Zoning board approves Phillips Exeter plan for three duplexes at 3537 River Street with conditions

The Exeter Zoning Board of Adjustment voted 4-1 on July 21 to grant a special exception allowing Phillips Exeter Academy to build three duplex buildings (six units) at 3537 River Street, conditioned on preserving existing mature trees and returning the project to planning-board technical review.

Applicant counsel Eli Lano told the board the proposal meets the R2 district's special-exception criteria after the applicant proposed merging the small build parcel into the larger campus parcel. "It fits the neighborhood," Lano said, referencing the applicant's neighborhood density analysis and the appraiser's conclusions. The board's final motion required the applicant to make "every effort to retain as many of the existing trees as possible" and to seek additional technical review that explicitly examines the impact of snow accumulation on the street, on-street parking, and signage to indicate the streets are dead ends with no access to campus.

Board members tied their approval to findings that the use is permitted by special exception in the R2 zone and that the proposed buildings incorporate required setbacks, parking, and stormwater measures subject to site-plan review. The motion was made by a voting member who cited those criteria and seconded; the board then amended the motion to add tree-preservation language and the explicit technical-review items before voting to approve, 4 in favor, 1 opposed.

The board also noted that the approval is subject to subsequent site-plan processes that will address detailed elements such as snow storage, stormwater management and final landscaping. Planning and technical-review comments already on file will be addressed by the applicant during site-plan review, the board said. The applicant may also be required to record the proposed lot merger prior to construction, as discussed during the hearing.