Danvers ZBA approves temporary storage containers, OKs replacement contractor building at 25 Pope’s Lane

The Danvers Zoning Board of Appeals on Aug. 25 approved the replacement of an undersized, nonconforming house at 25 Pope’s Lane with a new contractor building and granted temporary relief to allow three storage containers on the lot — two of which will sit in the side-yard setback — for up to one year or until construction is complete.

The board’s action included three separate approvals: a finding under the zoning by-law to tear down the existing nonconforming structure and replace it with a building set back 22 feet from the side lot line (improving the current 9.1-foot setback); a temporary variance to permit two containers in the setback; and a special permit allowing three containers on the property for a limited time. All motions passed on unanimous voice votes.

Why it matters: The property sits in the Highway Corridor zoning district and has operated as a contractor’s yard since 2018; the applicant says the replacement building is intended to make the site more functional and neater and to reduce the need for outdoor storage in the long term. Board members and town staff flagged public-safety and permitting issues — notably an unregistered above-ground diesel tank on the site — and attached conditions intended to address those concerns.

Applicant presentation and project scope Nancy McCann, attorney for MJD Property Group LLC, described the application as an effort to replace a single-family house repurposed as a contractor yard…