TOWN OF WALPOLE

PLANNING BOARD MEETING

JULY 8, 2014

Presiding: Jeffrey Miller (Chair), Robert Miller (Vice-Chair), James Aldrich, (Secretary), Dennis Marcom, Jason Perron.

Alternates: Ed Potter, Jeff White.

Absent: Kelley Hicks, Chas Street (Selectboard Representative).

Recording: Marilou Blaine, Recording Secretary.

These minutes are unapproved and will be reviewed at the August 12, 2014 meeting for corrections, additions and/or omissions. There were eight people in attendance.

Meeting Opened: Mr. J. Miller, Chair, called the meeting to order at 7:02 PM in the Walpole Town Hall.

Roll Call: Mr. J. Miller asked Alternate Ed Potter to sit in for Kelley Hicks.

Minutes: Mr. Marcom said that on page 2 of the minutes, the seconded paragraph from the bottom, he stated that the roof appeared to have a curb, not a curve. The minutes were accepted with that correction.

Public Hearing No. 1: J. R. Development, LLC – Site Plan Review: Cont’d – Add a 2,030 square foot building to be used as cold dry storage behind the existing building in North Meadow Plaza. Town Tax Map No. 12, Lot No. 55. This is in the Commercial Zoning District.

Prior to introducing Mr. David Zhang who was representing J.R. Development, LLC, Mr. J. Miller read from a 1982 document showing that the Walpole Zoning Board of Adjustment granted a variance to Ames Department Stores for common walls. The document says, “to terms of Article VI, Section E2, of the Walpole Zoning Ordinance – to allow subdivision of property of Ames Department Stores, Inc., Route 12, Walpole, New Hampshire, without a sidelot line requirement on either side of the common boundary of Lot 1-A and 1-B, as shown on the plot plan of the proposed subdivision, in order to construct adjoining stores with a common wall.”

Mr. J. Miller said there was a concern about whether or not a common wall was approved, but the concern seems to be answered with the finding of the 1982 document by Regina Borden.

Mr. Zhang explained what J.R. Development, LLC intends to do –  put an addition on the back of the building in the area where the Bargain Furniture Store was. It is about a 2,000 square-foot building, 70 feet by 29 feet, to be used for cold dry storage. He doesn’t know who the tenant will be.. It will be unheated. The building will be metal with a metal roof. There will be three doors; one going into the building from the store, one in the back and an overhead door. The colors will match the existing colors of the building. The roof will be pitched, starting off at the height of the existing building and dropping down to 9 feet.

Mr. R. Miller, recalling comments from from a tenant at last month’s meeting, asked about rain water pouring into the back part of the building. It was reported that there were water leaks coming through the wall into the breaker box and the pull alarm was corroded. The water was going over the electrical service and at one point water got into the pull alarm in the Liquor Store and set it off.

Mr. J. Miller asked if there were any other concerns.

Mr. George Hurlburt, a building inspector with the Walpole Fire Department, said he had quite a few concerns. Some were about the problems that already existed.

Mr. Zhang said that they will be coordinating with the utility company and relocating the boxes.

Mr. Hurlburt asked if the building was going to be sprinkled.

Mr. Zhang said if the codes required it.

Mr. Hurlburt said it is best to have a building sprinkled. He added that he didn’t see any concrete plans other than a metal building.

Mr. Zhang responded that it was the intention of the architect to get the approval and then work on construction-level drawings.  He then asked if Mr. Hurlburt was suggesting that we show where the utilities were to be located on the plans.

Mr. Hurlburt said  that should be done before the building is approved.

Mr. J. Miller said that at this time because of the concerns, it would best for Mr. Zhang to go back and address some of the  issues. He moved to table the request. The move was seconded. He asked Mr. Zhang if he would be back next month. Mr. Zhang replied that he would be.

Public Hearing No. 2 – John Sheldon and Annette Newton and Southwest Community Services – Boundary Line Adjustments. Town Tax map No. 25, No. 26 and No. 28. This is in the Residential B and Rural Agricultural Districts in Drewsville.

Mr. Joe DiBernardo, DiBernardo & Associates, LLC, was representing John Sheldon and Annette Newton regarding property in Drewsville, across from The Common, and abutted on the south by Southwest Community Services on Old Cheshire Turnpike. The couple is buying property from Southwest Community Services and wants the boundary line adjusted so it includes their current property on Common Road. Southwest Community Services would continue to own the property on which the apartment and the Head Start School sit. So the boundary line adjustment would take 5.46 acres and add it to the couple’s property on Common Road for a total of 12.14 acres.

In addition, the couple was  also applying for an adjustment to a property that they own next door to their home. The current property line goes through the house and they would like to move it about 5 feet to the south, so the house would be solely on its own lot, Lot 25. A variance was approved by the Walpole Zoning Board. The lot would change from .44 to .55 acres.

The Chair asked if the board had any questions. They did not so the hearing was closed.

Public Hearing No. 3: Amendment to the existing site plan review. Section VII, Plat Submission Items.

The amendment reads B. Plat Submission Items – Unless specifically waived by the Planning Board, all Site Plan Review Applications shall include the following information:

Plan for timber/earth excavation in accordance with RSA 79 and RSA 155-E and the Walpole Regulations Concerning Earth Excavations, respectively. A copy of the Form PA-7 (Notice of Intent to Cut)/ Form PA-38 (notice of Intent to Excavate) and excavation permit is require to be submitted with the Site Plan Application if required by RSA 79:10, RSA 72:B:8, and/or the Walpole Regulation Concerning Earth Excavations.

Mr. J. Miller said that this was brought to the attention of the Planning Board by Ms. Myra Mansouri, Zoning Board of Adjustment Chair. He added that it gives the town income opportunities if they are excavating certain portions of properties and selectmen will know they have to tax this type of excavation.

Mr. Jason  Perron asked about how revisions to the site plan work; how were they documented. Mr. J. Miller responded that the clerk will add the amendment to the site plan. Mr. Miller closed the public hearing.

Decisions on the public hearings:

Mr. J. Miller said the first hearing was tabled but that he wanted discussion on the other two matters. Regarding the boundary line adjustments, Mr. Aldrich made a motion to accept it as presented. The motion was seconded and the board voted unanimously to approve the motion.

Regarding the site plan review amendment, a motion was made and seconded to add it to the Site Review plan and it was unanimously approved.

New business: Mr. Henry Fletcher of Maple Grove Road requested a subdivision of his property on Map No. 9. Lot 4 in the Rural Agricultural Zone; Lot 1 will be 5.01 acres; Lot 2 will be 65.79 acres. Lot 1 will have frontage of 747 feet and Lot 2 will have frontage of 1210 feet. There is no proposed change in use of the property.

Mr. Fletcher said he wanted to separate the house from the barn. He presented several maps for board members to look at.

Mr. J. Miller asked if Lot 2 had access. Mr. Fletcher said Lot 2 would have access at the circle at the end of the drive. The map says that there is a right of way over Lot 1 for the benefit of Lot 2.

Mr. J. Miller set up a hearing for next month, August.

Other business: RN Johnson subdivision – Teragram Properties, LLC.

Mr. J. Miller said the the closing date on the RN Johnson property was on July 14. In order to have the closing, the Plat must be registered, but they have to meet the conditions of the demolition and the setbacks.

Mr. Miller made a site visit to the property earlier that day and said that there were things that were promised to be done that were not done. There were beams still in the building and it was his impression that once they take the middle thing out they are also going to include both ends so they will be separate buildings. And this has not happened.

Mr. J. Miller added, there is also a cement /asphalt floor, which technically should be removed. Looking at the condition and the time frame, it doesn’t seem that the July 14 date will be met.

One idea, Mr. Miller said, was to sign the plat, but it was not official until there are two signatures. He said if he felt the work was near completion he would feel comfortable doing that but right now there is too much to be done.

One board member asked if he was correct in thinking that there can’t be a closing on the property until the work is finished. Mr. Miller agreed.

Another said if the buildings are still connected, it’s not finished.

Mr. J. Miller said, the intent was to clean it up and divide it.

Another comment was that the floor is part of the building so the floor should be removed, too.

Mr. Miller wanted to know if they were all on the same page, or in agreement, that the work hadn’t been completed.

Board members said they were.

Mr. Miller asked Ms. Mansouri to deliver the decision of the board that the plat wouldn’t be signed until the work is finished. She said she would.

July workshop – Mr. Miller said that since there was no business pending that the usual fourth Tuesday workshop would not be held this month.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:45 p.m.