Wayland ZBA Approves Four Cases, Sends Contested Shed to Legal Review

WAYLAND — June 9, 2026 — Wayland's Zoning Board of Appeals approved four zoning cases and continued a fifth Tuesday, with the most contentious evening involving a retroactive shed permit mired in bylaw ambiguity and competing site plans. The board unanimously re-approved a lapsed garage-expansion variance at 4 Emerson Road for Judith Blanchard Kennedy, whose one-year variance deadline had been missed after a town clerical error labeled her approval a special permit; Building Commissioner Nathan confirmed she could begin construction at her own risk during the mandatory 20-day appeal period. The board also unanimously granted a special permit for a rear addition and second floor at 35 Snake Brook Road, finding the applicant had corrected a height calculation error and secured neighbor support, and approved a special permit for an addition, two-car garage, and master bedroom at 8 Carpenter Road for Steve Garofalo, whose canvassing of all 10 abutters drew praise from members. A variance from Section 702.1 was granted to Subbiah Gopalraman at 3 Yeager Way to install approximately 595.5 feet of 8-foot cedar or vinyl privacy fencing adjacent to the Veritas Christian Academy campus, conditioned on fence posts being set six inches from the property line. The shed retroactive-approval case at 22 Stonebridge Road for Robert Haskins — complicated by conflicting site plans, no as-built survey, and board members' inability to locate bylaw language explicitly banning front-yard sheds — was continued to July 14, 2026, with town counsel to be consulted on applicable law.