Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Hillside Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lot merger and pool relocation proposed at 40 Upper Road; ADR urges lower retaining walls and engineering review
Summary
Project at 40 Upper Road returned to ADR after June feedback with a proposed lot merger to avoid variance needs, a relocated pool and retaining walls up to 7'6"; ADR members recommended minimizing wall heights, providing engineering (soil cut/fill) and planting plans at formal submittal.
Applicant Shaoqian Trung returned to the Ross ADR on Aug. 20 with a revised conceptual design for 40 Upper Road that proposes merging two adjacent parcels to avoid variance need and relocating a previously proposed pool. The revised plan moves the pool closer to the front/driveway area, relocates it away from a protected oak, and proposes a terrace with retaining walls (several walls exceed 6 feet and a high point of 7 feet 6 inches was identified).
ADR members commended the lot-merger approach and asked the team to reduce retaining wall heights where feasible and to provide engineering calculations at formal review. One member suggested lowering wall elevations by a foot or two to reduce the need for taller walls and to limit grading impacts. Another member asked to see the planting plan and species list so off-site masking of walls could be evaluated.
The applicant said engineers will be engaged for soil cut/fill calculations and that the pool elevation is now roughly two feet taller than the earlier submittal to achieve a less intrusive placement and to shorten construction access from the driveway. ADR members encouraged early coordination with the fire marshal and relevant engineers but otherwise signaled conceptual support for the lot merger and design direction.
Next steps: applicant to retain engineering details (soil, drainage), prepare planting plans to mask retaining walls and include these materials in a formal ADR submittal.
