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ZBA continues 656 C Street demolition and rebuild proposal; board requests color renderings
Summary
The board continued a variance and special permit application for 656 C Street to July 22 and asked the applicant for color renderings and further design clarifications after members raised concerns the plan reads like a multi‑family layout.
The Zoning Board of Appeals continued the hearing on a request to demolish and rebuild the single‑family dwelling at 656 C Street and set a continued date of July 22, 2025. The application, filed as ZBA‑2511 by Manuel Paiva on behalf of the property owner, proposes a three‑story, flood‑compliant dwelling with a full‑stall garage at ground level.
Manuel Paiva, representing the homeowner, presented revised plans showing an exterior stair, larger garage doors and revised window bump‑outs intended to create shadow lines on the C Street elevation. Several board members and neighbors questioned whether the interior layout and mechanical plan effectively produce separate systems that resemble a two‑family arrangement. Paiva said the homeowner intends the finished building to be a single‑family residence; owner Tom Tran confirmed the rebuilt house would be presented and occupied as single‑family after a currently expiring lease ends.
Commissioners pressed for clearer design details. One member said the plan “reads like a 2‑family” because each floor has separate utility areas and hot‑water heaters; the architect and applicant described how mechanical systems would be located but acknowledged some details remain at schematic stage. The board moved to continue the case to July 22 and required color renderings showing four views (rear, front, east, west) one week before the continued hearing. The motion passed on a voice vote.
