Homeowner asks Somersworth ZBA to allow third unit at 347 Main Street; board urges appeal option

A Somersworth homeowner asked the city's zoning board of adjustment on April morning to allow a third residential unit at 347 Main Street, saying prior permits and informal advice from code enforcement led him to believe three units were permitted.

Mike Rhodes, who identified himself as the homeowner at 347 Main Street, told the board he purchased the property in 2015 and believed three units already existed. "I had a permit approved to do that, which expired December 30," Rhodes said, adding that health issues prevented him from finishing the permitted work. Rhodes said he paid permitting fees and carried out upgrades, including adding a kitchen to the main house.

The board opened a public hearing on a variance application that requests relief from Table 4-8-1 and Section 6.c so the property could contain three residential units rather than the two the city currently recognizes. Planner Miss Crosley summarized the staff analysis: the lot…