Somerset ZBA Approves All Six Applications at February Meeting

SOMERSET -- February 26, 2026, Somerset's Zoning Board of Appeals cleared all six items on its February 26 docket, including two home occupation permits, an accessory dwelling unit variance, a car wash tree-buffer fix, and a hotel overflow parking expansion. The board approved special permits for a dry goods sales operation at 4077 County Street and a residential cleaning service at 177 Ranger Road, both under Section 7.6 of the Zoning Bylaws, after applicants Richard Legassi and Steven De Silva each confirmed compliance with the bylaw's nine standard home occupation conditions. Matthew Sylvia of 7 Halsey Avenue received a variance for side and rear yard setbacks, 4.5 feet and 13.5 feet respectively, to build a 570-square-foot accessory dwelling unit behind an existing garage, with the board finding hardship in the lot's existing structure constraints. The most debated item involved 287 County Street LLC, whose car wash had cut pine trees required by a prior planned development approval; the board authorized replacement with arborvitae or an equivalent screening species, directing the building inspector to confirm planting once weather permits. Social Hospitality LLC, operator of the Fairfield Inn at 602 Grand Army Highway, won approval for a pervious crushed-stone overflow lot capable of holding up to 12 motor coaches, conditioned on no-idling signage, lane delineation, setback compliance at the southwest corner, and a requirement to return to the board before any hard-surface paving.