The Peterborough ZBA approved a variance which will allow Shatos Realty to create four new housing units at the former Little River Bed and Breakfast property at 184 Union St.

Shatos requested relief from the General Residence District requirement of 10,000 square feet per unit in order to create four new apartments. According to the requirements of the General Residence zone, the property would only be permitted two units without a variance. 

Shatos will convert the main house at the property, which is currently a five bedroom, five-bath home formerly used as a hotel, into three separate apartments, with one on each floor. An additional 540-square-foot studio apartment will be created over the one-car garage.  The property also includes a former carriage house that is a single-family rental home with a two-car garage.

Howard Shafman and Randy Santos, owners of Shatos Realty, said their intention is to rent the apartments to senior citizens, although they are aware that by law the tenants cannot be restricted by age. 

“We have tenants in their 80s who are still working. It’s terrible,” Santos said. “We have a lot of older tenants who have fallen through the cracks. The rents are outrageous, and they have nowhere to go. We do fixed rents for people; we try to keep them in the community where they have built their lives.” 

Shatos Realty owns properties in the area and has converted other large properties in Peterborough into apartments, including the former “Peteridge at the Pond” property on Wilton Road. 

Shafman and Santos said they amended their application, which originally called for six units, after conferring with plumbers and electricians.

“You can’t do a boarding house in Peterborough. Every unit has to have their own kitchen,” Shafman said. 

ZBA member Loretta Laurenitis noted that if the property was located “just a few lots down” in the Traditional Neighborhood Overlay District, the owners would not have needed a variance, and would be permitted to have nine units.

Abutters John and Laura Lawlor of Dublin, who own the rental property next door to 184 Union St., expressed multiple concerns about the subdivision of the building. 

“We are a little concerned hearing there are going to be five units,” John Lawlor said. “I don’t know that you are allowed to not rent these units out to families. My concern is, they are saying they is plenty of parking, but if it turns out there are couples instead of single people in these units and everyone has two cars, I don’t see how they are going to park if there are 10 or more cars. That could create a situation where people are having to move cars around or they will have to park on the street.” 

Shafman disagreed, saying “we could put 20 cars on that lot.”

Chair Chris DiLoreto said the parking plan was out of the scope of the ZBA and would have to go to the Planning Board.  Peterborough Code Enforcement Officer Tim Herlihy said  that according to Peterborough zoning, the property is only required to have eight spots for the four new units. 

Regarding whether the units would change the flavor of the neighborhood or lower property values, DiLoreto said the proposal fits in with buildings on Union Street.

“I don’t feel there us any proof whatsoever that this would diminish the surrounding property. Union Street is filled with all manner of mixed use; a lot of larger homes have been converted into multiple units. It’s difficult to prove that anything will reduce anyone’s property use,” he said.

ZBA member Dan Latini agreed, noting that “It is nearly impossible to prove values would go down.”

“I really like the studio in particular. That will be an affordable option  for someone,” Laurenitis said. 

Leah Seymour said she  was “not comfortable with four units, and would prefer three units.” 

The variance was approved 3-2, with DiLoreto, Laurenitis and Latini  voting in favor, and Don Selby and Seymour voting against.