TOWN
OF
PLANNING BOARD MEETING
*Unapproved
Minutes*
Members Present: Jeff
Miller – Chair; David Edkins – Vice-Chair; Dave DeCoste, Henry
Fletcher,
Eric Merklein, Robert Miller, Sheldon Sawyer –
Selectman; Ray Boas (alt), Fred Dill (alt)
Jeff
Miller, Chairman, opened the meeting at
ROLL CALL /DESIGNATE ALTERNATES: Jeff Miller
advised that a full board is present.
APPROVE MINUTES
REVIEW APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED: OPEN PUBLIC HEARINGS:
BARBARA SALAK – Minor 2 lot subdivision located at 319
Old Cheshire Tpk. – Map 13, Lot 39 – in the Rural
Agricultural Zone, resulting in Lot 1 of 6.02 acres with the existing house,
and Lot 2 of 5.04 acres: Ms. Salak displayed
the plan for the proposed two lot subdivision on the Old Cheshire
Turnpike. Mr. Critchfield,
an abutter, explained that his only concern is the location of the driveway
between his property and the Salak’s. There is a culvert between the properties and
the area is often wet. Mr. Critchfield had to have a backhoe come in in the spring time.
Mrs. Salak said former Road Agent, Joe Smith,
was going to take care of it but it was never done. Jeff Miller said when someone applies for a
Building Permit the drainage concerns would be addressed at that time. Driveway Permits are issued by the Road
Agent. Both Ms. Salak
and Mr. Critchfield requested copies of the
minutes.
Jeff Miller closed the Public
Hearing.
CREG AND JILL DANCE – Site Plan Review for a Bed and
Breakfast located at 277 Wentworth Road – Map 8, Lot 22 – in the Residential A Zone. This use is
allowed in the Zoning Ordinance under Article IV.J.General
Provisions. Bill Lawrence was representing
Creg and Jill Dance for a Bed and Breakfast on the
Planning Board Meeting –
to get a Site Plan approval
for the bed and breakfast. Attorney
Hanna noted that their position is that there are not any violations; they are
dealing with the alpacas through the Zoning Board and the Selectboard. Jill Dance advised that nothing is now being
done on their web-site; they are just trying to decide what to do with the
inventory. Joe Dion
feels there are four different businesses going on; we don’t know what is going
on up there in this residential zone.
Jill Dance responded that they want to be in compliance; no one spoke to
them to see what they are doing. Their
property was discussed at a Zoning meeting and they were not even notified that
it would be discussed. Dave Edkins summarized by saying that the plans for a conference
center are discontinued, the gift shop is being discontinued, they are dealing
with the Board of Selectmen about the alpacas and B and Bs are a permitted use
in the residential area. He asked if the
septic system is adequate for the B & B as well as the regular household
use. Creg
Dance advised that they will only be open one-half of the year and their
estimated occupancy rate is 53 people so the sewer system is adequate. Sheldon Sawyer advised that at one time there
was a large family living there. Bill
Lawrence noted that 60% of the soil is good soil; the state requirement is
60/gals per day per person. It is
adequate at this point but if it should fail, there is enough area to replace
it. Charles Miller asked if some kind of
state approval is needed? Fred Dill
noted that they are not adding bedrooms; the four bedrooms are already there. Bill Lawrence said the size of the system is
adequate to support what will be done for the B & B with the amount of
usage it will get. The State does not
require that they need a State approved system.
Jill Dance said they were inspected about a month ago by the State and they
have State licenses to operate the B & B.
The septic system was originally put in for ten bedrooms.
Jeff Miller closed the Public
Hearing at
Jeff
Miller re-opened the regular Planning Board Meeting.
ACTION ON APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED:
BARBARA SALAK: Henry
Fletcher moved to accept the Barbara Salak application
to request a two lot subdivision located on 319 Old
CREG AND JILL DANCE: Bob Miller moved to accept the Creg and Jill
Dance Site Plan Review application to request a bed and breakfast located at
UNFINISHED BUSINESS – Pending
Applications:
NEW BUSINESS:
There
was no New Business at this meeting.
COMMUNICATIONS AND MISCELLANEOUS:
Proposed Zoning Changes: Jeff Miller
advised that some proposed Zoning Ordinance changes have been submitted by
Walpole Tomorrow. John Hansel would like
the Board to set a Public Hearing for December.
Dave Edkins mentioned that Walpole Tomorrow is
looking for a decision
Planning Board Meeting –
as to whether or not the
Planning Board would support these changes otherwise they will be looking to
submit a Petition Article.
John Hansel distributed and
read the handouts for “Explanation of Proposed Changes to the Zoning Ordinance
– Article 1 Preamble and Article VI Commercial District” and “Explanation of
Proposed Changes to Site Plan Review Regulations – Section III: Purpose and
Section VII Submission Requirement” (a copy is attached).
There was discussion
pertaining to some of the language in the document. Using “will” or “may” rather than “shall” is
more flexible. Dave Edkins
feels that the Planning Board does not want to tie-up their hands nor the hands
of future boards. John Hansel stated
that the document does not add new language but brings in the Master Plan.
There was discussion relative
to Section VII Submission Requirement:
“We feel any project involving 10,000 square feet is an important
project and therefore deserves an impact analysis”. To insure this we propose the wording to be
changed to read “On all commercial projects involving 10,000 square feet of
floor space or more an impact analysis study will be required, which takes into
account the following items to the extend the Board deems applicable:” John Hansel said it is only asking for more
information on a larger project. Jeff
Miller explained that this is already in place; the Board has the tools for
something 5,000 square feet or more, the tools are there. If an applicant comes in the Board still has
the ability to do the impact analysis and the regulations gives them the
authority to deal with it.
Jeff Miller said the Board
would like to get into the Zoning changes tonight because they need to decide
how they want to go but the Board does not want to act on the Site Plan Review
items tonight. John Hansel agreed.
Article 1 Preamble: Dave DeCoste
asked if this is just to tie the Master Plan and the Zoning? John Hansel feels that everything is evolving;
the Master Plan was adopted in 2000 so when a new plan is adopted this will be
included. What is wrong with encouraging
the Zoning Board to keep the Master Plan in mind and it is well to put it into
the preamble as a guideline. Dave Edkins does not see it as necessary and Jeff Miller
agreed. The Master Plan could change and
it might change the whole Zoning Ordinance.
The goals are spelled out in the Site Plan Sheldon Sawyer feels the more verbage there is the less some people read it; repeating
things is not a plus.
Eric Merklin moved that the
Planning Board hold a Public Hearing during their next regular meeting in
December on Proposal No. 1. Dave DeCoste seconded the motion. Dave Edkins was
opposed. The motion carried by a 6-to-1
vote.
Article 2: Jeff Miller suggested that the Walpole
Tomorrow group put this out as a Warrant Article. Whether the Board will endorse it or not is
still undecided; they will vote on it in January. The Petition will need to be presented to the
Board of Selectmen. November 14th
is the first day to accept petitions for amendment to Zoning Ordinance or
Building Codes and
Planning Board Proposed Changes: Multi-Family Housing:
Dave Edkins
read the Proposed Amendment to the Walpole Zoning Ordinance Multi-Family
Housing: “Amend Article VI-Commercial
District, Section B. Permitted Uses”.
There was discussion on 8.b. – “Not less than 30% of the total parcel
shall be retained as open space,
Planning Board Meeting –
unencumbered by buildings,
parking lots, accessory structures or other impervious surfaces. Said open space may be used for lawns,
gardens, landscaping and passive recreation.”
Eric Merklein went to Swanzey
and looked for a developed ten acre parcel of land; he handed out pictures of a
parcel wherein seven acres had three buildings, three stories high, with three
acres of green space and asked how can
Bob Miller moved to hold a Public Hearing in December on
the “Proposed Amendment to the
OEP Flood Ordinance Changes:
Dave Edkins
advised that the Town received information from the Office of Energy and
Planning that the Town has to adopt amendments that need to be a part of the
Flood Plain Management Ordinance and Town’s Subdivision regulations. By adopting the amendments the Town will
remain eligible to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program. He will check with the OEP to see why the
Town did not receive the revised preliminary maps. It was recommended that a
representative from the Planning Board talk to the
Henry Fletcher moved to schedule a Public Hearing for
the Flood Plain Management Amendments.
Dave DeCoste seconded the motion. With all in favor, the motion carried.
Proposed Zoning Amendment – Land Subdivision Control
Regulations: Section II: Definitions: Jeff Miller distributed copies of a proposed
Zoning Amendment. This addition would be
for clarification: “Dwelling: Means a
building of common foundation. A one or
two family dwelling will share the same foundation per lot”.
Henry Fletcher moved to adopt the Land Subdivision
Control Regulations – Section II: Definitions, as presented. Eric Merklein
seconded the motion. With all in favor,
the motion carried.
November and December Work Sessions: There was a
consensus of the Planning Board to cancel the working sessions for the 4th
Tuesday of November and December due to the Thanksgiving and Christmas
holidays. These workshops were to stop
at the end of the year. In December a
decision will be made as to whether or not to schedule one in January 2006.
Jeff
Miller adjourned the meeting at
Respectfully submitted,