Coastal Homes Seek Height, Safety Upgrades from Zoning Board
Key Points
- A proposal to elevate a 30 Beach Street home by six feet to mitigate flood risk was reviewed and continued.
- The board considered a complex addition at 107 Atlantic Avenue designed to create safer, internal basement access.
- Neighbors and the owner of 107 Atlantic Avenue spoke in strong support of the project, citing safety and property improvement.
- Board members discussed challenges with inconsistent labeling on applicant plans, requesting more clarity in future submissions.
- A lengthy discussion was held on the need to review and potentially update the town's sign bylaw for modern commercial realities.
The Cohasset Zoning Board of Appeals reviewed two proposals from coastal homeowners aiming to adapt their properties for resilience and safety during its August 4 meeting. The hearings for properties on Beach Street and Atlantic Avenue highlighted a growing trend of modifying homes to meet modern flood-plain regulations and safety standards.
The first hearing concerned a plan for 30 Beach Street, located entirely within a flood velocity zone. The proposal involves elevating the existing home by six feet without expanding its footprint, a project designed to lift the structure out of the flood plain. Board Chair David McMorris noted the significance of the request, stating, "I would expect this may be among the first that we'll be seeing of many of these." After a brief discussion on the technical height requirements, a motion was made to continue the hearing to allow for a decision to be drafted. The motion passed 4-0.
A more complex application for 107 Atlantic Avenue proposed a small addition to create a covered entryway and an interior staircase to the basement. The applicant explained the primary goal was safety, as the only current basement access is via an exposed outdoor stairway. "All they want to be able to do is walk from inside their home, be protected to go down to the utilities that are in the basement," the presenter explained. Homeowner Christine Nichols added, "We're simply trying to... preserve the structure of the property... and improve the property so that it's safe for everyone to use." The project received enthusiastic backing from neighbor Martin Knee, who said, "We enthusiastically support the application... it's a great improvement... and it also will enable this family that's lived there for... 40 or more [years], to stay in Cohasset."
The board grappled with technical details of the 107 Atlantic Ave. proposal, particularly whether a small portion of a new roofline created a new setback nonconformity. Board member Dar pressed the applicant to formally address the criteria for a special permit in the flood plain, which the applicant then detailed verbally. Citing difficulty interpreting the submitted plans, Chair McMorris requested clearer labeling on future applications. A motion was made to continue the hearing until the September meeting. The motion passed unanimously by members present.
Following the hearings, the board approved meeting minutes from April, May, and July, with members Matt Watkins, Woody Chick, and Harley Higginson all voting "Aye" in favor of various approvals. The meeting concluded with a lengthy discussion about the town’s sign bylaws, prompted by recent enforcement challenges. Members debated how to apply decades-old rules to modern business plazas. "I don't like to ignore the written bylaw and not apply it," said board member Dar. "But in some instances, ignoring it or whatever is more sensible than a literal application of something... that was written years ago." The board agreed that the bylaw may need review to provide clarity for local businesses.