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Zoning board clears rear addition at 3 Butler Street to help owners age in place
Summary
The board unanimously approved a rear addition for William Bjork at 3 Butler Street that slightly exceeds side‑setback and lot‑coverage limits; the applicant presented sun‑study evidence and neighbor support.
The Newport Zoning Board unanimously approved William and Patty Bjork’s request to add a modest rear addition at 3 Butler Street to create a first‑floor primary suite intended to allow the owners to age in place.
Architect Daniel Parker described an 18½-foot-wide addition arranged to align with existing rooflines and keep total building height and massing low; the proposal would increase lot coverage from about 28.9% to about 33.2% where 30% is allowed and would leave the house at a 3-foot side setback where 5 feet is required. Parker said the team reduced an earlier design (about 600 sq ft) to roughly 400 sq ft to minimize impact and had run sun studies for June 21 and Sept. 22 to demonstrate minimal shadowing of a neighbor pool.
Board members asked about stormwater mitigation; Parker said a rain garden and dry wells were proposed and the location could be refined to avoid neighbor impacts. Several members praised the applicant’s neighbor outreach and sun studies; the board found an existing hardship (undersized 5,000-sq-ft lot and existing building location) and determined the requested relief was minimal and appropriate.
The board voted 5-0 to approve the variances with the standard condition that the project be started and substantially completed within 12 months or that the applicant request an extension from the zoning officer.
