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Addition and two‑story garage at 246 Park Ave. carried after extensive technical questioning; board asks for generator exhibit
Summary
A contested application for 246 Park Ave. (2024‑17) was carried to March 19 after the applicant reduced floor area and impervious coverage but board members pressed for a scaled exhibit showing generator siting, screening and confirmation of flood‑elevation and noise compliance.
The board carried a lengthy public hearing on application 2024‑17 for 246 Park Avenue (applicants Michael Maul and Donna Marino) after extended testimony from the applicant’s engineer and planner and detailed questioning by board members.
Applicant representatives said revisions submitted Jan. 13 removed a rear deck to respect a riparian buffer and reduced the property’s impervious coverage from about 39.2% to roughly 35%. The applicant also reduced the proposed second‑story floor‑area ratio by about 1.9 percentage points and presented a new square‑footage breakdown that the project team marked as exhibits for the record.
The board focused substantial attention on the proposed siting of an emergency generator in the front setback. Members raised noise‑limit concerns under Title 7, asked whether the generator and HVAC equipment could be relocated to a side or screened location, and discussed elevation constraints because the site sits in a flood‑hazard area (applicant cited a design flood elevation of about 269 and a first‑floor elevation near 273). The applicant’s team said they had considered alternatives, that some rear locations conflicted with riparian setbacks, and that they would provide a scaled exhibit showing exact generator location and planned landscaping or screening.
The applicant’s planner testified the project meets the statutory D4 variance standard because the site’s undersized lot and proximity to Ramsay Brook limit development options, and because the proposal would pull structures away from the brook and align with master‑plan goals for safety and environmental mitigation.
Board members repeatedly asked for follow‑up materials and made clear that approval will be conditioned on documentation: a precise exhibit showing the generator location and screening, building‑code confirmation of setbacks (including the required 5‑ft clearance from structure), testimony or documentation on decibel levels and the generator cycling schedule, and any DEP/FEMA comments required before permitting. With those items outstanding, the board carried the application to the next available meeting and asked staff to post a March 19 continued hearing date.
Next steps
The applicant agreed to file exhibit sheets demonstrating the scaled generator location (and proposed screening/landscaping) and to ensure the record includes any technical data necessary for a building permit. The board asked applicants to ensure enough eligible voting members are present at the next hearing so the matter can be decided.
