Marlborough ZBA upholds denial of roofing business at 75 Lincoln Street

MARLBOROUGH — July 28, 2020 — Marlborough ZBA upholds denial of roofing business at 75 Lincoln Street, 3-2. The Zoning Board of Appeals rejected Theodore "Ted" Evangelis's bid to operate a residential roofing business out of the longtime business property, ruling it does not qualify as a continued pre-existing nonconforming use in a Residence B district. Building Commissioner Jeffrey Cook had denied the use April 15, finding it fits the city's contractor's-yard definition under Code Section 650-5, which expressly includes roofing-materials storage. Attorney Christopher Flood argued the property has hosted businesses — a blacksmith shop, Yankee Fence, Gemini Sign and current owner Jonathan Chase's Skin and Bones upholstery shop — since around 1915 and cited grandfather letters from 1978, 1980 and 1986. Chair Ralph Loftin said he saw no "fundamental difference" between the existing and proposed uses, but voted with Robert Levine and Paul Jumper to uphold; Tom Golden and Thomas Pope dissented. City Solicitor Jason Grossfeld noted four votes would have been required to overturn Cook's decision regardless.