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Applicant Andrew Connolly requests continuance for garage variance amid septic-setback questions
Summary
Applicant Andrew Connolly asked the Portsmouth Zoning Board to postpone action on a 26-by-36 garage variance at 2792 East Main Road after board members raised concerns about an 8-foot gap to the property's leach field and cited guidance for a 10-foot buffer; the board continued the hearing to July 23 to allow the applicant to verify septic and D-box locations.
Andrew Connolly, representing owner Richard Oman, asked the Portsmouth Zoning Board on May ___ to continue consideration of a dimensional-variance request to build a 26-by-36 garage at 2792 East Main Road.
Connolly said site constraints — notably a leach field and a distribution (D) box — leave the proposed garage positioned toward the rear of the lot and about "8 feet off of the leach field," creating the need for relief from the rear setback. He told the board the existing driveway and a change in slope make the rear location the best fit and that the proposed building is intended for personal vehicle storage only.
Board members pressed on alternatives and permitting risk. One member noted that Department of Environmental Management guidance calls for a 10-foot buffer from leaching fields, and the board discussed options including relocating the D-box, narrowing the garage to a 24-foot width (reducing the amount of relief sought), or confirming exact septic locations in the field.
Paul Balick, the board member who made the motion to continue, said: "Move that we continue the hearing until July 23 so that the applicant can provide the board with additional information relative to the proximity of the garage being at least 10 feet." The chair seconded the motion; the board voted to continue the hearing to the July meeting so the applicant can locate the D-box and provide the requested engineering information.
Why it matters: Local setbacks around leach fields affect both long-term site stability and whether a building permit can be issued. Board members cautioned that an approval granted without confirming septic setbacks could force the applicant to reconfigure the project or return for a modified variance.
Next steps: The board continued the item to the next scheduled meeting on July 23 and asked the applicant to locate and mark the septic components and to provide any updated engineering documentation before that date.
