Neighbor concerns prompt planning board to require revised plans and public hearing for Sherman Avenue lot

Jim Adacarico, of Cronin Engineering, presented a pre-submission for a five-bedroom single-family home with a three-car garage, a 20-by-40 in-ground pool and associated grading and drainage on a 30,581-square-foot lot. He told the board the property had a prior frontage variance and that the design team had prepared drainage and landscaping plans for review.

Neighbor Evan Karev (owner, 155 Sherman Avenue) said the proposed motor court and garage location would place headlights and vehicle activity immediately in front of his pool and outdoor living areas. Karev told the board, “Every time the garage door opens, I will have headlights both on the pool area, and they actually point directly at my house as well.” He said screening would take years to mitigate the effect and suggested reconfiguring the garage orientation if feasible.

The applicant said screening is already included in the landscape plan but agreed to make the screening more robust and to submit revised plans showing adjacent houses and existing site conditions so the board could evaluate sight lines and impacts. The applicant explained that alternative garage orientations had been considered but were impractical due to lot width, required retaining walls and driveway grades.

The board asked for a plan that shows the abutting buildings and trees so members can better assess visual and privacy impacts. Planning and engineering staff requested revised drainage profiles and any other details noted in the engineering memo; the applicant said those changes were feasible and expected to submit them prior to the next meeting. The board voted to call a public hearing for the April 2 meeting to give neighbors an opportunity to comment formally after the revised submission.