Bedford Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting – April 21, 2026
Bedford Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting – April 21, 2026
The Bedford Zoning Board of Adjustment convened on April 21, 2026, to consider two items: a variance application for a pool house and deck at 7 Pulpit Road, and a request for rehearing of a prior decision regarding a retaining wall at 16 Suzanne Drive. The board also approved minutes from March 1 and recognized Chair John Moran’s retirement after 17 years of service.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of minutes from March 1, 2026, was moved and seconded; passed unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments were made during the meeting.
Discussion Items
- Variance Application (Item #2): Jeff Laden, applicant and owner, requested a variance from Article 4, Section 275-34(F)(2)(A) to permit a pool house and deck within the 50-foot perimeter buffer at 7 Pulpit Road (Lot 16-17-6, zoned RNA). The applicant’s representative explained that the lot, part of a cluster subdivision, is uniquely encumbered by the buffer on three sides and wetlands on the fourth. The pool house would be located within an area already cleared for a previously approved pool. The representative argued that the variance meets the five criteria: not contrary to public interest, spirit of ordinance observed, substantial justice, no diminution of property values, and unnecessary hardship due to special conditions. Board members questioned the extent of encroachment but confirmed the new work stays within the previous variance envelope. The board deliberated and found all criteria satisfied.
- Rehearing Request (Item #1): Joshua and Catherine Miller and Kevin and Mary Brown requested a rehearing of the board’s March 17, 2026 decision upholding administrative actions regarding revocation of a building permit for a retaining wall at 16 Suzanne Drive. The board reviewed each alleged procedural and substantive error. Regarding the claim that town staff violated RSA 676:5 by not providing emails, the board determined the emails were not necessary for the decision and that the applicant had opportunity to present them. On due process claims, the board found the applicant was treated fairly and deadlines were standard. The board also addressed claims about witness availability, measurement of retaining wall height, and other legal arguments, finding them without merit or outside the board’s jurisdiction. The board concluded no new evidence was presented and the original decision was sound.
Key Outcomes
- Variance Granted: Motion to grant the variance for the pool house and deck at 7 Pulpit Road passed 5-0. The board found all five criteria met, noting the unique lot configuration and that the structure would not extend beyond the existing pool footprint.
- Rehearing Denied: Motion to deny the request for rehearing regarding 16 Suzanne Drive passed 5-0. The board stated that the applicant offered no new evidence and showed no misapprehension of fact or law.
- Recognition of Chair John Moran: The board acknowledged John Moran’s 17 years of service, with members expressing gratitude for his leadership and preparation.
- Meeting adjourned.
Note: The board entered non-public session to deliberate on both applications. Voting members for the variance were the five regular members; for the rehearing, two members recused, and Mark Schneider served as voting member.
Meeting Transcript
All right, I'd like to call to order the Bedford Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting for April 21st, 2026. First, we'll go through the board members and folks up here. So to my far right, we have Joe Fahy. Good evening. Mark Schneider. Good evening. Alex Kellerman. Good evening. Bob McPherson. Good evening. Neil Casselli. Good evening. I'm John Moran, the chair. Dave Gilbert. Good evening. Colleen Olson, the land use and develop planner for the town. Good evening. And Becky Hebert, the planning director for the town. Good evening. All right. So let's hit the minutes for March 1st. Did anyone have any changes for those? Seeing none. I'll take a motion. Motion to approve. A second. And a second. Any further discussion? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed. All right. Those are approved. All right, rules of procedure. We will have uh presentation from the applicant for the variance uh application this evening. We'll have public input for those who are in favor and in opposition. We'll remind everything everybody that there is no debate allowed between the parties. All testimony needs to be to the board. Um we are going to change the um agenda a bit this evening. We're going to switch the two hearings that we have. Uh we will go into a non-public input session to deliberate and vote on each of the applications this evening. You can wait for the vote tonight, or you can call the planning office after 8 30 tomorrow to find out what had happened. I'm going to ask everyone to please silence uh your cell phones so it doesn't interrupt the meeting. Um 9 30 is our end time for these meetings, so when we get to that time, hopefully we won't even get close to that this evening. But if we do, um the board will make a decision on what it will do from there. Rehearings. Any party has 30 days to request a rehearing from a decision of the ZBA. The board has 30 days in which to respond to such request per RSA 677 3, tomorrow being day one. All requests must be in writing and must contain new evidence. Please point out any errors you believe the board has made in its decision.
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