Meetings Ahead
Most meetings in Eastham are in person, typically with an online-attendance option. Click on the meeting you want to attend on the calendar at eastham-ma.gov for a link to an agenda and details. All meetings are at Town Hall unless otherwise indicated.
Thursday, June 13
- Affordable Housing Trust, 9 a.m.
Monday, June 17
- Search Committee, 10 a.m.
- Select Board, 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, June 18
- Taxation Aid Committee, 11 a.m.
- Capital Projects Committee, 3 p.m.
- Board of Library Trustees, 4 p.m.
- Recycling Committee, 5 p.m.
Conversation Starter
Adding a Story, With Subtractions
Property owner Karen Johnson got the go-ahead from the zoning board to demolish a one-story cottage at 15 Beach Plum Lane and replace it with a two-story house, but it took some significant design changes to satisfy both the neighborhood and the zoning board to secure approval.
In early May, Johnson presented a house plan that featured numerous large windows, a lighted roof deck with a spiral staircase, and a roofline that didn’t blend well with this neighborhood of cottages and single-family homes. Neighbors complained that the abundance of windows and decks would encroach on their privacy and cause considerable light pollution. The plan also included construction of a shed quite close to a property line.
The zoning board continued the hearing until June 6, when Johnson’s attorney, Ben Zehnder, presented a dramatically changed proposal after consulting with the neighbors.
The roof deck and spiral staircase had been removed from the proposal as well as a second-floor deck planned for the front of the house. The planned shed was also removed. The number of windows was significantly reduced and the roofline adjusted from the proposed height of nearly 30 feet down to 25.5 feet.
The zoning board commended Johnson for working with her neighbors. Alison Wilcox, who lives at 13 Beach Plum, said she appreciated the effort. “We definitely like that they listened to us,” she said.
While some neighbors hoped that construction would not be done at the height of the summer, Johnson said some work preparing the site, such as demolition of the cottage and removal of trees, would likely be underway. —Christine Legere
