Portsmouth board grants front-yard variance for Talman Avenue porch after neighbors’ site-distance discussion

The Portsmouth zoning board approved a dimensional variance for property at 87 Talman Avenue, Tax Assessor Map 29 Lot 70, permitting a 220-square-foot front porch that requires a 22-foot front-yard variance and will place the porch about 8 feet from the property line.

Kevin Reed, representing the applicant for owner Tim Braz, told the board the proposed porch would sit roughly 8 feet from the property line and that the actual distance from the front of the porch to the traveled road is more than 30 feet. Reed said the in-ground pool on the lot has been removed, reducing lot coverage, and that the septic system and other infrastructure in the rear prevent locating the porch at the back of the house.

Board members visited the site and discussed how the town right-of-way and property-line distances vary along the street. Several board members noted neighboring houses have similar porch placements and that a porch is a typical accessory use for the neighborhood. A member asked whether the town’s right-of-way could change; the board indicated the right-of-way is established and not likely to shift in a way that would affect the proposal.

Motion and vote: A board member moved to approve the dimensional variance; another member seconded. Members said they voted to approve for reasons that included the lot’s unique characteristics, neighborhood precedent for front porches, and infrastructure constraints at the rear of the property. The chairman recorded his vote to approve and the motion carried.

The board’s record states the hardship arises from the lot layout and existing infrastructure (septic and other rear-site constraints) rather than actions by the applicant. No special conditions, outside approvals, or follow-up reports were listed in the recorded discussion.