HomeMy WebLinkAboutPublic Comment from Temple in supportDear Members of the Zoning Board of Appeals:
Yesterday we met with David and Diane Munsell, reviewed their proposed house plans, and walked the
site with them. That experience has led us to support their request for a variance, for these reasons:
1.We believe the west-side setback should be a non-issue because:
(a)It’s in a wooded area that backs up not to another building, but simply to the St. Mary’s parking lot.
(b)St. Mary’s Church, the abuttor on both the south and west sides,has already indicated its support
for the project.
(c)It’s in a neighborhood where many houses, including ours at 3026 Main Street, have a similarly
shallow side setback.One could even argue that part of the charm of the Village comes from the
houses’ varied placement on their lots as opposed to uniform adherence to modern standards.
2. We also feel that the amount of street frontage, while less than ideal,is adequate given the proposed
house’s relatively modest footprint and the extent of visually clear space between it and the closest
neighboring buildings on either side (Barnstable Historical Society and St. Marys).
3.To us, the design of the proposed house fits comfortably within 6A’s historic district, with its rich mix
of center-entrance colonial, Greek revival and Stick Style architecture.Within the neighborhood,the
street façade of the Munsells’proposed house is practically a left/right mirror image of the Ramage
house at 3114 Main Street.
Like many others in the Village, we have always enjoyed the look of the Munsells’ carriage house in its
original form—or at least what we take to be its original form, as none of us was here when it was built.
We applaud their efforts to design a new home that incorporates and complements so much of the
existing structure.
Sincerely,
Ann Miller and John Temple
3026 Main Street