Minutes of Meeting

                                              Lancaster Planning Board

 

First session of Planning Board for Wednesday Sept. 13, 2006 took place at 5:30 P.M. and was held at the property of Allen Bouthillier.

 

            RE: To review Lot #2 for completion of reclamation (Tax Map R 12 Lot 73). Lot is located near 333 Pleasant Valley Road.

 

            Those attending site visit were: Chairman Fred Emerson, Vice Chairman Steve Young, Joe Hoey, Claude Reed, Aurore Hood, John Brooks, Les Hilton.  Town Manger Edward Samson, Selectmen Leo Enos, Sr. and Engineer Richard Morneau.

 

            Discussion was held – the pond is less than 2 acres. It is smaller than originally planned. It is about 16 feet deep in the middle.  The road to this lot will come off of Pleasant Valley Road. This access was moved as it was to close to the corner of Pleasant Valley and Garland Roads.  The slough will not be done until the pond on lot #3 is done. This pond will have an island.  All of the ponds are spring fed.  Noting that there was no further information needed the Board returned to the Town Hall to continue the meeting.

 

Others attending at Town Hall: Durwood White, Doug Blanchette, Sandra Willey, Jon Landroche, Dean Walts, Colin Sutherland, Tim Savage and Wesley Arita.

 

            A motion was called for to accept the minutes of the August 8, 2006 meeting.

 

A motion was made by Les Hilton and seconded by Aurore Hood to accept the minutes as written.  A vote was called for and the motion carried.

 

            Discussion continued regarding the site visit to the Bouthillier lot.  It was asked if anyone needed to recuse themselves from the discussion.  Fred Emerson, Aurore Hood and Joe Hoey recused themselves at 6:05 P.M. and Steve Young chaired the meeting at  6:05 P.M. John Brooks was appointed a voting member for the discussion.

           

            A motion was made by Les Hilton and seconded by Claude Reed to accept site as inspected with reclamation and driveway done according to RSA 155 E 5 requirements.  A vote was called for and the motion carried.

 

            John Brooks asked if all of the necessary paperwork was in place. The answer was that as far as we know it is.

 

            Aurore Hood, as a member of the public, asked about the driveway.  Edward Samson said that the driveway for Lots 1 & 2 will be shared, it will come off of  Lot #1 and then split. The driveway change had been approved at an earlier meeting.

 

David Rexford joined the meeting at 6:15 P.M.

 

            Becky Newton asked about 3rd Lot return of bond.  Edward Samson said that Mr. Bouthillier intends to more forward with lot #3.  We will hold the bond if he does so, if not it will be returned to him.

 

            Noting that there was no further discussion concerning the site visit, Chairman Emerson took over the meeting and Aurore Hood and Joe Hoey returned to the Board, all at 6:20 P.M.

 

Public Hearings:

 

Minor or Technical Subdivision:

Case #675 – Durwood and Roxanne White—Applicant requesting a minor subdivision to create one new lot in agricultural zoning district.  (Tax Map R22 Lot 1 and R22 3-2; Stebbins Hill Road)

           

            Chairman Emerson asked who was there to present the case.  Mr. White said that he was waiting for his Surveyor Colin Sutherland.  Fred Emerson said that we would need to have original plans to accept.  Edward Samson stated that the meeting was posted for 6:30 P.M. and there was still time.  Mr. Sutherland arrived.

            Aurore Hood recused herself from the Board at 6:30 P.M.

 

            Discussion on the plan presented – there will be a ROW in writing for the lots being subdivided.  The frontage for the back lot is along the Class XI portion of Stebbins Hill Road. It was brought up that of the time a building permit is applied for there needs to be a liability waiver from Mr. White  or the current owner to the Town as it is a Class 6 road. This is so that the Town will not be held liable for road condition.  Mr. White agreed to that.  John Brooks asked if it was going to be a shared driveway and Mr. Sutherland told the Board that the existing driveway will be shared with the 3 lots.

 

            It was asked if there were any abutters that wanted to speak.  Wesley Arita is an abutter but he did not have anything to say.

 

            It was asked if there were any members of the public who wished to speak.  Aurore Hood, as a member of the public, said that the Class 6 road starts at the end of the property and 3 people needed to sign the ROW agreement.

 

At 6:35 P.M. Ann Dubreuil came into the meeting. 

 

            Edward Samson said that there is a sign on the road stating that this is a non-maintained road for the general public to see.

 

            Noting that there was no further discussion regarding the issue a vote was called for to accept the application as complete.

 

            A motion was made by John Brooks and seconded by Claude Reed to accept the application as complete.  A vote was called for and the motion carried.

 

            A vote was then called for to accept the case for final approval.

 

            A motion was made by Claude Reed and seconded by Les Hilton to accept the plan for final approval with the condition that the landowners sign a road waiver due to it being a Class 6 Road.  A vote was called for and the motion carried.

 

            Dean Walts an abutter arrived at 6:40 P.M. after everything had been done.

 

Minor Site Plan

#676 BTG Property #4 LLC – First Student – The applicant requests to construct a 160’ x 40’ addition to gravel parking  for an additional 8 buses.  (Tax Map R4 lot 11)

 

Aurore Hood back on the Board at 6:40 P.M.

 

            Doug Blanchette and Sandra Willey from First Student presented the case.  They have gone over what they want to do with the Environmental and State Agencies.  What they would like to do is to make is safer for turning the buses around.   Fred Emerson said that the Town would need to mark the sewer lines.  Doug Blanchette said that the Town had been there on Sept. 12, 2006 and that the line goes over near the formerly Fogg property.  Becky Newton said that she did not want the buses parking over the manholes. Mr. Blanchette said that they wouldn’t as they have put up stakes showing where they are.  There was a letter from abutter  Arthur Couture of C&I Investment Associates in Littleton, N.H. stating that he was concerned about water run off onto his property. Mr. Blanchette said that they were exempt from run off.  They, First Student, had some pictures to show of flooding and stated that when there is flooding they move the buses out.  When the road was raised and culverts put in all of the water comes into the bus lot.  John Brooks asked if the run off was the problem.  The run off will always be a problem as when the river comes up it runs off  from the North side of Rt. 2 to the South side of Rt. 2.   The Board was told that First Student is under strick rules and showed documents that they had from Strata Environmental of Knoxville, Tenn,  It was a packet of instructions to complete their stormwater pollution prevention plan data.  Becky Newton asked if they had a soil scientist check it for wetlands and was told that it was done by Strata.  The Board was also told that the State comes in every year to check due to above ground tanks.  John Brooks asked how much fill were they talking.  Mr. Blanchette said that it would be about up to the bus wheels l1-l8” and then tapered back.

 

            At this time Chairman Emerson asked if there were any abutters who wished to speak to the issue.  Jon Landroche read a letter that he had and showed some pictures of the water when it rises in back of his house. (A copy of the letter is attached to the minutes.) It was asked if there were any other abutters, there were none.

 

            It was asked if there were any members of the public who wished to speak to the issue.  There were none.

 

            Chairman Emerson suggested that maybe they could look into the buffer idea. Mr. Blanchette said that he would take the suggestions and concerns back to the owner and they would see what they could do and get back to us.  Les Hilton asked if the amount of gravel that they were requesting would bring it up even with the buses.  Mr. Blanchette said that it pretty much would and that some water would probably pool.

 

            Becky Newton said that there is not usually water there in the fall, the Connecticut River Dam was released due to excessive rain in Pittsburg last October and we were not informed of such.  Mr. Blanchette said that there is not usually standing water there, but if there is a flood there is no way to stop it.   Tim Savage said that water from the parking lot will drain itself when it rains once it is filled in.  Edward Samson said that under the current conditions it is draining across Rt 2 to back field.  The normal flow is from Rt. 2 to back Israel River field.  It was in l949 +- that several culverts were put in Rt. 2

           

            Aurore Hood said that maybe the little brook needs to be cleaned out between the two buildings.  It was mentioned that it is run off and it is not a brook. It was asked where the brook/run off drains into – it goes to the back field.  The fix that problem you would have to dig up the road. It was suggested that DOT District I be contacted to see if there is a drainage easement.

 

            Hearing no further discussion a vote was called for to accept the application as complete.

 

A motion was made by John Brooks and seconded by Steve Young to accept the application as complete.  A vote was called for and the motion carried.

 

            It was asked for a motion to accept the case for final approval.

 

            There was some discussion as to what to do in terms of conditions to eliminate the problem, such as mark the town sewer, no parking on the manholes, buffers etc.   Claude Reed said that maybe there was a way to route the water from the Landroche property to the Isreal River. Mr. Landroche said that he has standing water 3 times a year in his yard due to heavy rain and run off and maybe they could pipe it somewhere.  Becky Newton said that maybe there could be a state drainage easement.  Colin Sutherland suggested that maybe there could be a birm around the driveway to prevent the run off from going from  parking lot into the field.  Mr. Landroche said that he is more that willing to work with the Town on the problem.  Aurore Hood asked if the Town had an engineer that could do this work. Becky Newton said that the Town does not have an engineer . Edward Samson said that the State has one and it is not the Town’s burden it is up to the applicant to have a drainage design done.

 

            Les Hilton said that he thought that we should table the final approval until the bus company had time to contact the state with the concerns.  Fred Emerson said that we, the Board, are trying to make good decisions for the Town and the applicant.

 

            John Brooks and Les Hilton made the motion to move the case to continue at the next meeting on Tuesday October 10, 2006  at 6:30 P.M.so applicant can get the necessary information for the Board . The case was continued so there won’t be any more cost of notices to abutters.  All agreed.

 

 

Public Hearing/Other Business:

 

Notice of public hearing pursuant to RSA 231:158 (effect of Scenic Road Designation)

 

Case #677 – Tim Savage = Applicant requested to remove a portion of a stone wall on Gore Road to create a driveway entrance.

Tim Savage showed pictures of an area that he needs to disturb.  He will be cutting some small trees and the stone wall that he is taking down will be replaced upon finishing the job.

 

A motion was made by Aurore Hood and seconded by Les Hilton to accept the request presented.  A vote was called for and the motion carried.

 

It was brought up that the Tri-Board meeting will be held on September 26, 2006.  Copies of the Proposed Zoning Ordinance were given to everyone.  They are to look them over and come to the meeting with any suggestions.  Edward Samson will chair the meeting and wants everyone ready when they come.

 

Aurore Hood asked what was going on at the Gaynor Farm.  They are putting on a kitchen addition.  They have come in for their building permit.  It is on the same footprint with the same setbacks.

 

A letter from A & D Klumb Environmental, LLC regarding the cell tower.  There is still no definite word on this.

 

The Town has received the Wetland Permit for the  drainage piping on the Water St. Project.  The pipe will run down the edge of the street from the top of the hill. The project will start next year.

 

A Wetland Permit has been received for the Phyllis Manville-Rexford property on Causeway St. Cleaning out ditches is the scope of the work.

 

Steve Streeter has received his building permit and is working on the building.

 

The Fall Planning Conference is October 28th. Becky has a list of the classes, if anyone wants to go the Town does have money for this.

 

NCC is having Environmental Planning classes – check with Becky if you want to go.

 

The August and September sessions have been canceled at the Rocks.  You can check with Stacey Doll if you were planning to go.

 

In the Zoning Board Minutes it was brought up about the sale of vehicles on the Currier lot at the corner of Main St.  Do they need to come to the Planning Board for Site Plan? 

David Rexford felt that they should as they came to us for campers and 4 wheelers not cars. They will be notified of such.

 

Noting that there was no further business to come before the meeting a motion was called for to adjourn.

 

A motion was made by Leo Enos and seconded by John Brooks to adjourn. A vote was called for the motion carried.  The meeting adjourned at 7:40 P.M.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Sandra E. Doolan – Clerk

Lancaster Planning Board