Neighbors Oppose Large-Scale Multi-Family

Christian Loranger, the developer of a multi-family condominium at 16 Cottage Street, is looking to develop an additional condo complex at 324 Front Street to the dismay of some neighbors, especially abutter Peter Douglas of 326 Front Street.

A historic white house currently sits at the site, and Loranger plans to raze the house to construct a six-unit, 12-bedroom gambrel-style apartment building with a footprint that is roughly 190% larger than the current house.

The substantially larger building will also be taller with an elevator shaft that will bring the total height higher than the 35 feet maximum height.

According to Building Inspector Scott Shippey, however, this elevator shaft falls under the town’s bylaw definition of a “customary roof structure.” Features such as bulkheads and other “uninhabitable spaces” can be allowed and excluded from the total structure height, he said.

“It’s debatable,” said Shippey. “It would be my call, and it would be reviewed under the plans. It is allowed within reason.”

Starting off the Marion Zoning Board of Appeals public hearing on behalf of Loranger was his attorney, John Mathieu, who said the project would be nearly identical to the one Loranger completed on Cottage Street.

Although it was initially believed to have five bedrooms as per the Assessor’s Office, the existing three-story house, he claimed, actually has 12 bedrooms that could be grandfathered and excused in Loranger’s project, an extension of a non-conforming use.

This would have to be proved, however, since the board had a hard time accepting that the existing house would contain that many unaccounted for bedrooms.

“We welcome the board to inspect the house if they feel it is necessary,” Mathieu said. The house, as is, he added, is beyond salvageable and would have to be knocked down entirely.

Architect Anthi Frangiadis reviewed the plan with the board. The front of the house will increase from 37 feet wide to 40 feet wide, and the house will be moved back slightly to conform with all setbacks.

Two units are planned for each floor of the three-story proposed structure, which Frangiadis described as an architectural style that is in keeping with the style of Marion’s village center. The outside façade will be of natural materials, and the roof pitch and proposed balconies and decks would also reflect a tasteful style like other houses in town.

“This will increase [tax] revenue to the Town,” said Mathieu, “with very little impact on town services.”

There is, however, an issue with municipal sewer service, which would have to be approved by the selectmen who are also the water and sewer commissioners.

The issue up front, said Chairman Marc Leblanc, is the number of bedrooms.

“We need to clarify first the actual number of bedrooms on the property,” Leblanc said.

Shippey agreed.

“There may be twelve bedrooms, but they’re not approved,” Shippey stated.

Another issue is that Loranger will also need to prove the consistent uninterrupted use of the house as a multi-family in order to approve the use within the residential zone. New multi-family constructions are only permitted within a certain designated residential zone.

This, pointed out Douglas, the direct abutter to the project, is why a proposed structure such as Loranger’s does not belong next to his house.

The main concern: the size and scale of the proposed structure, which he says will dwarf his house and block sunshine for most of the day, casting “a perpetual shadow” on the interior of his house and also killing trees and bushes on his lawn.

He said a project like this, located where it is proposed, would make Marion “the mega-condo capital of the SouthCoast.”

In describing the planned structure, Douglas used words such as “monstrosity,” “huge,” and “gigantic.”

Douglas handed the board a detailed list of grievances, some pertaining to existing bylaws as well as what Douglas called “misrepresentations” in Loranger’s plans.

“The rules are there to prevent us from being treated like this and having someone ignore the rules when they think that is to their advantage,” said Douglas. “That is the reason rules need to be enforced – and violation of the rules should not be allowed, waived, or excused.”

Neighbor Diane Worley across the street at 329 Front Street employed engineer Doug Schneider to review the specs of the plan. He took issue with the elevator shaft as well, and also brought to the forefront that planned walking paths and a widening of the driveway to accommodate an enlarged parking area in the back was not reflected in the total impervious lot coverage of Loranger’s plan.

Schneider also argued that Loranger’s project would require a site plan review with the Planning Board due to the scale of the proposal.

Regarding Conservation Commission comments on the application, Mathieu said he was surprised the Conservation Commission required a filing, since the proposed house would be outside the flood zones and away from any wetlands buffer zones, although part of the front portion of the property would lie within a flood zone.

“We’re going to look over everything and make an appropriate decision,” said Leblanc.

The matter was continued until the next scheduled meeting of the Marion Zoning Board of Appeals on March 9 at 7:30 pm in the Marion Town House meeting room.

By Jean Perry

 

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