Draft - Letter To Abutters

February  __, 2012

Dear                        ,


As a neighbor of 60 Plymouth Avenue, you may have heard that the property changed hands in December, 2011. A family from Dover, the Burmans, purchased the property as a summer home for their family of six. The existing house is in disrepair and does not offer a comfortable floor-plan for the family. The Burmans wish to raze it and replace it with a more sound, safe,  and aesthetically appealing home. We are proud that Archia Homes was selected to design and build the new home. As a local, award-winning home building company which specializes in high-quality construction, we focus on appropriate scale and beautiful design.

Because the existing house does not meet the set-back requirements as set forth in the zoning code of the Town of Duxbury, re-building another house on the property will require a Special Permit to be issued. There will be a hearing before the Zoning Board of Appeals within a couple of months to determine whether the Special Permit will be issued. We would like to present the proposed plans to you so that you can see how the planned home would enhance the neighborhood. With your endorsement of the proposal, we feel confident that the Special Permit will be issued. We feel strongly that a safer, more attractive and family-friendly home will be an improvement for everyone, and we hope to get your support for the project.

Please join us for coffee on            at 60 Plymouth Avenue so we can show you the proposed plan. Samantha Burman, the property owner, will be present and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have. If you will not be free at that time, we would be happy to meet with you on a more convenient date. Please contact us at 781-934-6141 or peter@archiahomes.com so we can arrange that.

Best wishes,



Peter Stames
President, Archia Homes
3 Cranberry Hill
Duxbury, MA 02332

Historical Site Meeting

Monday 1/30/12 1:00pm - Historical Commission meeting at 60 Plymouth Ave

Attendees: Members of the Historical Commission, Peter Stames and Chris Coakley, Samantha Burman (?)

The Historical Commission has requested that a long form be completed. The only addition to what we have already submitted are copies of the deeds and titles. We will photocopy these documents next week.

Status on permitting process:

Demolition Permit:

• Ross has already submitted the Demo. Permit.  The following utilities are all set:

• the cable is disconnected
• the water has been turned off
• the gas has been disconnected
• NSTAR has removed meters and aerial lines

• Since the Permit must first wend its way through the Historical Commission first, Ross has time to submit the remaining outstanding paperwork regarding utilities which will be required to be signed off before the Demo permit will be issued:

• Freeman is working on the sewer connection and he will cap it either on the main or on the property. He will provide a quote.
• Ross is waiting for a letter from Verizon stating that the shut off has been completed and the lines are removed.

• Historical Commission Meeting February 16, 2012

Building Permit:

• The Permit is ready to be submitted pending:
• You need to attach construction plans to the Building Permit Application
• The section on the Permit form relating to construction costs needs to be completed
  Best Case: January 27, 2012

Because the scope of the project is non-compliant, the Permit will be rejected and we will need to go through the Special Permitting process. Here are the stages the Permitting process will take:

• Once the Building Permit is submitted, Scott Lambiase will almost certainly reject it - this should take place within a short period of time (a week or so?).
  Best Case: January 31, 2012

• We will be issued a Notice of Rejection by Sue Woods, Scott’s assistant. We will need to meet with Danielle Brandon, the administrative assistant to Scott Lambiase. Once given the Notice of Rejection, we will see Danielle to complete several things:
• the notice to abutters (within 300 feet)  - $30 fee
• the notice for a public hearing (published in the Clipper for 2 weeks) - $70 fee
• the application to go before the ZBA
• At this point we will want to include plans (including 22 copies of the certified plot plan) and pictures of the site, the existing structure, and  the proposed home. 
  Best Case Scenario: Permit submitted February 2, 2012

• The ZBA will need to see the total coverage as the house and the outbuildings stand now in terms of volume and square feet as well as the proposed coverage in terms of volume and square feet.

• I spoke to Joe Webby (the son) on Monday 1/23/12 and asked him to prepare this as well as to measure the height of the abutters’ buildings. He will survey them and prepare a PDF which he will e-mail over for your review.
• A brief will need to be attached to the Special Permit application - should the Burmans decide to involve an attorney, he or she would want to prepare the brief.
• The application will go through the various Town Committees, to include
• The Planning Board
• The Water Department
• The Duxbury Bay Management Committee
• The Conservation Committe
• The Design Review Committee
• Danielle told me that the Design Review Committee likes to see a lot of visual aids - “lots of pictures”
• We will want to collect letters in support of the project from as many neighbors as possible as the ZBA will strongly consider their views. The support (or lack of support) from the closest abutters holds the most sway - a far away neighbor who isn’t happy about it will not be of as much concern if the closest abutters are pleased and have voiced their approval.
• From the time the application is submitted, the committees will have 35 days to meet and review the packet.  As soon as each committee meets, it will send its response to Danielle. She has said that she will forward their comments to us so that we can anticipate any issues that might come up at the ZBA hearing. Once the 35 days have expired, we will get a date to go before the ZBA. According to Danielle, Best Case Scenario to go before the ZBA is March 22, 2012.
• The ZBA will make their decision the night of their meeting. They can take 35 days to write up their decision (it has taken longer when ZBA members are busy with). Worst Case Scenario for the decision to be written up is April 26, 2012.  
• Once the decision is written up, it is taken to the Town Clerk’s office to be stamped. There is a 20 day waiting period during which the abutters within 300 feet are notified of the decision and are able to complain. This would be the time during which we would be able to make an appeal if the decision of the ZBA was not favorable.
• After 20 days (Best Case Scenario May 16, 2012), Danielle will get back the original decision, she will give it to us to record at the Plymouth County Registry of Deeds. We will keep the original stamped decision, we will give Danielle the receipt from the Registry of Deeds and she will make copies. She will give Inspectional Services a copy and then there is a waiting period of approximately 2 weeks from that time until the permit is valid. Best Case Scenario May 30, 2012.

Meeting Agenda

• Design
• Siting
• ZBA and known issues
• Demolition Permit and Historical Commission issues
• Special Building Permit
• Proposed construction to be reviewed by the ZBA, might want to retain counsel for the hearing
• Meet with abutters to create goodwill before meeting before ZBA?
• Schedule
• Budget

Interior Design

These are some images of whart I picture for the interior treaetment.  I like the exposed joists and steel.