STRATHAM PLANNING BOARD
PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES
Agenda: The Town of Stratham, Planning Board
conducted a Public Hearing on
New Business – Preliminary
Review:
Map 14
Map 9
Map 9
Ongoing Business - Continued
Applications:
Map
5
Map
4
Subdivision/Site Plan Review Workshop:
Landscaping Regulations
Digital Submission Requirements
Other:
Appointment
of rezoning committee – to review commercial/professional office/industrial
zones.
Members Present: Acting Chair Bruno Federico, Joe, Russell, Jeffrey Hyland, Martin Wool, and Town Planner, Charles (Chuck) Grassie.
Mr. Federico asked Mr. Russell and Mr. Hyland to act as voting members for the evening. Mary Jane Werner and Gordon Barker arrived late to the meeting. Mr. Hyland remained as a voting member since Janet Johnson was not present.
Map 14 Lot 18-2 – A 2 lot subdivision for Domito Companies of
Bruce Scamman from Emanuel Engineering was present
representing the applicant. He stated
that this is the old Elizabeth Noyes property on
Map 9
Bruce Scamman from Emanuel Engineering was present
representing the applicant. He gave a
brief description of the location of the property. He noted that test pits had been done. He said they would need to obtain a State DOT
permit for a driveway, since
Map 9
Bruce Scamman from Emanuel Engineering was present representing the applicant. He gave a brief description of the proposed 2-lot subdivision. The applicant would like to make 2 lots in the Residential/Agricultural Zone (RA) portion of the property. Mr. Scamman indicated that the boundary plan was prepared two years ago and recorded at the Registry of Deeds. He said a copy of also submitted to the Town for its records. He stated that test pits have been done on the proposed lots. Wetlands delineation and HISS mapping has also been done. There were discussions on: the location of the proposed lots; the stone foundations on the property; the remaining acreage in the RA zone; whether or not to look into the possibility of the remaining front portion of the lot being zoned commercial; the possibility of having a master plan on this property; and the wet areas on the property. The applicant will submit a formal application at a later date.
Map 5 Lot 21 -
Site Plan Review for a Special Educational Facility for children and adults
with autism, located at 237R Portsmouth Avenue, by the Birchtree Center, 33
Jewell Court –Suite 2, Portsmouth, NH:
Jennifer Viarengo, from Appledore Engineering, was present
to represent the applicant. Ba
Ms. Viarengo asked if the Board had any additional
concerns. Mr. Federico asked if the
driveway was going to be relocated. Ms.
Viarengo said yes. There were
discussions on the driveway relocation; the width of the driveway; the location
of the handicapped spaces; and the waiver requests (see file). Mr. Wool asked if they had located a plan on
the existing leach field for the septic system.
Ms. Viarengo stated that they have been unable to locate a plan, so they
have designed a septic system which can be used in case the existing one fails. There was a brief discussion on the septic
system. Mr. Wool made a motion to grant
the waivers from Section 4.3.1 – Existing Data, Section 4.3.2 – Proposed Plans,
Section 5.9 – Parking and Access Drives, and Section 5.12 - Utilities. Ms. Werner seconded the motion, which passed
unanimously. Mr. Grassie went over the
recommended precedent and subsequent conditions listed in his Planner’s
Review. Ms. Viarengo asked how long the
Planning Board approval lasts. She said
they need to do fund raising for the renovations, and need to plan for it. Mr. Grassie stated that the Board had just
approved new regulations on that issue.
He said the approval would be good for one year, but that the Board can
grant extensions. He asked if they
believed they would have their State permits within 120 days. Ms. Viarengo said yes. Mr. Wool asked if the building needed to have
sprinklers. Ms. Viarengo said yes. Mr. Barker made a motion to approve the plan
as presented for the
Map 4
Jonathan Ring from Jones & Beach Engineers was present
to represent the applicant. Mr. Ring
briefly described the property and the proposed subdivision. He indicated that they had responded to all
comments by Civilworks. He noted that he
had seen a copy of Mr. Grassie’s Planner’s Review. The applicant is agreeable to all conditions
listed in the review. There was a
discussion on condition #3 regarding reducing the width of the road to 22 feet
to minimize the impact on the wetlands.
Mr. Ring said this would be a public road. Highway Agent Fred Hutton was in attendance
to answer questions on road widths. Mr.
Barker commented that the Board had never answered the question on how to
measure a dead-end road. Mr. Hutton
stated that the old way of measuring a new road was from the center line of the
old road to the end of the pavement of the new road. Mr. Grassie asked if Mr. Hutton would measure
from the intersection of
Other:
Appointment of rezoning committee – to review
commercial/professional office/industrial zones:
Mr. Wool stated that the Board had a list of people who said they
wanted to be appointed to a rezoning committee.
Mr. Grassie noted the Mr. Hyland said he was willing to serve as a
representative from the Planning Board and to Chair the committee. Mr. Federico appointed Mr. Hyland to serve
from the Planning Board and to Chair the committee. There were discussions on: who might be
willing to become members of the rezoning committee; whether or not to include
business people; how many members to appoint; when recommendations would need
to be back to the Board; and possibly changing the zoning for the parcel that
the
Digital Submission Requirements:
Mr. Grassie said he had made changes to this proposed amendment. He said it has been simplified, and would
apply to both Site Plan Review and Subdivision applications. He read the proposed amendment. Mr. Barker asked how often the proposed
amendment might need to be updated with advances in technology. Mr. Grassie did not believe it would need to
be updated for many years. There were
discussions on: how digital format could be used; what information would be
needed on the digital plans; the practicality of asking developers to submit
plans digitally; and if it would eliminate paper copies. Mr. Grassie said it would not eliminate paper
copies, but would enhance retrieval of plans, and Town mapping. Ms. Werner made a motion to send this
proposed amendment to Public Hearing.
Mr. Barker seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Landscaping Regulations:
Mr. Grassie noted that the first page he distributed is the current regulation on landscaping and screening. The additional pages are the new proposed landscaping and screening regulations. He said he had help from Mr. Hyland with this amendment. Mr. Grassie read the purposes section aloud. Ms. Werner asked about where sidewalks might encouraged. Mr. Federico recommended that the Board take some time to review this proposed amendment, because it is so lengthy. Mr. Grassie indicated that he had been delaying printing the Subdivision and Site Plan Review Regulations because there were so many changes over the last several months, and he didn’t want to keep reprinting it for each approval. He suggested that the Landscaping and Screening Regulation be added at the end or as an addendum for this year, so he can get the regulations printed. He stated that Section 5.2(C)(3) of the proposed regulation would not work with low impact developments, and explained why it would not work. He felt that this section should be eliminated. The Board agreed to have Mr. Grassie remove Section 5.2(C)(3) of the proposed regulation. Bob Goodrich suggested that trees or bushes should not be planted within _X_ feet of an intersection. The Board would determine the required distance. The Board will review this amendment for the next meeting. Mr. Grassie noted that he had three approved regulations that needed to be signed by the Board members.
Ms. Werner made a motion to adjourn at 8:45 p.m. Mr. Wool seconded the motion, which carried.
Respectfully submitted,
Linda A. Beaudoin
Secretary Stratham Planning Board