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Building inspector reports unsafe structures, site-plan gaps and right-of-way fence encroachment
Summary
Kingston's building inspector told the Select Board March 3 that the town has posted a recently completed structure at 1301 Main Street as unsafe and is pursuing compliance matters at 111 Route 125, Newton Junction Road and Showed Hill Road.
Kingston's building inspector reported multiple enforcement matters on March 3, including an unsafe building at 1301 Main Street that was posted and a trucking/asphalt operation at 111 Route 125 operating without site-plan approval.
Pedro, the town's building inspector and code-enforcement officer, told the Select Board he posted a new structure at 1301 Main Street as unsafe for occupancy because there is no record of required permits and the construction was completed without proper documentation. "That that's the biggest issue, which is a safety item. I posted the building as, unsafe not to be occupied," Pedro said. He advised the owner that the project likely will require an engineer and that the town needs proof the work meets state standards.
Pedro also reported that 111 Route 125, an asphalt and trucking company, does not have site-plan review approval. "There's no site plan for that," he said, and the inspector said his office is monitoring activity at the property because it is near an aquifer.
The building inspector said a hearing has been scheduled for 25 Newton Junction Road to address lack of documentation on a house that was permitted in 1999 but finished in 2024; he said he will attend the hearing and provide a full report. He also described a Showed Hill Road dispute in which a property owner constructed a six-foot fence that encroaches into the right of way; he said the town has sent a letter and the Department of Public Works will handle the right-of-way enforcement.
The board discussed enforcement options and the inspector said he prefers working with owners where possible but will require demolition or rebuilding when a structure presents a clear liability. "It's ground or nothing," he said when explaining the level of enforcement that might be necessary on the unsafe structure. For the 1301 Main Street project, he said the owner and contractor will need to provide documentation and may need to engage an engineer in accordance with state mandates.
The board asked the inspector to continue working with owners and to report back on hearing outcomes and enforcement actions. The inspector said he will begin inspections of junkyard sites the following day as part of the licensing process discussed elsewhere in the meeting.
