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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter from Gayle Apkarian with objection - 4.3.25 - Correspondence - 45 THIRD STREET 4/3/2025 Gayle Apkarian 21 Dudley Street North Andover, MA 01845 gayleapkarian@gmail.com 978 807 3829 April 3, 2025 Zoning Board 120 Main Street North Andover, MA 01845 Re: Letter of Concern Regarding Proposed Five-Unit Housing Development at 45 Third Street, North Andover, MA Dear Members of the Zoning Board am writing to express my grave concerns regarding the proposed 5 unit housing development at 45 Third Street. As a resident of this neighborhood, I believe this proposal is not in line with the character of our community and represents overbuilding of the land. The current property at 45 Third St has a lovely single family home on it. The proposal to build five units on this lot would significantly increase the density of housing in the area, potentially leading to several negative impacts. My primary concerns include: • Character of the Community: The proposed development deviates significantly from the established character of our neighborhood. The developer is proposing a sprawling, interconnected complex which is completely out of character with the neighborhood. This would eliminate virtually all of the existing greenspace on that property. A similar proposal came to the neighborhood 8 years ago at 33 Third St. This house has become an eyesore and the lawn was paved over to provide parking for the vehicles in the interest of 'profit' to make the numbers work for themselves. This certainly has had an impact on our community. • Overbuilding: Placing five units on a lot currently occupied by one unit constitutes overbuilding. The lot, as is, has been present since this neighborhood was built over 100 years ago and provides a nice greenspace buffer for the surrounding homes. The previous owners had tried to build a much smaller single home several years ago on their lot and this was previously voted down. Allowing a much larger development now is not in the spirit of that decision. • Property Value: This new development will certainly reduce the value of my house on Dudley Street. My house is diagonally across the property where these 3 units would be built and will impact existing sight lines from my house. • Environmental Concerns: Increased density could also lead to increased stormwater runoff and other environmental issues. • Special Needs Concern: My adult son, Sean Sweetser, lives in my upstairs apartment, 19 Dudley St, with live-in care providers. Sean was born in our former home on High Street and has lived in North Andover his entire life. Despite his developmental delays, Sean has always enjoyed walking downtown, alone or accompanied by someone else or just walking up and down the street. He is known by many residents around town. Presently, Dudley Street is a very quiet street with little traffic, a major factor in moving here from High Street. Children have played safely outside for generations. I am gravely concerned that this proposed development poses a threat to Sean's safety when he walks around the neighborhood and to children playing outside. As a parent, I should not have to worry that increased traffic on our street could become a danger for Sean. This is not a good faith proposal by the developer. It is an effort to propose something so absurd that a 'slightly less absurd' proposal might seem like a compromise in the interest of the neighborhood. Neither proposal would be acceptable to me. I urge the Zoning Board to carefully consider these concerns and throughly evaluate the proposed development's impact on our community. I believe it is essential to preserve the character, quality of life, and property values in our neighborhood. I request that the board deny this proposal. Thank you for your time and consideration of this important matter. Sincerely, Gavle Apkarian