The Rochester Zoning Board of Appeals on April 30 finished work on two continued hearings and said goodbye to retiring long-time member Richard Cutler.
The meeting began by accepting the withdrawal of a Variance Petition to allow a shortened front setback for a new home construction at 28 Marion Road. At the board’s previous meeting, property owner and engineer Nelson Bernardo had said he needed to be allowed a 34-foot setback rather than the required 40-foot setback because he inadvertently built his house foundation too close to setback lines. On April 30, the board accepted his request to withdraw this application. Board member and neighbor Keith Riquinha elaborated that Bernardo has tweaked his design of the steps to make his plan work without the need for a variance.
Next, the board granted a Special Permit to allow a kennel license for up to 15 dogs at 19 County Road. Property owner Anita Milka’s plan is for a kennel behind the house she is building there to breed and sell small breed dogs, Bernedoodles and Aussiedoodles. The lack of an adequate plot plan and a question of whether it had been advertised correctly had continued this hearing from the last meeting. Both points were satisfied on April 30. Chair Donald Spirlet said the panel now has the proposal’s certified plot plan. Administrator Andreia Lacerda said she has learned the hearing, in fact, was advertised correctly. The Special Permit motion included the condition that the kennel be placed, centered on Lot 1 of the large parcels.
The board ended by sharing their thoughts on Cutler’s retirement after 40 years as a ZBA member. “He’s like been around here forever, and he’s always given us good and correct guidance,” Spirlet said. “I liked that I can rely on someone like Richard Cutler to give us the best guidance possible.”
“His counsel to us was always of high value,” fellow veteran board member Davis Sullivan said. “And he came up with a lot of good ways to settle the matters before us.”
“He didn’t know this, but he was one of my greatest mentors,” Jeffrey Costa said. “I once wrote a list of the men I admire, and he’s on it.”
“I greatly respect what he has done for this town,” Riquinha added.
“He was like a walking encyclopedia for us,” Dennis McCarthy added. “His knowledge was very admirable and valuable.”
Cutler’s retirement is effective April 30.
The next meeting of the Rochester Zoning Board of Appeals will be held on Thursday, May 14 at 7:00 pm at Town Hall, 1 Constitution Way.
Rochester Zoning Board of Appeals
By Michael J. DeCicco