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Zoning board grants variance for addition at 133 Alpha Street to accommodate homeowner’s daughter
Summary
The Dartmouth Zoning Board on June 8 granted a variance allowing additions at 133 Alpha Street that increase lot coverage from 52% to 56.8%; the owner said changes are needed to accommodate his daughter’s special needs and the board found wetlands proximity constrained the site.
The Dartmouth Zoning Board voted June 8 to grant variance ZAV-26-4 that allows additions at 133 Alpha Street that will increase impervious lot coverage from 52% to 56.8%. Chair told the meeting the petition was legally advertised and that the board had read proposed findings into the record.
Victor Silva, who identified himself as the property owner, told the board the project’s primary purpose is accessibility for his daughter, saying, "we need facility for her," and explained the plan converts an existing bedroom into a bathroom and relocates a bedroom above a new single-stall garage. Contractor Louis Bolino clarified, "we're actually deleting one of the bedrooms ... and above the garage ... that's going to be the new bedroom," stressing there is not a net increase in bedrooms.
The board read a March 27 letter from the town building inspector that the applicant had been informed his application "cannot be approved due to non-compliance with current zoning regulations," citing the zoning bylaw provision governing increased lot coverage (chapter 375, article 7, 375-7.4F). The chair and members discussed the four-part statutory variance test under Massachusetts law and noted bordering wetlands to the west of the property as a site condition that limits where additions can be located.
After asking for public comment and receiving none, the board closed the public hearing and approved the variance with the findings and conditions read into the record. The board recorded the action by voice vote; no roll-call tally was read into the minutes. The decision notes compliance with required setbacks and height standards and binds any conditions the board announced at the hearing.
The approval allows the property owner to proceed only after satisfying standard pre-permit conditions indicated by DPW and other town departments, including any DPW items that must be addressed before a certificate of occupancy will be issued.
