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Neighbors press zoning board over 20 Empire roofed-deck proposal; applicant to supply engineer reports
Summary
Neighbors called a proposed roof over a deck at 20 Empire Ave out of scale and raised certified-mailing and drainage concerns; applicant agreed to provide an engineer letter and water-mitigation plan and the board left the public hearing open.
At the Dec. 8 Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, Timothy Mumford, the applicant for 20 Empire Ave, requested a minor area variance to allow a roofed deck to extend 0.5 feet into the required 8-foot side setback in order to tie a new timber-frame gable roof into existing rooflines and to support solar panels. Mumford told the board the structure is engineered and not intended to add living space.
Multiple neighbors opposed the plan at public comment. Steve Tannenbaum and Renee Tannenbaum said they did not receive certified notices, described the proposed roof as unusually large and commercial in appearance, and urged the board to deny the variance. Neighbors emphasized drainage concerns and questioned whether posts without a foundation were structurally appropriate for a roof of the proposed scale.
The board’s response and next steps Board members acknowledged that the board’s jurisdiction extends to the 6-inch encroachment and not to the project’s overall appearance. Commissioners asked the applicant to obtain and submit a written statement from his engineer explaining why reconfiguring the roof inboard by six inches is infeasible, and to provide a brief water-runoff/mitigation plan demonstrating the proposal will not create drainage problems for adjacent basements. The chair kept the public hearing open and asked the applicant to submit materials at least one week prior to the Jan. 12, 2026 meeting.
What the applicant said Mumford said all plans and engineering drawings are stamped and that the proposed roof geometry reflects existing house geometry; he offered to consult his engineer and provide documentation and neighborhood variance comparables.
Why it matters The board’s requested engineering documentation and drainage plan will determine whether a narrow numeric request (0.5 feet) can be justified on structural grounds without producing downstream impacts to neighboring properties. The public hearing remains open pending submission of those materials.
