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Concord ZBA unanimously approves variance for screened porch at 2 Otter Drive
Summary
The Concord Zoning Board of Adjustment granted a variance allowing a screened porch to sit 5 feet from a side property line where 15 feet is required, citing the house's lot configuration and limited alternatives. The vote was unanimous.
The Concord Zoning Board of Adjustment voted unanimously to grant a variance that allows a screened porch at 2 Otter Drive to be located 5 feet from the side property line where 15 feet is required.
Bridal Washburn, the appellant, told the board the proposed porch is a modest addition consistent with the residential character of the neighborhood and that the house's irregular, angled placement on the corner lot creates an unnecessary hardship if the setback were strictly enforced. "It's a modest addition, consistent with the residential characteristics of the neighborhood," Washburn said during her testimony.
Board members asked for clarifications about the lot's setbacks and the porch's placement. Several members cited the house's layout as the central hardship: "The hardship lies in the way the house is positioned," one member said, noting a limited area in which a porch could reasonably be sited.
A board member moved to grant relief from Section 28-4-1(d)(3) (side setback) under RSA 674:33 and to adopt the applicant's proposed findings; the motion was seconded and carried unanimously. The chair announced that the variance was granted and the board proceeded to the next case.
The decision allows the applicant to construct the screened porch as proposed; any required building permits and inspections remain subject to the city's permitting process.
What happens next: The variance authorizes the setback relief; the applicant must comply with permit review and any applicable building or site conditions imposed during permitting.
