BETHEL — Planning Board Members decided to table a site plan application for The Watershed Wood-Fire Kitchen due to unforeseen circumstances on Wednesday, October 13. The applicants, Victoria Fiorriari and Thomas Deluca, were proposing moving a building onto a full foundation. The location would be at 11 Philbrook Street. They proposed a small addition to be added onto the back to accommodate an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) bathroom and an ADA entrance, as well as an 8-foot deck covered by a metal roof.
“The building, believe it or not, as bad as it has looked in the past, is structurally in great shape,” said Victoria Fiorriari. “The floor is caving in the center but I had Steve Pelletier come and look at it and he said it’s actually in amazing shape so he said once it gets put on a foundation it’s going to be very sound.”
They used architect Jim Reuter, to advise them. They will have to remove four trees.
The Planning Board then opened the floor, causing the unexpected.
Eric Stephenson, a resident of Bethel for the past 20 years, said he wanted to discuss property lines.
“We [he and his wife] purchased the property from the water district before the town took over the property back in 2012,” said Stephenson. “Basically, we owned the original house at 11 Philbrook St., we sold it, but she [Fiorriari] is telling us that from her new survey, that we’re going to lose five feet of our property. That their property has no easement, that the easement is not there, the buffer. We had surveys done, so I’d like to know how this can happen? They can just have a new survey? I’m honestly waiting for title insurance,” Stephenson said firmly.
“What’s concerning me is the parking. The five feet away from my property that’s been established, and then my driveway is going to become a turnaround, because their parking lot is going to go into my driveway so it’s…Where are the dumpsters going to go?” asked Stephenson. “I’ve seen the site plan, there’s no room for any snow removal. So as far as moving the building over, the talk of 20-foot buffer, we need to figure out how to get the building back over.
“You’re supposed to have a parking spot for every three people, and I know they’ve been granted to use Main Street, and they will use Brooks Brothers, it’s going to happen,” he concluded.
“Who did your survey?”, planning board member Cheryl Thurston asked.
“Berry Allen from Lost Corner,” said Fiorriari.
“The planning board cannot resolve property dispute. Only courts can resolve property disputes,” said Sarah Tucker, assistant to the Planning Board.
At which Fiorriari reassured Stephenson that on their plan, they are prepared to pay for a six-foot fence. In addition, because his driveway is on their property, they took away one of their parking places and put in a raised bed and a garden so people could not use his driveway whatsoever.
Tucker said that Stephenson did raise other issues.
“The applicant has provided a deed and the applicant has provided a survey, it’s not incumbent on the planning board to investigate evidence, you’re supposed to accept it as it’s presented to you,” said Tucker.
Following that statement, Thurston said, “And I’m thrilled there was a survey done. We get a lot of it without it, and it makes me very uncomfortable and I know it varies but, we’re going to vote on this in a minute but I think we’re going to have to do a side walk.”
From there they picked a day to walk the site and tabled the site application until then.
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