Somerset Zoning Board Approves Five Petitions, Continues Taco Bell Application

SOMERSET — June 25, 2026 — Somerset's Zoning Board of Appeals approved five petitions and continued a Taco Bell application at its June 25 meeting. The board granted Section 7.6 home-occupation special permits to Shane Riley of 154 Millers Lane for a handyman-franchise office, Maxine Partington of 65 Atlantus Avenue for a residential kitchen bakery, and Melissa Stevens of 60 Palmer Street for a newborn photography studio in a backyard accessory shed. The board also approved a variance for Vincent and Erica Casise of 64 Dias Terrace to add a garage and bedroom with a 7.9-foot east side-yard setback — down from the required 15 feet — and lot coverage of 31.57 percent against a 25 percent cap, with engineer Peter Beam of Engineering Design Consultants citing a voluntary stormwater mitigation plan. A front-setback variance for a farmer's porch at 1801 Reed Street was approved over a written objection from abutter Meg Zammett, who raised parking and sight-line concerns the board said fell outside its jurisdiction. Cafe owner Bonnie Souza of 202 Slades Ferry Avenue won modification of her planned development permit to expand to 68 seats by reallocating parking formerly tied to a demolished greenhouse, with the board finding 26 on-site spaces plus street and park-and-ride parking sufficient. The application of DDO New England LLC for a Taco Bell at 79 North Main Street was continued to July 23, 2026, pending Planning Board review of revised plans.