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Board approves second driveway for ADU at 651 Woodbury Avenue; removes informal Edmund Avenue parking spot
Summary
The Board of Adjustment approved a variance to allow a second driveway to serve a detached ADU being planned at 651 Woodbury Avenue, conditioned on eliminating an existing informal parking space on Edmund Avenue; the applicant said the ADU will house a family member and that the basement will not be living space.
The Portsmouth Board of Adjustment on April 28 voted to grant a variance allowing a second driveway at 651 Woodbury Avenue to serve a proposed detached accessory dwelling unit, with a condition that the existing parking spot on Edmund Avenue be removed.
Surveyor Joel Connelly presented plans for the owners, Brent and Susan Moral, saying the ADU will sit behind the main residence and the additional driveway off Edmund Avenue provides safer sight lines than using Woodbury Avenue. "I'm Joel Connelly," he said, introducing himself as the surveyor who prepared the plans. Connelly said the owners will eliminate an existing informal parking space adjacent to the property and widen the proposed ADU driveway to accommodate vehicles.
Board members asked whether the informal parking currently visible in aerial imagery would be removed; Connelly confirmed it would be eliminated as part of the plan. The applicants also confirmed the basement space in the ADU is intended for utilities and storage, not habitable living area, so the ADU square footage will comply with local ADU rules.
A motion to grant the variance passed; the approval was conditioned on the removal of the single existing parking space on Edmund Avenue. Board members noted the variance was narrowly tailored to provide safe access for the ADU and that the change avoids additional curb cuts on busier Woodbury Avenue.
Staff will record the condition in the permit file and the applicants are expected to follow driveway and permitting procedures for construction.
