Residents are complaining on social media about a partially constructed house in Cos Cob where a stop work order was recently issued. Last week unknown persons put bags of dog feces into the open dumpster outside the house at 26 Sinawoy.
In response, someone at the construction site tossed the bags onto the roadway, sidewalk and into a tree.
Also, a large sign fashioned from a piece of plywood was propped against the dumpster saying, “Take your dog poop with you.”
Someone contacted Greenwich Police.
Lt Martin O’Reilly explained that on December 23 the property owner was issued an infraction for littering.
“He was allegedly upset that dog walkers were throwing their bags of dog feces in his dumpster at the site,” O’Reilly said. “He allegedly threw the bags out of the dumpster, into the roadway and sidewalk, and some left hanging from tress.”
With houses under construction all over town, why the house at 26 Sinawoy singled out?
The house became controversial not long after it was issued a permit in June and construction began.
The owner received his zoning permit on June 21, 2021, and when its attic story began to take shape eyebrows were raised.
Complaints were made with the zoning department at town hall.
Turns out the attic story was approved in error. Zoning approval was revoked.
The zoning enforcement officer put a stop work order on the construction.
Zoning Enforcement Officer Jodi Couture explained that there are specific rules for attic stories.
He said the top floor does not meet the definition of a “half story.” Part of the requirement is that the attic be less than 40% FAR of the second floor. The other requirement has to do with the roofline intersecting with the second floor. Couture said one of the town’s inspectors had focused on the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for the attic, which is only one factor.
“To be considered as a half story, it has to be under a hip, gable, or gambrel roof,” Couture said. “That’s where we ran into the issue. According to our definition, it cannot be considered a half story. That’s the ultimate issue right there – the stories,” Couture said.
“Think of a normal angled roof, where it comes down it touches the walls – the second floor intersects. If it has a common intersection, you get to exclude the attic FAR. This construction does not have that common intersection,” Couture added.
What’s next?
The January 12, 2022 Planning and Zoning Board of Appeals Public Hearing includes two appeals from the owner of 26 Sinawoy. The meeting starts at 7:00pm, and will be held via Zoom. Click here for the links.
See also:
ZBA to Review Controversial Cos Cob Single Family Construction Approved in Error
