Saturley v. Town of Hollis

The defendant, the Town of Hollis Zoning Board of Adjustment (the board), appeals the decision of the Superior Court (Dalianis, J.) vacating the denial by the board of the plaintiff’s request for a variance in order to build a septic tank on land classified as wetlands under the Hollis Zoning Ordinance. We reverse.

In October 1984, the plaintiff, Russell E. Saturley, purchased a twenty-acre tract of land in Hollis. Included in the twenty acres was a lot of 1.85 acres. Approximately fifty percent of this lot was “wetlands,” or standing water and poorly drained soil. Within the portion of the…