Board of Appeals grants Northlake Avenue variances, sends garage case to Planning Board
Southwick Board of Appeals grants unanimous variances for a Northlake Avenue garage replacement petition.
Other Committee · Meeting of January 26, 2026
Southwick Board of Appeals grants unanimous variances for a Northlake Avenue garage replacement petition. The board met in hybrid session on January 26, voting unanimously to approve lot frontage, front setback, and side accessory setback variances for property at 116 Northlake Avenue, owned by Thomas Despard, after determining that a nonconforming structure on the lot placed the dimensional cleanup under the board's jurisdiction rather than the Planning Board's. Vice Chairman Bill Liss and member Mike Parent joined an unidentified board chair in the unanimous vote.
The chair cited Chapter 185, Section 28 and granted a 10-foot side accessory setback, the maximum available, telling the applicant, "it gives you the full variance so that at least you have that." The applicant must wait 20 days before petitioning the Planning Board for the special permit required to proceed with any garage demolition or rebuild.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 688 words
Source: the Other Committee meeting of January 26, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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