Behind Closed Doors

Mark you calendars NOW for the second annual Holiday House Tour, noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday, December 7. For the low low LOW price of $25, tour historic houses in our neighborhood and while doing benefit a great cause — Sterling House Community Center. Last year's tour — which included Koreen LaBrecque's FABULOUS Colonial at 2288 Main Street (you know — the yellow one) and the world-famous "leaning house" at Elm and Broad — was a resounding success, and the 2008 edition promises to be even better! Refreshments and hot Cocoa will be served. Tickets are available at Sterling House (378-2606) or from Nancy Monk (378-7725).

Rosen House Update

Neighbor Ed Goodrich offers this amplification on TOMORROW NIGHT'S key Board of Zoning Appeals hearing on the petition by the East Broadway halfway house to host public meetings, in violation of town zoning regs (see previous post):

The petition brought forth by the Harry Rosen House, LLC states that it wants the Board of Zoning Appeals to waive section 1.1 and 4.1 of the Zoning Regulations in order to allow weekly meetings in the "carriage house" for 15 residents and 35 non-residents for 12-step meetings on property located in an RS-4 residential district.

We want the board not only to deny this petition, but to affirm and adhere to its original decision of allowing only those who live there to be able to congregate.

Halfway House Alert

The controversial 859 East Broadway halfway house, the Harry Rosen House, has applied for a zoning variance to allow it to hold 12-step meetings of up to 50 people each week. The public hearing on its application will take place THIS THURSDAY, November 6, beginning at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers. For those neighbors who don't know, the Rosen House is a residential facility for recovering substance-abusers. In 2006 an outbuilding (garage/barn) behind the main structure burned down. In applying for a building permit to rebuild, Rosen House founder Barrie Drazen promised that the replacement structure would be used for storage ONLY. Instead, it has been used for 12-step meetings, open to the public. Many neighbors have several problems with this. These include:

1) The apparently deliberate misleading of town officials and neighbors about the purpose of the rebuilt structure.

2) Rosen House residents are required to attend 12-step meetings each day. However, there are DAILY 12-step meetings within easy walking distance of 859 East Broadway, including at St. James, the Knights of Columbus, Christ Church and the First Congregational Church.

3) Public Safety Issue A — During meeting times so many cars are parked on East Broadway that it is impossible for northbound Elm Street traffic to safely turn left onto East Broadway.

4) Public Safety Issue B — A Rosen House resident is alleged to have been responsible for at least two recent attempted break-ins: one on east Broad Street, and one at the vacant Slater home at 2175 Elm Street (see Paul Joy's post, "Crime & Punishment," below).

We urge all concerned neighbors to attend this Thursday's meeting to let the Board of Zoning Appeals know where you stand on this critical neighborhood issue.

— Michael Bingham