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Brookline ZBA approves three dormers at 4 Fisher Avenue, cites minimal neighborhood impact
Summary
The Town of Brookline Zoning Board of Appeals granted a special permit to add three dormers to a single-family house at 4 Fisher Avenue, increasing gross floor area by about 208 square feet and the FAR from 0.43 to 0.44; the board and planning staff found no substantial detriment and approved the project unanimously with standard conditions.
The Town of Brookline Zoning Board of Appeals on a unanimous vote approved a request to add three dormers at 4 Fisher Avenue, a change that increases the house—s gross floor area by about 208 square feet and raises its floor-area ratio (FAR) from 0.43 to 0.44.
The board made the approval after hearing from planning staff, the homeowners and their architect, and after the Planning Board had recommended approval. The ZBA—s action applied the board—s finding standard for preexisting nonconformities under the provisions the board referenced as "48 section 6" and the ZBA—s practice of reviewing detriment under section 9.05.
Planning staff and the project team told the board the property sits in an S-15 single-family zoning district on a lot just under 18,000 square feet and that the proposed dormers face Boylston Street (Route 9) and will be largely screened by mature cypress trees. Ashley Duvall, the applicant—s planner, said the dormers convert previously uncounted knee-wall attic space to habitable area and that no new nonconformity would be created. Nicole Perey, zoning coordinator, told the board the Planning Board unanimously recommended approval and listed standard pre-permit conditions about submitting final stamped plans and recording the decision at the Registry of Deeds.
The Building Department told the ZBA it had no objection and that it would work with the petitioner to ensure compliance with the Zoning By-law and applicable codes. Board members who spoke — Randolph Micklejohn (chair), Jesse Geller, Wodner (last name on the record "Wodner"), and Wagner — said they saw the addition as modest, consistent with neighborhood patterns and not substantially more detrimental than the existing nonconformity.
The ZBA approved the request subject to the Planning Board—s conditions, which require the applicant to submit final floor plans and elevations stamped and signed by a registered architect and a final site plan stamped and signed by a registered engineer or land surveyor to the Director for Regulatory Planning for review and approval, and to provide evidence the Board of Appeals decision was obtained from the Town Clerk and recorded at the Registry of Deeds prior to issuance of a building permit.
The decision closes the application file unless the applicants pursue further appeals or amendments; the board recorded the approval as unanimous and conditioned on the standard documentation being provided to staff.
