ZBA Grants Garage Variance on Laws Brook Road
Concord's Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously approved a rare variance letting longtime resident John Kohl build a 336-square-foot garage at 160 Laws Brook Road with a 5.5-foot side setback where 15 feet is normally required.
Zoning Board · Meeting of October 8, 2026
Concord's Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously approved a rare variance letting longtime resident John Kohl build a 336-square-foot garage at 160 Laws Brook Road with a 5.5-foot side setback where 15 feet is normally required. Attorney Christopher Alphen argued the case under a newer, more discretionary state variance standard, while Chair Terry Clements voiced caution that "this is new, and it feels a little bit like, yeah, we can do what we want." Members separately approved a special permit for Judith Tucker to rebuild a deteriorated detached garage at 113 Belknap Street, from 208 to 240 square feet, and finalized a variance decision for an accessory dwelling unit at 262 Virginia Road. Two appeals filed by David Anderson over a Fitchburg Turnpike farmstand expansion and a Main Street food truck were continued without discussion to November 12.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
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Source: the Zoning Board meeting of October 8, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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