Woodstock Early Bird The Early Bird Gets the Worm: earlybirdtips@gmail.com

The Abramson family (Adam and Serra)  has hired local architect Hank Savelberg to make some changes to their stately white-pillared  home on Elm Street in the Village which would include the construction of a ten- foot wide dormer on the south side of the home’s third floor roof.  According to Town Planner Michael Brands, the couple say they need the dormer  to assist with access to room areas on the third floor, especially since they have a child with some physical limitations.

Two Village design committees have considered the dormer proposal over the last couple weeks  with the Design Review Board turning down the request due to concerns about the Village roof  “viewscape” and concerns about staying in tune with area historic homes.

However, last night Architect Savelberg and Attorney Tom Hayes presented the dormer plan to the Development Review Board with a full series of color photos showing similar dormers literally littered across the landscape on many of the historic homes throughout downtown Woodstock and  in the close vicinity of the Elm Street property. Further, they indicated it would be fairly difficult to even see the dormer — smaller in design than neighboring buildings — from street level.  (A Woodstock Early Bird walk-by indicated that is especially true this time of year when the many leafy deciduous trees surrounding  the home virtually block any  view of the roof.

The Development Review Board deliberated and decided to table any decision, continuing the issue to a later meeting.

On a related note, Woodstock Early Bird witnessed clearly a reason that business and homeowners who want to make changes to their property say  Woodstock’s system of multiple design and permit reviews to be costly and  burdensome. 

To wit, Cumberland Farms convenience store and gas station recently  got approval for some changes to its Woodstock store from the Design Review Board. However,   last night,  three of its corporate employees had to travel all the way back to Woodstock for a five minute meeting to present virtually the same changes to a second committee. The trip was to gain approval for a  new type of light fixture for a sign. Cumberland Farms also wanted approval for special covers for posts to prevent people from driving through the store (trying to prevent what they described as a recent fatality in Chicopee).  The sign  was already approved! An entire second  meeting with different reviewers  for a light fixture? Are you kidding? Really?

We’re all for keeping our Village in great shape and in keeping businesses in the proper character for the different districts in which they are located. But, seriously, with all due respect to the Development Review Board, made of up of individuals contributing their time and expertise,   that little piece of business  was a waste of Cumberland Farm’s  time and  money.