Karen Samuelson of Arlington is a career coach and author who has an interest in her neighborhood and town. This opinion piece is republished with permission from her blog under the headline “Goodbye Sky – “Goodnight Moon.”
To get your mind off the election, environmental crisis and countries at war, I’ll lay out my own personal grievance. It is teaching me about territorialism on a personal scale and the feelings of ill will it can engender. Admittedly, my problem is a first-world problem, but it’s mine.
My family has lived in our house in Arlington for 20 years. We planted a pear and maple tree in the backyard, added to our deck and built a staircase and lower deck. The yard is fenced in, and I planted hostas, honeysuckle and bushes I forget the names of. With comfy lawn furniture, potted geraniums, wind chimes and a cup of coffee, sitting under our pear tree was heaven, a sanctuary. Unfortunately, the 40-foot pear tree was diseased and needed to be cut down this past spring. Very bad timing.
Somehow ‘reconstruction’
Enter stage left: In May a developer bought up the single-story house across our backyard fence. (We live in the Stratton School district.) A few months later, a 30-something-foot, asymmetrical building looms large over our backyard. The backyard 10-foot setback was grandfathered in, rather than the required 20 feet. The previous home was demolished down to the foundation, but they left up one wall.
That one wall is the builder’s Go pass. Somehow this is reconstruction rather than new construction. Go figure. They use the existing footprint but build up and out, as you can see from the photo. The third floor is a gawky asymmetrical box with a balcony and railing. Story by story, they’ve stolen the sky. Goodbye stars! “Goodnight Moon”!
For weeks, I thought there must be some mistake. How could this structure be legal? Its unique style warrants acres of land to give it the needed space. Why do people want these HUGE houses? People have fewer children but want five bathrooms? Why? Are their dogs using them?
There were six kids in my family with one bathroom. We survived and were clean to boot. What about environmental concerns? What about the fact that younger people who want a starter home, or older folks who want to downsize, can’t compete with money from the very rich or developers who destroy perfectly good homes?
Some steps she took
So, I ranted and raved, talked to two lawyers, visited the town inspection office twice (they are not unhappy I stopped visiting) and joined a group called Arlington Residents For Responsible Redevelopment (ARFRR). I was shocked that the building was within the zoning laws.
What zoning laws? I now ask. All over Arlington, I see more and more McMansions dwarfing the perfectly fine one and two-story houses around them, cutting out views and light. It’s conspicuous consumption that sacrifices trees for concrete.
I used to get angry every time I looked at the construction through my living room sliders. I do this constantly as we have an open floor plan. Not to mention the continual hammering and noise going on for five months now. I realize I can’t let someone else take away my peace of mind, but it’s not without daily effort. We planted a 15-foot apple tree and bought a seven-foot plastic Ficus. More landscaping to come next spring, but with all real plants!
Is this fair?
I feel invaded, sometimes righteous – but trying to see both sides, I said to myself …
People have a right to buy property and build big houses. To have five bathrooms for every day of the work week. To build the kind of house they want. And yet, I pay high property taxes, and this building has lowered the privacy value of our property. Is that fair? Since money talks, I decided to ask it. “Money” replied, “Of course it’s fair. It’s progress. It’s happening everywhere. You can’t do a damned thing about it. Get over yourself. This is a free country. Are you a socialist? So what if you can see your neighbors flossing.”
In this harried, crazy, overheated world spinning out of control, I’ll attempt to keep my personal experience in perspective. Maybe by this time next year, the native bamboo will be so high it will block the first-floor windows.
We’ll give the situation a year, but I’ve already started looking at real estate in other towns. My first concern of course is about zoning regulations. I think Arlington should consider a moratorium on teardowns as part of its affordability efforts. That way, my husband and I, and many others like us, could eventually downsize here. Young people could buy here. What a thought!
July 16, 2024: Nearly completed apartment building must be redesigned for accessibility, board says
This viewpoint by Karen Samuelson was published Monday, Oct. 28, 2024. Reach her at ksamcareers[at]gmail.com.
