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Board approves ADU and 41.2% lot-coverage increase at Riverside Street; authorizes administrator to sign decisions
Summary
The Portsmouth Zoning Board approved an accessory-dwelling-unit above an existing garage at 164 Riverside Street, granting an increase in lot coverage to 41.2%, and separately authorized the zoning administrator to sign board decisions on behalf of the board.
Representative Albert Gerard and owner Paul Salem Rent presented a request to add an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) above an existing garage and to exceed the maximum lot coverage at 164 Riverside Street. Gerard said the proposal preserves an existing pool and places the stair/egress in a location designed to minimize disturbance to the property and neighbors.
Board members asked about ADU size limits and whether the total living area would remain under the 900-square-foot limit for an ADU; Gerard and the applicant confirmed that the ADU would be under 900 square feet and said the loft area could be reduced if needed to comply.
Andrew Kelly moved to approve the request to increase lot coverage to 41.2 percent as the least relief necessary, noting the change is mainly to provide egress and access for the ADU. Kelly said the project "doesn't change the characteristic of the neighborhood" and argued it did not cause detriment to nearby properties. A fellow member seconded the motion and the board voted in favor.
After the approvals, the board voted to authorize the zoning administrator to sign zoning-board decisions on behalf of the board going forward, a procedural step the board said would speed administrative processing.
Why it matters: Approvals that increase lot coverage and authorize administrative signatory authority affect how quickly applicants can obtain permits and how much built area is allowed on shoreline and island lots. The board confirmed the ADU would conform to the 900-square-foot ADU size limit cited in discussion.
Next steps: The applicants may pursue building permits consistent with the approved lot-coverage figure and ADU-size constraint; the zoning administrator will be authorized to sign decisions recorded by the board.
