HomeMy WebLinkAboutCorrespondence - 1160 GREAT POND ROAD 3/15/2017 (2) A.nnBeha14rehitect
MEMORANDUM
3/15/2017
To: Merylle Chase
Town of North Andover
Zoning Board of Appeals
North Andover town Hall
120 Main Street
North Andover MA, 01845
From: Steve Scribner--Ann Beha Architects
33 Kingston St
Boston, MA, 02111
617.226.1616
Re: Brooks School Center for the Arts:
Application for a Variance—Written Documentation.
A. The particular use proposed for the land or structure.
Arts Facility for The Brooks School (Educational Use)
B. The circumstances relating to soil conditions, shape or topography of such land or structures especially
affecting the property for which the Variance is sought which do not affect generally the zoning district in
which the property is located.
The building is located on a sloping site adjacent to other campus buildings. Soil conditions have
been addressed in the zoning Permit application process; approach to grading and drainage has
been reviewed and approved by the Zoning Board and is not applicable to the issue of building
height.
C. Facts which make up the substantial hardship,financial or otherwise, which results from literal
enforcement of the applicable zoning restrictions with respect to the land or building for which the variance
is sought.
The use for this building includes a theater which will replace the school's existing performance
venue, which is extremely obsolete and has code and accessibility problems. The stage requires a
50'tall fly loft,which accommodates rigging for lighting and backdrops and is typical of theaters of
this type. The theater is above grade to comply with egress code requirements. The building has
been designed with gabled roofs in order to fit in with the surrounding campus buildings, as well as
the town of North Andover and regional vernacular architecture. These constraints have driven the
overall building height,which is 48'feet average above adjacent grade. Literal enforcement of the
zoning restriction would reduce the possible fly loft height, and render it impossible for the school
to have a theater facility built to current educational standards;this would have an adverse effect
on the school's programming and ability to attract high quality students.
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D.Facts relied upon to support a finding that relief sought will be desirable and without substantial
detriment to the public good.
The Brooks Campus has several other buildings in excess of the height limit;the proposed building
will replace a large structure which itself has a high ridge height. The scale of the new building will
be appropriate to its context; it is not close to any smaller, residential-scale buildings and will not
appear excessively tall. Additionally,the mass of the building has been broken into multiple smaller
forms, rather than one large structure;this has the effect of reducing the overall visual scale.
E. Facts relied upon to support a finding that relief sought may be given without nullifying or
substantially derogating from the intent or purpose of the Ordinance.
While the entire Brooks School campus is in a residential zone, it is substantially removed from
nearby residential areas. The proposed building would be a similar scale to the surrounding existing
buildings, and would thereby not violate the intent of the ordinance. Providing relief from the
maximum allowable height limit would not serve as a precedent for other developments, because of
the context as well as the building's use. As an educational facility,the building also complies with
the definition and intent of Massachusetts General Law Chapter 40A,Section 3, or the'Dover
Amendment',which exempts agricultural, religious, and educational corporations from
certain zoning restrictions.
F.Submit RDA from Conservation Commission when Continuous Buildable Area is applied for in ZBA
application.
N/A
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