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Town of Reading <br />Zoning Board of Appeals <br />Minutes, April 29, 1993 <br />Members Present: Ardith Wieworka, Chairman <br />John Jarema <br />John Coote <br />A meeting of the Zoning Board of Appeals was held in the <br />Selectmen's Meeting Room of the Town Hall, 16 Lowell <br />Street, Reading, MA at 7:00 P.M. <br />The first Public Hearing was on the petition of Andrew and <br />Viwanna Buck who were seeking a Special Permit for an <br />Accessory Apartment under Section 4.3.2.8 of the Zoning <br />By-Laws on the property located at 53 Riverside Drive, <br />Reading. <br />Mr. Buck stated that he had bought the house in 1988. When <br />he bought the house it had an "in-law" apartment in the <br />basement. This year he had applied to refinance the house <br />and had been denied by the bank because he had an illegal <br />apartment in the house. The bank stated that having a <br />stove in the basement made it an apartment. Mr. Buck had <br />to remove the stove in order to refinance. He stated that <br />he was here only because he wanted to keep the stove in the <br />basement, not because he wanted to rent the apartment. He <br />only wanted it for an in-law apartment or to use the stove <br />during the holidays ect. <br />The Board discussed some of the criteria for a special <br />Permit. The house had been legally occupied on August 1, <br />1982. The Board started to work on the calculations to <br />show that the apartment would not be more than 1/3 of the <br />apartment, but some of the measurements did not seem to be <br />accurate. The Board also did not have the Assesors card to <br />show which part of the house was finished in 1982. It was <br />discussed that the hearing should be continued in order to <br />gather more information. <br />Mr. Buck again stated that he did not really want to have <br />an accessory apartment. He only wanted to keep the stove <br />in the basement. It was discussed that the Building <br />Inspector could issue a letter stating that it would be <br />legal to keep the stove, but that the apartment could not <br />be rented. Mr. LeClair stated that before he issued such a <br />letter he would want to discuss the issue with Town <br />Counsel. <br />Mr. Buck stated that such a letter would be fine with him. <br />The Board decided to continue the hearing so that Mr. <br />LeClair could speak with Town Counsel and also that <br />