Jun 6, 2008
Lyons Plain firehouse clears its first hurdle
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by Patricia Gay
The Planning and Zoning Commission has amended its regulations to allow for the operation of privately-owned firehouses.
The commission voted unanimously, Monday, June 2, to include “firehouses on land not owned by the town of Weston” in zoning regulation 341.2.
The vote closes a loophole the commission inadvertently created when it amended its zoning regulations in January. At that time, a section applying to firehouses was removed and incorporated into a new regulation governing municipal-owned buildings.
However, when the commission created the new regulation, it overlooked the fact that the Lyons Plain Road firehouse was not owned by the town.
With the commission’s recent vote, that loophole is now closed.
That means the Weston Volunteer Fire Department, owner of the Lyons Plain Road firehouse, can continue to move forward in the land use approval process.
The department is seeking to tear down its existing firehouse and build a new one in the same footprint.
The department’s next step is to apply to the Zoning Board of Appeals for a number of variances, because the existing firehouse does not conform to setbacks, height and other zoning requirements.
“We need 18 variances,” said attorney George Guidera, who is representing the fire department.
© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers
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