Meeting Minutes
June 20, 2017
BD, JK, SB, CE, PS, JP, BH, KS
PLANNING BOARD
RINDGE, NEW HAMPSHIRE
June 20, 2017
DATE: June 20, 2017 TYPE: Public Hearing APPROVED: July 18, 2017
TIME: 7:00 pm
CALL TO ORDER: 7:00 PM
ROLL CALL MEMBERS: Phil Simeone; Bruce Donati, Sam Bouchie, Charlie Eicher, Jason Paolino, Jonah Ketola
ROLL CALL ALTERNATES: none
ABSENT: Cheves Walling, Holly Koski
EX OFFICIO: Bob Hamilton
PLANNING DIRECTOR: Kirk Stenersen
APPOINTMENT OF ALTERNATES:
OTHERS PRESENT: Larry Cleveland
7:00 PM
Pledge of Allegiance
Call to order and Roll Call by the Chairperson
Appointment of alternates, if necessary
Announcements
Chairman Bruce Donati said that the next meeting will be on July 18th. There will be no meeting on July 4th.
Approval of Minutes
1. June 6, 2017 Site Walk
MOTION: Phil Simeone moved to accept the minutes as written. Jonah Ketola seconded the motion. Vote: 6-0-1 Charlie Eicher abstained
2. June 6, 2017 meeting
MOTION: Phil Simeone moved to accept the minutes as written. Jason Paolino seconded the motion. Vote: 7-0-0
New Business/ Public Hearings
1. CONSIDERATION OF an application for a Technical Subdivision submitted by Brian Couture. The property is located at Tax Map 4, Lots 13 and 57 on Maplewood Drive and Weatherbee Hill Road. The applicant is seeking approval for a lot line adjustment in the Residential Agricultural District.
Planning Director Kirk Stenersen recused himself as Planning Director.
Chairman Bruce Donati reviewed the procedure when the Planning Director recuses himself. Normally, the Planning Director would review the application and provide a Memo to the Board. The application was reviewed by Bruce Donati and Susan Hoyland, and the Planning Office memo was written by Susan Hoyland.
Chairman Donati provided the following information from the memo:
Background Information:
1) Kirk L. Stenersen, Higher Design PLLC, on behalf of Brian Couture has submitted for approval of a Technical Subdivision / Lot Line Adjustment of Tax Map 4 Lot 13 and Tax Map 4 Lot 57.
2) The applicant has requested a waiver from the Subdivision Regulations section V.1.A.2.b
“Boundaries and area of the entire parcel being subdivided” and Section V.1.B.3 – “Existing and proposed lot lines, bearings and distances…”
The subject parcels, Map 4 Lot 13 and Lot 57 are currently 54.92 acres and 91.05 acres respectively. The boundary for Map 4 Lot 13 is shown on the Lot Line Adjustment Plat. They are requesting a waiver from showing the entire boundary for Map 4 Lot 57 as the parcel is very large and is a vacant piece of property. Reducing the size of Lot 57 from 91.05 acres to 82.78 acres will have no effect on the buildability of this parcel. The entire boundary of Lot 57 is shown on a previous application submitted in the fall of 2016 which is plan reference 1 on the submitted Lot Line Adjustment Plat.
3) The applicant has provided the Planning Board with the information necessary to make an informed decision on the application.
Chairman Donati asked Kirk Stenersen to present the project on behalf of Brian Couture.
Kirk Stenersen said that last fall, a lot line adjustment was done between these same two parcels. Since that time, Brian Couture has a purchase and sales agreement on the existing house and the buyers are interested in obtaining land on the other side of the road. The objective of this lot line adjustment is to provide that land. Mr. Stenersen said that the land on the south side of Maplewood Drive is not to be considered a building lot.
Chairman Bruce Donati said that according to town records, Maplewood Drive is a private road. Kirk Stenersen said that it is a Class VI road according to the survey. (Editor’s note: It was confirmed that Maplewood Drive is a Class VI road and town records will be amended)
MOTION: Phil Simeone moved to accept the Technical Subdivision application for Tax Map 4 Lot 13 and Tax Map 4 Lot 57 as substantially complete and grant the waiver requests as presented. Jonah Ketola seconded the motion. Vote: 7-0-0
Chairman Bruce Donati provided the following information:
1) The proposed technical subdivision is located in the Residential-Agricultural and the Residential District.
2) The proposed technical subdivision is located at Weatherbee Hill Road (a Class VI road) and Maplewood Drive (a private road). (editor’s note: change private to Class VI road)
3) Currently, Map 4, Lot 13 is 54.92 acres and after adjustment will be 63.19 acres. Map 4 Lot 57 is currently 91.05 acres and after adjustment will be 82.78 acres.
Kirk Stenersen provided the Board with the existing frontage and the frontage after subdivision.
Chairman Bruce Donati said that he would like the record to show that both Maplewood Drive and Weatherbee Hill Road are both Class VI roads.
MOTION: Jason Paolino moved to grant approval of the Technical Subdivision subject to the following conditions:
1) Monumentation (iron pins) shall be set at the new lot corners as required.
2) All applicable governmental permits shall be obtained.
3) Prior, during and after recording of the decision, the applicant shall be made aware that any conditions placed on this subdivision plan through other governmental or permitting agencies are hereby included in this approval.
4) The proposed portion of Tax Map 4 Lot 13 to the south of Maplewood Drive is vacant and is not to be a separate building lot.
5) Approval by the Town of Rindge Planning Board in and of itself does not effectuate a change in lot line location. This approval recognizes that the lot configurations proposed are in conformance with the Town of Rindge Ordinances and Regulations or are otherwise accepted with non-conformances. The change in lot line location does not occur until such time as a deed transferring the parcel “A” is recorded at the Cheshire County Registry of Deeds. A copy of the recorded deed must be submitted to the Town of Rindge Assessing Office.
Kirk Stenersen said that Condition #5 is not applicable to this subdivision as the lots are owned by just one owner. Should this be two different owners, a deed transfer would be necessary, but in this case, it will not be. You cannot deed land to yourself. A new deed will be recorded when he sells this land to a new owner.
After a lengthy discussion, Jason amended his motion.
MOTION: Jason Paolino moved to grant approval of this Technical Subdivision subject to the following four conditions:
1) Monumentation (iron pins) shall be set at the new lot corners as required.
2) All applicable governmental permits shall be obtained.
3) Prior, during and after recording of the decision, the applicant shall be made aware that any conditions placed on this subdivision plan through other governmental or permitting agencies are hereby included in this approval.
4) The proposed portion of Tax Map 4 Lot 13 to the south of Maplewood Drive is vacant and is not to be a separate building lot.
Jonah Ketola seconded the motion. Vote: 7-0-0
Kirk Stenersen returned to the table as Planning Director.
REVIEW OF PURD Regulations
Chairman Donati asked Kirk Stenersen to explain the sample covenant attached to the PURD regulation. Mr. Stenersen said that these covenants would change based on what type of PURD was being considered and that he is not qualified to make any changes to the present document.
Chairman Donati provided the following suggestions:
Section 3F: Replace Landscaped Buffer to Buffer Zone with the following definition: A designated and approved area of undeveloped land devoted to, or capable of, growing trees and other native vegetation being left in is natural state without interference with the natural ecological process.
Section 5G: Replace with: A PURD shall have a Buffer Zone to provide an adequate transition between the development and existing town roads and abutting properties unless otherwise directed by the Board. Delete the next sentence and in the next two sentences, replace Landscaped Buffer with Buffer Zone.
Chairman Donati said there are three choices: accept the changes; modify the changes; or leave the wording as it presently is. Board members discussed these proposed changes.
MOTION: Jonah Ketola moved to adopt the changes to the PURD Regulation as discussed and move it to a Public Hearing at a later date. Jason Paolino seconded the motion. Vote: 7-0-0
Review of Driveway Regulations
Board members reviewed the Driveway Regulations. Chairman Bruce Donati said that the reason he brought this up is because of Section IV-Permits, 4C. which reads:
Driveway permits expire one year from the initial date of construction permission. Permits may be renewed prior to expiration without additional fees provided substantial construction of the driveway has occurred. (Substantial construction shall be determined by the Planning Board or its designee.) If not qualified for renewal the applicant must apply for a new permit and shall pay the additional permit fee of $50
Chairman Donati said in a conversation with Susan Hoyland, it was determined that a two year permit would be more in keeping with the timeframe that currently takes place. Board members discussed a change from a one year permit to a two year permit.
MOTION: Jonah Ketola moved to bring the change to the Driveway Regulations to a public hearing at a date to be announced. Jason Paolino seconded the motion. Vote: 7-0-0
Reports of Officers and Subcommittees
Planning Director Kirk Stenersen said the Master Plan subcommittee is working on Chapter Five.
Planning Office Report
1. Walmart. Map 6 Lot 98
Planning Director Kirk Stenersen said that a representative of Walmart sent an email in regard to re-striping the parking lot, designating some stalls for Grocery Pick Up, and making some interior and exterior changes. Because of a potential change in traffic flow as well as change of use, Bruce Donati and Kirk Stenersen advised Walmart that they would need to apply for a Minor Site Plan Review.
Planning Director Kirk Stenersen said that the Town Auction raised $699,000 in revenues.
Adjourned 7:52 PM
Respectfully submitted,
Susan Hoyland
Planning Secretary
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