A unanimous vote on issues regarding lot size and access to two lots, off Route 6, by the Marion Planning Board on Thursday evening, June 21, gave the green light to the Buzzards Bay Area Habitat for Humanity (BBAHFH) to build a new home at 185 Wareham Road in Marion.
“We hope to get a building permit in August and break ground in late August or early September,” said Jack Beck, a driver behind the initiative. “This is the first Habitat home to be built in Marion and it is the first time we’ve collaborated with the town and worked with the Affordable Housing Trust, the Planning Board, Conservation Commission, Marion Open Space Acquisition Committee and the Community Preservation Committee and this is great to have the Planning Board give us the go-ahead this evening.”
“This has been an experience…working with so many good people to get this goal accomplished,” said Beck.
George McTurk and Jack Beck, Marion residents, represented the Buzzards Bay Area Habitat for Humanity.
The land was purchased from the Town of Marion and was approved as a warrant article at Marion Town Meeting on May 21. Earlier issues surrounding the project involved the small lot size, which was initially proposed at 5,000 square feet.
Planning Board member Sherman Briggs, along with other Planning Board members, led the charge to increase the lot size and pushed to have the town owned land surrounding the proposed project reviewed to see if it was the appropriate place for the Habitat home.
After several engineering hurdles, including a new velocity zone designation on FEMA maps, frontage issues and a small yard, the town committees worked together to determine the best place for the home to be built.
At the meeting, the Planning Board approved the Habitat home to be located on Lot B, which is to the rear of Lot A which sits on Route 6. Lot B is higher up and the committee felt it was a better location for a family home.
The board approved the two lots, with lot A having 14,395 square feet and the Habitat lot at 19,509. Both lots are currently on land owned by the town, but due to the zoning issues involved, the Habitat home will be built on the rear lot, with access via a town owned driveway partially located on lot A.
By Joan Hartnett-Barry
