STONEHAM – The Planning Board ruled Wednesday that Code Enforcement Officer Derek DeSanctis does not need to upgrade his building permit to put his house onto another foundation to comply with shoreland zoning laws.

Alternate Code Enforcement Officer Bob Macklin said the house size will increase by 50 percent because of the deeper daylight basement so the permit should be changed.

Dave Rodrigues said that would set a precedent since the town has not previously considered basements, even daylight basements, when figuring the volume of a house.

Planning Board member Travis Fox agreed, saying basements are not taxed as another story.

Macklin argued that there will be additional floor space, but First Selectman Neal Littlefield said basements would only be taxed as another story if they were finished as living space. Macklin praised the way DeSanctis had provided for erosion control.

The board decided DeSanctis’ permit is adequate.

Macklin agreed to call for a state inspector to check Bob Nunes’ camp.

Littlefield said he and Selectman Kara Jones noticed an unusual system of electrical wiring when they assessed the property.

He said he asked Macklin to inspect it, but Macklin said he has no authority to do electrical inspections and DeSanctis is not allowed on that property.

Rodrigues said since it’s under Stoneham’s jurisdiction, officials need to get someone to do it.

Macklin reminded the board there will be a fee for the state inspector.

The board has had a complaint of a leaking septic system at Evergreen Valley, and DeSanctis said he’d go out again to inspect it. Directions given him the first time were inaccurate and he didn’t find it.

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