Gloucester zoning board denies Angle Street decks, approves Flume Road home, YMCA signs and a large ADU

Gloucester's Zoning Board of Appeals on Sept. 24 turned down a plan for two small decks at 8 Angle St. after neighbors argued the decks would raise the risk of fire spreading between closely packed homes. The board approved five other requests unanimously, including a new single family home on a tight Magnolia lot at 29 Flume Road, which drew strong neighborhood opposition.

Four members heard the cases: Chair Joseph Parisi III, Lauren Norton, Michael Nimon and alternate Ronald E. Wilson.

8 Angle St.: decks denied, 1 to 3

R. Bartholemew M Driscoll and Heather E M Driscoll sought a special permit to add a first floor deck and a second floor deck to their home at 8 Angle St. The case was continued from last month, when a neighbor raised privacy concerns.

Attorney Joel Favazza said the owners had shrunk the design and added more privacy screening. He said each deck would be about 39 square feet, deep enough to "stand out there with your cup of coffee." He offered a condition barring grills and smoking on the decks and noted the plans were stamped by a licensed architect.

Neighbors whose Middle Street yard backs up to the property said the new design eased privacy concerns but did nothing about fire risk. They said 18 other neighbors had signed a letter opposing the plan and cited the recent fire that destroyed the Rockport House of Pizza.

One board member said the houses are already so close that the decks would be substantially more detrimental to the neighborhood, pointing to past fires on Middle Street and Main Street. Nimon said the smaller decks with screening answered the concerns.

The motion to approve failed. Nimon voted yes. Wilson, Norton and Parisi voted no.

29 Flume Road: new home approved, 4 to 0

Nick and Christine Gikas won front yard, side yard and lot area variances to build a single family home on an undersized lot in Magnolia. Several neighbors opposed the size of the house. The board relied on the state's new, looser standard for variances. Read the full story.

18-18B Rogers St.: variance extension, 4 to 0

MS9 Rose Realty, LLC received a six month extension, to May 15, 2027, of variances the board granted in 2023 for a building with a restaurant on the first floor and two floors of housing above. Attorney Sean Lynch said the project was delayed by flood zone building code changes and conflicting guidance from the state, and said it is "close to the finish line." The chair called it a routine first extension.

22 Calder St.: porch approved, 4 to 0

The owner of 22 Calder St. received a special permit to build a front porch. The home, which a representative said was built by high school students in the 1980s, already sits closer to the side lot line than zoning allows, and the porch extends that by a few inches. No one spoke against it.

103 Essex Ave.: continued to Oct. 8

The board postponed the request of Kayla and Peter Cannavo to build an addition after members said the packet had no plot plan showing setback measurements. Cannavo said he has the plan and still must go before the Conservation Commission.

67 Middle St.: YMCA signs approved, 4 to 0

The YMCA of the North Shore won a special permit for about 44 square feet of signs on the front of its building at 67 Middle St., which the Y is converting into affordable housing. The downtown business district allows 30 square feet. The agenda described the case as an appeal of a sign permit denial, but the YMCA's architect said no permit had been denied. The Y wanted the board's approval before applying.

The plan adds new lettering to the three panels over the entrance and a new sign over the center opening. The architect said the Historic District Commission had approved the design, and the house number will echo the building's historic style. "I just really think you've done a really tasteful job with the signage," Nimon said.

47 Ye Olde County Rd.: 900 square foot ADU approved, 4 to 0

Josef Borland received a special permit to build a detached, one story accessory dwelling unit of 900 square feet on his family's 2 acre lot on Rust Island. The city's ADU rules cap a unit at 900 square feet or half the size of the main house, whichever is less. With a main house of about 1,080 square feet, that would have limited the ADU to 540 square feet.

Borland said the unit is designed so an aging parent can live on the property while the 100 year old main house is renovated. A direct abutter spoke in favor, and no one opposed it. One board member said the 900 square foot cap still keeps the unit from becoming a second house on the lot.

Other business

• The board agreed to continue a request for an addition at 21 Walnut St. to Oct. 8, at a neighbor's request.
• Members authorized the chair to sign decisions for 1000 Washington St. and 15 Traverse St.
• The board tabled until its next meeting a final review of its rules for Chapter 40B comprehensive permit applications, which the city's legal department wants to send to the City Council.

The board next meets Oct. 8.