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Zoning board continues DiDomenico garage application to April 14
Summary
Petitioners seeking to build a 1,920-square-foot accessory garage at 781 Lowell Street withdrew without prejudice and were granted a continuance to the April 14 hearing after board members said the proposed size far exceeds the 500-square-foot accessory-structure limit and set expectations for a substantially reduced proposal.
The Peabody City Zoning Board of Appeals continued the application from Benedetto and Karen DiDomenico for a proposed 1,920-square-foot detached garage at 781 Lowell Street to the board’s April 14 meeting after the applicants agreed to withdraw without prejudice and rework the plan.
Jennifer DiDomenico, who identified herself as a part owner and spoke for her father Benedetto, said the proposed metal garage would be 1,920 square feet; the zoning ordinance limits accessory garages to 500 square feet in the R-1 district. Board members questioned the size, noting the proposed footprint is roughly the same as the house and “almost 4 times” the allowed area. The board described the difference between personal preference and the statutory hardship standard for variances and urged the applicants to substantially reduce the proposal if they wish to return.
A board member summarized prior practice, saying the board “does not usually approve anything more than 50%” over the bylaw limit and mentioned recent approvals near 690 square feet as an upper range for exceptional cases. The applicants asked whether they could withdraw without prejudice and reapply; the chair and the board granted the request and scheduled the continued hearing for April 14.
No formal vote on approval was taken. The chair explained that if the applicants instead chose to have the board vote and the application failed on the night of the meeting, they would need to appeal to a court; by withdrawing without prejudice and reapplying, the applicants can return sooner if they choose to modify their plans.
