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After negotiation, board conditions Baker Street deck on 4'6"x7' alternating‑lattice privacy screen
Summary
Neighbors and the permit holder reached a settlement at the hearing; the board upheld the permit with a condition requiring a 4'6"‑wide by 7'‑high alternating‑lattice privacy screen set parallel to the property line, beginning three inches from the appellant’s window edge.
The Board of Appeals concluded an appeal over a proposed deck at 1005 Baker Street by conditioning the permit on installation of a privacy screen after the parties reached an in‑hearing agreement.
Appellants Lydia and Zoya Lukian, represented by Wayne Canterbury, said the proposed side breezeway deck would intrude into a narrow light and privacy corridor and allow direct views into a bedroom window that the sisters have occupied for decades. "We filed this appeal to protect the looking rights," Canterbury said, asking that any approval of the deck be conditioned on a screen and measures to address a known water intrusion where a deck post would be placed.
Project architect Stuart Hills and permit holder Ruth Carlton said they had met neighbors before applying and were willing to address security and drainage issues. DBI inspector Joe Duffy cautioned that any guard on a bedroom window must remain openable from the inside to preserve egress.
After a short recess for negotiation, the parties agreed on an alternating‑lattice privacy screen measuring 4 feet 6 inches wide by 7 feet tall, positioned parallel to the property line and beginning three inches from the street‑side edge of the appellant's window. The board accepted the parties' agreement and conditioned the permit on that screening detail, noting DBI must verify proper support and that any work complies with building code requirements.
Vote: Commissioner Fung moved the action; the motion passed 4–0. The permit is upheld subject to the lattice privacy screen, proper structural support, and adherence to applicable building‑code requirements.
What happens next: The permit holder must construct the deck with the agreed screen dimensions and ensure the trellis/screen is adequately supported and complies with DBI requirements; the appellants withdrew their other requested conditions.
