Tenant objects to 9.5-foot driveway proposal, says plan creates self-imposed hardship

Ryan Thorpe, a tenant at 192 South Main Street, read a prepared statement into the record opposing the requested 9.5-foot driveway variance. Thorpe said the proposed layout effectively creates a hardship by eliminating an existing right-of-way and that a driveway of the proposed width would not function as stated because it abuts the building and could be narrowed further by snow buildup.

Thorpe also raised emergency-access concerns, saying larger vehicles such as ambulances, fire trucks and town service vehicles could have difficulty entering the property under the proposed configuration. "The proposed 9.5-foot driveway would not truly function as a 9.5 feet space as it abuts the building, increasing the risks of vehicles hitting the structure," Thorpe said, and he urged consideration of a roughly 21-foot alternative that better aligns with current zoning and accommodates emergency access. Thorpe said he would face disruption to his housing and would consider legal options if access became unsafe.

The board accepted his remarks into the record. Staff and other participants later clarified the engineered dimensions and confirmed the existing mapped width is about 8.5 feet, not 14 feet; the board considered those measurements in deliberations.