Somerset Zoning Board of Appeals - May 28, 2026

The Somerset Zoning Board of Appeals meeting on May 28, 2026, began with the approval of three straightforward special permits for in-home occupations. These permits were for administrative work for a catering business at 530 Chase Street, an e-commerce business at 303 Dwelley Road, and a cleaning business at 151 Ivanhoe Avenue. Following these approvals, resident Laurie Belche questioned the necessity of a full board hearing for such simple administrative uses, sparking a discussion about the town's zoning bylaws and the process for amending them through the Planning Board.

The board then addressed several variance requests. A petition from Stephen Rivard at 364 New Hill Avenue to replace an existing garage with a larger one was approved. The primary variance granted was for lot coverage, which would increase to 41.38%, approximately 6% over the 35% allowed for the older, non-conforming lot. A more complex request from Matthew Voss for a detached accessory dwelling unit at 105 Harrison Avenue was continued to the July 23rd meeting. The board requested the petitioner obtain a certified surveyor's plan and consider attaching the unit to the main house to better address setback and corner lot issues. A variance for an electronic sign at the Prestige Car Wash at 287 County Street was approved with conditions, including that the sign be on a timer and that other lettering on the building comply with bylaw size requirements. This followed a detailed testimony from abutter Celia Martins regarding light pollution and a previously damaged buffer zone, which the board agreed to investigate. A final variance for a new garage at 104 Center Street, requesting a two-foot side yard setback, was unanimously approved with the support of the direct abutter. The meeting concluded with the board continuing a petition for a Taco Bell at 721 Grand Avenue to their June 25th meeting, approving the minutes from the May 7th meeting, and adjourning.

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