beagenda

MINUTES

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WATERTOWN ZON= ING BOARD OF APPEALS

CONTINUATION OF PUBLIC HEARING

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WEDNESDA= Y, MAY 24, 2006 - 7:30 P.M.

WATERTOWN HIGH SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY CENTER

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APPLICATION #821 – TODD AND NICHALENE GENOVESE

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

= &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; John Griffith, Vice Ch= airman

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

        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp; Phil Roger

ABSENT: &nb= sp;            =             &nb= sp;            =     Enrico Sarandrea, Chai= rman

ALTERNATES PRESENT:            = Gary Swingle, Acting Secretary

ALTERNATES ABSENT:            &= nbsp;   Chris Lafferty

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

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1.         = Call Meeting To Order

            Mr. Griffith, Vice Chairman, Called the Public Hearing to Order at about 7:30 p= .m.

2.     &nb= sp;   Roll Call

            Ms. Bisson, Secretary, executed the Roll Call.

            Mr. Griffith, Vice Chairman, asked Mr. Swingle to sit in for Mr. Sarandrea, in = his absence.

            Mr. Griffith, Vice Chairman, read aloud the Ground Rules for the record as foll= ows:

"GROUND RULES

1.&n= bsp;            = ;     The applica= nt or his representative will make his formal presentation to the Board stating h= is specific hardship and precisely why this merits a variance from the Zoning Regulations of the Town of Wat= ertown.

WATERTOWN ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

CONTINUA= TION OF PUBLIC HEARING

APPLICAT= ION #821 – TODD AND NICHALENE GENOVESE

MAY 24, = 2006

Page 2

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2.&n= bsp;            = ;     All comment= s, 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, and for clearer legal transcription.

3.&n= bsp;            = ;     All persons addressing the Commission shall begin by first clearly stating their name a= nd address for the record. If necessary, the person may be asked to spell his or her name for the record.=

4.&n= bsp;            = ;     Following t= he presentation of the application, the Zoning Board of Appeals will ask speci= fic questions of the applicant.

5.&n= bsp;            = ;     After the B= oard has asked its questions of the applicant, I shall then allow members of the public who wishes to speak either in favor of this application or against i= t to address the Board.

6.&n= bsp;            = ;     I shall then allow the applicant to respond to the comments of the members of the general public.

7.&n= bsp;            = ;     I shall then allow any members of the general public who wish to present any additional information or clarifying discussion to do so.

8.&n= bsp;            = ;     I shall then provide an opportunity for the applicant to respond to these additional rem= arks if he or his representative so wishes.

9.&n= bsp;            = ;     The Zoning = Board of Appeals has thirty-five (35) days from the date the Public Hearing comme= nces to complete the Public Hearing. The Board may ask the applicant for a thirty-five (35) day extension of the Pub= lic Hearing period if the Commission requires any additional information or wis= hes to schedule a site walk to observe the situation for th= emselves.

10.&= nbsp;           &nbs= p; The Zoning = Board of Appeals has sixty-five (65) days from the date when the Public Hearing is closed to render its decision. The Board may or may not make its decision tonight at its Regular Meeting follo= wing the Public Hearing.

11.       You m= ay stay for the Regular Meeting if you wish or you may leave at the end of the Public Hearing and contact the Zoning Office the following morning to deter= mine the status of your Application.

WATERTOWN ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

CONTINUA= TION OF PUBLIC HEARING

APPLICAT= ION #821 – TODD AND NICHALENE GENOVESE

MAY 24, = 2006

Page 3

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3.         Hearing of Cases=

        &= nbsp;   A.        Continuation of the Public Hearing from April 26, 2006 - Application #821 of Todd and Nichalene Genovese request for a variance of 12.5 feet to a side yard prope= rty line setback to permit the construction of a detached garage at 480 Concord Drive, Watertown, CT.

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        &= nbsp;   Recess or Adjourn, the Public Hearing, must be Closed b= y May 31, 2006 unless applicant grants a time extension.

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<= span style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Todd Genovese, 480 Concord Drive, Watertown, CT 06795= =

Mr. Genovese: <= /b> We had a site walk through and continuation and I’m here to state my case as far as my hardship. Do you want me to recite everything I’ve done previously?

Mr. Rafey: = Just discuss what the application i= s for and what the variance is for.

Mr. Genovese: The application= is for a 2 car garage. I’m looking for a variance of my north side property line. The reason for the placement of the garage is I have a hardship with utilities, electrical, utilities coming in= to my property and my well, cause the garage is going to have drains, and the septic that runs around the garage, plus any additional that I would want t= o do would alter, bedrooms and actually cause a building code violation and I’m trying to house some vehicles that I have, that are not the best looking things, but I’m trying to actually make the property look a little bit better. I have a b= uffer around my property and I know I have some neighbors that are opposing it, (= inaudible) and least affected by it. I b= elieve my two side yard neighbors have talked and written letters for it.

Mr. Rafey: I received two let= ters from two abutting property owners, if you want to read them into the record.

Mr. Swingle, Acting Secretary, read aloud the following letters for the record:=

&q= uot;May 22, 2006

To= Whom It May Concern:

Re= : Zoning Board of = Appeals

&= nbsp; Application #821 Genovese

WATERTOWN ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

CONTINUA= TION OF PUBLIC HEARING

APPLICAT= ION #821 – TODD AND NICHALENE GENOVESE

MAY 24, = 2006

Page 4

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We= have known Todd and Nichalene Genovese since they became our next door neighbors= 9 years ago. A few years after = moving in Todd told us that he wanted to build a detached garage to store his gard= en equipment and other items. We= told him at the time that we did not have a problem and we encouraged him to bui= ld it. Since then we have put a = shed and swimming pool in our back yard and Todd and Nichalene have always suppo= rted our plans for these additions. Now they need a variance to build their garage because they need to build it wi= thin 7.5 of our side yard property line. Of all the neighbors listed as abutting property owners, we feel tha= t we would be most affected by this requested variance and we are not opposed to= it. We hope that this variance is granted. We are happy to offe= r that all our neighbors, including Todd and Nichalene Genovese, beautifully maint= ain their properties. We feel tha= t the addition of this garage would add great value to Todd and Nichalene’s property= and we fully support them in their requested variance.”

Br= ian and MaryAnn Peschell

500 Concord Drive

Watertown"

&#= 8220;May 23, 2006

To= Whom It May Concern:

My= feelings about this variance is the same as it was last month. I’m against it a= nd I’m the one whose face it’s going to be in. One major question, why does Mr. Genovese need a variance in the first place, where he has almost twice as m= uch land as I have to begin with? Unfortunately I can’t be at this meeting because I work on Wednesday nights, but I will continue to voice my opposition to this propos= al.

Si= ncerely,

Do= rothy Howell”

Mr. Griffith: She’s the neighbor to the left?

Mr. Genovese: The one that is= all the way in the rear, 120 feet away.

Mr. Griffith: Yea, she’= s not . . . . DiVito is the other one.

Mr. Genovese: DiVito is on the other corner. Those are the 2= rear, and then Peschell is the one next to the garage, but Howell is about 120 fe= et away from the property line, not even her house, which would probably be another 200 feet.

WATERTOWN ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

CONTINUA= TION OF PUBLIC HEARING

APPLICAT= ION #821 – TODD AND NICHALENE GENOVESE

MAY 24, = 2006

Page 5

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John DiVito, 143 (Inaudible) Drive, Watertown, CT 06795=

Mr. DiVito: Again I was here = at the last meeting and again (inaudible) the 20 (inaudible) we moved out to the country not for somebody to put buildings on your back line, and if the cod= e is 20 feet, I think that should be maintained, so you have the openness. If you grant this then somebody el= se is going to want another one, and you get everybody starts getting a grant, mo= ving closer and closer. We moved o= ut of the City to get out of that stuff, now this is starting to happen up in Watertown. I’m probably one of the pion= eers up there. We always had to ma= intain the code. As I stated at the = last meeting, it was 25 feet (inaudible) at that time, then it got changed to 20, now they want to change it to 12.5 which I don’t think is right. Thank you very much.

Mr. Griffith: Anyone else?

MOTION: &= nbsp; (Ms. Bisson, sec. Mr. Roger) to Close the Public Hearing for Application #821 of Todd and Nichalene Genovese request for a variance of 12.5 feet to a side y= ard property line setback to permit the construction of a detached garage at 480 Concord Drive, Watertown, CT.

Discussion: None<= o:p>

MOTION PASSED UNANIMOU= SLY

Public Hearing Recessed at about 7:40 p.m. (no time given).

Respect= fully submitted,

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John Griffith, Vice Chairman

Zoning = Board of Appeals

&nbs= p; _________________= _________________

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