Thank you to The Belmont Voice for the front-page article addressing the construction project at 45 Chestnut St. (“Neighbors Question Oversight of Housing Project,” July 31, 2026). Neighbor concerns are valid. A primary issue is the project’s change in scale. According to September 2025 public hearing minutes, the total proposed size at the time of approval was 4,700 square feet. This number was directly quoted to a concerned neighbor. In contrast, as-built plans from May 2026 reveal the dimensions have ballooned to 5,921 square feet—more than a 25% increase.
It is simply not true that the only thing the board can weigh in on is whether what has been built comports with zoning bylaws. Asserting compliance with isolated metrics like height and lot coverage misses the point of a Special Permit. Because this is not a “by-right” development, the board is legally charged with looking beyond baseline numbers to protect neighborhood character.
While the developer may squeak by with complicated ceiling metrics to argue that this is a 2 ½-story structure, in actuality the straight-walled massing right up to the high roofline, with no traditional dormers, presents as a three-story building. It is by far the tallest structure on the block, which goes against our zone’s design guidelines. Why is this developer allowed to build so much larger than what was approved?
Joanna Dunn, Ridge Road