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Zoning board grants generator setback variance for Pelham Blvd homeowners with medical needs
Summary
On May 19, 2026 the Waterford Township Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously approved a variance allowing a generator to sit 0.5 ft from the west property line at 1116 Pelham Blvd and waived the ordinance screening requirement, citing the narrow lots and medical need of the homeowners.
On May 19, 2026, the Waterford Township Zoning Board of Appeals approved a variance allowing a backup generator to be located 0.5 feet from the west side property line at 1116 Pelham Blvd, where the ordinance requires a 5-foot setback.
The request, presented by applicant Richard Linnell and represented at the hearing by Jessica Booth and contractor Sascha Klausen, asked for a 4.5-foot variance from Section 2-305.A(1) and a waiver of the screening requirement in Section 2-305.B so the unit could be sited adjacent to the house. Linnell told the board that “the generator would help because of power outages; more importantly they both have heart conditions,” and described the lots as old cottages with five-foot side-yard setbacks that make siting equipment difficult.
Board Member Sue Camilleri said the location “is the most logical place to put the generator,” noting that mechanical equipment for both homes is in a narrow corridor between the houses. Klausen said the existing fence would need to be moved to access the service panel.
During the public portion of the hearing, no members of the public spoke for or against the request; staff noted a letter of neighborhood support for a similarly sited mechanical unit on an adjacent property. Vice Chairman Todd Hoffman and the six other board members voted to approve the requested variances; the motion, moved by Camilleri and supported by Art Frasca, carried unanimously (7-0).
Why it matters: The board’s decision allows homeowners with documented health concerns to site life-supporting backup power closer to their home than the zoning ordinance normally permits. The approval also waived the usual screening requirement — a point board members discussed in relation to clearance and equipment placement.
What’s next: The board approved the variance with the supporting findings required by the Zoning Ordinance. Any conditions imposed by staff or the board will appear in the building permit review and inspection process.
