The Zoning Board of Adjustments recently approved two variance requests for the Londonderry Fish and Game Club property located on Musquash Meadow Road, allowing the club to move forward with construction after plans were halted due to a planning department oversight.
At a Town Council meeting last month, it was explained by Londonderry Fish and Game, Richard H. Olson Jr. that they had previously received approval from the town to build a clubhouse, but when they went to get the permit they were told that they needed two different variances.
During the meeting, it was explained that the Club is a non profit organization that was formed in 1951 and has been occupying the property since then.
One of the variance requests was to allow a lot without 150 feet of road frontage on Class V or better road.
Several members of the Town Council and members of the Club, showed up to the meeting and spoke in support of the variance requests being approved.
“I am here as a member of the Town Council,” Town Councilor, John Farrell, said.
He said since the project was brought to their attention, it became clear that when the plan was originally brought forward to the Planning Board and their third party engineer “they just flat out missed this.”
“It’s unfortunate,” Farrell said, noting that he’s not a member of the Club, but the Club has been a “good neighbor” since he has been involved with the town.
Town Council Chair, Chad Franz, echoed Farrell’s sentiment saying “We would like to see this approved.”
Town Councilor, Shawn Faber, said he has been out to the property himself saying
“I feel like the access is sufficient to get in and through there,” and he thinks the Club has been an asset in town.
No one spoke against the variance request during the meeting.
The ZBA unanimously approved the variance request for the road frontage with no conditions.
The other variance request was to allow the expansion of a nonconforming use.
For that variance, members of the Town Council also gave their support for the Zoning Board of Adjustment to grant the variance without any conditions.
Farrell explained that it went through all the processes required saying “we shoulda caught this beforehand…we’re trying to right a wrong here.”
Like the other variance requests, no one from the public spoke against the variance request during the meeting.
It was unanimously approved by the ZBA to approve the variance request.
The next ZBA meeting is slated to take place on July 17 at 7 p.m.