HomeMy WebLinkAbout20200809 Simpson Demolition Correspondence 12-8-20 (2) To: Saratoga Design Review Committee (jennifer.merriman�saratoga-s�gs.ora
From: Elizabeth Howe resident 71 Phila St Saratoga Springs, manager of 71 Phila Llc
Date: December 8, 2020
Re: 12/9/2020 Design Review Committee agenda item
On Wednesday October 27, 2004 I appeared in a Zoning Board of Appeals mtg with many of my neighbors regarding a
variance application submitted for 65 and 69 Phila St. The meeting took place 3 days after a massive house-fire at my
home on Phila St. Eight months later through no small effort my home was back together and fully occupied because,
when you buy a home in historic neighborhoods preserving history is what you do. It is the whole point. It is WHY
people choose to live there; to preserve, enjoy, and participate in the long history of a place. It is a personal and
communal investment of time, energy, money and respect.
I've lived next to the Simpspns' neglected structures since 1999. I moved into 71 Phila St as a tenant when 69 Phila,
the adjacent red brick house, was empty but full of promise (and pigeons). 65 Phila St, the wooden white house
another door down, still stirred with summertime visitors and welcome scents of aromatic cooking. I purchased the
house at 71 Phila with my partner in 2003 and when that partnership dissolved I purchased the property yet again in a
buyout.
In that Zoning Board of Appeals meeting back in 2004 a member of the board stated, "The applicant has come before
this board in the past seeking variances and offering promises with no results...they were also given area and use
variances, but nothing was done on the property after the applicant came before us. Records will show in April 1996
and in April 2002 extensions were granted to continue to start work...lt has taken over 2 years to correct five items out
of fifteen identified building code violations".
Those quotes reflect some of the general issues that our neighborhood and city boards have dealt with since well
before I moved to Phila St in 1999 and which continue in-kind to today.
More specifically I'll point out an error in the Simpsons plans:
I've submitted a Tommell &Associates survey from just before my initial purchase in 2003. The easement shown on
the survey provides 69 Phila St with partial access on the west and north portion of my driveway. Full access is not
granted to them from Phila St. however they've drawn full use of my land into their current (and past) plans.
I've made many verbal and written efforts to discuss and resolve all misunderstandings and interpretations of an 1800s
easement with the Simpsons. I reached out with generous easement resolution offers after Helen granted full use of
my driveway to a neighbor who hit my house with an oversized truck. I've agreed, through my attorney and in direct
communication with potential buyers, to collaborate on a reasonable resolution of all easement related issues. All
potential buyers have been unable to negotiate a purchase and my efforts to work with the Simpsons have to date
been met with silence. I've since revoked several very generous offers to the Simpsons.
For the reasons stated above, I ask that you deny the plans presented. I also hope that all avenues available be used
to resolve this pervasive, long-standing act of demolition by neglect in the City of Health, History and Horses.
Respectfully,
Liz Howe
Lands Now or
Formerly of Land�Now or
BRYCE F. AND SUSAN S. Formery or
BASTIAPJ � DOROTIIY TURLEY
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Lands Now or Formerly of m P°a �.�'�
11. CASE SIMPSON AND ����g��k 970 ot Deeds,Page 355
Area=S,142�S�.rt.
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NOTES:
1.) R1E�EE�S CALL FOR RIIS PFOPQtiT 11NE i0 RLN RIRWGH iNE WOOOEN I
PPRiY PAF11110N WALL OF h BMN.iNE 9ARN ANO I15 PARPPqi WALL NO RECOR�OF WORK:
LUJCQV E%ISi,iNQ1EFORE h 90lINOMT 11NE AGREENENi IS RECONMEN�EO i0
PEFMANENRY ESiPBLl91 iN15 LINE.iNE N1FE fENCE SHONN HEREqi DdES NOi I.) fER11FlCAlI0N5 ADOm AND AOJqNINC�Em RENSED ON JJNE J,300].
EpS�AN�IS SHOYM h5 PQV NAP FEFQVENCE N0.I.
2.) CQ211FlCAlION FOR F.RIOMAS CLPRK AOOEO M JLNE 1),200].
�.) iHE CROSS-HAiCHm PARCEL WhS CON�£YID JJNE],18 IN BOOK 89 OF
p�S hi PACE 31]PNO E%CEPTS CERiNN RICHiS OF IISEhCE iHhi NAY
BFNEFli iHE LANOS NOW OR FORMERLY OF H.CASE 4MPSON ANp HF1fN
CHElSi0W4(I.
MAP REFERENCES:
" �^°`�E BY BENQINMKRSIIFK����s�°^"°'^�°^�"'"a' Survey of Lands of
�� i0 SPN�IIFl M1Q1 LL�Jfl.hi SMA OGh SPR NCSa"',IE A�lEO JII EE I��B90 AN� 1 (F• T H O M A S C LA R K
n�co iry TMc suenrocn murvn aexK•s orr�ce iry cueo z,vacKcr i. B O O K ey / O �� D e e d s, P a g e 3 5 5
raoca x.
].) MAP ENPREO'SUR�EY OF LAN�S OF H.CAg SINPSON ANO HElfli
q1ELSi0WS1(I',ph1E0 JPNIIARY 19,1998,ANp MADE BY PP.UL F.i0NMF11,
S..P C.. '
/ � .�l�F�.LE:
� I = i o'
I HEREBY CERTIFY T0: �� �
I.) NAWCPREi N.ROBERfl hN0 ElIZABEIN HOYE � � r�N C'F SAPv�Tt�GA SP�INCS(IDJ
].) LP YEAS 11Rf 9JRANCE CIX1PdRAlION fi?.P�?.TOG+�COUNTY.NF���YOP�I�
},) F.iNONhS CLARK aai iNK �.
iHAi iH15 NAP WAS PREPARm FRON PN hCNAL FlEl➢SIIR�£Y NADE IN seu oree oiriciu. � �UNF�,ZOOJ
ACCORDANCE Y.11N iNE E%IS11NG CO�E OF PRACPCE ApOP1E0 BY RIE NEW P,:J'_�.-C:^i�i��_LL.L.S.,�.(;.
YdM Sin1E ASSOqn110N OF PROFES90NAL uND SUR�EYqtS. -
7 C SIC�F'. /_:
PAUL F.TOMMELL 5qtiql hl�ll�o,I Y 12fi66 MAP N'O.03-027.02
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