2026-10-28 - Zoning Board of Appeals

09:03Test one, two, three. Good evening, welcome to the Revere Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, October 28th, 2026. Could we please rise and salute the flag?

09:24Roll call of the members, Mr. Lemina. Here, Mr. Lopes. Here, Mr. O'Brien. Here, Mr. Pelton.

09:33Here, Ms. Tucker. The alternate member is absent and Chairman Tucker. Here. Here, a quorum is present.

09:39First item on tonight's agenda, this application, A2626, this was continued from September 30th,

09:46Irano Investment LLC, 42 Genesee Street, Revere Mass, requesting a variance to enable the appellant to construct a two-family dwelling on an undeveloped lot adjacent to 42 Genesee Street.

09:58Is the applicant present? Yes. Do you want to step up to the microphones? Give it a button and turn it on so that the, here we go. Come on.

10:26There you go. So anyway, my client has met with Site Plan Review and has worked out a next step.

10:38At this point, he would like this particular one, where he saw a two-family dwelling to be withdrawn.

10:44Okay. Seeing that it is a public hearing, I have to ask if there's any proponents. Anyone in favor?

10:51Seeing in here, none, I'll close that side of the hearing. Any opponents? Seeing in here, none, I'll close that side of the hearing.

10:57Is there a motion to withdraw without prejudice? Would ask for a roll call, please.

11:07Shall the Zoning Board of Appeals allow the petitioner to withdraw the application without prejudice? Mr. Lemmona?

11:12Yes.

11:13Yes, Mr. Lopes?

11:14Yes.

11:15Yes, Mr. O'Brien?

11:16Yes.

11:17Yes, Mr. Pelton?

11:18Yes.

11:19Yes, and Chairman Tucker?

11:20Yes.

11:21Yes, the application has been withdrawn without prejudice.

11:25Next application is A2630, Jesus Palacios, 1 Overlook Ave, Revere Mass, requesting a variance with respect to no parking allowed within the rear yard

11:35to enable the appellant to pave three parking spaces in the rear yard of 43 Tapley Ave.

11:40Good evening. If you could state your name and address for the record, please.

11:48Hello, everybody. I come here to --

11:56Name and address?

11:57Oh, yes. Sorry about that. My name is Ennio Jesus Palacios, 43 Tapley Street, and I tried to come here to see if he can put it like a three parking space because I just buy the property.

12:14It's very difficult to park on my property.

12:16So I got my front of the house like this one, and this is my back to the house.

12:32Look like that. And this is the port plan.

12:46Seeing that it's a public area, I would have to ask if there's any proponents, anyone in favor, can you step up to the microphone and state your name and address for the record?

13:00Good evening. Nick Dair, 375 Broadway. I'm here in support of Jesus. I was lucky enough to meet Jesus a couple years ago.

13:07Him and his family, awesome people. They were living on Overlook before moving to Tapley, and as you know, it's a very crowded, hard-to-park street.

13:15He's simply asking him to do what many of his abutters have already done, add the parking in the back, remove street cars from the street parking, help relieve some congestion for the entire street.

13:28We've also spoken with the ward councilman who has no objection to this, and no one's reached out to him with any negativity or opposition. Thank you.

13:39Thank you. Are there any other proponents?

13:44File chair from Alberto Garcia Reynad of 31 Tapley Ave in favor.

13:51We can waive the reading. Any other proponents?

13:54Seeing and hearing, I'll close that side of the hearing. Any opponents? Anyone opposed?

13:58Seeing and hearing, I'll close that side of the hearing. Any members, just to speak.

14:03Yeah, I got a question. Your backyard, that's the backyard?

14:25Yes.

14:26Or the side?

14:27The back.

14:30Oh, that's the side.

14:32That's the side of the house.

14:35Yeah, that's the side of the house.

14:36So that's where your emergency exits are?

14:40Yes.

14:41So it's a two-family now.

14:48Yes.

14:50And you want to add an ADU to it?

14:52In the future.

14:53In the future.

14:55So you want the cars to park in the back of the house, I'm opposed to any parking in the rear yard, for emergency vehicles.

15:07So they would exit from the back of the house to the driveway on the side, in the back of the house.

15:25And if you have tenants and they coming down those back stairs and somebody's exiting from the back of the house, it's not safe.

15:43By the house like that.

15:55You want to move the stairs the other way?

15:59Each other way.

16:05Yes.

16:08So this one's for the first floor.

16:20So this stairs want to go face to the parking, go that way to front of these stairs.

16:28That's where the audition that we had before, but I buy the house like that.

16:32It's parking. Not on the side. It wants parking back here.

16:41I would think that's something you have to get the fire department to look at that.

16:48I think you're presenting the plan.

16:51You are still waiting in the driver.

16:54So I know it's a shared driveway with your butter, right?

16:58So there's no line going down the middle.

17:01But you still, I don't believe you're not proving to us that you have the footage.

17:09I mean, just the side yard.

17:11I'm not sure if you actually have the right dimensions.

17:14I'm going to try to look at the plan.

17:21No, I don't, I don't see it.

17:30So his, he would take four parking spaces in the back and still have a backyard, right?

17:38Yes.

17:39Three spaces and still have a backyard.

17:41Yes.

17:42That's, that's just.

17:44[inaudible]

18:02The survey I says is every two feet.

18:06I don't know.

18:07That's what I, the survey of mark my property.

18:10Based on the, the plot plan that we have, the nine foot space PS3 would not go down that driveway.

18:21[inaudible]

18:35Yeah.

18:36I mean, the way you have this laid out, if you look at the parking space on the plot plan,

18:41you have a parking space, PS3, that is nine feet wide by 18, but the nine feet wide is in, is beyond the staircase.

18:54So you can't drive, you have to move to drive by.

18:58Yeah, you have to move the stairs, I think.

19:03Oh, I'm sorry.

19:05My microphone wasn't on.

19:08Based on the plot plan that you provided us, you have a parking space PS3,

19:14which is in the back of the yard.

19:16You have three spaces listed.

19:19PS3 is straight down.

19:21If you go down the driveway, you're going to go straight ahead.

19:24That dimension is nine by 18.

19:27If just visually looking at this, the staircase is in the way to drive a vehicle out of there.

19:34Is my saying that right?

19:36Yeah.

19:37So it's, you either come back to us with a revised plan showing the staircase has been moved,

19:46or we can vote on this tonight.

19:49I don't want to give them, I don't want them to be optimistic about rear parking in the rear,

19:57because I'm totally against any parking in the rear, in a home of that size.

20:03I mean, he ain't having the access to the yard itself.

20:08Yeah, it shows access to the yard in the back on the plot plan.

20:13Yeah, so he's going to have a grass in area and parking, and I just don't think it's a good idea.

20:19Okay, what's the will of the members?

20:21We have to do a motion to approve with our standard conditions and then ask for a roll call.

20:29A nay vote would deny, a yes vote would approve.

20:36Is there a motion on the floor?

20:39A yes vote would approve it, a no vote would deny it.

20:44I'd like to make a motion for them to be able to continue it.

20:57There's a motion to continue, roll call please.

21:02Shall the Zoning Board of Appeals allow the petitioner to continue the matter until the November meeting?

21:08That's going to be November 18th.

21:10Mr. Lemina?

21:11Yes.

21:13Yes, Mr. Lopes?

21:13Yes.

21:14Yes, Mr. O'Brien?

21:15Yes.

21:17Yes, Mr. Pelton?

21:18Yes.

21:19Yes, and Chairman Tucker?

21:20Yes.

21:21Yes, this matter will be continued to the meeting of November 18th.

21:24By November 10th, you have to have a new plan to us.

21:54Thank you.

21:55In the city clerk's office, okay?

22:16This application is A2631, Nefta Realty Trust, LLC, care of Ahmad Selman, 1176 North Shore Road,

22:23requesting variances to enable the appellant to construct a 16-story,

22:27240-unit residential apartment building at 6 Agawam Street and 1198 North Shore Road.

22:34I represent the individuals seeking this withdrawal.

22:51Essentially, my clients have spent a significant amount of time and money trying to get exactly what needs to be done in this area.

23:01And so, at this time, we would like to withdraw for the purposes of identifying different changes that will benefit the project.

23:11Okay, seeing that it's a public hearing, I do have to ask if there's any proponents.

23:17Anyone in favor?

23:18Seeing and hearing, not I'll close that side of the hearing.

23:21Are there any opponents?

23:22Anyone opposed?

23:23Seeing and hearing, not I'll close that side of the hearing.

23:27Is there a motion for withdrawal without prejudice?

23:31Yes.

23:32But that's for a roll call, please.

23:33Shall the zoning board of appeals grant the request to withdraw the application without prejudice?

23:39Mr. Lemmona?

23:40Yes.

23:41Yes, Mr. Lopes?

23:42Yes.

23:43Yes, Mr. O'Brien?

23:44Yes.

23:45Yes, Mr. Pelton?

23:46Yes.

23:47Yes, and Chairman Tucker?

23:48Yes.

23:49Yes, the application has been withdrawn without prejudice.

23:50And last application for tonight is A2632, Steven Caruso, 80 Union Street, Revere Mass, requesting variances to enable the appellant to subdivide undeveloped lots 55, 56, 623, 624, C and D, Ridge Road, and construct four single-family homes on proposed lots 1, 2, 89A, and 92A, Ridge Road.

24:58Thank you, Mr. Chairman, members of the board for the record ricks of Engineering Alliance, Officer 194 Central Street, here on behalf of the applicant, Steven Caruso, for this project.

25:12The project's located on Ridge Road, on the undeveloped portion of Ridge Road.

25:18It's going to include the construction of four single-family dwellings, which I think, I believe, was a change from the last time that you saw this project.

25:28Obviously, the improvements to the road will have to go through the planning board.

25:32It really isn't the purview of this project.

25:34However, the development of the lots most certainly falls under the purview of this project.

25:40The lots are known as Lot 1, Lot 2, Lot 89A, and Lot 92A.

25:48These are all in the RB Zoning District.

25:51The Lot 1 contains 6,683 square feet, Lot 2 contains 697 square feet, Lot 89A, 7,315 square feet, and Lot 92A, 7,514 square feet,

26:06all of which are short of the required 8,000 square feet in the RB Zoning District.

26:12Lots 1 and 2 also include side yard setback relief that contain less than the total of 20 feet required.

26:29With a minimum of 10 feet, these two have a minimum of 5 feet.

26:33Lots 89A and 92A, as you can see on the zoning chart, will comply dimensionally.

26:45Each one of these houses will have a two-car garage.

26:49There'll be two parking spaces in the driveway out front for a total of four parking spaces for each, where only two are required.

26:59So with the exception of the dementia relief that I spoke of, the lot coverage, the height, so on and so forth, all will comply.

27:09The topography on these lots, as you know, in this area of Revere, relatively steep lots.

27:18One and two from Ridge Road North climb up in grade, so those lots will be designed so that there'll be a drive-under garage in the front,

27:30and you'll come out at first floor elevation in the rear so as to work with the topography.

27:35On the Lots 1 and 2, on the downhill side of the road, those will include at-grade and walkout basements,

27:44so those two will be designed to fit into the topography.

27:48Strict application of dementia requirements creates a practical difficulty for these particular lots given the topography,

27:57especially the lot shapes where they're slightly undersized lots in the soil conditions with the presence of ledge.

28:08The proposed development will not degradate from the intent or purpose of the Revere zoning ordinance,

28:13as single-family houses are approved use in the zoning district.

28:18And if you look at an overall picture of the area, these lots, house sizes, are all sort of in harmony with each other.

28:26They're all built the same way. The lots on the right-hand side of the houses walk out, usually at the second floor on the back.

28:32The lots on the south side have walkout basements so as to work with the topography.

28:38We have had several conversations with the ward councilor, who I understand is in favor of this petition,

28:45so I think with that, I'd turn it back to the board for any questions or comments you might have.

28:50Thank you. Seeing that it's a public hearing, I'll ask if there's any proponents. Anyone in favor?

28:56We have the letter on file from the ward councilor, and I believe there's going to be someone stepping up to the microphone.

29:08Please state your name and address for the record.

29:10Mike Gordon and I reside at 7 Colgate Street in Danvers, and I am in favor of this project.

29:18I know Mr. Joseph Capola Deona, and I know Steven Caruso, the applicant.

29:25I work for him, and I've got a pretty good handle on what it takes to put a successful project in.

29:32I'll be part of that project, and I would like to see that area developed and give an opportunity for people to live there. Beautiful views.

29:42Thank you.

29:44Thank you.

29:45Are there any other proponents? Seeing none, I'll close outside hearing. Any opponents? Anyone opposed?

29:50Please step up to the microphone, state your name and address for the record.

29:53Danielle Lozier, T's 250 Suffolk Avenue.

29:57I don't know if I'm quite opposed to it.

30:01I have some deep concerns being on the top part of this project.

30:06My house is completely engulfing the whole project, so I'm not going to read my letter to the zoning board,

30:15but just some of the concerns that I do have is the elevation and the grading, what kind of retaining wall are we going to have,

30:21where the water is going to run off and about slope, stability, soil conditions,

30:29the decomposed vegetation that is behind my house, because it is so steep.

30:34I think from reading the topography on their plan, it's 122 feet high, if I'm mistaken, if I'm not mistaken, how high it is.

30:44Elevation.

30:45Yeah.

30:46Yeah, so my house is probably 130 feet high above that, so at that top level.

30:54So I have concerns about my house falling into this new project.

30:58I'm not proposed to it.

30:59I am a real estate agent, so I'm always looking for development for sure,

31:02but I just want to make sure that they're doing it on the safe ways with construction and excavation, especially where there is ledge.

31:11Drainage is an issue and it's an ongoing issue because the water coming down from my backyard into my backyard goes straight back.

31:21Mr. Caruso did do my retaining wall, so he's very familiar with the property.

31:26I think it was part of his group that had done our retaining wall,

31:29but I just want to make sure that these plans go through and that they're very well looked at for the excavation part of it,

31:38as well as them with the sign offs and stuff like that to make sure that everything is done on the up and up.

31:45And I know Michael Gordon as well, but those are my concerns.

31:48I just wanted to voice those this evening.

31:52I think that's it.

31:54Just the slope and all the measures that take to make sure that it's done safely.

31:59Thank you very much.

32:00Thank you.

32:01Is there any other opponents?

32:02Please step up to the microphone.

32:03State your name and address for the record.

32:07Good afternoon.

32:08My name is Venet de Gregorio.

32:10I actually reside in Santa Conway, New Hampshire,

32:14but I am the owner of one of the undeveloped lots that will abut their lot, 92A,

32:21as well as the home that my 89-year-old mother resides in that is next to our undeveloped lot that abuts one of the project lots.

32:32As many people in this room probably know, that bottom of Ridge Road is very congested.

32:39There are just three or four houses down there,

32:42but at any given time there could be 15 cars parked on that street.

32:47Unlike Suffolk Avenue, which only allows parking on one side, Ridge Road allows parking,

32:54including that part of Ridge Road on both sides.

32:58I went through and counted up all of the cars that belong to each of the houses.

33:05I'm going to just focus mainly, so the house we live in, I'm here a lot.

33:09I live in New Hampshire, but the house is mine, and I'm here half the week taking care of my mom.

33:14She's here.

33:15We don't have a driveway.

33:17There's three cars that belong to our house, mine, my sons, and my moms.

33:22The house next door, so those are all on the street.

33:26The house next door to ours, to the right, if you're facing the street, they do not have a driveway either.

33:32There's two cars, it's a two family, two cars on one of the units, one car on the other.

33:39Across the street are two townhomes with two units in each,

33:45and those have driveways.

33:50One unit has a driveway, one unit has a garage,

33:54but nobody uses both because nobody wants to be blocked in, so there's always cars on the street.

34:02I'm not trying to cut you short, but you have up to two minutes, so if you have anything else to say, you want to just present.

34:08Yeah, I'm just concerned.

34:10The street is very narrow.

34:13As our councilman, I wish he was here, Mr. Argentio knows, very rarely do the revere plows come down

34:20because they can't fit between all the cars lined up.

34:23I understand these will be further down, but my concern is how the construction equipment is going to come down there,

34:31and emergency vehicles.

34:34Last February, my mother had to be taken away in an ambulance during a snowstorm.

34:39It was very difficult because of how narrow it is when there's cars on both sides of the streets.

34:44It's one of the last undeveloped plots of land in revere, and I think it should stay that way.

34:50Thank you.

34:52Thank you.

34:54Are there any other comments?

34:55Seeing none, I'll call that side of the hearing.

34:58Any members to speak?

35:01I'm sure the neighbors will get together with the developer.

35:07Who's the developer?

35:08One of these guys here.

35:11To address any concerns before they start building.

35:15Just for clarification, if this is to be approved tonight, it goes back in front of site plan review,

35:28then you'd have the department, the whole, you could go over to the building department

35:35or speak to your ward council.

35:38I'm sure that he could set up a meeting to make sure.

35:41The engineer that's here is probably, one out of 10, he's probably number three in the whole state.

35:50I'd say number one, but other people would say a little lower.

35:53So I may have no concerns with the topography of the land because he knows what he's doing.

35:59But again, if we were to vote on something, it has to go to site plan review, then to the building department,

36:04which we have no control over, but I'm just knowing the developer himself.

36:11I don't think you'd have any issues, but we'd ask you, what's the will of the members?

36:16Motion to approve with our standard conditions.

36:19If the application is approved this evening, the standard conditions are as follows.

36:27If the rights authorized by this variance are not exercised within two years after the variance was granted,

36:32which shall not include the time required to pursue other entitlements necessary to construct the project authorized by the variance

36:39or await the determination of an appeal referred to in section 17 of chapter 48 of the general laws, such rights shall lapse.

36:46This variance shall not be valid until the appellant has recorded this variance and plan in the Suffolk County Registry of Deeds

36:52and submits document recording numbers and dates to the city clerk and building inspector of the city of Revere.

36:57And the appellant must receive site plan review approval prior to applying for a building permit.

37:03Shall the zoning board of appeals grant the relief requested subject to those conditions?

37:07Mr. Lemina?

37:08Yes.

37:10Mr. Lopes?

37:11Yes.

37:13Mr. O'Brien?

37:14Yes.

37:15Mr. Pelton?

37:16Yes.

37:17Yes.

37:18And Chairman Tucker?

37:19Yes.

37:20Yes.

37:21The variance has been granted subject to those conditions.

37:22There's no further business, Chairman.

37:23Thank you.