Accountability posts
Drafts ready to share. Click to copy, then post. Zoning Board of Adjustment · New London · May 5, 2026.
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Board's scrutiny of evidentiary standards and precedent-setting
At the May 5 New London ZBA meeting, the Board flagged a potential "dangerous precedent": accepting a survey prepared by the applicant rather than an independent third party. They've pushed the decision to May 19 to demand... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/new-london/zoning-board/2026-05-05/ #MeetingWatch #NewLondonNH
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Distinction between hardship and convenience in zoning
New London ZBA Update: Regarding the proposed shed setback variance, the Board isn't accepting "convenience" as a substitute for hardship. They have ordered the petitioners to provide much more granular site data before any... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/new-london/zoning-board/2026-05-05/ #MeetingWatch #NewLondonNH
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Board composition and appointment of voting members
Procedural Note: During the May 5 ZBA meeting, the Chair appointed two alternates, Peter and Lawrence Snow Chadwick, to serve on the voting board specifically for the variance application under discussion. #NewLondon #Zoning https://meetingwatch.org/nh/new-london/zoning-board/2026-05-05/ #MeetingWatch #NewLondonNH
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Can a homeowner-prepared survey be used to bypass city setback rules? The New London ZBA is currently grappling with this question. Here is what happened at the May 5 meeting regarding the proposed shed variance. 🧵 #MeetingWatch #NewLondonNH
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The Board expressed serious concerns about evidentiary standards. The applicant (a civil engineer) provided their own boundary survey, but the Chair warned this could set a "dangerous precedent" if it's treated as equal to a third-party survey.
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The Board isn't satisfied with the current documentation. They've deferred the decision to May 19, requiring the petitioner to submit exhaustive details on utility lines, topography, and wet areas to prove actual hardship versus mere convenience.
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Why this matters: Zoning rules exist to ensure predictable development. If the Board accepts insufficient data now, it becomes much harder to enforce those standards on future applicants. Follow for updates after the May 19 hearing. https://meetingwatch.org/nh/new-london/zoning-board/2026-05-05/
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Longer-form draft.
During the May 5 New London Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) meeting, the Board took a hard line on the evidentiary standards required for variance applications. The issue arose during a hearing for a proposed shed setback variance. The applicants provided a boundary survey prepared by themselves (the petitioner, who is a civil engineer) rather than an independent third-party surveyor. The Board Chair raised concerns that accepting this could set a "dangerous precedent," potentially lowering the bar for how all future applicants must prove their claims to the city. Rather than granting the variance based on the current information, the Board has deferred the matter until May 19. They have ordered the petitioners to provide significantly more detailed documentation, including specific markings for electric and sewer utility lines, topography/contours, and vegetation lines. The Board's goal is to determine if the requested setback violation is a result of true site hardship or simply a matter of convenience. https://meetingwatch.org/nh/new-london/zoning-board/2026-05-05/ #MeetingWatch #NewLondonNH