38B-224 gT6 , 9 ; L
Elizabeth M. Jones & Maxine G. Schmidt 413-585-0644
43 Fairview Avenue Northampton, MA 01060
July 12,2006
Dear Friends at the Zoning Board of Appeals,
We propose to alter and add onto an existing garage by extending the footprint 3' closer
to the front property line and to add a half story. The purpose of the extra footage below
is to add stairs to the upstairs, creating additional storage for yard equipment while not
losing floor space for parking vehicles. The space above is intended for storage and a
writing and craft studio for personal use. We will eliminate the rear bump-out and
replace the existing hip roof with a gable roof. We would add plumbing to the building,
if approved,to have a toilet and sink upstairs. Additionally, we would run a gas line to
the building for heat. We would tie into existing services within the house, including gas,
water, and sewer lines.
Our neighborhood is a very tightly packed neighborhood. I've enclosed a few pictures to
give you the idea of how closely we live together. One neighbor's and our houses are 15'
apart,the distance to our property lines even less (theirs 10' and ours 5'). Our backyard
is surrounded on more than all sides by buildings: our house and four garages,not even
including our own. We have a neighbor diagonal to our back corner(at 46 Olive Street)
who has a barn/garage that is used for living space. Their building is within a few foot of
three property lines,their side and back neighbors and at the corner of our lot. I know
that our buildings violate almost all current setbacks to the property lines. There is no
other place on our property to do an addition. So we are asking permission to build up
and forward on the garage to accommodate storage and a light-use writing studio and feel
that this addition will not adversely impact an already crowded cluster of buildings.
I enclose a plot plan,on which I have roughly sketched the location of neighbors'
buildings. Additionally, I enclose elevations of the existing garage and proposed
alterations.
Thank you for your consideration of our proposal.
Yours,
Elizabeth Jones(Becky)
� � S
Maxine Schmidt