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One World Café applicant threatens lawsuit, planning commission shuts down discussion |
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Thursday, 29 January 2009 |
Although the four planning commissioners were prepared to evaluate a design review application from One World Cafe (formerly Matsu) on Main Street at their regular meeting yesterday morning, the discussion was shut down when Angela Barseghian, owner with her husband Hacob Mkrtchian, threatened litigation several times, citing discrimination.
“We were prepared to discuss the project and offer constructive comments to work out a solution,” Tenney told the Times on follow-up. “They got a building permit for the interior. What they didn’t go through was the design review process for commercial building.”
Mkrtchian told the commission he thought the permit he received for interior building improvements applied to exterior work - which he began with travertine and slate chips last summer - and admitted he had misunderstood. In mid August, 2008, town inspectors ascertained that unpermitted work had begun at the cafe.
Mkrtchian then submitted an application to use new exterior materials and colors, which went to a color planning subcommittee which proposed alternatives to travertine. At that point, Barseghian and Mkrtchian felt obstructed by the town planning process and expressed their frustration in a letter to associate planner Pam Kobylarz.
“The comments have gone well beyond being minor,” they wrote, “and not only are directing us to tear down our exterior natural stone, but also, re-stucco and newly paint the existing building.” Therefore, they feel they are being singled out and discriminated against. They have made the building look better than it did before, they say. - CB
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Last Updated ( Friday, 30 January 2009 )
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