Rockwood v. Snow Inn Corp.

The board of appeals of Harwich (board) granted The Snow Inn Corporation (Snow Inn) a special permit allowing changes and extensions to structures that preexisted the Harwich zoning by-law and did not fully conform to the by-law’s setback requirements. The plaintiffs, neighbors of Snow Inn, appealed the board’s decision to the Land Court. A judge of that court affirmed the board’s decision, and the plaintiffs appealed. We granted the plaintiffs’ application for direct appellate review and now reverse the judgment below. 3

We set out the few facts that are essential to our decision. For many…