The Hooksett Zoning Board of Adjustment approved a variance allowing a 12-by-20-foot shed to be placed near an existing accessory structure at 19 Bullard Drive, reducing the required 20-foot setback to 5 feet at that location.

The applicant (who identified herself in the record and described a medical condition that may require wheelchair access in the future) told the board the rear of the lot includes wet ground and uneven topography that would make placing a new, larger shed behind the house impractical and inaccessible. She said the current smaller shed on the property is deteriorating and that fitting a second, movable, unblocked shed in the proposed location is the most practical option for storage and future access. The applicant also stated the adjacent neighbor has consented to the placement.

Board members noted that accessory structures under 200 square feet are allowed by right and that the requested 12-by-20-foot shed (240 square feet) exceeds that by a modest margin (roughly 20 percent). The board also noted the rear lot area’s wet spring conditions and agreed the topography and access considerations created a particular hardship for the homeowner.

After reviewing the variance criteria, the board found the proposal would not alter neighborhood character, would not impair public health or safety, and that the special conditions of the lot justified relief. The board voted to grant the variance to permit the 12-by-20-foot shed within 5 feet of the property line. The decision included a standard admonition that the shed must be maintained and that required building or placement permits be secured if applicable.

Why this matters: the variance balances homeowner access and topography constraints against setback standards. The board framed the decision as narrowly tailored to the lot conditions.