Pembroke residents tracking the future of a Center Street hobby kennel or a proposed accessory dwelling unit on Plymouth Street will have to wait another week for formal answers. During a brief session on August 18, Zoning Board of Appeals Chair Frederick Casavant announced that two scheduled public hearings would be shifted to the board’s next meeting without taking any testimony or deliberating on the applications.

The first application involves Lisa Napolei Chennet of 537 Center Street, who is seeking a special permit for a hobby kennel under the town’s zoning bylaws. The request comes at a time when kennel regulations have become a point of significant community interest, following the town's move toward standardized kennel licensing and the adoption of "Ali’s Law." Casavant noted that the hearing for the Residential District A property would be immediately continued to August 26, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. with no discussion or testimony at this time.

A second hearing regarding 46 Plymouth Street was also pushed to the later date. Applicant Christine Malm is seeking a variance to construct a detached 23-foot by 38-foot accessory dwelling unit (ADU). The project requires the board to consider a significant reduction in setback requirements; while the town typically mandates a 25-foot rear yard setback in Residential District A, the proposed placement for this unit would leave only a 10-foot gap from the property line. Such variances often require the board to find a specific legal hardship related to the topography or shape of the lot, a standard Chair Casavant has strictly enforced in recent sessions.

The move to delay the ADU hearing occurs as local boards navigate shifting state mandates regarding secondary housing units. While the board has previously shown pragmatic flexibility for ADUs intended for family needs, such as elderly parents, they continue to maintain a high bar for applicants to provide written narratives of legal hardship. As the session concluded with the procedural rescheduling, one unidentified speaker in the room noted to the chair, You did good, reflecting the efficient, if brief, nature of the meeting.

Both the kennel permit and the Plymouth Street variance will be high on the agenda for the August 26 session. The proceedings remain available for public viewing via PAC TV and the town’s government access channels, providing a transparent record for neighbors concerned with the density and use of local residential lots.