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Zoning board approves variance to rebuild dilapidated house at 24 Kimball Street
Summary
The Pembroke zoning board approved a variance allowing owner Lawrence Jefferson to demolish a derelict structure at 24 Kimball Street and rebuild a 3‑bed, 2‑bath house, square the footprint and add a 6‑foot porch, subject to conditions including an accurate plot plan and code‑officer verification.
The Pembroke zoning board voted to approve a variance for 24 Kimball Street that lets owner Lawrence Jefferson demolish an existing, long‑vacant structure, install a new foundation and basement, square the building’s front footprint and add a 6‑foot farmer’s porch.
Jefferson told the board the lot has been vacant and in poor condition for many years and that his plan is to replace the derelict building with a three‑bedroom, two‑bath house to “bring some value over there.” He described the lot as roughly 26 by 32 feet and said the current site includes two outbuildings and remnants of a burned front structure that has not been lived in since about 1985.
Board members debated whether the property’s long vacancy invoked the ordinance’s abandonment provisions (references were made during deliberations to 12‑month and 24‑month rules within a 3‑year period and to sections of the town code on nonconforming uses and structures). One member noted rebuilding within a defined window after fire is sometimes allowed, while others said the length of vacancy here made the case unusual and suggested obtaining legal counsel if the board needed a definitive legal reading.
After discussion the board approved the variance with conditions. The motion requires the applicant to comply with all state and local regulations except those directly addressed by the variance and to submit an accurate plot plan with clear lot‑line dimensions, the existing structure’s pre‑demolition placement, and the proposed new structure’s location; the plot plan will be used by the town’s code officer to verify construction remains within the recorded lot. The board also reminded the applicant to obtain a demolition permit and take measurements before removing the old foundation to avoid encroachment onto neighboring property.
“This request [is] to allow an already nonconforming structure to be more nonconforming by squaring off its footprint and adding a porch,” the chair summarized before the vote, and residents who spoke during the hearing said rebuilding would improve safety and curb appeal. Jefferson said, “Trying to up the town a little bit, bring some value over there.”
The board recorded the motion, second and a voice vote in favor; the transcript records board members saying “aye,” but no roll‑call tally with individual votes appears in the record. The decision will be posted for public inspection within five business days and the board indicated a written decision would be sent to the applicant within 30 days.
