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Kingfield Planning Board approves Tufts Pond Road permit for nonconforming structure
Summary
The Kingfield Planning Board unanimously approved a permit to expand and relocate a 487-sq.-ft. nonconforming building on Tufts Pond Road, allowing a 6.5-foot shift to meet the road setback while recognizing shoreland setback noncompliance; a septic plan was also described.
The Kingfield Planning Board on May 12 unanimously approved a permit that allows expansion and relocation of a 487-square-foot nonconforming structure on Tufts Pond Road owned by Alexander Clarke and Sophie Halpin. Christian Johnson of Woodhull Architects presented the proposal and said the building sits about 13 feet 6 inches from the Curtis Brook tributary and currently violates the town's 75-foot shoreland setback and the 40-foot setback from Tufts Pond Road. Johnson said the firm proposes shifting the structure roughly 6.5 feet south to comply with the road setback and to avoid an existing two-story barn.
Johnson also described a septic design located to the south of the building footprint and said the proposal includes capping and sealing two nearby wells; he stated the planned tank system is not a leach-field design and is intended to be sufficiently distant from the stream to avoid impacts. The presentation referenced survey work by Colliers Engineering showing the building footprint as 487 square feet.
Jared Clukey, Planning Board member, moved to approve the permit "recognizing the shoreland zoning noncompliance of the grandfathered structure." Taylor Jordan seconded the motion; the board voted unanimously to approve. Chair Richard Hawkes confirmed the board considered the shoreland violation a preexisting, grandfathered condition while voting to allow the road-setback correction.
The board did not record a contested objection or request for additional studies during the meeting. The board noted site constraints and the proposed septic work as part of the approval, and members signaled that applicants should address any remaining permitting requirements with town staff and appropriate state shoreland authorities as needed.
The Planning Board's action on Tufts Pond Road was recorded as a formal motion and approved during the May 12 meeting; next steps for the applicants include completing the septic permitting and any required shoreland/stream protections prior to construction.
