On February 12, the Zoning Board in Manchester will hold a public hearing at 18:00 to discuss several significant housing proposals. The meeting will be broadcast live on Manchester Public Television, Channel 22, for those unable to attend in person. The complete agenda is available online for review.
Proposed Developments Under Review
One of the key proposals, identified as ZBA2025-168, concerns a property at 373 Bartlett Street. The applicant aims to convert a two-family dwelling into a three-family dwelling on a lot of 5,000 square feet, where a minimum of 10,000 square feet is required. The proposal includes new egress stairs from the third floor and requests several variances, including reduced side yard setbacks and an increased floor area ratio of 0.63 when only 0.5 is permissible.
Another notable case, ZBA2025-175, involves the site at 806-814 Elm Street. Here, the applicant seeks to remove a prior condition that mandates a 300-square-foot wall sign be related to building tenants. The new plan includes installing an electronic message center that does not need to be tenant-related, thereby requesting a variance from the Zoning Ordinance.
At 503 Hanover Street, under case ZBA2025-172, the proposal aims to create a three-family dwelling on an 8,400-square-foot lot, which also falls short of the 10,000-square-foot requirement. The plans include egress stairs and several variances for side yard setbacks and driveway width.
Variance Requests and Community Impact
The Zoning Board will also examine plans at 747 Beech Street, referenced as ZBA2026-001, where the proposal is to construct a shed dormer with an 8-foot side yard setback instead of the required 20 feet. The floor area ratio would increase to 0.62, seeking variances for both the side yard setback and the floor area ratio.
A significant development proposed at 185 Woodland Avenue and Crystal Street, listed as ZBA2026-003, includes plans for a multi-family project featuring five six-unit townhouses and two eight-unit townhouses, totaling 46 dwelling units. This plan seeks multiple variances, including reduced lot width and height allowances, which could greatly impact the local community.
In addition, the board will consider a proposal at 251 Pine Street (ZBA2026-005) to transform commercial space into three new dwelling units, raising the total to 12 units on a lot that does not meet the minimum buildable area requirements.
Finally, cases ZBA2026-006 at 84 Healion Street and ZBA2026-007 at 250 Dunbar Street involve requests for variances related to accessory structures and front yard setbacks, which could affect neighborhood aesthetics and compliance with existing zoning regulations.
The Zoning Board’s discussions and decisions on these cases will be crucial in shaping the residential landscape of Manchester. Public input and participation in the hearing are encouraged to ensure community voices are heard as these developments unfold.
