30 hours later and no trace of the house

[jwg]

The final touches of the removal of the burned house are underway. There's not even a hole.


This is what looked like when StreetView was there last year:

Comments

[jwg.livejournal.com]

The zoning regulations may prohibit anything from being built because the lot size is too small, and there are setback requirements as well. Of course variances can be obtained. I think this is one of those sections that is not zoned for business but there are some small businesses in it (this one was microscopic and dormant). I looked at the zoning maps, etc. and it isn't actually clear how this is zoned - one map said it is zoned as BA - but the zoning regulations don't describe BA. I went to a meeting about this very subject and it was pointed out that part of the Bread and Circus / Whole Foods store in in a residence district and that could impact adjustments to the building as well.

If my house burned down, its replacement would have to be set back from West Place and thus would only be allowed to be about 20 feet wide instead of the 28 that it is now. It could go back over the parking area in the back and part of the garages as well. The front set back is pretty close to legal except for the front porch. It could be a bit taller. I did have to get a variance to do the third floor dormers in 2001 because of non conformity and then I had to get an inclusion of permission to overextend the dormer guidelines as well. SInce I talked to all the neighbors ahead of time and no-one objected there was no difficulty in getting the variance approved. BTW our garage in Gloucester is about 1 foot too close to the neighbors property.

[thnidu.livejournal.com]

When we lived in Massachusetts, dunkelpig was in our local elected Town Meeting. She was grousing to me one night about zoning arguments, and this was the result. Here's the first verse and a link in case you want the rest.

My Grandfathered Plot

words by thnidu © 2000
to the tune of My Grandfather's Clock, by Henry Clay Work

My grandfathered plot was too small for a house
To be built in the spacious back yard.
I scrolled through the laws with my keyboard and mouse
But construction was totally barred.
Then my wife asked me, "Why don't you go down to the li-
Brary? All the world's knowledge have they."
And the ref- 'rence -- librarian told me how
To appeal to the ZBA.

Ninety volumes of zoning laws. (Flip, flip, flip, flip.)
Three more on the sublet clause. (Flip, flip, flip, flip.)
The ref- 'rence -- librarian told me how
To appeal to the ZBA.