Zoning Board grants limited variance for sheds at 141 Perrine Street; front-yard unit must be moved and two removed

The Zoning Board of Appeals on Jan. 27 approved a limited area variance for accessory structures at 141 Perrine Street, allowing the owner to keep two sheds but requiring a shed now in the front yard to be moved to the rear and two smaller sheds to be removed.

The decision followed a lengthy public hearing during which applicant Rosemary Dragone, identified herself as the property owner and said she sought relief “to get a variance for my sheds.” The board discussed neighborhood character, precedent and the city’s limits on accessory buildings before voting on separate motions to deny the front-yard placement and to grant a narrower variance.

The board’s ruling matters because it balances enforcement of the city zoning code — which limits accessory structures — with the fact that the sheds already exist on the property. Board members repeatedly described the case as one in which existing, nonconforming structures created a practical…