERTOWN ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

PUBLIC H= EARING

APPLICAT= ION #794 – CHARLES MCGAINE<= o:p>

APRIL 13= , 2005

Page 5

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= ; Ms. Bisson: So the impact on the neighbor, as Moosa explained, will be less, cause they’ll be far enou= gh away from the side line, which should be . . . .

= ; Mr. Rafey: Which will make your neighbor happy because the house will be 11 feet closer from the property l= ine.

= ; Mr. Sarandrea: Does anyone have any questions? Does anyone from t= he public wish to speak either For or Against this Application? No one? Okay, thanks.

= ; MOTION: (Ms. Bisson, sec. Mr. Griffith) to Close the Public Hearing for Application #794= of Charles McGraine request for a variance of 6 feet to a front yard property = line setback to permit the construction of an addition at 68 Bangor Street, Oakville, CT.

&= nbsp; Discussion: None<= o:p>

&= nbsp; MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

Public Hearing Closed at 7:41 p.m.

Respect= fully submitted,

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Enrico Sarandrea, Chairman

Zoning = Board of Appeals

&nbs= p; _________________= _________________

&nbs= p; Lynn M. LaForme, Minutes Secretary