ZONING BOARD PUBLIC HEARING & BUSINESS MEETING
The Zoning Board will meet on Thursday, May 14 at 6 p.m. and the following cases will be heard. If you cannot make the meeting in person, it will be broadcast live on Manchester Public Television, Channel 22. The agenda is available online.
ZBA2026-026: 231 Woodland Avenue, Residential One Family High Density District, Ward 5
Applicant has proposed to change the use from a food processing plant created by variance case 145-ZO-2006 to a landscape contractor’s office use with outdoor storage. There would be an 8’ fence in the side yard where 6’ is allowed. Applicant has proposed to maintain and relocate a 36’ x 22’ accessory structure in the rear yard 0’ from the building where 4’ is required. Applicant also proposes to create four parking spaces in the front yard between the building façade and principal frontage, where two of the four spaces are within 10’ of the front lot line, create ten parking spaces in the side yard without the required 10’ landscape buffer or parking bumpers, with a 20’ wide two-way drive aisle on the south side of the building where 22’ is required, and locate a dumpster within the limited activity buffer. Applicant seeks a variance from Zoning Ordinance sections 4.3-A.5.B Contractors Office, 4.5-A.2-I Outdoor Storage, 8.2.4-A Side Yard Fence Height, 5.6.C Accessory Structures Rear Yard Setback, 7.5.2.B.2 Parking Between Façade and Principal Frontage, 7.5.2.A.1 Parking Setbacks, 8.1.3.B Parking Lot Perimeter Landscape, 7.5.2.F Parking Bumpers, 7.3.1 Drive Aisle Width and 6.4.2 Limited Activity Buffer.
ZBA2026-027: 66 Fern Lane, Residential One Family Medium Density District, Ward 8
Applicant has proposed to install a 500-gallon propane tank in the front yard with 55% impervious area in the front yard where 25% is allowed. Applicant seeks a variance from Zoning Ordinance sections 5.6.2-A Front Yard Setback and 5.3.1.A.7.B Impervious Area in the Front Yard.
ZBA2026-028: Wellington Road, Tax Map 860, Lot 30 R-1A Zoning District, Ward 2
Applicant has proposed to subdivide the parcel to create 34 new lots. The proposed street accessing Wellington Road would be an impervious surface within 50’ of a wetland within the Lake Massabesic Protection Overlay District (LMPOD). Applicant seeks a variance from Zoning Ordinance section 6.3.7.C.2 Impervious Surface Within 50’ of Wetland in the LMPOD.
ZBA2026-029: 215 Canal Street, Millyard District, Ward 3
Applicant has proposed to install four monument signs where two are allowed. One monument sign would be at the northeast corner of the property 2’ from the property line where 5’ is required. Two monument signs would be closer than 100’ from each other. Applicant has also proposed to install a wall sign that extends above the roof line. Applicant seeks a variance from Zoning Ordinance sections 9.6.B Freestanding Signs (2 counts), 9.1.7.B Sign Location, and 9.8.5.A.3 Wall Signs.
ZBA2026-030: 500 Walnut Street, Residential One Family High Density District, Ward 1
Applicant has proposed to subdivide the parcel into two lots where proposed Lot 9 will conform and remain improved with an existing single-family dwelling. Proposed Lot 9A will have a lot width of 48.96’ where 60’ is required and maintain a 6’ high fence along the northern lot line of Lot 9A in the front yard where 4’ is allowed. Applicant seeks a variance from Zoning Ordinance sections 5.3.1.A.3.A Minimum Lot Width and 8.2.4-A Front and Street Yard Fence Height for Lot 9A.
ZBA2026-031: 285 Manchester Street, General Mixed Use District, Ward 4
Applicant has proposed to create 9 dwelling units in a former funeral parlor on a lot with 9,000 SF of buildable land area, where 11,500 SF is required. A second floor would be constructed above the existing garage with a 4’ side yard setback where 10’ is required. One new parking space would be created at the southeast corner of the lot in the street yard with a 0’ setback where 10’ is required. Applicant seeks a variance from Zoning Ordinance sections 5.3.1.F.4.D Additional Lot Area Required After Five Units, 5.3.1.F.3.E Minimum Setback of One Side, 5.3.1.F.3.I Surface Parking Location, and 7.5.2.A Parking Setbacks.
ZBA2026-032: 20 Dawson Avenue, Residential One Family Medium Density District, Ward 6
Applicant has proposed to subdivide the property to create one new lot. Proposed Lot 2 would remain improved with a single-family dwelling on a lot with 90’ of lot width where 100’ is required, with buildable lot area of 8,353 square feet where 10,000 square feet is required, and with a side yard setback of 7.5’ where 10’ is required. It would also maintain front steps with a front yard setback of 17’ where 25’ is required. Proposed Lot 2A would have 70’ of lot width where 100’ is required and buildable lot area of 6,496 square feet where 10,000 square feet is required. Applicant seeks a variance from Zoning Ordinance sections 5.3.1.A.3.A Minimum Lot Width, 5.3.1.A.3.G Minimum Buildable Lot Area, 5.3.1.A.3.E Minimum Setback of One Side and, 5.3.1.A.3.C Front Yard Setback for proposed Lot 2, and 5.3.1.A.3.A Minimum Lot Width and 5.3.1.A.3.G Minimum Buildable Lot Area for proposed Lot 2A.
ZBA2026-033: 51 Caron Street, General Mixed Use District, Ward 3
Applicant has proposed to construct one 26-unit small multifamily building where:
- the small multifamily building type allows a maximum of 9 dwelling units,
- the primary façade does not face the principal frontage on Caron Street,
- the parking area has a 4’ landscape buffer along Queen City Avenue where 10’ is required
- the parking area has a 5’ setback from the eastern lot line abutting the rail trail where 10’ is required, and
- there is no proposed landscape buffer.
Applicant seeks a variance from Zoning Ordinance sections 5.3.1.F.4.C Maximum Number of Units – Small Multifamily, 5.3.1.F.6.C Principal Entrance Location, 7.5.2.A.1 Parking Setbacks, and 8.1.3.B Parking Lot Perimeter Landscape.
ZBA2026-035: 111 Villa Street, Residential Two Family District, Ward 7
Applicant has proposed to subdivide the property to create one new lot. Proposed Lot 30 would remain improved with a two-family dwelling, with 62% lot coverage where 60% is allowed, and maintain a pergola 1’ from the side lot line and 3’ from the rear lot line where 4’ is allowed in each instance. Proposed Lot 30A would have lot depth of 92.82’ where 100’ is required. Applicant seeks a variance from Zoning Ordinance sections 5.3.1.B.3.H Maximum Lot Coverage, and 5.6.2.C Side and Rear Lot Line Setbacks (2 counts) for Lot 30 and 5.3.1.B.3.B Lot Depth for Lot 30A.
ZBA2026-036: 1 Perimeter Road, Industrial District, Ward 8
Applicant has proposed to establish a dance studio use in 3,040 SF of space in Unit 400. Applicant seeks a variance from Zoning Ordinance section 4.3.A.6.A Dance or Yoga Studio.
ZBA2026-037: 222-224 Lake Avenue, General Mixed Use District, Ward 5
Applicant has proposed to create three angled parking spaces with a 1.5’ side yard setback and 5’ front yard setback where 10’ is required. Lot coverage would be 90% where 75% is allowed, and the spaces would be exited by backing out onto a public way, without the required parking bumpers. Applicant seeks a variance from Zoning Ordinance sections 7.5.2.A.1 Parking Setbacks, 5.3.1.F.3.H Maximum Lot coverage, 7.5.2.D Safety of Parking Design, and 7.5.2.F Parking Bumpers.
ZBA2026-038: 425 Candia Road, Residential One Family High Density District, Ward 6
Applicant has proposed to expand an existing beauty salon created by variance case 188-69-ZO by eliminating the first-floor dwelling unit. Applicant has proposed one additional parking space in the front yard, within 10’ of the front lot line, without parking bumpers and without the required landscaping. The resulting lot coverage would be 79% where 70% is allowed. Applicant seeks a variance from Zoning Ordinance sections 4.3.1- A.6.A Neighborhood Retail and Service (Beauty Salon), 6.2-B.I Surface Parking Location, 7.5.2.A Parking Setbacks, 7.5.2.F Parking Bumpers, 8.1.3.B Parking Lot Perimeter Landscape, and 6.2-B.H Maximum Lot Coverage.
Request for Rehearing → ZBA2026-010: 103 Ray Street, Residential One Family High Density District, Ward 1
Quoted directly from the Zoning Board agenda:
“Kevin Demers and Linda Capuchino request a rehearing of case ZBA2026-010, where the board GRANTED on March 12, 2026, an application to create one new buildable lot, where proposed Lot 18 will remain improved with a three-family dwelling on a lot with 10,500 SF where 15,000 SF is required and with 100’ of lot frontage and width where 150’ is required, with a side yard setback of 3.9’ where 20’ is required and construct a 12’ x 18’ addition to a detached garage 2.1’ from the rear lot line where 4’ is required, where proposed Lot 18A will have 5,250 SF of buildable land area where 7,500 SF is required, with 50’ of lot frontage and width where 75’ is required in the R- 1B Zoning District, from the terms of Section(s) 6.03(C) Side Yard Setback and 8.29(A)3 Accessory Structures and Uses for Lot 18 and 6.01 Minimum Buildable Lot Area and 6.02 Minimum Lot Frontage and Width (2 counts) for Lot 18A of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Manchester, New Hampshire as per a request for rehearing received on April 10, 2026.”
Request for Rehearing → ZBA2026-003: 185 Woodland Avenue and Crystal Street, Tax Map/Lot: 490/09, 490/09A, 490/10, 490/11, 490/15, 490/31, 490/32, 490/33, 490/33A, 490/34 and 490/34A, Residential One Family High Density District, Ward 5
Quoted directly from the Zoning Board agenda:
“Christopher Swiniarski, Esq. (Agent) requests a rehearing of case ZBA2026-003, where the Board DENIED on April 9, 2026, an application to construct a planned development consisting of three six-unit townhouse dwellings and four four-unit townhouse dwellings for a total of 34 dwelling units, on 11 parcels totaling approximately 3.5 acres, with lot frontage and width of 40’ where 150’ is required, with eight parking spaces in the front yard, with two parking spaces without the required screening at the west side of the end of Woodland Ave., and with three parking spaces with a 9.8’ landscape buffer one parking space with a 6.8’ landscape buffer where a 10’ landscape buffer is required and install an 8’ high fence to screen a dumpster where 6’ is allowed in the R-1B Zoning District, from the terms of Sections(s) 5.10(A)2 Single-Family Attached Townhouse Dwellings, 6.02 Minimum Lot Frontage and Width (2 counts), 10.09(B) Parking Setbacks, 10.07(K)4 Parking Screening, 10.07(G) Landscaping, and 83234 Fence Height of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Manchester, New Hampshire as per a request for rehearing received on May 6, 2026.”
PLANNING BOARD UPDATES
The Planning Board met on Thursday, May 7 for a public hearing and limited business meeting. If you missed the meeting, it is available on-demand via Manchester Public Television.