73 High Street

The property fronts on High Street and also on Toomey Lane, a private way that services 73 High Street and its abutters.

The 73 High Street property is situated at the front left corner of the lot, less than 10 feet from the front lot line at High Street and as close as 2 feet from Toomey Lane to its left. The house rambles along the lot line it shares with Toomey Lane, roof lines changing as it progresses, evidence of a hodge-podge of additions the house likely had over its lifetime.

The interior layouts range from 1-3 bedrooms and are inefficient and quirky, cut up to serve differing occupants of the building over the years. Outside there is a jumble of stairs, landings and decks which provide egress to the building tenants.

The building also has a freestanding 3 car garage at the back right corner. Accessed from Toomey Way, there is a large impervious asphalt driveway leading up to the garage.

Given that the existing structure is past its useful life, and with the house and garage being situated in violation of the zoning codes front yard, side yard and rear yard setbacks, our choice is to raze the existing structure and build new construction.

Unlike the existing, the new structure will comply with zoning setback and will create (4) new construction 3 bedroom/2.5 bath homes, each with private outdoor space and 2 car parking. The units will each have a modest gross building area of 1,400-1,500 sq. ft.

The project requires the Planning Board’s approval of our site plan, and the Zoning Board of Appeals special permit approval of our application to expand a pre-existing, non-conforming use. The project will also go through plans review and permitting with the Building Department and the Department of Public Works.

The project will have numerous benefits for the neighborhood and for the town. The new structure shall “not be substantially more detrimental to the neighborhood than the existing,” which is the standard for a special permit. This project meets and exceeds this standard by providing numerous benefits including:

• Removal of the existing building benefits the neighborhood because a) the existing is an eyesore and in a state of disrepair, b) the existing is less than 10’ from the road at High Street and in places as close as 2’ away from the road at Toomey Lane, c) the existing building location impacts visibility, making travel down Toomey Way difficult in areas.

• The new construction building will offer its habitants superior life safety features including a fire alarm and sprinkler system. The sprinklers will be hard piped into the building with their own water feed from the street.

• This project will create (4) family sized 3-bedroom units within a half mile of the elementary school and middle high school.

• The new building design eliminates the front yard, rear yard and front yard setback violations of the existing. In fact, because the proposed will contain 4,000-5,999 sq/ft of gross floor area, the code increases the side yard setbacks from 10’ to 20’, further ensuring that the building is comfortably set-back from neighbors and the street.

The 73 High Street lot will lend a 4’ wide strip of land to Toomey Lane. This strip of land effects to widen the Way, helping to make maneuvering in and out of parking spaces easier.

• The project creates as many as 8 parking spaces, where 6 are required.

• The project has a dedicated trash room to help keep rodents at bay and to keep unsightly trash cans hidden.

• The project decreases the amount of water runoff by increasing pervious areas. Large swatches of asphalt driveway as found in the existing are replaced by pervious pea stone driveways with cobblestone borders.

• This project will increase the property value, and with it the property taxes which it generates for the town. Additionally, because this project adds bedrooms over the previous, a betterment is paid to the Department of Public Works for each additional bedroom added. This money helps the town in financing future infrastructure improvements, which benefit all landowners in Rockport.