Gloucester ZBA Approves Additions at Guy Avenue and St. Louis Avenue

GLOUCESTER -- April 9, 2026, Gloucester's Zoning Board of Appeals approved two residential addition projects and rescheduled a heavy nine-case hearing night at its April 9 meeting. The board granted a special permit to Daniel Glynn and Maria Carpenter to build a two-story rear addition at 21 Guy Avenue, finding the expansion not substantially more detrimental to the neighborhood despite increasing the existing setback nonconformity; member James Shalotti voted present after joining the Zoom hearing late. At 28 St. Louis Avenue in Eastern Point, the board unanimously approved a variance for a new right-side yard setback deficiency of 8 feet and a special permit for a height exception of 0.9 feet, accepting Attorney Salvatore Frontero's hardship argument that wetland buffers on both the front and rear of the narrow lot and subsurface ledge left the right side as the only buildable location; Frontero noted the project also eliminates three preexisting nonconformities tied to a dilapidated detached garage and replaces the on-site septic system with a city sewer connection. The board continued the application of Kelly and Michael Smith at 67 Crafts Road to May 14 after their attorney said a newly hired contractor needed time to consult with the project architect on structural and roof concerns. The board voted unanimously to move its next scheduled meeting from April 30 to Wednesday, April 29, to accommodate nine pending cases including the continued 40B hearing for Harborlight Homes on Main Street.