Neighbors blast Swampscott Fish House yacht club porch plan

SWAMPSCOTT – Neighbors of the Fish House, the only working municipal Fish House in the nation, are not happy about plans by the Swampscott Yacht Club (SYC) to build a porch on the historic building.The town is in the process of negotiating a new lease with the SYC, a private club that has leased the second floor of the building for more than 70 years, and pays $12,000 a year for the lease. The club maintains the public restrooms in the building.The terms of the lease have to be modified, officials say, to take into account a new porch that is being added to the property. Town Administrator Andrew Maylor said the current lease does not include the porch so an addendum would be needed to define the use of that space.SYC Commodore Bob Sharp said the porch will be designed to support a maximum capacity of 100 pounds per square foot and capacity would be determined by the building and fire departments. He said it would be constructed with a roof covering under the porch floor so water and debris would not fall.?Drain pipes will be installed to route water away from the walkway,” Sharp said.He added the porch railing would be designed so items could not be placed on the railings.Sharp said the club, which has 160 members, has drawn up some rules of conduct that he expects to be included in the lease.The lease modifications suggested by the SYC include no smoking in the Fish House or on the exterior porch, loud music and noise would be prohibited on the porch, glass containers would not be allowed on the porch at any time and grills would not be allowed on the porch.At a recent selectmen meeting, several town residents expressed concern about noise from inside the club carrying outside if the doors were open.Sharp said the club would agree to keep the doors to porch closed when there is live music inside the facility and loud noise would not be tolerated on the porch.Not everyone is happy about the planned porch, construction of which is expected to begin in the spring.Bob Grimes, a direct abutter to the Fish House and former commodore of the SYC, expressed concerns about physical changes to the historic building.?It was built for fishermen,” Grimes said. “It is on the National Register of Historic Places. I still don’t think they have a right to build a porch on there. This is destroying the architecture of the building. The historic designation could be taken away and then they can’t grants.”Grimes added he is concerned about the hours of operation, smoking, alcohol consumption and noise.?I want to be able to sleep at night and not hear the noise from next door,” Grimes said.Ellen Schafman, of 17 Puritan Road, lives just a few doors down from the Fish House and has similar concerns about the addition.?I don’t want to see people smoking and drinking on the porch,” she said. “I am also concerned about noise.”His wife, Clara Grimes, also took issue with drinking being allowed on the porch.?I don’t think people should be allowed to drink outside on the porch,” she said. “It’s okay to drink inside but to allow drinking outside on the porch where people on a public beach can watch them drinking is ludicrous. There are small children at the beach all the time.”MaryEllen Fletcher, who lives seven doors down from the Fish House said,?I don’t understand the thought process of the selectmen. This is an historical building and putting a porch on it is disturbing. It will make being in my home unpleasant. I am also concerned about the alcohol use. People trying to enjoy themselves on a public beach will have to see people drinking. It’s very disturbing.”