Board grants variance to allow homeowner to rebuild kitchen bump‑out after fire

The Norristown Zoning Hearing Board granted relief enabling the owner of 306 Wood Street to rebuild a rear kitchen bump‑out that was destroyed in a fire several years earlier.

The application was presented on behalf of owner Denise Palmer (represented at hearing by a family member and a contractor). Testimony established the fire occurred about 4 to 4½ years ago; the owner’s daughter said limited insurance proceeds and family medical issues delayed reconstruction. The applicant said the intent is to restore the former bump‑out on the same foundation, providing an accessible first‑floor bedroom and kitchen space so the homeowner can return.

Municipal staff and board members debated how to classify the proposed work. The municipality said earlier paperwork and an initial description calling the addition a “shed kitchen” raised questions about whether the work was an accessory structure or an attached addition, and noted that a property owner generally has 18 months to rebuild a destroyed nonconforming structure. The municipality asked for evidence that a bump‑out existed previously; the applicant said photographs and drawings were provided but that the delay was caused by insurance and family hardship.

Board members and municipal counsel concluded the clearer procedural path was relief under the rebuilding/nonconforming-structure provision (section 3-22-92), allowing restoration of the prior footprint. The board closed the hearing without public opposition and voted to grant the application; the board recorded the motion as carried and instructed the applicant to obtain required building permits.

The board’s approval allows the property owner to reconstruct the kitchen bump‑out subject to compliance with building permits and any municipal inspections. The record notes the applicant must secure required permits before beginning work.