Gloucester ZBA Approves Four Applications at February 13 Meeting

GLOUCESTER -- February 13, 2025, Gloucester Zoning Board approves four applications and accepts one flood-zone withdrawal at February 13 meeting. The five-member board, chaired by Joe Parisi and including Catherine Schlichty, Ronald Wilson, and Peter Cannavo via Zoom, voted unanimously on all items. The board accepted without prejudice the withdrawal of a kitchen-expansion variance for the Driscoll Cape Ann Residence Trust at 65 Atlantic Road after Schlichty reported that town counsel Suzanne Egan advised the Floodplain Overlay District's prohibition on building expansions in high-velocity zones is absolute and no variance is available. The board then approved a special permit for James Salsich III and Heather Honus to replace a 436-square-foot pre-1900 cottage at 10 Montvale Avenue with a 1,600-square-foot home, approved a side yard variance and special permit for an attached ADU at 38 Grapevine Road for Andrea Finch, and allowed 77 Bridge Street LLC to modify its previously granted three-family permit at 13 Hammond Street after unexpected bedrock required more demolition than originally disclosed. In the most legally intricate matter of the evening, the board approved dimensional variances and a height special permit for Prima Vaviga 2 LLC at 8 Gold Street, a prerequisite for the City Council to approve removing an unpermitted seventh unit and returning the property to its 1998-permitted status as two separate three-family buildings.