Woods Hole owners get approval to raise and replace aging house; conservation and septic conditions set

The Zoning Board of Appeals granted a special permit to owners Benjamin Denklo and Sarah Rebert to raise and rebuild a deteriorated single-family house at 13 Cricket Lane in Woods Hole.

Attorney Kevin Clauer and architect Chris Harris presented plans showing a new house occupying essentially the same footprint but elevated to meet Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood-elevation requirements for the AE 13 flood zone. The proposal maintains four bedrooms and replaces an outdated cesspool with a Board of Health–approved denitrification system. The Conservation Commission issued an Order of Conditions on Jan. 15, 2025, and the applicants agreed to invasive-species removal and restorative plantings.

Clauer said the project eliminates one existing dimensional nonconformity (east side yard) and leaves the front-yard setback effectively unchanged; overall lot coverage remains well below bylaw limits. Engineering department comments requested stormwater controls (dry wells) and a 10-foot separation between septic components and town utilities; the applicants revised plans to address conservation comments and submitted supporting materials to the Board of Health.

After brief board questions and noting three neighborhood letters of support, the board found the replacement would not be substantially more detrimental to the neighborhood than the existing structure and approved the special permit with conditions that include compliance with plans on file, conservation planting and invasive removal as required by the Order of Conditions, Board of Health final approval of the denitrification system, and standard construction-hour limits.

The board recorded approval by voice vote; no members registered opposition.