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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEmail James & Livia Monteforte1 Cavanaugh, Kimberly From:Livia Monteforte <livia@compass.com> Sent:Tuesday, November 4, 2025 3:29 PM To:Hoopes, Edwin Cc:Cavanaugh, Kimberly; ConservationMailbox; CommunityPreservation Committee; James Monteforte Subject:Tonight’s 6:30 PM Hearing – 789 South Main Street (CRNB/LBSB) – Amended Request for Conditions on Plantings to Preserve Public Scenic Vista and Coastal Bank Character Attachments:Barnstable_Conservation_View_Corridor_Statement_Monteforte_Revised.pdf To: Barnstable Conservation Commission Cc: Conservation Administrator; Planning & Development; Zoning Board of Appeals Dear Chair and Members of the Conservation Commission, We are James & Livia Monteforte, owners of 782 South Main Street, Centerville, writing regarding tonight’s 6:30 PM hearing for 789 South Main Street and its associated beach parcel. We’re genuinely excited to see improvements to this beautiful property and appreciate that the new owners wish to beautify it. Our concern is simply that the proposed location of the new build and the planned tree line along the road would close the established view corridor to Nantucket Sound that currently exists between the home and garage at 789 South Main. This view is special to us as abutters — AND it’s one of the few open sightlines along South Main Street where the public can glimpse the Centerville River and Nantucket Sound. Both parcels are within the Craigville Beach District (CBD/DCPC) — the main parcel in the Centerville River North Bank (CRNB) overlay and the beach parcel in the Long/Short Beach (LBSB) overlay. Under the bylaw’s General Performance Standards (§240-131.7(D)), all development is meant to “protect and preserve scenic views and vistas and ways to the water.” The CRNB section (§240-131.7(G)) adds that “tree removal or vista pruning shall not interrupt the treeline as viewed from the south looking northward to the tree line.” Together, these guidelines emphasize protecting the visual character of the coastal bank and maintaining the natural connection to the water — exactly what makes this part of Centerville so special. We truly support thoughtful landscaping and restoration of the property. We simply ask that the final building and planting plan honor those goals by keeping the view corridor open by relocating the to-be- built structure and using a low-growing, native palette that keeps the shoreline visible and in character with the neighborhood. Protecting this view also aligns directly with the Commission’s role in preserving 2 coastal vistas and the visual character of resource areas under both the Wetlands Protection Act and the Barnstable Wetlands Bylaw. In short, we request that any approval include conditions to: 1. Preserve the existing view corridor to the water, free of vegetation or structures over 5 feet in mature height. 2. Limit new frontage plantings to lower, native coastal species appropriate for the coastal bank. 3. Avoid hedge species that form a solid screen. 4. Have staff review the final building and landscape plan to ensure compliance with the Town’s coastal-bank and vista-preservation standards. For reference, we’ve attached “Barnstable_Conservation_View_Corridor_Statement_Monteforte.pdf,” which includes our written statement and labeled photos showing the existing view corridor from the sidewalk in front of our home as well as the views from both floors of our home. Thank you for your time and consideration. We’re confident a balanced approach can allow this property to be beautifully restored without losing one of the few remaining public water views along South Main Street. Warm regards, James & Livia Monteforte 782 South Main Street Centerville, MA 02632 Livia Freitas Monteforte Broker | Senior Vice President 508.274.6185 Mobile/Text Freitas Monteforte Group | COMPASS 4 Wianno Ave, Osterville, MA 02655 | 1 Locust Street, Falmouth, MA 02540 508.457.0202 www.CompassOnCapeCod.com To help protect your privacy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet.