A Herreshoff Marine Museum plan to build a new Hall of Fame dedicated to the America's Cup at the water's edge will go before the Bristol Zoning Board of Review Monday, April 7. The museum needs zoning variances in order to build the new building.

The new America's Cup Hall of Fame would be built at the 169 Hope St. address currently occupied by a building that is currently owned by the museum. Bristol's Historic District Commission has approved the demolition and plans for the new Hall of Fame building, leaving zoning relief as the last step required before the new Hall of Fame can proceed. Museum officials need variances to build with 11 inches less than the required front yard space and 1.5 feet less than the required left-side yard space, the property abuts other property owned by the Herreshoff Museum. The museum is also asking for a continuance of a variance already given for the existing back yard space.

In light of some museum neighbors' concerns that its proposed America's Cup Hall of Fame would obstruct their harbor views, Herreshoff representative Jonathan Goff said the hall will be built as far south as possible so as not to obstruct water views. The propped building is 450 square feet or 15% larger than the existing structure.

Mr. Goff said there is plenty of room on the north side of the lot for the hall to be built without variances, but officials planned it as far south as possible in an effort to appease neighbors. He said the variances sought are "not extraordinary."

"They're relatively minimal variances or existing conditions," he said.

For the hall building, which would be about 15 percent larger than the existing home on the lot, museum representatives also need a special-use permit to build the hall in an R-6 zone.

The zoning hearing is not the only review needed for the project. An application to the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) is also progressing, he said.

If everything falls into place, Herreshoff officials hope to begin construction on the hall later this year.