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Milford Zoning Board approves several residential variances, denies a front-yard garage on East Broadway
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Summary
The board approved variances allowing attached garages and accessory structures at 193 Wheelers Farms Road, 215 Brewster Road and 33 Pearl Street, and rejected a combined garage/second-story variance at 993 East Broadway after members said alternative driveway options would provide more off-street parking.
At its April meeting the Milford Zoning Board of Appeals approved three residential variance requests for attached garages and accessory structures and rejected a prominent front-yard garage and second-story variance at 993 East Broadway.
The board unanimously approved the application for 193 Wheelers Farms Road after attorney Thomas Lynch argued the lot's septic leaching fields create a legal hardship that leaves the only feasible location for a two-car attached garage adjacent to the existing 1890 house. Lynch said the proposed garage "will be sitting exactly 19 feet back from the road as the house," and the board found the hardship persuasive.
The board also approved a variance at 215 Brewster Road, where the applicant said pond and wetland constraints left no other viable buildable area; the board noted existing temporary carports and accepted that the proposed two-car garage was an appropriate solution.
Pat Tarantino, owner at 33 Pearl Street, received a variance for a stairway projecting to the electric meter that encroached by roughly six inches; Tarantino said the staircase was mandated by the utility and has been in place for about four years.
In contrast, the board denied an application for 993 East Broadway that sought a 14-by-24-foot garage intruding 15 feet into the front-yard setback (leaving five feet) and a second-story tie-in. Attorney George Martolon argued the relocation would provide safer off-street parking after the homeowners' cars were struck by a bus and a snowplow. Several board members countered that a driveway-only approach could yield more off-street parking and avoid putting a full second story and garage five feet from the road. Mister King voted against the motion; the motion failed on the final vote.
Votes at a glance: - 193 Wheelers Farms Road (variance to allow 19-foot front setback where 50 required; expansion of nonconforming structure): approved (mover: Mister Sota; unanimous). - 1349 Boston Post Road, Unit 1405 (Best Buy blue panels; signage variance to 16.5% of facade): approved (mover: Mister Sota; conditions limiting lettering/price-tag size). - 215 Brewster Road (side-yard setback to 5.1 feet where 10 required; accessory building variance): approved (mover: Mister Sota; unanimous). - 33 Pearl Street (electric meter stair projection to 3.5 feet where 4 permitted): approved (mover: Mister Sota; unanimous). - 993 East Broadway (front-yard setback to 5 feet where 20 required; side-yard to 4.9 feet; attached garage and second story): motion failed (mover: Mister Sota; vote split; several members expressed preference for a driveway alternative).
Chair and board members closed the meeting after approving the minutes and offering thanks to departing member Andrew King.
