ZBA approves converting part of Church St. building into boarding house

LACONIA — The operator of a drug rehabilitation facility has received the city’s permission to convert part of a commercial building on Church Street into rooms for clients.

The Zoning Board of Adjustment voted unanimously to grant a special exception to Randy Bartlett, who operates Riverbank House, to convert one section of the building at 72 Church St. into eight bedrooms, with room for 10 residents.

Those who would be staying in the converted section of the building would be clients who have gone through the Riverbank program and are able to transition to a more-independent living situation, Bartlett told the board last Tuesday.

Bartlett also explained that the renovations would not affect the space where the now-closed Karma Cafe was located. While the cafe will remain closed, the cafe’s kitchen will become the Riverbank House Culinary Training Center. The gym and yoga studio will continue to use their current space, Bartlett added.

The cafe closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic and is not going to reopen for economic reasons, Bartlett said in April.

Bartlett needed to get the ZBA’s approval because he is changing the use of a commercial building located in a commercial zone, Laconia Planning Director Dean Trefethen explained.

The vote to grant the special exception was made on the condition that a sprinkler system be installed in the building. Also, the board required that Bartlett remove one of the existing signs on the property and modify the others.