Board hears Rosovsky/Coleman renovation and accessibility plans; covenant questions remain

Meryl Rosovsky and Stuart Coleman’s application for 31B Dickerson Drive drew advisory comments and a board request for a legal review of a 2002 covenant related to deck enclosures.

Rob Herman, representing the applicants, summarized revisions that include a modest 28 sq ft footprint increase for a kitchen renovation, replacement of a conventional septic system with an IA sanitary system, removal of a 15-by-39-foot pool and associated patio, and construction of a 14-by-42-foot raised saltwater pool that would sit no closer to the wetland boundary than the existing pool. The project also proposes two elevated ramps to provide barrier-free access from driveway to house and from house to an existing dock.

The Conservation Advisory Council and planning board offered conditional approvals pending clarification of planting details, ramp structural drawings and an interpretation of a 2002 covenant meant to prohibit enclosing decks within the wetlands-regulated area. Town environmental consultant Theresa Mason recommended the town engineer review ramp slopes for ADA guidance and suggested the board ensure the ramp details avoid expanding the structural footprint within regulated areas.

The board agreed to keep the record open for a brief legal memo on covenant interpretation and for any final ramp drawings; the hearing was adjourned to the next meeting date to permit staff review.

Why this matters: The proposal reduces impervious coverage in the wetland buffer and replaces older septic infrastructure, while introducing accessibility features and raising a modest question about the historic covenant’s reach. The board asked staff to resolve the covenant question and verify ramp slopes before final action.