57 Perry Avenue (ZB-2026-069)
At a glance
- What: petition ZB-2026-069 to divide 57 Perry Avenue (a double lot with a three-family house and a 12-space lot) and build a second three-family house behind the parking at a new lot, 63 Perry Avenue.
- Where it stands: continued on 2026-08-31 to 2026-09-28; constructive grant deadline extended to 2026-10-20 (per auto-captions). No decision yet.
- Next: revised architectural plans, a rain barrel plan and drainage information; later Planning Board site plan and a definitive frontage subdivision plan.
The proposal
- Petitioner: Isaac K. Matovu and Joreen N. Kaggwan.
- Present use: 3-family dwelling and associated parking. Zone: RG-5 (Residence, General).
- Purpose: divide the parcel and build a 3-family dwelling on Lot 2, with about 12 parking spaces shared between the two lots, and associated site improvements.
Relief sought
- Lot 1 (No. 57) Variance: minimum lot area for a three-family dwelling in RG-5 (Art. IV, Sec. 4, Table 4.2).
- Lot 1 Variance: minimum side yard setback.
- Lot 1 Special Permit: to modify the parking dimensional, layout, and/or landscaping requirements, loading requirements, and/or the number of required parking spaces (Art. IV, Sec. 7.A.2).
- Lot 2 (proposed) Variance: minimum frontage.
- Lot 2 Variance: minimum front yard setback.
- Lot 2 Variance: minimum side yard setback.
- Lot 2 Special Permit: same parking modification (Art. IV, Sec. 7.A.2).
Hearing of 2026-08-31
- Layout: lot line runs down the middle of the shared driveway; six spaces for each house; easement and maintenance agreement for the shared parking. Existing house stays; new three-decker (one apartment per floor) goes behind the lot.
- Relief details (staff): 859 sq ft lot area relief for the existing house (6,141 proposed), 7.5 ft side yard relief at the stairs, 26 ft frontage relief for the new lot, three side yard variances on the new lot, front yard impervious cover 73.1% against a 50% limit, and parking buffer and front yard parking relief.
- Staff design requests: more windows on the street facade, gable detail, drainage of the flat roof between peaks, a porch or entry detail, an easement to use the existing walkway, added landscaping.
- Engineer (Mark Elbag, as captioned): poor soils and high groundwater; roof runoff from the new house captured in a stone trench (first inch of rain); rain barrels could be added to the old house but old rubble foundation rules out a trench.
- Board (Lawrence Abramoff) preferred the building near the street and would have accepted fewer parking spaces; applicant's team said that layout meant too much impervious area or no parking.
Status and next steps
- Continued to 2026-09-28 (constructive grant deadline 2026-10-20) for revised architectural plans and a rain barrel plan.
- Needs four affirmative votes of the four-member board.
Discussion time
About 48 minutes across 1 meeting (from transcript timestamps; approximate).
| Meeting | Minutes |
|---|---|
| 2026-08-31 - Zoning Board of Appeals | 48 |
Log
- 2026-08-31 - Zoning Board of Appeals - First hearing, with attorney Donald O'Neil presenting. Board and staff liked the added housing but wanted better architecture and drainage mitigation (rain barrels on the existing house) and questioned placing the new building behind the parking. With only four board members, continued to September 28 (4-0); constructive grant deadline extended to October 20. No public comment.