Ferrisburgh ZBA approves after-the-fact permits and setback waivers for three accessory structures at Ferry Road property

The Ferrisburgh Zoning Board of Adjustment on June 3, 2026 unanimously approved after-the-fact conditional-use approval and side-yard setback waivers for three existing accessory structures at 217 Ferry Road, applicant Laura Pierce.

"The storage shed had been installed more than nine years ago and was used in connection with a small farmstand operation that sold eggs and other products by appointment," Pierce said during the public hearing, adding that the shed is now used for residential storage. She also described a timber-frame pavilion adjacent to the house and an unfinished raised platform intended for a treehouse but built to support a tractor beneath it. Pierce told the Board the structures are screened from view by mature cedar hedges and are not visible from neighboring properties or public roads.

Zoning Administrator Katie Hill reviewed the property's zoning history and told the Board the structures fall within the Conservation District and therefore require zoning approval. The application requested after-the-fact Conditional Use approval for the three structures and side- and rear-setback waivers for the pavilion and platform. Board members inspected site plans and photographs provided with the application while discussing compatibility with the residential character of the area.

A neighbor concern about a fence line was reported to the Board; Pierce said a recent survey identified the fence crossing the property line and that she intends to resolve the issue. Chair Norm Smith noted the fence dispute was outside the scope of the ZBA's review for this application.

The Board voted on two motions related to the item. Katie Quinn moved to close the public hearing; Diane Nadon seconded and the hearing was closed. Dave Mentzer then moved "to approve the conditional use application for the three structures as submitted, including the requested side-yard setback waivers," and Shane Lawrence seconded. The motion carried with a unanimous vote.

After the vote, Katie Hill reviewed permit issuance and the statutory appeal period with the applicant, explaining when the permit becomes effective and how appeals may be filed. The Board confirmed the approval will proceed under the procedures Hill outlined.