Town of Dennis changes how building height is measured

Dennis Town Meeting on May 7 unanimously approved a zoning amendment intended to stop the practice of perching homes on mounds of fill in order to gain better views.

The amendment does not change the maximum building height – which in most areas of town is 35 feet – but the way in which height is measured. The previous bylaw defined height as the distance from the “finished grade” of the lot to the highest point of the building. The bylaw was amended to define height as the distance from the pre-existing natural grade of the lot to the building’s peak, according to Town Planner Daniel Fortier.

The previous definition allowed builders to use sand or other filler to raise a structure above its neighbors without running afoul of zoning, Fortier said. As a result, some homes tower over older buildings, threatening the town’s historic seaside character, he said.

Piles of fill, he added, also have the potential to affect water flow and drainage.

The amendment took effect immediately following its passage. The planning board will review any topography problems landowners come across that may require a variance, Fortier said.