Lyndeborough Select Board asks ZBA to reconsider approval of accessory unit
The Select Board has requested that the Zoning Board of Adjustment revisit its January approval of a second accessory dwelling unit on a lot in Lyndeborough.
The ZBA is scheduled to hear the matter Monday.
In January, the ZBA heard a request from resident Arnold Byam III, who presented his plan for a septic design to accommodate a third structure on Old Temple Road. Byam’s 96-acre property includes a single-family house with an apartment over a garage. A third structure formerly served as office space, and Byam was seeking ZBA approval of septic plans for it to become a residential space.
New Hampshire Housing defines an ADU as “a residential living unit that is within or attached to a single-family dwelling, and that provides independent living facilities for one or more persons, including provisions for sleeping, eating, cooking and sanitation.”
In January, Lyndeborough Code Enforcement Officer Leo Trudeau cautioned the board against setting a precedent by approving the ADU, while Jay Minkarah of the Nashua Regional Planning Commission said a second ADU on the property would not violate state law.
The board voted unanimously to approve a variance allowing another ADU on the Byam property. Trudeau contacted the Select Board in the week following the meeting, stating that of the five criteria to be met for a variance to be granted, two were not met.
“It is not in the public interest that the variance be granted, as required, and it would not be an unnecessary hardship to the owner if it were not granted,” Trudeau said. — David Allen, Monadnock Ledger-Transcript
Renderings show the second option for a recreational park abutting Caro Apartments off Tuscan Boulevard, where a permanent play structure and open spaces for children are being proposed. (Courtesy of Tuscan Village Development)
Tuscan developers to try for rec space approval again
Tuscan Village Development will be back before the Planning Board on March 13 with more options and recreational amenities for children and families in park spaces.
Plans submitted in late February for two undeveloped open spaces in the mixed-use development were not on par with what was expected from the first-class developers, board members said.
In 2023, Tuscan Village Development and applicant Joe Faro were before the Planning Board to review the village’s master plan where Faro passionately argued his support for recreation. But the plans presented last month were significantly scaled down in terms of recreational amenities as compared to the promises and conceptual plans presented and agreed on.
On Thursday, Mark Gross will present two additional options for the recreational space abutting the Caro Apartments along Tuscan Boulevard as required as part of the Building 1300 site plan approval. The plans appear to be more in line with conceptual design, said Planning Director Jacob LaFontaine.
In addition to options 1 and 2, which sought to replace an existing play structure with a new play structure or replace the existing play structure and add natural play elements like boulders, bridges and creeks, Gross will showcase options 2B and 3.
Option 2B seeks to replace the existing play structure with two new play structures, while Option 3 seeks to replace the existing play structure and add a pickleball court and fitness equipment to the space.
At the last meeting, Gross said option 1 would cost around $50,000, while Option 2 would cost around $250,000, the bulk of which Gross requested to pull from the recreation impact fees generated by Building 1300. This request was withdrawn on March 5 after pushback from the board and residents.
Funding for options 2B and 3 will be discussed on Thursday.
A second recreational space between buildings 1200 and 1300 will also be discussed.
Comments from the board at the last meeting indicated the space was not consistent with the conceptual plans and it was suggested the applicant take both proposals back and try again.
The board was told in 2023 that the space would include a permanent play structure and park space, but board members instead were shown a flexible space for lawn games, movable structures and retail space.
In the updated site plan, developers still did not include a permanent play structure, but did add concept designs for the movable structures, like climbing apparatuses, netting, swings, multi-purpose art and play structures, sensory activities and engaging artwork.
The plan is still promoting summer and winter designs for pop-up tents, performances and seasonal programming, like Santa’s Workshop.
“It remains unchanged with the addition of those kinds of tactical urban and temporary installations,” LaFontaine said Monday. “I think they wanted to give more context for what that could be.”
Both proposals are expected to be continued to March 25, LaFontaine said. Thursday’s meeting will be more of a conceptual discussion for Gross to see if Tuscan Village Development is on the right track in getting the Planning Board’s approval. — Jamie L. Costa, Eagle-Tribune
Harrison Kanzler of AHEAD accepting a donation from Andy Smith of Badger Peabody & Smith Realty. (Courtesy photo)
Badger Peabody & Smith Realty makes annual donation to AHEAD
Badger Peabody & Smith Realty, as part of its community outreach initiatives, has once again provided a donation to AHEAD (Affordable Housing Education and Development) through the generosity of the buyers and sellers they work with, as well as the firm itself.
Throughout the year, the buyers and sellers of properties in New Hampshire working with Badger Peabody & Smith Realty agreed to have their escrow funds placed in an interest-bearing account, with 100% of the interest going to AHEAD to support their many housing-related projects for the residents of Grafton and Coös Counties. At the end of each year, Badger Peabody & Smith Realty doubles the impact by matching the interest earned and donating the funds to AHEAD.
Andy Smith, broker/owner of Badger Peabody & Smith Realty said, “This is a unique program we started over two decades ago. This check represents our match of the interest we earn and donate to AHEAD each month from our Client Escrow account. In cooperation with our over 848 customers and clients we helped buy or sell New Hampshire real estate in 2024, we are delighted to be able to provide AHEAD a total of $6,692.54 in 2024.”
Harrison Kanzler, executive director of AHEAD, expressed his gratitude, saying, “This annual investment into our community has helped AHEAD and our clients over the years. This allows us to continue to teach our home buyer workshops, our budgeting workshops, and help people on the path to homeownership and finding affordable housing. This level of commitment from Badger Peabody & Smith Realty has helped us in so many ways.”
Established in 1991, AHEAD Inc. is a community-based, nonprofit housing development organization with a main office in Littleton, dedicated to strengthening families throughout northern New Hampshire by helping them build and preserve assets for the future. The organization’s heartbeat is fighting homelessness and generational poverty in the rural communities of North Country through developing and providing safe, quality affordable apartments, financial literacy to all ages, and counseling services for credit, home buying, and foreclosure.
New initiatives at AHEAD this year include the expansion of its Pathways to Homeownership down payment assistance program. With newly secured funding, the program will now extend its reach to eligible homebuyers throughout Grafton County. This expansion, branded as Pathways to Homeownership II, allows eligible buyers to receive 5% of the purchase price, up to $20,000, in down payment assistance when buying a home in Grafton County. Participants must be employed within the county, purchasing a primary residence there, and have a household income at or below 120% of the Area Median Income (AMI).
This expansion of the program, builds upon the original Pathways to Homeownership I program, funded by the Neil & Louise Tillotson Fund, which supports homebuyers in Coös County as well as the towns of Bethlehem and Littleton, NH.
