7 CROMBIE STREET - SHELTER, N S - ZBA 7 Crombie St. B-3 t
N.S. Shelter Committee
.....
IIfc�lPm, ��11c�55?ZLli5Ptt5
nary of
DECISION ON THE PETITION OF NORTH SHORE SHELTER COMMIT TEE
FOR A VARIANCE FOR 7 CROMBIE ST. , CROMBIE STREET CONGREGATIONAL
CHURCH, OWNERS .JuL 1 3 2ti PH '65
A hearing on this petition was held on June 26, 198x ( the following Board
Members present: James Hacker, Chairman; Messrs. , Cnarnas, Gauthier, Lcesnofltheand
Strout. Notice of the hearing was sent to abutters � '? .IRP
hearing were properly published in the Salem Evening News in accordance with
Massachusetts General Law Chapter 40A.
The petitioner requests an extension of a Variance which was granted originally
on January 25, 1984, and extended thereafter until June 30, 1985• This Variance
would be to allow the premises in this B-3 district to be used as an emergency
shelter for the homeless for a period of sixty days, until August 30, 196:•
The Variance which has been requested may be granted upon a finding of the Board
that:
a. special conditions and circumstances exist which especially affect
the land, building or structure involved and which are not generally
affecting other lands, buildings and structures in the same district;
b. literal enforcement of the provisions of the Zoning Ordinance would involve
substantial hardship, financial or otherwise, to the petitioner; and
c. desiratie relief may be granted without sobstantial detriment to the
public good and Without nullifying or substantially derogating from the
intent of the district or the purpose of the Ordinance.
The Board of Appeal , after considering the evidence presented at the hearing,
makes the following findings of fact:
1 . Vigorous opposition to the plan was raised, particularly by
neighborhood merchants and residents;
2. The premises constitutes a danger to its occupants because of its
inadequate fire protection and alarm systems, specifically:
(a) the premises needs a complete sprinkler system to be installed;
(b) the premises needs a complete and comphrehensive fire
alarm system;
(c) the premises needs a Fire Department approved method of
transmitting alarms automatically to the Salem Fire Department.
Because of the above, the premises is in violation of the State
Fire Code.
f
DECISION ON THE PETITION OF NORTH SHORE SHELTER FOR
A VARIANCE FOR 7 CRONusIE ST. , SALEM
page two
3. Since January 1 , 1985 there have been 24 arrests of persons at the
shelter and 57 incidents in which the police were called to the shelter;
4 . Contrary to the rules of the North Shore Shelter Committee, the
adherence to which were specifically made a condition of the prior
variances granted to the petitioner to operate its shelter, some
shelter residents have lived at the shelter for consecutive weeks
or months;
5. The staff at the North Shore Shelter Committee have worked hard in their
attempt to alleviate the plight of the homeless.
On the basis of the above findings of fact, and on the evidence presented at the
hearing, the Board of Appeal concludes as follows:
1 . The Variance requested cannot be granted without substantial detriment
to the public good or without nullifying and substantially derogating
from the intent and purpose of the Zoning Ordinance.
Therefore, the Zoning Board of Appeal voted unanimously, 5-0 against granting the
requested Variance. The Board notes that pursuant to its decision filed
November 19, 1984 in regard to the matter of this shelter, the Building Inspector
is directed to forthwith close the premises for use as a shelter.
VARIANCE DENIED
Scott E. Charnas, Secretary
A COPY OF THIS DECISION HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE PLANNING BOARD AND THE. CITY CLERK
APPEAL FROM THIS DECISION, IF ANY, SHALL BE M..ADE PURSUANT TO SECTION 17 OF THE MASS. -
GENERAL LAV,S. CHAPTER ECS. AND SHALL BE FILED C9TH:N 20 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF FILING
OF THIS DECISION IN THE OFFICE OF THE CIT)' CLERK.
PURSANT TO '.SASS. CEYEHAL LA';/S. CHAPTER EOE. SECTION 11, THE VARIANCE OR SPECIAL PERMIT .
GRANTED HEREIN, SHALL NOT TA';E EFFECT WJIL A COPY OF THE JECISL'•N, BEA.RIN; THE CERT
FICATIJN GF THE CIT) CLERK 18A7 2G 9A)S HA:E ELAPSED AND NO APPEAL HAS BEEN FILED,
OR THAT. IF SUCH AN' APPEAL HAS Er-.:i FILE. THAT IT HAS BEEN DIS:MSSED OR DE'C;ED IS
RECORDED IN THE SOUTH ESSEX RMSTP,Y OF DEEDS AND INDEXED UNDER THE NA :E OF THE OWNER
OF RECORD OR IS RECORDED AND NOTED ON THE OWNER'S CERTIFICATE OF TITLE.
BOARD OF APPEAL
Mr. James Hacker
Chairperson January 10, 1984
Salem Appeals Board
Mr. Hacker:
As residents of Crombie Street in Salem we write to
tell you and your board about our concerns regarding the
proposed Emergency Shelter for the homeless at the Crombie
Street Congregational Church.
We, of course, are concerned with the problems faced .
by the homeless on the North Shore. However, we also are
concerned with how the;-proposed shelter will affect our
neighborhood.
We .have been contacted by representatives of the Crombie
Street Congregational Church and they have shown us the
plans submitted by the North Shore Shelter Committee, Inc. ,,
for the operation of the Emergency Shelter. It seems to us
that they are prepared to do whatever they can to operate
the shelter in a safe and responsible manner. }
We believe that the Crombie Street Congregational
Church and the.North Shore SHelter Committee, Inc. , deserve
an opportunity to demonstrate that the proposed shelter
can be operated and operated with a minimal amount of in-
convenience to the Crombie Street neighborhood.
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the'wholers nne khborhood' dived this to you;.adidn!t .have time�sto„
gr so_ this is not a complete fist of°'those who object, `'
by any.means'. It only covers ai small apart. of the area. , °" a �!t z
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�r 'The people ,who areain business `in the°area are `a£raid;to°'takeka''stand, ,but'"#
" you can,be tsure that.they` are not,hapv�l withutkie alre`adygexisting situatrion:i" ',
, a F ,,.a tic'.,_. 1 .a:v �$ i.i •x e te.k- ''�R'. y✓s x ep,i
? 'Crombie. St. and the'.;parking lot° bordering on 'Essex St, have,becoine a gather r4q
.� ing plsc'e for street people, including drurikS, drug raddi•ets and=mentall'y` ;4 t
,unbalari'ced people and`oth`ers who,kannoy,;and frighten the neighbors: We dont:. �3
need to increase this problem. '".The 'street;
WE, the undersigned, residents of the HERITAGE PLAZA CONDOMINIUMS,
TOWNHOUSES AND NEIGHBORING HOME OWNERS,"' are strongly opposed and
object to the granting of a variance at 7 CRO�IBIE STREET, for an
EMERGENCY SHELTER. gSEE ATTACHED LETTER)
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Heritage Plaza Condmminiums
10 Norman Street
Salem, Ma. 01970
January 18, 1984
Dear Mr. Hacker:
We object to the granting of a variance at 7 Crombie Street for an
emergency shelter becauBe it will make a bad problem worse.
There is a large concentration of elderly in the neighborhood, the
apartments for the elderly in the Y M C A building, those in private
homes on Crombie Street and Summer Street and many middle aged and
elderly at Heritage Plaza. Condominiums 58ho have given up their
homes and invested their life savings in these condominiums where
they thought they would be safe, happy and with no additional
problems facing them at this stage of their lives.
We have already been bothered and frightened by drunks, mentally
unbalanced and other street people because Crombie Street has
become a gathering place for them. They usually come very early
to the free meals and loiter on Crombie Street until the doors
open. We have found these people at our doors not only when there
are meals at the church, but any time of day or night. They have
come to the Houses on Crombie Street and demanded money. At
Heritage street people have been found late at night in the foyer.
During the three years or so that the programs have been carried
on/the neighbors have not been consulted when these programs were
instituted. Those working on the programs don' t live in the
immediate area so don' t have this problem around their homes.
We understand that the shelter would be open every night for at
least a year, opening at 9:30 or 10:00 at night. Anyone trying to
get in would be around the neighborhood long before that and if
they are not admitted in all probability they would most likely
still be in the neighborhood long after that. When it was known
that a shelter existed there, more street people from other
communities would congregate in the neighborhood. People were
already afraid to go out at night and now are even nervous about
going out in the daytime.
Please consider very thoroughly our situation and our concern.
Thanking you very kindly for your attention to our requests.
Very truly yours,
HERITAGE PLAZA CONDOMINIUM AND
TOWNHOUSE OWNERS, THE ELDERLY
HOUSING AT THE Y M C A, AND
HOME OWNERS AND RESIDENTS OF
THE NEIGHBORHOOD
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