Board approves replacement house at 59 Paradise Lane with attached garage

Michael Edwards of Silva Engineering Associates told the Halifax Board of Appeals on June 8 that he represented the applicant for petition ZBA25-1459 and presented revised plans for a replacement dwelling at 59 Paradise Lane.

The board heard that conservation had visited the site and approved a conservation plan and that the revised design reduces livable area so the replacement dwelling stays within the 150 percent restoration threshold. Edwards said the revised submission removes a second story and lowers the roof, and that the garage was proposed as attached to avoid blocking neighbors’ views of the lake.

"My name is Michael Edwards. I'm from Silva Engineering Associates and I'm on here on behalf of Mr. Basigus," Edwards said when he introduced the petition. He later described the attached-garage layout as the preferred option, noting that a detached garage, though it could meet the numeric area test, would obstruct the neighboring lake view.

The town's building official told the board he supported the swap to an attached garage because it preserves the neighbors' sightlines while keeping the garage under the square-foot threshold for accessory structures. "That's a good swap because person across the street doesn't lose their view," the official said.

A nearby resident (listed in the record as Mike's wife) praised the applicant for accommodating neighbors on the view issue, saying past projects had blocked her view and that the current plan represented an improvement.

A board member moved to approve ZBA25-1459 "as presented with the updated plans, not including the shed." The motion was seconded and the board voted in the affirmative. Conservation reported it was comfortable with the work, and the board noted that the applicant must obtain final Board of Health approval for septic design and any remaining permitting requirements.

The board recorded the plan change that lowers the structure to a single story above front grade, reduces the overall height to about 21 feet, and relocates the septic to the front of the lot per conservation's recommendation. Construction may proceed only after the applicant secures any outstanding health-department approvals and complies with the approved drawings.

Next steps: the applicant will pursue Board of Health sign-off on the septic plan and any ministerial permits required to build according to the approved plans.