NORWOOD – A plan to replace a long-standing family home with a “magnificent” new residence at 243 Prospect Street hit a roadblock as the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) deferred a decision due to a brewing property line dispute with a neighbor.
The applicants, Hannah and Andrew Moomey, are seeking a special permit to demolish their pre-existing non-conforming home and rebuild a larger, conforming four-bedroom house with a two-car garage. While board members praised the architectural design of the proposed home, the hearing shifted focus toward a two-to-three-foot discrepancy in property surveys that could impact a neighbor’s driveway.
Andrew Moomey expressed a deep personal connection to the site. A central part of the proposal involves relocating an old barn, described by Moomey as a “neighborhood staple,” to the back corner of the lot to serve as a shed.
The board initially scrutinized the barn’s relocation, as it would remain non-conforming by sitting within the required 30-foot rear setback. Board members and the Director of Community Development, Sarah Dixon, suggested that the shed might actually require a more difficult-to-attain variance rather than a special permit if it is not moved to a fully conforming location.
The hearing took a turn when neighbor Kevin Eckhardt of 235 Prospect Street presented a 1997 plot plan that contradicted the applicants’ recent survey. He contends the records indicate the property line is two to three feet further onto the Moomey property than the new stakes suggest. If the Moomey survey is used, a portion of Eckhardt’s existing driveway would technically be on the Moomey lot, potentially complicating future property sales. This discrepancy might stem from how the surveys were measured, as one board member pointed out, one using a “northerly” orientation and the other “southerly”.
“I’m not prepared to go forward and jeopardize their property rights,” the board member said, emphasizing that the neighbors must resolve the boundary issue before a vote can be taken.
The board voted unanimously to continue the hearing to February 10, 2026. In the interim, the applicants are tasked with working with the neighbor to reach a resolution or file an affidavit of agreement; and providing confirmed dimensions and elevations of the proposed shed to the Norwood Building Commissioner to determine the exact zoning relief required.
The next hearing will be held February 10th at the Norwood Senior Center at 7:00 p.m. -RD
