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Board denies fourth‑floor rooftop‑deck request at 677 Dame Street amid neighborhood concerns
Summary
The board denied Byron Earhart’s application for a rooftop deck at 677 Dame St (special‑use, Category 6). Abutters raised notice, height, privacy and noise concerns; the architect testified about floodplain constraints and placement, but the board found the proposed deck would intensify use and alter neighborhood character.
Byron Earhart’s trustee applied for a Category 6 special‑use permit to construct a rooftop deck atop a new multi‑story house at 677 Dame Street, a substandard lot of 2,564 sq ft in a limited business zone. Architect Greg Yolanes testified the design placed living floors above a non‑occupiable ground level (to comply with floodplain rules) and that the rooftop deck provides the only practical outdoor space for occupants. "This deck allows direct connection from the interior living space to the outdoors," the architect said.
Several abutters testified they had not been re‑notified after the application was continued and expressed concerns about the building’s height (approx. 51 ft including freeboard), privacy and potential noise from deck use. Board members debated whether the rooftop deck would alter the character of the surrounding area within 200 feet; after discussion the board voted 5–0 to deny the special‑use permit, citing intensification and incompatibility with the low‑rise neighborhood context.
