ZBA Hears Cases on Restaurant, Apartment, and Parking
The ZBA approved changes at Mission Cantina, 485 West Street, to bring the restaurant up to code. Photo: amherstma.gov
Meeting of the Zoning Board of Appeals, December 12, 2024
This meeting was held over Zoom and was recorded.
Present: Steve Judge (Chair), Craig Meadows, Philip White, Everald Henry, and David Sloviter.
Staff: Jacinta Williams (Planner)
Mission Cantina Renovations Approved
The new owners of Mission Cantina at 485 West Street want to update the restaurant and bring it up to code. What was approved recently is not what must be done to comply with an enforcement action by the Building Inspector because access to the toilets was through the kitchen among other minor issues. The owners plan to abide by all the conditions of the original 2012 permit. The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) voted unanimously that the changes did not require another hearing.
Second Apartment Approved at 19 Research Drive
Owner Ron LaVerdiere would like to add a second employee apartment at 19 Research Drive, which would increase the residential portion from 15% to 30%. No commercial activity is happening in this space now and allowing these maintenance personnel to live on site is convenient for the workers as well as the business tenants. The ZBA approved the application unanimously.
Parking Issues at 63-65 Salem Street
This 1965 two-family raised ranch was cited a year ago for parking issues.
The parents of the present owner Joseph Balintfy bought the building in 1976 as a rental property, and it has been occupied by both undergraduate students and adults over the years. The current owner is no longer an Amherst resident and is not the manager of the property. However, he desires to bring it into compliance with the parking bylaw.
It is difficult to find space for cars on the narrow lot beyond the two that are allowed in the front setback and two in the garage. One of the proposals is to put grass pavers north of the driveway but neighbors noted the noise when tenants return home at 1 or 2 a.m., so they do not want cars parked near their lot line. The pavers were described as an attractive nuisance bringing more cars to the site. The tenants refuse to use the two garage spaces and stacking in the driveway is not allowed by the Zoning Bylaw. Five spaces are noted on the parking plan on file.
Engineer Bucky Sparkle, who proposed using the grass pavers, wants ideas for other solutions from the board, as three members expressed an unwillingness to approve more than four cars on site. Neighbors reported that the house was often “over-occupied” with as many as 13 cars parked there regularly. Currently, there are no cars from one of the units. The neighbor to the north gets along well with the tenants and regrets the “complaint-driven system” because it creates conflict.
The hearing was continued to March 13 to allow the Conservation Commission to weigh in on the wetlands to the east, in the backyard, and across the street.