Ross ADR supports FEMA house lift at 78 Shady Lane but splits on rear‑yard pool and exterior materials

The Town of Ross Architectural Design Review Committee on March 18 reviewed a design‑review amendment and variance request for 78 Shady Lane that would raise the house to comply with FEMA requirements, relocate a small amount of entry square footage, and allow a 12‑by‑24‑foot pool and outdoor kitchen in the rear setback. The ADR told the project team it generally supports the FEMA‑required house lift and the small front‑entry square‑footage swap, but raised objections and recommended changes on the pool variance, HVAC/pool‑equipment location and exterior materials.

Leslie Jones of Jones Street Design, the project designer, presented plans showing a house lift from 27 feet 7 inches to 29 feet 6 inches — still under the 30‑foot maximum building height — to meet the FEMA base‑flood elevation and to avoid the town’s 50 percent “substantial improvement” limit. Jones described a mix of new exterior materials (limestone veneer, standing‑seam metal roof and two‑tone cladding) and a new six‑foot steel front fence with columned…