Meeting report · Zoning Board of Adjustment
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Zoning Board of Adjustment — April 21, 2026
The meeting featured significant emotional testimony from residents, including a child, and intense debate over the validity of professional appraisals and neighborhood safety.
Public impact
Issues from this meeting with documented community impact.
01
Zoning Variance for Multi-Family Housing in R2 District
Introduction of multi-family duplexes into a residential area, impacting traffic patterns and safety on a dead-end street. Affected: Immediate neighbors on River Street and the broader Exeter community regarding density and neighborhood character.
zoning change
Decisions logged
Every recorded vote, with timestamps and dissents.
Approval of special exception for -2 River Street (Tax Map 72, Lot 99) in the R2 district.
The approval includes a proviso that the Planning Board must review the site plan with particular attention paid to safety regarding access, visibility, emergency access, and driveway placement.
Approved
Approval of March 17th meeting minutes.
The board voted to defer the approval of the minutes until the next month.
Deferred
Topics discussed
Click a topic to expand quotes and full context.
▶ 08:50 Introduction and Board Composition
Chair Bob Prior introduced the Zoning Board members and established the voting members for the evening.
Speakers: Speaker A (Bob Prior)
▶ 10:02 Public Hearing: Phillips Exeter Academy Special Exception
A hearing regarding an application by Phillips Exeter Academy for a special exception to build three duplexes (six total units) at -2 River Street. Neighbors expressed concerns regarding traffic congestion, parking, property values, and neighborhood character, while the applicant argued the project meets zoning requirements and addresses faculty housing needs.
Speakers: Speaker A (Bob Prior), Eli Leno, Corey Belden
▶ 25:59 Review of Application Criteria and Site Design
The applicant presented how the revised proposal (three duplexes instead of two four-unit buildings) meets zoning criteria regarding neighborhood character, parking, and scale.
Speakers: Eli Leno, Corey Belden, Speaker A (Bob Prior)
▶ 41:43 Property Value Impact and Appraisal Report
Discussion and reading of the McKean appraisal report, which concluded the proposed development would not diminish surrounding property values.
Speakers: Eli Leno, Speaker A (Bob Prior), Mark McKean (via reading)
▶ 63:39 Public Comment Session
Local residents expressed concerns regarding increased traffic on dead-end streets, safety for children/pedestrians, and the impact of increased density on the neighborhood character.
Speakers: Catherine Forbes Fisher, Joe (Fisher), Sherry, David Wold
▶ 89:00 Board Deliberation on Special Exception Criteria
The Board of Adjustment deliberated on several criteria required for a special exception, specifically focusing on public safety, convenience, and compatibility with the zone district.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 127:50 Approval of Minutes
The board discussed the approval of meeting minutes from March 17th.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker
Controversy & dissent
Where the board, the community, or the agenda diverged.
Potentially controversial issues
01
Phillips Exeter Academy Special Exception (-2 River Street)
The proposal for three duplexes (six units) on a dead-end street pits the Academy's need for faculty housing against resident concerns regarding traffic congestion, pedestrian safety (specifically for children), and potential property value depreciation.
Board position: The Board approved the application but attached a significant proviso requiring the Planning Board to specifically scrutinize safety, visibility, and emergency access.
high concern
Community vs. board tension
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Action items
Who owes what, by when.
Conduct site plan review for the -2 River Street application, paying specific attention to safety, access, visibility, and emergency access related to driveway placement.
Assigned: Planning Board
Review and approve the March 17th meeting minutes at the next scheduled meeting.
Assigned: Board of Adjustment · Due: Next month
Notable statements
We've reduced from eight to six units... right-sized this project to be three duplexes as opposed to two four-unit buildings. — Eli Leno · Explaining how the applicant addressed previous community concerns regarding building mass and scale. ▶ 14:14
If valuation appreciation [or] depreciation is speculative, we should lean towards conservative, which is depreciation. — Brandon Tettler · Testimony regarding the impact of the development on local property values. ▶ 72:28
The appraisal submitted... does not reflect those conditions. It compares homes that are near small multi-family properties, not the ones located directly adjacent to the development of this scale at the end of a dead-end street. — Catherine Forbes Fisher · Critiquing the methodology of the submitted appraisal report during public comment. ▶ 77:34
We have a need at the school to increase faculty housing to continue providing the best faculty and being a great prep school. — Phillips Exeter Academy Representative · Argument in favor of the development necessity. ▶ 83:00
The town of Exeter is an older town and it has a lack of planning in terms of its street layout that older towns have. — Board Member · Discussion regarding neighborhood safety and traffic concerns. ▶ 92:14
I want a place that me and my brother can play somewhere safe and have a good time. — Sherry · A 9-year-old resident providing testimony regarding street safety and play areas. ▶ 117:19
Member positions
2 issues · 0 explicit · 10 inferred
Robert Prior
Present
Chair
Phillips Exeter Academy Special Exception
YES
~
Supported approval with safety provisos
Approval of March 17th meeting minutes
~
Voted to defer approval
Laura Davies
Present
Vice Chair
Phillips Exeter Academy Special Exception
YES
~
Supported approval with safety provisos
Approval of March 17th meeting minutes
~
Voted to defer approval
Esther Olson-Murphy
Present
Clerk
Phillips Exeter Academy Special Exception
YES
~
Supported approval with safety provisos
Approval of March 17th meeting minutes
~
Voted to defer approval
Laura Montagno
Present
Member
Phillips Exeter Academy Special Exception
YES
~
Supported approval with safety provisos
Approval of March 17th meeting minutes
~
Voted to defer approval
Kevin Baum
Present
Member
Phillips Exeter Academy Special Exception
YES
~
Supported approval with safety provisos
Approval of March 17th meeting minutes
~
Voted to defer approval
Positions marked ~ are inferred from context and may not reflect the member's explicitly stated position.
Public comment
What residents said — verbatim, with timestamps.
8
Total speakers
1
Addressed
7
Partial
0
Not addressed
Eli Leno
Addressed
Representing Phillips Exeter Academy, Leno presented a special exception application for three duplexes at -2 River Street. He argued the revised plan reduces building mass and density to better fit the neighborhood character and meets all zoning criteria.
Key concern
Securing approval for the special exception for faculty housing.
Board responseThe board engaged in extensive questioning regarding lot coverage, parking, and neighborhood compatibility before ultimately approving the application with specific caveats.
The board held a full discussion and moved to approve the application with a proviso regarding safety and access.
Catherine Forbes Fisher
Partial
Speaking on behalf of River Street residents, she stated that the proposal does not address their previous concerns. She noted that the neighborhood residents feel the intensity of the use is inappropriate for their quiet street.
Key concern
The proposal fails to adequately mitigate neighborhood concerns regarding scale and character.
Board responseThe board acknowledged the concerns during their deliberation, particularly regarding safety and convenience.
While the board did not deny the application as requested, they attached a formal note to the Planning Board to pay particular attention to the safety and access concerns raised by the neighbors.
Unidentified speaker
Partial
A long-time resident shared her history in the neighborhood and expressed concern about the increase in occupancy and vehicle activity. She argued that the dead-end nature of the street makes it unsuited for such high density.
Key concern
Increased traffic, noise, and safety risks on a quiet dead-end street.
Board responseThe board discussed these specific impacts during the deliberation of criterion B (safety and convenience).
The board acknowledged the safety/convenience concerns but ultimately decided the project met the legal criteria for approval, albeit with a note to the planning board.
Unidentified speaker
Partial
The speaker noted that the proposed turnaround area at the end of River Street would be unusable for half the year due to snow plowing. He also clarified that traffic for the academy's athletic complex causes year-round congestion.
Key concern
Practicality of the proposed turnaround and existing traffic patterns.
Board responseThe board discussed snow storage and the effectiveness of turnarounds during their deliberation.
The board acknowledged the difficulty of the street layout and the snow issues, incorporating these concerns into the proviso for the planning board.
Unidentified speaker
Partial
A 9-year-old resident expressed concern about increased traffic making it difficult and unsafe to ride her bike or walk her dogs.
Key concern
Pedestrian and child safety due to increased traffic.
Board responseThe board discussed safety and visibility for children during the deliberation.
The board included safety and visibility as key points for the Planning Board to investigate in their technical review.
Brandon Tettler
Partial
An abutting resident argued that the appraisal provided by the applicant is speculative and does not account for the specific impact of high-density development on a dead-end street. He also expressed concern that the parking plan will lead to street congestion.
Key concern
Speculative property valuation and realistic parking/traffic congestion.
Board responseThe board debated the validity of the appraisal and the reality of parking behavior during deliberations.
The board discussed the appraisal's credibility and the potential for parking issues, though they ultimately accepted the evidence provided by the applicant.
Bonnie Lynscott
Partial
A resident suggested a compromise involving a different layout for the driveways to create internal parking and avoid street congestion. She also expressed fear that the turnaround area might become unauthorized parking.
Key concern
Street parking congestion and the need for a better driveway/parking layout.
Board responseThe board discussed alternative layouts and the possibility of changing the site plan during the planning process.
The board noted that the applicant could adjust the site plan during the planning stage to address these layout/parking concerns.
Sherry
Partial
A young resident expressed fear that more traffic would make it unsafe for her pets and her younger brother who wanders off.
Key concern
Safety of children and pets due to increased traffic.
Board responseThe board discussed visibility and the increased number of 'targets' (children) in the area during deliberation.
The board acknowledged the safety concerns and passed them to the planning board for further review.
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Report composed by
grok-4.3, grok-4-fast, gemma-4-26b, grok-4.20-0309-reasoning · analyzed 2026-05-31.