NEW SHARON – Selectmen have set a special town meeting for Oct. 17 at 9 a.m. at Cape Cod Hill School, to discuss the removal of town-created restrictions on a piece of property.
After successfully applying for a building permit the owner of Imelda’s Fabrics & Design on the Water Road, Janet Kennedy, was surprised to find her deed for a narrow piece of property between the road and Sandy River had a series of restrictions. One of these prohibited the construction of a storage shed, which has remained half-completed since July.
The restrictions were put into place after the land was sold by the town to Chandra Caywood in 1992. These restrictions included requirements that the owner not erect structures or dig septic systems. Then, five years ago, the land was sold by Caywood to Kennedy.
“The building is for storage,” Kennedy said Wednesday, “we’re kind of busting out at the seams and still waiting to get the work done before winter.”
Construction was started on the 800 square foot, two-story shed after Kennedy obtained a building permit from the town and the approval of the state Department of Environmental Protection, necessary due to the proximity to the Sandy River. Then the former owner alerted the board of selectmen of the construction, pointing out that they were unable to build on the property when they owned it.
With the roof still incomplete, Kennedy is eager to finish the job.
“Seems like it’s one thing after another,” she said, noting that no one she talked to had actually opposed the construction of the shed.
However, the town’s attorney informed selectmen that only a town meeting could lift the deed restrictions. Selectman Larry Donald said that the board was not unanimous in either supporting or not supporting the lifting of the restrictions.
“I don’t see a big issue with it, myself,” he said.
The shed would also require planning board approval, Kennedy said Wednesday.
