Hooksett ZBA grants variance for in‑ground pool inside wetland buffer at 63 Post Road

The Hooksett Zoning Board granted a variance for an in‑ground pool at 63 Post Road after hearing from homeowners Kenneth Day and Heidi Cook. The board found that the rear yard is largely within the 40‑foot non‑disturbance buffer and that enforcing the buffer would leave the homeowners little usable backyard, meeting the ordinance’s unnecessary‑hardship standard.

Heidi Cook described the practical constraints of a sloped, partially filled backyard and said the pool company had marked a 35‑by‑20 location that fits within existing developed yard area. "The non disturbance buffer is approximately 6 feet off the back of the house," Cook said, explaining that the preexisting yard and deck leave only a narrow band of buildable space. Board members noted neighboring properties already have pools and that the proposed installation will remain within the developed yard; they also discussed drainage and culvert locations along the adjacent trail. After reading findings that enforcement would produce an undue hardship because the backyard is mostly buffer, the board voted to approve the variance.