[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6090035,"mediaKeyId","2869717-62e0b30b63dfe02360b3348583621b62","parentId",2869717,"title","ZBA approves lodging house for estate employee housing, plus ornamental tower height","audioSeconds",5977,"startMs",7481000,"endMs",13458000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2869717-62e0b30b63dfe02360b3348583621b62&start=7481&end=13458","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2869717-62e0b30b63dfe02360b3348583621b62/thumbnail_7481000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6090035/New-Hampshire/ZBA-approves-lodging-house-for-estate-employee-housing-plus-ornamental-tower-height","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6090035-f4705277ff74419e574613510bdaec5b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771192451&Signature=KXOhPtHlGr795vzidpkr5LwEo6dOxq1Wk~33KzYqLYB4DRHSnjNRlwPCD0I18sFDpv~~2qQwKdiAFKthH-yByYasZy94NWVeyt7KPOXVL1-78U6-t9Ndkz3x62YFKwv3iB3gYWEmWJl9MN3C7d6RddSLbBm2KIi0coHaetPTQeXc3UQ2t8tKqJNbXjVUnQNwz-h7qhfhRhKobOjRhanbFwzZunF1jJ0iOWJLGyjbrvwY867j9N6J3A47kyS0vzgTeeCbAoGeAcb96ZroefSnEqm3WbOitiHXw1iKKZQQ1rMFUjQs~nHXpiCly35pVfguzNXZsWzQkSr62uQel7XU8A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town Council of Alton NH","date","2025-04-01T17:37:42Z","article","The Alton Zoning Board of Adjustment voted to grant a special exception permitting a lodging house and an associated special exemption for an ornamental tower height on a 19.5‑acre parcel owned by Frogwood LLC.

Architect Timothy Giguere presented the application on behalf of the applicant. He described the project as three nontransient residential units intended for service staff who would live on the large estate across Hopewell Road. \"My client is looking to have nontransient units that he could rent potentially to his service staff for a large estate,\" Giguere told the board. He described the lodging as nontransient (rental periods longer than 30 days) and emphasized that the units would be limited, owner‑occupied (or occupied by a living manager) and accessory to the estate.

Neighbors raised concerns about possible future changes of use, the visual impact of the building's ornamental belfry and on‑site equipment storage. Rob Miller, counsel for the applicant, and board members stressed that approvals attach to the specific use and that any change of use would require a separate application. The board noted that covenants on the underlying deed remain a civil matter between private parties, but members discussed conditions to limit unintended future uses.

Fire and life‑safety issues, including potential sprinkler requirements, were discussed; the fire department asked that the building be assigned an address and that final building plans (including any sprinkler system) be reviewed by the department. The board and applicant also discussed stormwater and septic plans; applicant engineers were identified for future civil and septic design.

The board approved the lodging‑house special exception by a 4–1 vote. The board also approved the special exemption to permit a decorative tower above the 35‑foot maximum by the same margin. Members said the use was consistent with the master plan's emphasis on housing affordability and that the proposed building footprint, setbacks and acreage (19.52 acres) met the ordinance criteria for a lodging house. A dissenting member raised concern about visibility from the lake and the master plan language to protect waterfront views.

Conditions noted at the hearing include standard building permits, sprinkler and life‑safety plan approvals, state septic approvals and the requirement that any change in use or expansion return to the board for review.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","ZBA Meeting 04-03-2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Zoning Board approved a special exception for a lodging house (nontransient employee housing) on a 19.5‑acre lot and a special exemption allowing an ornamental tower to exceed the 35‑foot height limit, with building and fire‑safety requirements to follow.","taxTitle","Alton Town, Belknap County, New Hampshire","taxId",74073,"location","New Hampshire","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6090040,"Board denies septic special exception and density variances for Eagles Rest expansion",2683,2885000,5568000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2869717-62e0b30b63dfe02360b3348583621b62&start=2885&end=5568","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2869717-62e0b30b63dfe02360b3348583621b62/thumbnail_2885000.jpg","/articles/6090040/New-Hampshire/Board-denies-septic-special-exception-and-density-variances-for-Eagles-Rest-expansion","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6090040-2d7f32af54a7523727256d1abe76f3f6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771192451&Signature=cEigl3SKZsL0bDa5cdetm1xy~ZAY41Au7tyCEK1eJeyd7Vs3yEWPVwUspOOgFBj-tMX3Dx2NC9cfSrGTw6y4A3oHK2UsEzGRAfvrKdAFiJmeo9CW33~88QRiNtY0BFNvR-18Z2h0cFcCH2u78irhxqjVfwcnIgwJlG65r8a-Wp6o3KRYY-3HQs7maUtB2NqlP0gGSgN~86HCs1unnJozGF4nfqSWqdKx0RksbS-wpHcLQmeGRGKQvYQbjl1mC3q~dsphwysrQEsIIk5mf-13Z-lS9NnHgEn0hIx~ztGjFLMUygoW-y1cZhiD6uXAhzxY9qa~JKPfTimoIPkecWBzqw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Alton Zoning Board of Adjustment voted to deny a special exception and related variances for application Z25‑15, a proposal by the Borowski Trust to add two manufactured‑home units to the Eagles Rest community at 30 Eagles Way.

Attorney Sean Dunphy, representing trustees Walter and Janice Borowski, told the board the proposal would increase the park from 55 units to 57 on a 57‑acre parcel. He said the owners hoped to replace a long‑standing RV occupancy with a HUD‑approved manufactured home and that both new units would be similar to existing homes in the community. Dunphy said roughly 36 units connect to a state‑approved community septic system and 19 units (phase 2) use individual systems; he proposed two additional individual septic systems, one of which would be located within the town's Aquifer Protection Overlay District.

Town staff and the Conservation Commission raised concerns about locating an individual leach field in the aquifer overlay and asked for more engineering and hydrologic review. Board members focused heavily on density: under current zoning the rural district density standard limits the number of dwellings per acreage and the board found the park already exceeded the intended density for the zone. Board members also weighed public comments and letters submitted by neighbors expressing worry about permits, unpermitted work already done on the site, and impacts to wetlands and private rights‑of‑way.

On a vote on the special exception for an individual sewage disposal system within the Aquifer Protection Overlay District, the board denied the request 3–2. The board majority said the criteria for a special exception were not satisfied, citing concerns about appropriateness of the siting and absence of conclusive hydrologic evidence; two members dissented, saying the planned septic system could be engineered to state standards and would serve an existing community need.

Following that vote, the board considered a variance to permit 57 units in the manufactured‑housing park where the rural zone density would allow fewer units. The board denied the density variance; board members repeatedly said the park already exceeded the zone density and that granting an increase would conflict with the spirit of the ordinance and the master plan. A second variance, specific to the manufactured‑home provisions, was rendered moot by the density denial.

The board recorded a number of public comments and several written communications from neighbors; some letters alleged prior unpermitted construction on the site and urged closer enforcement. Town staff said the applicant will need any required state septic approvals and planning board site review for changes to the park layout regardless of the ZBA outcome.

What happens next: the denials leave the Eagles Rest community at its current permitted density; the applicant may revise plans, pursue additional engineering (hydrologic) studies, or appeal the decision. Any new septic designs or lot changes within the aquifer overlay will require state DES approvals and town planning review.

","The Zoning Board denied a special exception to place an individual septic system within the Aquifer Protection Overlay District and refused variances to increase density at the Eagles Rest manufactured housing community. The applicant had sought permission to add two units to a 57‑acre park currently cited as having 55 dwellings.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6090045,"ZBA grants variances, equitable waiver to enlarge lakeshore lot while keeping nonconforming status",2613,33000,2646000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2869717-62e0b30b63dfe02360b3348583621b62&start=33&end=2646","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2869717-62e0b30b63dfe02360b3348583621b62/thumbnail_33000.jpg","/articles/6090045/New-Hampshire/ZBA-grants-variances-equitable-waiver-to-enlarge-lakeshore-lot-while-keeping-nonconforming-status","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6090045-f4111cf56b2ba19036c94ce0463509e1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771192451&Signature=dqOg8iTuNNVYKP-5EaBjTw87a0Yf9zmauHoRs-FtPbu-aZdLk2AUfxxPAJ9A72e52aorOSmNx6FuRhTBWpAcEu3bw16q6stLidzuOhhOTA4znPP4v~rga4CGlAUwcOCSd75xtXs5b09qsxlBgE4km2vaRqk-TIqz1KDw0zR0tZqf67hZTfcM8dQqFu9TRDApeqbcD1y15EGnc1Lo0qEa4PAz1qY-q94Ey2ngm9iDeI03jqnwltKvFh-QXp2jLXsTsFq2VIVFettlgcihAOOaunrirBN2AlIZfyj~2MCPQJl5Gk~UO6KxAUbOqvDGbFNsywSXzryy8gO9du15rFDS0A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Alton Zoning Board of Adjustment on April 30 approved a set of variances and an equitable waiver for application KC 25‑14, a boundary‑line adjustment that increases a nonconforming waterfront lot from roughly 11,500 square feet to about 20,150 square feet but does not make the parcel conforming to the town's stated minimum lot size.

The board voted to approve five variance requests and an equitable waiver after hearing from the applicant's representative, abutters and the public. Paul Juscombe, speaking for property owner Bruce Tapania, described the plan as a boundary adjustment to add land to a small lake lot so the owner would have more room to relocate a house in the future. \"Eventually, that house probably will be torn down and the new house would be moved back to meet all setbacks,\" Juscombe said.

Board members reviewed the usual variance criteria: whether the variance would be contrary to public interest; harmony with the zoning ordinance and master plan; substantial justice; effect on surrounding property values; and unnecessary hardship. The board repeatedly noted that the proposal would make the existing nonconforming lot \"less nonconforming,\" and several members said the public benefit to the applicant outweighed any detriment to the town. Affected abutters who spoke at the hearing were generally supportive; Nancy Bell, owner of 21 Bell Road, told the board she was \"completely in favor of this.\" A written statement from Mary Jane Peronovich raised questions about an historic walkway and the location of a deeded right of way to a neighboring cottage; the applicant confirmed the walk‑through right of way would remain.

In addition to the variances for minimum lot size, shoreline frontage and road frontage, the board granted an equitable waiver for an existing house that lies within the 50‑foot shoreland setback. The applicant and board said the house dates to 1938 and was grandfathered before current shoreland rules. Town staff and the applicant discussed that the waiver route was recommended because the lot reconfiguration created a new lot that would otherwise remove the historic grandfathering.

The board did not require the applicant to make the adjusted lot reach the town's referenced 30,000 square‑foot minimum; the applicant said neighboring owners would not sell enough additional acreage without making the adjacent lot nonconforming. Several members of the board and the public emphasized that any future demolition and new construction would need shoreland erosion‑control and drainage plans and state approvals.

The board recorded affirmative votes for the five variance items and for the equitable waiver; each item was moved and seconded and passed by voice vote on the record.

What happens next: the approvals allow the boundary line adjustment and leave the enlarged lot legally nonconforming but less so than before. Any new construction or later relocation of the house would require shoreland permitting, erosion‑control measures and building and septic approvals from town and state agencies.

","The Alton Zoning Board of Adjustment approved a package of variances and an equitable waiver for application KC 25‑14, allowing a boundary line adjustment that increases a nonconforming lakeshore lot from about 11,500 to about 20,150 square feet but leaves it below the town's stated minimum lot size.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

ZBA approves lodging house for estate employee housing, plus ornamental tower height

Board denies septic special exception and density variances for Eagles Rest expansion

ZBA grants variances, equitable waiver to enlarge lakeshore lot while keeping nonconforming status