Pembroke Zoning Board Approves Garage Setback Variance, Stalls on Retaining Wall

PEMBROKE — May 20, 2024 — Pembroke zoning board grants garage setback variance, leaves retaining wall case unresolved. The Zoning Board of Appeals voted unanimously Monday to grant Ronald Woodworth a 12-foot side setback variance at 183 Hardmark Street, where a 575-square-foot two-bay addition will bring the total garage footprint to roughly 1,727 square feet across six bays — above the bylaw's roughly 1,200-square-foot threshold for a four-car accessory structure. Chair Frederick Cassivant noted the lot's unusual shape supported the relief and no abutters appeared in opposition. A second case involving retaining walls built without prior approval at a School Street property owned by Diego Coelho remained without a vote after the board determined a certified survey from Webb Engineering, not yet completed, was needed to establish the full setback relief required. A neighbor testified the wall construction caused new drainage problems on her property, while Coelho's engineer maintained the existing reduced-height wall is structurally sound and designed to relieve hydrostatic pressure by seeping water through interlocking blocks.