The June 16 meeting of the Mattapoisett Zoning Board of Appeals found the members continuing a land-swap application filed as a request for a Variance but advertised as a Special Permit. But that minor kerfuffle was not the primary reason the application was continued until July 21.
Representing himself and his request for a land-swap variance was
Terrance Granahan, 0 Dupont Drive. Granahan said that he and an abutting neighbor wished to swap a small section of land that he believed would ultimately make the newly created lot capable of passing a percolation test for installation of a septic system. He said he had been before the Planning Board and had received its approval for the swap and movement of lot lines.
A third party was not so keen on the idea.
Coming before the board representing his client, Jessie Mendes, was David Davignon of Schneider, Davignon & Leone, Inc.
Davignon alerted the board to multiple ramifications of Granahan’s land-swap plan. He said that if the board issued the variance, his client’s lot would be rendered unbuildable because the location of Granahan’s septic system would not allow 100 feet of separation to freshwater supplies. Davignon said that his client could not reconfigure his lot-development plans due to the placement of other wells on other abutting lots in the tightly packed neighborhood.
Davignon also said that if the variance was granted, Granahan’s buildable, non-conforming lot would lose its grandfathered status because lot lines would be changed, meaning the newly created lot would have to meet current lot sizes, an impossibility for the undersized lot. That point surprised Granahan, who said he had not understood the impact his request would have on neighboring lots and his own.
The case was continued at the request of the board to allow for further research by Granahan.
Receiving a Special Permit on this night was Melissa Davies, 6 Bay View Avenue, for the construction of a deck encroaching on setbacks. Also receiving a Special Permit to construct a new home on an existing foundation was Joseph Paolini, 13 Shore Drive.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Zoning Board of Appeals is planned for Thursday, July 21, at 6:00 pm if there are cases to be heard.
Mattapoisett Zoning Board of Appeals
By Marilou Newell