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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Amy:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Great Friday brain teaser question!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Since the entire parcel being divided is owned in common, I would think the 10K lot with house and the 20K lot adjacent would immediately be considered \u201cmerged\u201d for zoning purposes into what amounts to a 30K lot with house. I don\u2019t think this adjacent lot could be sold into separate ownership as it is bound to the occupied lot. The adjacent lot should be labelled as \u201cNot a Building Lot\u201d on the endorsed ANR plans. Title attorneys should catch this and scotch the sale, or as a last resort if sold, the building inspector should not issue any building permits. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Counting on variances from the ZBA to routinely fix the 10K problem is a dicey proposition given the strictness of 40A:10, the variance section in the Zoning Act. Therein a showing of hardship is required, and the hardship <u>must</u> stem from lot shape, soils, or topography. Self-created hardship from not having enough land area for four compliant lots isn\u2019t an adequate showing and should be denied by the ZBA. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'>Jeff Lacy<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'>Rural Planning Associates<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'>896 Graves Road<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'>Conway, MA 01341<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'>(413) 230-9693 (cell)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'><a href="mailto:ruralplanningassociates@crocker.com"><span style='color:#0563C1'>ruralplanningassociates@crocker.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> MassPlanners <massplanners-bounces@masscptc.org> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Michael McCarthy via MassPlanners<br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, June 6, 2025 10:31 AM<br><b>To:</b> Amy <s.poretsky@verizon.net>; Mass Planners <massplanners@masscptc.org><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Massplanners] [EXTERNAL] ANR Question<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Hi Amy,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>I think the 10k lot would need a variance for lot size or it would be out of compliance with zoning and subject to enforcement. I believe this would only \u201ckick in\u201d as enforceable once the abutting lots are sold and there is no longer common ownership, so they can\u2019t be considered merged for zoning, but that might depend on your ordinance. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>I have seen this occasionally and we usually require/suggest the applicant bring the ANR plan to the ZBA for variance approval and revise the plan to reference the recorded variance decision prior to endorsement.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Mike McCarthy<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Asst. City Planner<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>New Bedford<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> MassPlanners <<a href="mailto:massplanners-bounces@masscptc.org">massplanners-bounces@masscptc.org</a>> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Amy via MassPlanners<br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, June 6, 2025 10:11 AM<br><b>To:</b> Mass Planners <<a href="mailto:massplanners@masscptc.org">massplanners@masscptc.org</a>><br><b>Subject:</b> [EXTERNAL] [Massplanners] ANR Question<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-line-height-alt:.75pt'><span style='font-size:1.0pt;color:white'>Say your town requires 20K sq ft lots and 100 feet of frontage. There is currently a home on a 70K lot. To make it easy, lets picture a rectangular lot and the house is all the way on the left side of the lot and currently meets all zoning regulations,<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-line-height-alt:.75pt'><span style='font-size:1.0pt;color:white'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;letter-spacing:-.25pt'> </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;letter-spacing:-.25pt'>Say your town requires 20K sq ft lots and 100 feet of frontage. There is currently a home on a 70K lot. To make it easy, lets picture a rectangular lot and the house is all the way on the left side of the lot and currently meets all zoning regulations, all the land to the right side is wooded and buildable.</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>The owner brings forth an ANR splitting the one lot into 4. The 3 new lots (to the right) meet current zoning, 20k lot size and 100 feet of frontage. The original lot with the house is now only 10k. but meets the 100 ft frontage requirement. The engineer just stamps "unbuildable lot" on the lot with the original house. This lot already has a house so they don\u2019t care. Is this allowed?<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>What if it was reduced to 10K and the frontage also fell under the required 100 ft, would this be allowed if stamped "unbuildable"?<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Thanks for your input.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Amy Poretsky<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Northborough PB Chair<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></div></div></body></html>