Zoning board grants special permit for second‑floor addition at 44 Locust Street

The Lutheran Zoning Board of Appeals approved a special permit for Brett Keeley of 44 Locust Street to build a second-floor addition and a rear addition that will attach to an existing deck.

Keeley said the house has a preexisting nonconforming front setback (approximately 20 feet to the sidewalk on the right side as viewed from the street). He told the board the proposed second story will use the existing footprint on the first floor and that a portico and the location of front stairs had been discussed with the building inspector, Mr. Quinn. Keeley described a plan to shift the front stairs about 10 to 12 inches toward the driveway so the addition will not extend closer to the street.

Keeley said the existing house has two bedrooms and one bathroom and that the proposed work will result in four total bedrooms and 2½ baths. The addition will include a full basement under the family-room addition and a bulkhead for basement egress that will be relocated to the side of the house. Keeley and the board discussed whether parts of the plans labeled "crawl space" were actually full foundation; Keeley said the work will provide a full-height basement.

After board questions about setbacks, stairs, the portico and the bulkhead, a board member moved to approve the special permit based on the drawings submitted that evening; the motion was seconded and passed. The chair told Keeley that "a decision needs to be prepared and filed" and reminded him of the 20-day appeal period before a building permit will issue.