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Planning board approves cottage-court permit to convert barn loft into one apartment at 128–130 School Street
Summary
After public comment expressing neighborhood concern about parking, noise and property values, the Planning Board granted final approval to PB-26-16 to convert a barn loft into a one-bedroom unit (≈600 sq ft), bringing the building to a triplex. The vote passed 4–2; the board debated screening and façade conditions but approved with no conditions.
The Keene Planning Board voted 4–2 to grant final approval for PB-26-16, a cottage-court conditional-use permit that will convert the second-floor loft of an attached barn at 128–130 School Street into a roughly 600-square-foot one-bedroom dwelling, creating a three-unit building.
Applicant Zack Leroy of Reconstruct Realty said the barn loft already contains living space and the proposal is primarily an interior conversion to add a bathroom and kitchen. Planner Megan Fortson explained the cottage-court process: multifamily use in the low-density district requires the cottage-court conditional-use pathway and, under the code, the project met the development standards (unit size, building footprint and parking minimums). Fortson said the new unit would be about 600 square feet and that minimum parking requirements for the proposal are three spaces (one per unit minimum) and a maximum tied to bedroom count.
Several neighbors spoke in opposition during public comment, citing concerns about neighborhood character, property values, prior tenant behavior, noise and light spillover. Mary Bridal Kendall told the board she bought her home because it is a low-density street and said a triplex ‘‘is going to be 3 renters’’ and ‘‘things will go south.’’ Longtime resident and former councilor Ruth Venezia said past landlord absenteeism led to police calls and urged the board to consider the impact on School Street’s character.
Board members debated whether to require additional screening along the western property line and whether to request architectural elevations for the barn façade. Some members argued screening (vegetation or stockade fence) could help block headlights and light spill; others expressed doubt that a fence would solve issues such as leaf litter and emphasized that the conversion is interior and the structure is not being enlarged. The board discussed continuing the application to allow the applicant to return with elevations and a screening plan, but ultimately returned to and passed a motion for final approval with no conditions.
Roll-call vote: Harold Farrington — yes; Mayor Jay Khan — no; Councilor Molly Ellis — yes; Michael Hafer — no; Kenneth Cost — yes; Joey Cosivera — yes. The board’s approval allows the owner to move forward with interior work subject to building-permit review and any state building-code requirements (planner noted potential utility meter/backflow items during permitting).
