Zoning Board Minutes

Meeting date: 
Monday, August 10, 2020

Zoning Board of Adjustment

August 10, 2020

Approved September 14, 2020

 

Members Present: Peter Fichter, Chair; David Blohm, Vice-Chair; Gary Budd, Member; Reed Gelzer, Member; Hank Thomas, Alternate. 

 

Public Present: Arthur Burritt; Jean Whitman; E. Craig Turner; Jessie Turner; Russ Smith

 

Mr. Fichter called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.

 

ADMINISTRATIVE BUSINESS

 

Board member introductions.

 

Mr. Fichter appointed Mr. Thomas as a voting member for this meeting. 

 

Minutes

The Board reviewed the minutes of July 13, 2020. Mr. Fichter made a motion to accept the minutes as amended. Mr. Thomas seconded the motion. All in favor.

 

The Recording Secretary read into the record the following Public Notice:

Notice is hereby given that the Newbury Zoning Board of Adjustment will conduct a public hearing on the following proposal on Monday, August 10, 2020 at the Town Office Building at 937 Route 103 in Newbury, NH: At 7:05 p.m., E. Craig Turner (agent), Michael J. & Jean M. Whitman (owners), for property located at 29 Morse Hill Road, Newbury, NH, will seek a Variance from the requirements of Paragraph 5.7.9 of the Newbury Zoning Ordinance to permit the following: Remodel of an attached barn as a 1,900 square foot accessory apartment.  Newbury Tax Map 044-213-430. Copies of the application are available for review during regular business hours at the Newbury Town Office building. Business hours are as follows: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8 am-noon.

 

Mr. Turner presented to the Board.

 

Mr. Turner said he was presenting on behalf of his mother in law, Jean Whitman and they are requesting a variance from Article 5.7.9 that states the square footage allowed for an accessory dwelling unit is a minimum of 300 square feet and a maximum of 1,000 square feet. Mr. Turner continued that they are planning to convert a portion of an existing barn to living accommodations with 2 bedrooms and a bathroom on the top floor and a portion of the main floor will be a kitchen, dining, living room and ¾ bath. Mr. Turner said the remaining barn structure will be unfinished storage and the basement will be converted just to keep the weather out. Mr. Turner said the anticipated remodeled living space is around 1,900 square feet which exceeds Article 5.7.9. Mr. Fichter asked if the 1,900 square feet was the total. Mr. Turner said yes it was.

Mr. Turner said the barn remodel would not be changing the exterior or total square footage of the property. Mr. Thomas asked what the square footage of the existing farmhouse is. Mr. Gelzer said he thought that was a point of interest because one of the stipulations is the accessory can’t be bigger than the primary dwelling. Mr. Gelzer asked Ms. Favreau to interpret the property record card for the total occupied space of the current living area. Ms. Favreau said the living area is 1,941 square feet. Mr. Fichterclarified that the 1,941 square feet is in the existing house. Ms. Favreau said correct.

 

Mr. Gelzer asked if the attic was still unfinished in the main house. Mrs. Whitman said yes, it is. Discussion followed. Mr. Gelzer said that he thought what the applicant was trying to do here is very much in the spirit of what the Town is promoting with the accessory apartment. Discussion followed.