Zoning Board of Appeals nixes illegal decks

They say its easier to ask for forgiveness than permission that is unless you build illegal decks on your Mayflower Street home.

The Zoning Board of Appeals recently surprised some audience members when the board voted against an applicants request for a continuance, based on his past behavior.

According to Building Commissioner Paul McAuliffe, Michael Getchell filed for a permit to build decks onto his home at 39 Mayflower St. in 2007, was told no, since the plan encroached on his neighbors property, and then he built them anyway.

In 2011, he was told he needed to contact the building inspector or remove the structure. Getchell then, apparently, filed for a permit. The Zoning Board of Appeals denied that request Oct. 30, 2 012 and ordered Getchell to remove the structure. He didnt.

In December, he was slapped with a $100 fine and a violation notice. Two weeks later, McAuliffe said, Getchell again filed for a special permit.

But instead of showing up for his recent hearing, Getchell sent the board a request for a continuance and was nowhere to be seen.

While ZBA members Ed Conroy and David Peck were in favor of granting the continuance, a majority of the board voted against it, and the hearing proceeded without the applicants presence.

Hes got a hot tub on his deck, Hadley LeClair, of 41 Mayflower St., told the board. If someone backs into that deck its going to drop on him. This is four feet from my property line. Its a 14-foot deck.

LeClaire said Getchell not only added the deck, he constructed a second deck on the roof and doubled the size of his shed.

We denied this application once before and it was built anyway, ZBA Chairman Peter Conner said.

Excerpt from:
Zoning Board of Appeals nixes illegal decks