78 Memorial Drive Statement of Grounds
Re: 78 Memorial Drive January 13, 2025
STATEMENT OF GROUNDS
Street view of Existing Home Street View of Proposed Additions
The Applicant, Michelle “Watkinson” Dalton, is the owner of the single-family home located at 78 Memorial Drive.
The home, built in approximately 1953, is currently a 1,400 square foot, single story structure, elevated on the site due to
the natural topography and large areas of exposed ledge. The driveway and garage are at street level and the remainder
of the front area of the lot is built up, surrounded by retaining walls of 3-5 feet in height.
The existing structure is not in conformity with a few of the current R-1 district zoning regulations. Both sides of
the home are nonconforming in regard to side yard setbacks, the lot is undersized, and the frontage is less than the
current dimensional regulations require.
Michelle has been dreaming of adding a second story to her home for more than fifteen years. Recently, she
became the primary caregiver of her uncle who is elderly, disabled and needs care 24/7. She wishes to alter her home to
allow for her uncle to reside with the family, rather than in a remote care facility. Now, more than ever, Michelle’s family
needs more living space.
The proposed second floor addition will be largely built above the existing structure, which will extend the existing
side yard setback nonconformities vertically but shall not encroach further into the side yards. The left side setback is no
more than 6.3 feet and the right side is no more than 7.2 feet where 10 feet is required. Per Section 3.3.5 of the Zoning
Ordinance, an existing nonconforming single family residential structure may be increased by Special Permit, as long as
the alteration does not encroach further into the yard than the existing dimension.
The design of the second floor addition is in keeping with the scale of several other “cape style” homes in the
neighborhood, and is well below the allowed building height. The proposed alterations will improve the property value of
78 Memorial Drive and will cause no detrimental impacts on the neighborhood.
The relief proposed to extend an existing nonconforming structure by Special Permit could be granted without
sustained detriment to the public good and is in keeping with the intent of Section 3.3.5 of the Ordinance.