Homeowners seek setback variance for 10‑foot addition; board schedules June 4 public hearing

A Mount Hope couple asked the town planning board on May 7 to allow a small rear addition to their existing nonconforming home to accommodate a growing family. The applicants told the board their house is roughly 1,300 square feet and now houses two young children; they said the current floor plan forces circulation through the kitchen and that a 10‑foot expansion would add a den and enlarge the kitchen.

The board and staff established the property does not meet the two‑acre zoning standard in the ordinance and that existing setbacks leave roughly 37 feet from the rear of the house to the property line, short of the 50‑foot rear setback the two‑acre standard would require. The applicant said the house is already nonconforming and that the proposed work would not increase the degree of encroachment beyond the existing condition. “I have a growing family … it's myself, my wife, a four‑year‑old, and 2‑year‑old,” the applicant told the board while explaining the need for a dedicated office and a larger kitchen.

Planning staff and board members discussed the precise setback calculations and whether the work requires one or more area variances. The board determined the application must proceed to a public hearing and instructed staff to prepare notices and obtain adjoiner lists; the board set the public hearing for June 4 at 7 p.m. and confirmed notices must be mailed at least 10 days before the hearing. The applicant agreed to provide materials and to work with staff on mailing the notices.

Next steps: The board will publish the public hearing notice, circulate required mailings, and reconvene the item after county referrals and public comments are complete.