[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6395020,"mediaKeyId","2101653-d7ff87d16b3da4c98e70c6c929e69f51","parentId",2101653,"title","ZBA denies request to allow multifamily housing on industrially zoned North 40 site; board cites master-plan and industrial-land preservation","audioSeconds",2476,"startMs",6102000,"endMs",8578000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2101653-d7ff87d16b3da4c98e70c6c929e69f51&start=6102&end=8578","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2101653-d7ff87d16b3da4c98e70c6c929e69f51/thumbnail_6102000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6395020/Concord/Merrimack-County/New-Hampshire/ZBA-denies-request-to-allow-multifamily-housing-on-industrially-zoned-North-40-site-board-cites-master-plan-and-industrial-land-preservation","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6395020-e0bcdc077bf33a9c8220a7e733c87c97/orig.mp4?Expires=1771165028&Signature=Riiy2439si4knXG4Fac3lpR1z8vK41y-YAxliE51lpMgi1YLFcewZhl0uNcsSZWeATrEIHuKKUKJy4u1ovpU60ZQ0XGWV16Qr0dVyRpOEzDHpRA~mWLK9FhR4v3mJT47wciZv1nXhPaFzjneDv9OgLLfz6lPxT7ZeXJwhmpspL5L4SD3Q~SMbe7ZpFAtKwXJqfz1m3C-GfHDxTx7x5xcLikc~PweuMUXN5AZtDkD0QwssmYfXCiNMAHOYdR0oIxrWKs1-qLshDtjENa4fMtoEpa-Ms1KeveD9g7M3I4Bpl3w~S8uJzs7isx-dsb-blhHEXFXLmfc9Z0xg7GX34mm3Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Concord NH","date","2025-01-09T02:42:46Z","article","The Concord Zoning Board of Adjustment on Wednesday denied a use variance that would have allowed multifamily residential development on a 40-acre parcel (the “North 40”) currently zoned industrial.

Applicant representatives — led by attorney John Cronin and developer Kevin Lacasse — asked the board for variances to approve a mixed multifamily project with a substantial affordable-housing component (the team proposed roughly half of units as affordable in early concepts). They argued the parcel’s wetlands, irregular topology and constrained buildable footprint make largescale industrial development infeasible and that housing — with a high percentage of affordable units delivered by Catch Neighborhood Housing — would produce more tax revenue and meet urgent housing needs.

Developers said they had pursued rezoning and public-private partnership options with city leaders but were rebuffed and therefore sought relief through a variance. Their submissions included engineering analysis, market studies and letters from housing and development experts.

City staff and Deputy City Manager for Community Development Matt Walsh urged caution. Walsh noted the city’s long-range master plan designates the site for industrial uses and said Concord has a small remaining acreage of undeveloped industrial land (city figures cited in the hearing placed undeveloped industrial land at roughly 221 acres). He and others argued the city should preserve industrial land to support long-term economic development and job growth rather than reclassify it piecemeal.

Public testimony was sharply divided. Supporters emphasized the urgent local housing shortage and the developer’s promise of a large affordable-housing share managed by Catch Neighborhood Housing. Opponents — including residents and other speakers — emphasized preserving industrial capacity, the property’s proximity to rail and power infrastructure, and potential future industrial uses (including logistics and energy infrastructure) that would be constrained by new housing.

Board deliberations centered on the standard for a use variance (whether the zoning makes reasonable development infeasible and whether granting a variance is in the public interest). Several members said the master plan’s industrial designation and the city’s limited industrial land supply counseled against allowing residential here by variance; other board members said the parcel’s physical constraints and the city’s pressing housing shortage supported the applicant.

After a pair of motions and roll-call voting, the board denied the applicant’s request.

What the decision means: The denial preserves the current industrial zoning. The developer may pursue other routes (for example, a formal rezoning application submitted to the planning board and city council) or present refined evidence; the applicant also retains the option to negotiate further with the cooperative landowner or the city.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Zoning Board Meeting - 1/8/25","oneSentenceSummary","The Concord Zoning Board of Adjustment on Wednesday denied a use variance that would have allowed multifamily residential development on a 40-acre parcel currently zoned industrial, after members cited the master plan and a need to preserve limited industrial land.","taxTitle","Concord, Merrimack County , New Hampshire","taxId",52782,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6395029,"Zoning board tables decision on 1115 Pierce Street rooming-house request after testimony on sober-house operations and ADA issues",1255,1857000,3112000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2101653-d7ff87d16b3da4c98e70c6c929e69f51&start=1857&end=3112","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2101653-d7ff87d16b3da4c98e70c6c929e69f51/thumbnail_1857000.jpg","/articles/6395029/Concord/Merrimack-County/New-Hampshire/Zoning-board-tables-decision-on-1115-Pierce-Street-rooming-house-request-after-testimony-on-sober-house-operations-and-ADA-issues","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6395029-bf103d69d15a1f25d27fb2cd043ecc7a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771165028&Signature=J-7mdEFdLe8ok7DwKt1OV3auwhjBn6qWLV2TDEEIU8XYnv6cTx0msNWxkoU0n9NrAX1~UhaE9uhYqWyowpGDHcI9er79B50rbFnhjxFW1~ttHJ05l0KO3Wan4ct-oydsvpFzb-WD1wZfGOpvC8XZSw~Z4jb2O4EEdR4Y-cx6OX3~hDZbHhN7GpfJXNE3s-eE1d5zLJRZwok1GJIB~MwFWWrCj~Jkidbzqyoky23~DyfFjEqhbt4NEQYu7VzKgsJLD5uKQVyNXEDWRsX0vOrmP2pKEmaohdWgCYm1J74d2Clbg5rZ6XV1GkusPiz92rV32eOGrqHLGV83aaSgTd7nvQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Concord Zoning Board of Adjustment on Wednesday opened a special-exception hearing for 1115 Pierce Street, a duplex the owners say operates as a sober recovery home, but tabled further action and directed staff to obtain legal advice about reasonable-accommodation obligations under federal disability law and to provide police-call history.

Applicant Andrew Tine, representing 1115 Pierce Street LLC, said the property has been used as a recovery residence for about a year and that the owners are seeking either a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Fair Housing Act or, alternatively, a special exception as a rooming house under the zoning code.

Deputy City Solicitor John Conforti told the board the matter before it that night was the special-exception application; whether the applicant might also be entitled to a reasonable accommodation under federal law would require a separate, more detailed administrative analysis and potentially an interactive process with staff.

Neighbors told the board they opposed the request. Maggie Keane, who lives across the street, said the property has produced frequent police and fire responses after it changed hands in July 2023 and that residents are concerned about noise, traffic and a lack of screening for residents who move in. Roy Schweiker, speaking in support of sober recovery housing generally, questioned the proposed maximum occupancy and urged the board to limit numbers if it approved the use.

Planning staff and code enforcement highlighted two technical issues: the zoning ordinance’s “rooming house” supplemental standard limits a rooming house to a maximum of 10 occupants in a single structure, and the code requires two off-street parking spaces per room (a total of 10 spaces for a five-room calculation). The applicant acknowledged the property currently houses 13 residents and asked for a maximum of 16 but said the operator typically screens and drug-tests residents and has increased on-site management.

Board members said they were not prepared to rule on the ADA/Fair Housing Act question without more analysis from legal counsel and asked staff to obtain (1) legal guidance on how reasonable-accommodation claims interact with the zoning review and (2) police-call records for the property so the board could quantify any public-safety impacts. The board voted 4–1 to table the matter and to take additional testimony at a later meeting.

What the table means: tabling preserves the applicant’s right to have the special-exception request considered at a future session after the board receives requested legal guidance and public-safety data. Parking, occupancy and any conditions on occupancy or management will be resolved in subsequent zoning deliberations and, if granted, through site-plan review.","The Concord Zoning Board of Adjustment on Wednesday opened a special-exception hearing for 1115 Pierce Street, a duplex the owners say operates as a sober recovery residence, but tabled further action to seek legal guidance on ADA reasonable-accommodation claims and to request police-call records.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6395034,"Zoning board grants variance to correct lot-coverage calculation at 11 Summit Street",553,1226000,1779000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2101653-d7ff87d16b3da4c98e70c6c929e69f51&start=1226&end=1779","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2101653-d7ff87d16b3da4c98e70c6c929e69f51/thumbnail_1226000.jpg","/articles/6395034/Concord/Merrimack-County/New-Hampshire/Zoning-board-grants-variance-to-correct-lot-coverage-calculation-at-11-Summit-Street","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6395034-18255c889bfdd2bc99405bad12a313aa/orig.mp4?Expires=1771165028&Signature=FYDtaLiyOsqKuw7YDck~JLCdRdl19jhn8GmZCmJ0vto1x0utzV6R0ylzPRiOQAv4s2fFHUGJktNjlf15DNEzngZkw7ztoU-e5Vn~qZHllomT1QnLH5oJ5u9ogfHHGAq543tHkjZl0mvg3Y8sDR6PMDsal1zVTAKT2ytcq3oioKB4s900ydRM~RxmTR8p0RnSg29lBwas0mwM7DTaoofHTBsjdioql8DuNE1jXP4p7WucGmT64SBP~QVfbrOfvez90kmyPPJFDGneqntKsPd~OEuqgHKsi~qZ-9yjCSVyadQNg5bQyqwFog6FwGYksZvx9evvWQSEJ5R-BIzRjxmOkQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Concord Zoning Board of Adjustment on Wednesday approved a variance to allow 78.3 percent lot coverage for 11 Summit Street, a change the applicant said corrects a clerical omission from earlier filings.

The request was presented by the property owner, Michael G., who told the board he had previously obtained variances and a lot-line adjustment for two abutting properties (11 Summit Street and 12 Dehonto/Toronto Street) but that a subsequent plat showed the 78.3 percent lot coverage that exceeds the 50 percent limit in the zoning code.

Board members said the application did not propose new buildings or a change of use. “There’s no substantive change whatsoever,” Michael G. said, describing the filing as a correction to reflect a lot-line adjustment and to avoid transferring a strip that he has treated as his backyard for decades.

Planning and board discussion focused on whether notice was correct and whether the submitted plat or a hand-drawn map controlled the coverage figure; staff confirmed the higher figure appeared on the plat submitted with the lot-line adjustment. Planning staff offered no objections at the hearing.

Board member Winters moved to approve the variance, saying the change “would not alter the essential character of the neighborhood” because no physical changes were proposed and the request merely memorialized the historical use of the land. The motion was seconded and carried. The board also recorded acceptance of the applicant’s written findings.

What the approval does and does not do: the board’s vote authorizes relief from the dimensional standard for maximum lot coverage at this address. Michael G. emphasized there will be no new construction to increase the building footprint; the action instead formalizes the revised boundary between the two parcels he owns so he can convey 11 Summit Street without losing the yard area he has maintained.

Next steps: the variance decision will be reflected in the property record and in the lot-line documents submitted to the city. No further permits were sought at the hearing and no conditions beyond the usual recording of the variance were stated on the record.","The Concord Zoning Board of Adjustment approved a variance to allow 78.3% lot coverage for 11 Summit Street after the applicant said a clerical error left the lot-coverage item out of prior approvals; board members said no physical changes to the properties were proposed.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6395025,"ZBA delays decision on 13-foot shed at 43 Alice Drive to confirm height and notice details",802,5207000,6009000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2101653-d7ff87d16b3da4c98e70c6c929e69f51&start=5207&end=6009","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2101653-d7ff87d16b3da4c98e70c6c929e69f51/thumbnail_5207000.jpg","/articles/6395025/Concord/Merrimack-County/New-Hampshire/ZBA-delays-decision-on-13-foot-shed-at-43-Alice-Drive-to-confirm-height-and-notice-details","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6395025-acd01a6fcc9697c614ec977d7c6a5d14/orig.mp4?Expires=1771165028&Signature=PM7OpZvpb~VbfEkLtR8IZGHn43rw91GdjpLzdSjtfGGcFEfr3XPXSHrSSIwSuoCQkVC8F52O9nOfDcP5rimGxWcn1rQXMdMjYcRB3oJUOVZE7V3a-Y42G0RAPtM6upyhjZSufjKqKPoH8HhChYBvgIMZ7dihmEuIwUqXh-C1ShTYGCuIXkbPW8htxgc3WNE9eHJmrNur7OAdpcMHeukonFbBDbrMLtDBKDULV9hW36BL14KGIizT4yIapU89NVH-tOLfS4QDKpR9hVqP8~fQuXD-H~UpCMgzGmo7eh0RQ28bLlB6nl3yE6qDtX8J4VKVhciHlRdHedvAyQqSGboDbw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Concord Zoning Board of Adjustment recessed consideration of a variance request for a shed at 43 Alice Drive after staff and board members asked the applicant and code enforcement to clarify how building height is measured for pitched roofs and whether the public notice correctly reflected the structure’s actual height.

Applicant Ryan A. Martin told the board his shed sits behind a privacy fence in a corner of his lot and was located where a previous play structure stood. He said the finished structure measures roughly 13 feet 9 inches from average ground level to the ridge but that he listed 13 feet on the agenda; he applied for a permit before building. Code enforcement noted the ordinance determines height for a sloping roof by measuring to the mean level of the highest gable, which can be lower than ridge height.

Because the difference between “highest point” and the mean gable level could mean the structure falls beneath the 12-foot height threshold that triggers the setback restriction, the board asked staff to verify the measurement method and the true measured height and to re-notice the application if the published notice understated the actual height. The board moved and seconded a motion to table; the applicant was told to expect the case to be continued to the next meeting and to supply finished dimensions for staff review.

What the board asked staff to do: (1) provide a clear calculation of building height for the subject shed under the ordinance (mean gable vs. ridge), (2) confirm whether the notice given to abutters matched the structure’s height, and (3) re-notice the application for the next meeting if the originally published height was incorrect.

Outcome: matter recessed/tabled pending staff confirmation and possible re-notice.","A homeowner requested a variance for a tall accessory shed placed five feet from a side property line; the board recessed consideration and asked staff to confirm the measured height rule used by the code and to re-notice if necessary.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

ZBA denies request to allow multifamily housing on industrially zoned North 40 site; board cites master-plan and industrial-land preservation

Zoning board tables decision on 1115 Pierce Street rooming-house request after testimony on sober-house operations and ADA issues

Zoning board grants variance to correct lot-coverage calculation at 11 Summit Street

ZBA delays decision on 13-foot shed at 43 Alice Drive to confirm height and notice details