Hearings Kept Open for Absent ZBA Members

A select few of Marion’s Zoning Board of Appeals members ran through a brief meeting on January 9, continuing both of the items on the agenda until the next meeting.

            Only three ZBA members were in attendance at the meeting, where Stephanie and Richard Harding presented a request for a variance in order to construct a garage on their property.

            “Seventeen out of the 20 neighbors have a garage already,” pointed out engineer Dave Davignon of Schneider, Davignon and Leone, Inc. “There’s nothing unusual or out of the ordinary about it.”

            Marion’s Health Director Karen Walega had no objection to the plans, Davignon added, nor did the town’s Conservation Commission.

            “I’d prefer to leave this hearing open so that other board members will have a chance to hear and ask questions if they have any,” said ZBA Chairman Marc LeBlanc.

            ZBA members opted to continue the application until the next meeting.

            Raymond and Natalia Whitney then presented their own application seeking a variance to tear down an old garage on their property at 534A Point Road to build a new non-conforming garage.

            “It’s straightforward,” said Davignon, also representing the Whitneys. “The plan proposed to remove an existing garage that is in very poor shape and build a two-car garage with storage.”

            While Walega again had no objection to the plan, a communication from the Planning Board noted that ZBA members should pay attention to the size and scale of the proposed structure.

            The house currently on the property is also non-conforming, board members pointed out. It’s unclear if a special permit for construction of the house was granted; records were lost years ago.

            “I’d really like to get [Marion Building Commissioner] Scott Shippey’s input here,” LeBlanc said. “If we leave this open, other board members will also get a chance to review it, which I’m more comfortable with.”

            The Whitneys’ proposal was also continued to the next meeting.

            The next meeting of the Marion Zoning Board of Appeals is scheduled for February 16 at 6:30 pm at the Marion Town House.

Marion Zoning Board of Appeals

By Andrea Ray

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