Westport planners scrutinize big stone entry

Neighbor argues it was built on community property

By Bruce Burdett
Posted 3/18/18

By Bruce Burdett

The Planning Board wants a Hickory Lane resident to explain the thinking behind a grand stone entry structure that a neighbor — and board members — say appears to stand on …

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Westport planners scrutinize big stone entry

Neighbor argues it was built on community property

Posted

By Bruce Burdett

The Planning Board wants a Hickory Lane resident to explain the thinking behind a grand stone entry structure that a neighbor — and board members — say appears to stand on shared community property.

To that end, the homeowner, listed as(Mr.) Morais, was asked to attend the board’s meeting last week to answer questions about the pillar-like structure (Hickory Lane is located off Sycamore Lane, south of Route 177). One of those questions, asked at the board’s February 20 meeting, was why he should not be required to remove the structure or somehow move it onto his own land.

Attorney Brian Corey, representing neighbor Sheila Oliveira, said the structure “just started to appear” recently. When (he) was asked to stop “he became volatile.”

The problem, Mr. Corey said, is that the “massive” structure and accompanying landscaping, while they may look nice, and “pretty dramatic” sit on shared roadway, block what was supposed to be a turnaround, and interfere with a drainage system that was designed to take water between the properties. Rather than flow away, water now ponds in the area, the board was told.

A landowner has been “re-landscaping the whole turnaround and utilizing it as his own,” Mr. Corey said.

He has also “erected signage that states, ’Smile, you’re on candid camera,’” which Mr. Corey said has “intimidated” professionals who have tried to go down there to work.

“I went over there today and it’s pretty amazing,” Town Planner James Hartnett told the board. “It looks like his driveway … like it has been totally taken over.”

Board Chairman Jim Whitin agreed, saying it appears that “he has taken over 50 feet of common property.” He said the board should send a note to the building inspector requesting that no more building permits for lots within that area be approved until the matter is straightened out.

He also recommended that Mr. Morais be invited to the Planning Board’s meeting last week to explain his side.

“He was invited to (the February 20) meeting,” Mr. Hartnett said. “It’s his responsibility to rectify the situation.”

Then we should ask him to come, Mr. Whitin said.

Mr. Morais did not speak at the next week meeting on March 5, but Robert Carrigg of Bristol Pacific Homes, developer of the neighborhood, did speak briefly and answer several questions. He said a surveyor had gone out to check the situation but had not yet provided a report.

Did the property owner alter the drainage, he was asked

“I don’t know.”

Does that stonework belong on common property?

“We build neighborhoods and people do all sorts of stuff. I’m sure there are places in town here stone walls and fences and whatever are outside the layout.”

“My clients’ big issue is the safety turnaround for the roadway,” Mr. Corey said. During the last snowstorm, plows were not able to turn around and a truck got stuck in the drainage swale because they didn’t know where to turn around. More recently a large moving truck parked in the street for 12 hours, he said, adding that there has been considerable ponding in the road during recent rainstorms.

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A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.