Building Information

Gross square footage of design as identified in the grant:  25,668 sq ft.  Total gross square footage not identified in application, exterior to exterior, including additional non-program spaces: 26,849 gross sq. ft.

Building is designed as a two-story building with a basement.

Building footprint: 11,971 sq ft.                                                                                    

Building footprint required to comply with zoning lot coverage of 25%:  9,583 sq ft.

Above ground sq. ft. reduction required to comply with zoning lot coverage: ~4772

Allowable above ground sq. ft. reduction per MBLC contract: Less than 1,816

The Feasibility study was a very preliminary schematic design.  Once the project was funded, the process for a final schematic design began.  This was under the auspices of the Sharon Standing Building Committee (SSBC) and included participation from the Library Trustees; the public; and review, changes, and acceptance by the MBLC.  The final design created a building which was basically the same footprint with no part that was longer or wider than the longest or widest part of the original.  Any attempt to remove square footage will not result in a noticeable reduction of the overall mass, but would negate all the time, effort, and money that was spent and would result in a less desirable building.  This type of reduction is not required under the Dover Amendment because it would further no municipal purpose let alone a compelling one.  Even if these changes were made, zoning relief would still be required and alterations would be invisible and inconsequential from the public’s perspective.

Scenarios A and B show what square footage may be reduced within the grant, what the cost consequence of that would be, and a diagram of the footprint.  Neither of these scenarios may be required by the ZBA as they are outside the scope of zoning regulations.  The cost consequences are significant and would include the waste of over $1M already spent on the current project design. The scenarios do not include the basement as that does not have any effect on the lot coverage.

 There are many different ways of calculating square footage. The building square footage of 25,668 that was submitted and approved for the grant was not calculated from exterior wall to exterior wall.  Instead, the spaces were added up individually.  In this type of calculation items such the elevator were counted as 71 sf once, not on all three floors and the stairway was counted as 240 sf once, not on three floors, etc.  The square footage that is being used to identify lot coverage for ZBA purposes is an exterior wall to exterior wall calculation using the largest roof-covered floor.  Square footage that is shown in the drawings are exterior to exterior calculations.