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Board allows Studio 108 to open at 801 Islington Street with special exception
Summary
The Board granted a special exception for a wellness studio at 801 Islington Street that will operate as 'Studio 108' providing Pilates and therapeutic services in a unit slightly over the 2,000 sq ft threshold; the board found the low‑intensity use met special‑exception criteria.
The Portsmouth Board of Adjustment approved a special‑exception request May 26 to allow a wellness studio operating as Studio 108 at 801 Islington Street to use a roughly 2,175‑square‑foot unit for Pilates and therapeutic services.
Attorney FX Brutan, representing Evergreen Yoga and Meditation doing business as Studio 108, told the board the unit is about 2,300 square feet gross but that planning deducted approximately 194 square feet of storage, bringing the net to roughly 2,175 square feet—just over the 2,000 sq ft threshold that triggers a special exception. Brutan said the proposed use will be low impact: small class sizes (often 1–6 people), primarily morning hours, no amplified sound, and operating characteristics similar to a prior call center in the space for parking calculations.
Board members reviewed the special‑exception standards—permitted by exception, no hazard to adjacent properties, no detriment to property values, no substantial increase in traffic or municipal service demand, and no stormwater impacts—and found the applicant’s description met those criteria. No public speakers appeared during the hearing.
The motion to approve the special exception carried by roll call; the applicant will move forward with permitting and finalize the studio identity as Studio 108 on site.
