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Charlestown board approves special-use permit to expand deck at 32–34 Vodka Drive
Summary
The Town of Charlestown Zoning Board of Review granted a 5–0 special-use permit to Craig J. and Anne Marie Mitchell to expand a deck on a two-family dwelling in the R-3A district, finding the project meets zoning standards and raises no public-health or traffic concerns.
The Town of Charlestown Zoning Board of Review voted 5–0 on Jan. 21 to approve a special-use permit for Craig J. and Anne Marie Mitchell to enlarge a deck at 32–34 Vodka Drive.
The permit approves expanding the existing deck on one unit of the two-family dwelling from roughly 4 feet by 12 feet with 4-foot-by-4-foot stairs to a 12-foot-by-16-foot deck with 4-foot-by-8-foot stairs. The board said the property is in the R-3A zoning district and that a two-family dwelling in that district requires a special-use permit for the proposed enlargement.
Board members focused on safety, neighborhood character and utilities in their review. The applicant, Anne Marie Mitchell, told the board the current deck is in poor condition and “is pretty rickety,” adding that the larger deck “would actually be safer because we’re proposing the railings.” She also said long-term tenants use the unit and the expanded deck would be more usable for them.
Board members reviewed the special-use standards—public convenience and welfare, impacts on health and safety, compatibility with surrounding area, drainage and traffic—and concluded the project met those standards. The board noted that similar-sized decks already exist on neighboring homes and that the site’s well is located in the front yard, a distance from the proposed addition. Staff reported no written correspondence had been received on the application.
The Chair moved to approve the application, and a board member seconded. A roll-call vote recorded yes votes from Abbott, Andrew, Reddick, Pangborn and Isabella; the motion passed 5–0. The board did not add conditions to the permit and wished the applicant luck with the work.
The board also discussed that an OWTS (onsite wastewater treatment system) approval noted on older records (a 2002 DEM entry marked “approved for repair only”) did not, in staff’s view, bar the proposed deck work. The board’s discussion indicated the deck location is not near the site’s well or the septic components, and no additional review was required for the proposed expansion under the materials presented to the board.
With the vote, the special-use permit is approved and the applicant may proceed with the deck expansion consistent with any applicable building permits and state approvals.
