22 Vista Avenue Statement of Hardship Updated 05.20.2025 STATEMENT OF GROUNDS FOR DIMENSIONAL VARIANCES
FOR GARAGE AT 22 VISTA AVENUE
Petitioner and owner, Michael Kostopoulos and his wife Renee
purchased this property containing a single-family residence known as 22
Vista Avenue in 2001 , and have lived there since, raising their family and
maintaining and improving the property. The land is located on an elevated
parcel bounded at the rear to land owned by the City of Salem which contains
McGrath Park. The petitioners' lot is not immediately adjacent to the public
areas of the park but sits atop a retaining wall about 6-10 feet high above
woodsy scrub areas on that side of the park.
The petitioner's lot contains about 1/3 of an acre and is located in the
City's R-1 zoning district. It is a well-settled and attractive residential
neighborhood.
While most of the surrounding lots in the neighborhood are rectangular
in shape, petitioners' lot's shape is unusually long with one end very wide and
the other very narrow. The house was originally constructed and still sits on
the widest portion at one end of the property, leaving a large expanse of lawn
on the narrower portion of the lot. The property has never contained a garage,
and petitioners have always had to park their vehicles outdoors near the
house. Now, winter weather and their advancing ages, the owners have
decided that they would greatly benefit from adding a large 1 1/2 story 3-car
garage to contain their several cars, and provide expanded storage and areas
for their family's uses.
The petitioners and their professional advisors have determined that the
most viable location for the proposed garage is detached from the house and
constructed on the narrower portion of the lot, as shown by Petitioner's
submitted plans. This will allow the existing driveway to access the garage,
won't require any change in the existing curb-cut and will maintain the existing
excellent unobstructed sight lines for vehicles entering or leaving the property.
As there will be no residential use of the new garage, there will be no increase
in traffic volume or congestion.
The design of the garage is attractive and consistent with the residential
character of the other buildings in the neighborhood, and will not, therefore,
be detrimental to the neighborhood's existing character.
The unusual shape of the lot, including its narrowness in the buildable
area available, and its topographical elevation above City land to the rear, are
circumstances that are unique to this lot and generally not affecting other
Lands and buildings in the same district.
The literal enforcement of the Ordinance would involve substantial
hardship to the applicants, actual and financial, and would prevent them from
constructing their proposed garage. The relief being sought is solely as to
dimensions, not use. There will not be any residential unit or use in the new
garage structure.
Approval of this petition will have benefits to the City in terms of adding
at least temporary construction jobs, and increasing the assessed value of the
property, increasing the City's real tax base.
The relief sought may, therefore, be granted without substantial
detriment to the public good, and without nullifying or derogating from the
intent of the district or the purposes of the ordinance.
WHEREFORE, the Petitioners respectfully request approval of the zoning
relief requested.