MANCHESTER, NH – Earlier this month, developers seeking to construct a seven-story, 51-unit multi-family mixed-use building at 1308 Elm St., the current location of the North End Superette, were granted variances from the city’s zoning ordinances from the Manchester Zoning Board of Adjustment for minimum buildable lot area and infringement on the required visual clearance area on a corner lot within the city’s Central Business District.
The building’s lot is 9,233 square feet whereas 27,000 square feet is required for the building to meet the minimum buildable lot area of its scope within the Central Business District.
According to Attorney Shawn Dunphy, representing the applicant for the variance, there will be 39 parking spaces in a garage located on the first floor and in what is essentially a basement level below street level. A commercial unit will be for lease in the basement level, described as the first level by the applicant, and the second level. The other five stories will hold a mix of one-bedroom and studio apartments sold at market rate as well as a series of amenities such as a mail room, a theater, a fitness room and a top-level common area deck with a grill.
Zoning Board Member Greg Powers noted that a property across the street recently sought a variance and had a much smaller density than this application, questioning whether allowing such a gap would fit within the character of neighboring land parcels. However, Dunphy and his colleagues noted several other nearby properties with similar density to the application before the board.
Beyond one nearby resident’s concerns, there were no other issues during the meeting with the density or with the visual clearance. However, there was concern with the building potentially blocking billboards on top of 1354 Elm St., which lies immediately to the north of 1308 Elm St.
Zoning Board Member Craig St. Pierre expressed concern that if the billboards were blocked by the expanded 1308 Elm St., it would harm the ability of those billboards to generate revenue for their owners. In turn, this would negatively impact the property values of a surrounding property, one of the criteria that is taken into account under state law when deciding an ordinance.
Dunphy said that while his client would try to work with any neighbors, the applicant was within his rights to build at the proposed height and that the billboards did not play a role in either of the issues that were mentioned in the two variance requests. Additionally, the owner of the building with the billboard did not have an air easement for the billboards.
Powers added that the billboards would still likely be visible by motorists heading northbound, the key audience for the billboards.
The variances were granted by a vote of 3-2, with Powers joined by June Trisiciani and Kathryn Beleski in support. St. Pierre and Robert Breault opposed the motion.
The building still requires site-plan approval and a conditional use permit for a multi-family dwelling from the Manchester Planning Board.