Marie and Dave Hayes attended the Planning Board meeting on Wednesday 2/13 to speak about the re-zoning of the Berkshire-Hathaway office on Battersea Road in the Gardens. It’s a 120 ft property that will be divided into 4x 30 foot lots… The lots require shared turn-grounds because they exit onto Battersea Road.
Along with several other neighbors, Marie and I protested the division of the property into 4 lots… We said it would set a bad precedent for the island.
The plan required 4 variances: Minimum lot width •Minimum lot frontage, Minimum Lot width, and Minimum Lot parking/driveway setback. The plan was overwhelmingly approved with only one No vote… Here are some takeaways: (1)The party line was they wanted to create “Affordable Homes” so year-round families could afford them.- They are projected to go for $1.1 Million each!!! ; (2)Sounds like the city is trying to show they are “doing the right thing” to advocate for families. (What a joke!); (3) Said that it would improve the neighborhood… NOT; (4) Said it would create more air and light with little pockets of space in between them…; (5)Noticed the same crew that represented the owner in the case that went to the Zoning Board regarding the commercial property at 55th street, Fusco and Chris Halliday, was teaming up for this again; (6) Attorney Fusco was interrogating the members of the public who were exercising their First Amendment rights. (Subtle form of harassment that Loeper ignored.)