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Zoning board approves setback variances for Francis Road house, requires tree‑line work
Summary
Danbury’s Zoning Board of Appeal approved variances for 24‑0911 (Francis Road) to reduce the front setback from 20 ft to 15.1 ft and the rear setback from 35 ft to 15 ft for a two‑story single‑family home, adding a condition that trees along the property line be removed or relocated per the submitted plan.
Danbury — The Zoning Board of Appeal on July 11 approved a variance allowing construction of a two‑story single‑family home at 91 Francis Road with reduced front and rear yard setbacks, and required the removal or relocation of a line of trees along the property, the board said.
The board voted to grant the applicant relief from the standard front‑yard setback of 20 feet to 15.1 feet and from the rear‑yard setback of 35 feet to 15 feet to permit construction as shown on the plan submitted to the board. Chair Joe Henard said the applicant had reduced the previously proposed footprint and that the board’s role was to evaluate the requested dimensional relief under the zoning rules.
The application was presented by the property representative, who said the current design reduces the house footprint to about 35 by 28 feet — roughly 980 square feet per floor, or about 1,960 square feet total for two floors — down from a larger prior submission. Board members pressed the applicant for exact dimensions and square‑foot calculations before voting.
A nearby neighbor, Elizabeth Brink of 15 Francis Road, spoke in opposition, saying the house would still “look too big for the neighborhood” and voiced concern the layout and multiple bathrooms could lead to conversion to a multi‑family use. She also asked where mechanicals such as the oil tank and hot water heater would be located.
“We can’t control how many people live there,” Chair Joe Henard responded in part, noting that separate permitting and inspections (the building department and the fire marshal) review mechanicals, egress and occupancy. Staff reiterated that approval of a variance does not substitute for required building permits and fire‑safety approvals.
The board’s approval included a condition, inserted into the motion, that the trees along the property line be removed or moved as shown on the plan submitted with the application. The motion to approve carried by voice vote.
Next steps for the applicant include applying for the required building permits and complying with any fire‑marshal requirements before construction begins.
