North Salem Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting - July 10, 2025

The North Salem Zoning Board of Appeals held a hybrid in-person/Zoom hearing on July 10, 2025, at 7:30 PM. The board approved the June 12, 2025 meeting minutes, continued two pending Wheelhouse Group matters to September, and unanimously granted a special permit to Stewart Watson for a mushroom farm stand and area variances to Dominic Simone for a carport building.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the June 12, 2025 meeting minutes by unanimous voice vote.
• Continued to the September 2025 meeting: BA25-03 (Wheelhouse Group, LLC, 577 Grant Road) – special permit amendment to allow up to 12 horses (up from 5) and a commercial horse-boarding operation, including a barn addition, a 689 sq ft groom's quarters/employee dwelling unit exceeding the 500 sq ft allowance, an outdoor riding arena, relocated manure storage, and a barn addition located within 150 ft but not less than 75 ft of the property line; R-4 district, approx. 10.10 acres. Also continued BA25-17 – area variance to reduce the minimum lot area for a boarding stable from 10 acres to the existing 9.63 acres and to increase maximum development coverage from 6.31% existing to 16.08% proposed where 10% is allowed.

Public Hearings

BA25-18 – Stewart Watson, 227 Vail Lane – Special Permit for Roadside Farm Stand

• Applicant Richard Stewart stated that he has been a resident for 14 years and operates a small indoor mushroom farm. He expressed support for his own application, noting that neighbors and a customer he referred to as '121' buy his mushrooms. He requested a special permit for an 8 ft x 4 ft roadside stand on his approx. 1.52-acre R-4 lot, with the stand more than 15 ft from the street/lot line and two on-site parking spaces.
• Board members questioned hours of operation. Stewart preferred flexible weekday/weekend hours (roughly 10 AM–5 PM) and possibly year-round operation, but the board limited operations to 9 AM to dusk. Board member Jim raised safety concerns about the narrow road, requested that the shed be anchored to the ground and the door repaired, and suggested avoiding Sunday hours; the final resolution did not restrict specific days but included hours and structural conditions.
• The board imposed conditions: no electricity, no fixed signage (a temporary open flag is permitted), a five-year permit running with the owner (new approval required upon change of ownership), and a short-form building permit with approval by the building inspector for the structure. The board also noted that neighboring properties appeared to be in favor.
• Motion and second; the special permit was approved unanimously.

BA25-19 – Dominic Simone, 1 Sugar Hill Road – Area Variances for Accessory Carport Building

• Applicant Dominic Simone, a long-time resident, requested variances to build a 30 ft x 40 ft x 12 ft high aluminum carport with steel beams on his approx. 1-acre R-1 lot. He stated it would replace existing temporary coverings and be used only for personal storage and work on antique vehicles (including a 1971 pickup truck), with no electricity.
• Variances sought: 5-ft front yard variance (35 ft required; 79.9 ft existing setback; 30 ft proposed) and 5-ft side yard variance (20 ft required; 94.3 ft existing setback; 15 ft proposed).
• Board discussion noted that the building would be largely screened by fencing and vegetation, that a rear location could be closer to neighbors, and that the applicant would obtain a building permit. The applicant said he would remove a portion of an aging railroad-tie retaining wall and provide a concrete footing.
• Motion and second; the variances were granted unanimously, subject to personal-use only, no electricity, and a building permit.

Key Outcomes

• Approved BA25-18 with conditions including 9 AM–dusk hours, a five-year owner-bound permit, no electricity, no fixed signage, and building inspector approval/building permit.
• Approved BA25-19 with conditions including personal use only, no electricity, and a building permit.
• Continued BA25-03 and BA25-17 to the September 2025 meeting.
• Next regular meeting set for August 14, 2025.