The Town of Alton Zoning Board of Adjustment on July 10 approved two variances for a proposed replacement house at 5 Loon Cove Road that the applicant says will be less nonconforming than the existing structure.

At a public hearing at Alton Town Hall, the board voted 5‑0 to grant a variance from Article 3.27 A(1) (the 30‑foot water‑body setback) and a separate variance to permit the applicant to increase square footage beyond the limit referenced in Article 3.20 E(2) for replacement of nonconforming structures. Agent Joseph (“Joe”) Berry of Berry Surveying represented owners Tyler and Douglas Ladebusch.

Berry told the board the lot is 0.27 acres with 84.98 feet of frontage and contains an existing nonconforming structure sited within both the 10‑foot side setback and the 30‑foot water‑body setback. He said the proposal would replace the existing building with a new house moved and rotated to reduce the area inside the 30‑foot setback from 386 square feet to 240 square feet. “The proposed encroachment is further from the reference line in the existing structure than the existing structure currently on the lot with the total square footage of the nonconformity being decreased,” Berry said while describing the variance criteria.

Board members asked about height, view impacts and abutter notice. Builder Jesse Lindland of Outside In Construction said the new roof peak will be about 26 feet and that, because of site topography and tree lines, he did not expect the proposal to block neighbors’ views. Berry said the back deck will be about 14.2 feet off the reference line and that the new design meets all required setbacks except the lake setback.

The board discussed whether the second variance should be treated as a variance from the special‑exception wording in Article 3.20 E(2) (which allows replacement of a nonconforming structure but states square footage may not increase). Town legal counsel had advised the applicant to request a variance from that provision; after discussion the board applied the variance worksheet to that request as well.

Tom Lee opened the worksheet for the 30‑foot setback variance and the board found the five variance criteria satisfied, noting the proposal reduces the amount of building in the lake setback and is consistent with the intent of the ordinance. Paul Monzioni moved to approve the variance from Article 3.27 A(1); the motion passed 5‑0. The board then completed the worksheet for a variance from the special‑exception language in Article 3.20 E(2) permitting increased square footage and again voted 5‑0 to approve. The approvals were recorded with the condition that the applicant obtain any necessary state approvals for septic design and NHDES/Shoreland permits before proceeding.

Votes were unanimous. The board recorded on the record that the new structure will be more conforming to current zoning standards overall than the existing building.