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Resident Jeff Theion proposes two small homes on Warren Street; board raises setbacks, utilities and erosion questions
Summary
Resident and applicant Jeff Theion presented a conceptual plan to place two small homes (20-by-40-foot footprints, one bedroom with loft) on merged lots at 35 Warren Street. Board members welcomed the infill idea but pressed for details on setbacks, curb cuts, underground utilities, stormwater control and future subdivision constraints.
Jeff Theion told the Plymouth Planning Board he wants to build two small single-floor homes on merged lots at 35 Warren Street, converting the parcel into units addressed as 7 and 9 Warren Street. “We would like to put…two tiny homes,” Theion said, describing each structure as roughly 20 by 40 feet with “one floor, one bath, one kitchen and then a loft.” He said he plans to build the nine Warren Street unit this year and the seven Warren Street unit in 2027.
Theion said he has consulted department heads — fire, highway, water and sewer — and engaged an engineer to prepare survey and site plans. He told the board he intends to run electric underground and use separate meters, and described a plan to tie into an existing six-inch sewer line near his property.
Why it matters: board members framed the proposal as a form of infill and incremental housing growth consistent with recent zoning revisions intended to encourage small-unit residential collocation. Several members said the change advances the town’s objective to add modest housing options while preserving neighborhood character.
Board concerns and clarifications: members asked pointed questions about setbacks, driveway access and potential erosion on a steep terrace behind the site. Joseph, staff, explained how the “average setback” rule applies to neighbors within 300 feet and that precise dimensions will come from the applicant’s surveyed plan. Theion acknowledged he had merged an adjacent acre with his duplex to meet current regulations and said he is awaiting bank approval before filing the formal merger application.
On stormwater and erosion, a board member warned that even small new impervious surfaces accelerate runoff on the slope; the member advised Theion to present a plan to capture peak runoff and slow flows down the hill. Theion said both houses will lack full basements (likely shallow crawl spaces) and that he would consider runoff capture in the engineering.
Utilities and curb cuts: Theion said he wants no poles or visible wires and aims to place service underground. He described two existing curb cuts on the lot and said the intent is to shorten one and retain existing access at the other; staff noted the residential-collocation criteria include a curb-cut limitation the board would need to interpret for this pre-application.
Future subdivision or resale: board members probed whether the collocation approach would permit later subdivision or condominium conversion. Staff advised there is no guarantee a future subdivision would be allowed under current rules — converting the collocation into separate lots could require variances or a zoning board review, and any condominium conversion would be a separate process subject to town review.
Next steps: Theion will deliver a formal surveyed site plan showing building placement, exact setbacks and parking/driveway details. Board members asked that he include erosion-control and stormwater measures on the plan and coordinate with the water & sewer department to confirm connections. The board did not take an approval action at the conceptual stage.
Provenance: topicintro SEG 585, topfinish SEG 1310.
