Saying the project was appropriate and inconspicuous, the Planning & Zoning Commission last week voted unanimously to allow the owners of an Osoborn Lane home to create a 1.5-story addition to their house.
Addition (on the left side of the home) planned for 66 Osborn Lane. Specs by James Schettino Architects of New Canaan
The 2,213-square-foot addition planned for 66 Osborn Lane will house an indoor pool, according to attorney Amy Zabetakis of Rucci Law Group, which has offices in Darien and New Canaan.
“This is a nice property to do this on,” Zabetakis told members of P&Z at their regular meeting, held Jan. 26 via videoconference.”It’s a large lot, level. It’s at the end of a cul-de-sac. There’s not a lot of neighbors that are nearby or anyone that would be impacted by this.”
The 18-foot addition also “really does fit in with the look of the rest of the residence.”
Under the New Canaan Zoning Regulations (see page 70 here), P&Z may issue a Special Permit for building coverage to exceed what is normally allowed, on condition that a restriction is placed in the land records and so long as the total building coverage doesn’t exceed 140% of the area allowed for building coverage (as defined on page 58 of the regs).
The Osborn Lane home specifically could have up to 6,333-square-feet under the provision, though with the addition it’s still more than 100 square feet under what’s allowed. Its owners also are going to put a building restriction over the entire addition, though “really we only need to put a restriction over about half of,” Zabetakis said.
“We are 1,106 square feet over the allowable coverage,” she said.
Commissioners asked whether any neighbors submitted comments on the project (no), whether a tanker truck would deliver water for the pool or whether it would draw from a well (truck) and whether Zabetakis, as mentioned, would apply to have a change made to FEMA records regarding a flood zone (the actual elevation of the home shows that it’s not in a flood zone so the plan is to contact FEMA so that the federal agency has maps that reflect reality).
P&Z voted 9-0 in favor of the Special Permit. Those voting included Chair John Goodwin, Secretary Jean Grzelecki and Commissioners John Kriz, Dan Radman, Claire Tiscornia, Dan Ward, Phil Williams and Krista Neilson.
Turner in moving to approve the application said, “I think that the addition is appropriate. It’s set back from the neighbors. The height of the structure is fairly low and it there’s just no compelling reason to deny it. I believe it should be allowed to proceed.”