The Revere Zoning Board of Appeals held its regular monthly meeting last Wednesday in the City Councillor Joseph A. DelGrosso City Council Chamber. Chairman Robert Tucker and fellow members Aklog Limeneh, John Lopes, Arthur Pelton, and James O’Brien were on hand for the meeting.
The first matter the board took up was an application by Evergreen Property Solutions, LLC, 80 Piers Park Lane, Boston, requesting a variance of RRO Section 17.28.020, minimum parking requirements, to enable Evergreen to convert the existing single-family dwelling to a two-family dwelling on Lots 433 and 434 at 57 Stevens Street
Evergreen was seeking the variance because four parking spots are required for a two-family property, but it’s proposal called for only three spaces.
The matter had been continued from the board’s November meeting. A number of neighbors had spoken against granting the variance at that time because they objected to the additional parking — a two-family home requires four parking spaces per the ordinance — being placed in the rear of the building.
Evergreen returned in December with a revised plan, eliminating the rear-yard parking, but only providing for three parking spaces, one short of the four that are needed. Atty. Joseph Catoggio represented the applicant. He outlined for the board that there already are two parking spaces on the lot and the applicant intends to add a third spot in the front yard to the right of the home.
Catoggio also noted that “although the applicant is an LLC, this will be an owner-occupied property.”
He told the board that his client intends to convert the existing four-bedroom, single-family home into two units consisting of a three-bedroom unit and a one-bedroom unit, and therefore will neither be increasing the number of bedrooms on the property nor expanding the structure’s existing footprint.
He also added that there are a number of two-family homes in the area.
Ward 6 Councillor Richard Serino filed a letter supporting the application in view of the revised plan for the project.
However, Ronald Champoux of 88 Stevens St., who spoke against the variance request at the November meeting, still opposed the application on the basis that it will add to the parking congestion in the neighborhood.
“The rules say four spots are needed and that’s the only way we realistically can support this proposal,” said Champoux, who added that the lack of parking is a city-wide problem.
Boston attorney Richard Joyce, representing Richard and Christine Joyce of 178 Grover St., presented opposition to the application from a legal perspective.
“Look at the full picture,” said Joyce. “Your own regulations state that the applicant must demonstrate that there is a specific shape, topography or other land or structures affecting this property. They must show that there is a substantial hardship, financial or otherwise. But there has been zero evidence of financial hardship.”
He also cited the lack of parking in the neighborhood.
“This potentially will devalue other properties in the neighborhood,” Joyce continued. “This is a substantial detriment to other homeowners in the area. There is just no need to grant this. There is plenty of parking for a one-family home and that’s how it should remain.”
The board voted 3-2 to reject the application, with Limeneh and Tucker voting yes and Lopes, O’Brien, and Pelton voting no.
However, two other applicants that evening had better luck.
Robert Mahoney, of 2 Paul Street, came before the board requesting a variance of RRO Section 17.24.010, minimum lot frontage of 80 feet, to enable him to construct a single-family dwelling on Lots 142 & 144 Morris Street and a single-family dwelling on Lots 146 and 148 Morris Street.
Mr. Mahoney presented the application, which also had been continued from the November meeting. He pointed out that though the frontage for the proposed house lots is only 71 feet, the other requirements for coverage area and setbacks are far exceeded.
“This will not be a detriment for this to happen in this neighborhood,” said Mahoney.
Councillor Serino submitted a letter in opposition, noting the flooding in the neighborhood, and suggested that the drainage issue should be resolved before moving forward with the construction of new homes.
Serino’s letter echoed opposition from residents in the neighborhood who had been present at the November meeting. Their homes had been built by Mahoney and the parties presently are in litigation in Suffolk Superior Court regarding the flooding issue.
However, the ZBA received a letter from Frank Stringi, the Revere City Planner, informing the board that the city’s engineering department has approved a plan that will resolve the flooding problems in the area. He also noted that building homes on these two lots, which are at the bottom of the street, will not contribute to the drainage problems in the area.
Other than the letter from Serino, there was no further opposition presented at the meeting. The board voted 4-1 to approve the application with only chairman Tucker objecting.
The third and final matter, both for the evening and for 2022, was an application by Ana Betancourt, 200 Broad Sound Avenue, who was requesting a special permit from the ZBA in accordance with RRO Section 17.40.040 to enable her to modify and extend a nonconforming single family structure by constructing a 255 sq. ft. addition (14’ x 18.2’) at 200 Broad Sound Avenue.
Ms. Betancourt presented the application to the board. She noted that the project will resolve a water problem in the existing structure and will prevent water from getting into her basement.
Ward 1 Councillor Joanne McKenna sent in a letter to the board stating that she has no problem with the application. There were no opponents.
The board voted 5-0 to approve the project.
