Nathaniel Abbott: Defend civil rights in towns, cities where readers reside

To The Daily Sun,

I am the vice-chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals, and our board is established by New Hampshire state law, as similar boards are established all over the country. I have served on this board for 15 years. Our chairperson, Betty Hackett, has served even longer.

We are established as a quasi-judicial court of peer residents; a “pressure relief valve” against zoning regulations that can prevent someone from using their property the way they want to. Each case is decided on its own merits. We balance public interest and other specific legal criteria against the rights of the applicant. We strive to be fair and follow our lawful procedures.

The ZBA was devised to allow any person to approach the town and make a case that they should be allowed to build a structure despite not being able to conform to the zoning regulations. We call an inability to conform to zoning that causes no harm a “hardship."

I invite the residents of Gilmanton to join us. Become a member or an alternate member of the ZBA. Alternates are members who attend but don’t vote, but they can be appointed to vote if a regular member is absent. The Town of Gilmanton desperately needs them and others like them who would like to make a real difference for your community.

The Town of Gilmanton is holding an open house on Saturday, May 2, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and ZBA members will be there to answer questions and help make up someone's mind about joining the board. We meet every third Thursday of the Month at 7 p.m., with the exception of December.

Nathaniel Abbott

Gilmanton Iron Works