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Zoning board approves special permit allowing larger year‑round home at 50 Ardown Road on Columbia Lake
Summary
The Columbia Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously approved a special permit to replace a cottage at 50 Ardown Road with a year‑round single‑family home, allowing total lot coverage of 2,610 sq ft (14.21%) and requiring standard health, wetlands and building approvals; a 15‑day posting period begins before the decision is final.
The Columbia Zoning Board of Appeals voted unanimously on June 25 to grant a special permit for 50 Ardown Road that allows total lot coverage up to 2,610 square feet (14.21%) so an existing seasonal cottage can be replaced with a year‑round single‑family home.
The board’s chair opened the special meeting and identified the applicant’s agent as Wesley J. Wentworth, P.E., of Wentworth Civil Engineers LLC and the property owner as William L., trustee of the William L. revocable trust. The application requests relief under section 10.4.2.2.1 of the Columbia zoning regulations and cited related criteria in sections 51.3, 52 and 71.
In his presentation, Wentworth said the proposed house would be moved farther from Columbia Lake — from roughly 17 feet to about 31 feet at the closest point — and pulled in from the southern property line (from about 23 feet to 31 feet). He described a reduced septic footprint approved by the Eastern Highland Health Department, nutrient‑allocation calculations, and stormwater best management practices including roof drains, dry wells, preservation of existing woodlands and new landscape beds to treat the first‑flush storm event.
"In my professional opinion, approval of the special permit application as submitted does not result in a significant negative impact to public health, welfare, or safety," Wentworth said, summarizing the design and mitigation approach.
A nearby resident who identified herself as Karen told the board she and her neighbor Rob were "in full support" of the application and said the proposed driveway relocation would improve access for emergency vehicles.
A board member moved to close the hearing and then moved to approve the application for Map 016A1 with conditions and references to required health, wetlands and building approvals. Members amended the motion to explicitly cite additional applicable sections of the zoning regulations before taking the vote. The chair announced the vote was unanimous; five members were present.
The chair noted a 15‑day posting period that begins once the decision is posted (the chair indicated the decision should be posted July 1), during which interested parties may prepare appeals or other challenges before the approval is final.
The meeting record also included an attendee report that a fraudulent or misleading email, purporting to be from the Columbia Zoning Board of Appeals and seeking payment of $4,800, had circulated; the attendee warned others to verify web addresses and official correspondence before responding. That report was presented as a warning and was not part of the permit deliberation.
The board’s approval is conditioned on the standard follow‑up permits and approvals referenced in the motion, including Eastern Highland Health Department septic approval, wetlands commission approval, and building permits.
