ZBA grants front-yard setback variance for 10 Reservoir Road

The Town Zoning Board of Appeals on June 24, 2026 approved an area variance for 10 Reservoir Road, allowing the property owner to reduce the front-yard setback from 50 feet to 21 feet to replace and enlarge an existing front porch.

Lou Fioresi, the owner, told the board the house already sits largely within the 50-foot setback and the requested change would result in roughly a 14-inch encroachment beyond the existing face of the structure. He said the enlarged porch includes a small screened area and a mudroom entrance. “The house is entirely within the required 50 ft front yard and a small existing porch wishes to grow up a little bit,” Fioresi said as he described the proposal and the site's topography.

Vice Chair Perkins and other board members said a recent site visit clarified the location and visual impact. The board read findings concluding the requested variance would not produce an undesirable change in neighborhood character, would enhance the property’s utility and appearance, and was reasonable given the site's pre-existing nonconformity. The board recorded standard conditions: the authorized activity must commence within one year of issuance, and payment of all applicable fees and escrow is required.

The board voted to grant the variance; the roll call on the resolution recorded members present and voting in the affirmative and one member absent. The motion carried. The board’s written resolution stated the requested setback reduction is numerically substantial but reasonable in light of the home’s existing placement and the additional distance between the porch and the road edge.

The decision is effective immediately under the conditions the board listed; the applicant may proceed with permitting subject to those conditions and any building-department requirements.