Walpole Zoning Board of Adjustment

Minutes: September 17,  2014

 

Present: Board Members: Chair Myra Mansouri, Vice-Chair Peggy Pschirrer, Clerk Ernie Vose, Jan Galloway Le Clerc, Mary Therese Lester, Judy Trow.

Alternates: Stephanie Stoughton, Bob Anderson.

Recording: Marilou Blaine, Recording Secretary.

These minutes are unapproved and will be reviewed at the October 2014 meeting for corrections, additions and/or omissions.

 

Roll Call: Ms. Mansouri called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. No Alternates were needed as a full board was present.

Minutes: Mr. Vose made a motion to accept the minutes as printed. The motion was seconded and approved by the board.

Correspondence: Ms. Mansouri read a letter to the board from Paul Fyre. Mr. Frye explained that he had finished taking down his house at 90 Booksellers Road and appreciated the extensions of time from the board. Mr. Frye also said he was able to recycle the wood.

New Business: JR Development request a Special Exception for Walpole Sign Ordinance, Article IV, Part D, No. 6 for a proposed Sears Sign at Town Tax Map 12, Lot 55-2. The ordinance states that signs must be at least 100 feet apart in the Commercial and Industrial Districts.

JR Development also requested a sign at the entrance to the Plaza, also in the Commercial District.

Chris Stone of C&S Signs in Hudson, NH, said that he was proposing a 2-foot-by-10-foot Sears Sign on the face of the building centered in front of the store. It is an illuminated sign. Also, at the existing entrance to the North Meadow Plaza sign, Mr. Stone was proposing to put a non-illuminated sign under the La Valley sign that was the same size as the La Valley sign.

Ms. Mansouri asked how the store sign would be illuminated. Mr. Stone replied there would be either fluorescent or LED lights inside, probably fluorescent. It would be on a timer and the timer could be set to meet any requirements.

Ms. Lester asked about the construction of the sign. Mr. Stone said it was an  aluminum frame with a polycarbonate face and vinyl graphics. She then asked about the colors. Mr. Stone said it would be Red Sears and Hometown lettering on a white base and a blue cabinet. The cabinet is about 8 (eight) inches deep and that is where the lights are contained.

Looking at a photo of the sign for the used furniture shop, Ms. Lester said it’ was actually smaller than the previous sign.

Mr. Vose asked where the sign would be mounted. Mr. Stone said on the face of the building. Mr. Vose pointed out there would be snow and ice. Mr. Stone said there were breakers on the roof and this is standard in the industry for a boxed cabinet sign, even in New Hampshire where there is ice and snow.

Ms. Pschirrer asked about the sign at the entrance to the Plaza. Mr. Stone said it would be constructed just like La Valleys, an inch and a half deep with a frame and a polycarbonate face with the same vinyl graphics. Ms. Lester asked if it was double-sided. Mr. Stone said yes.

Mr. Anderson asked about the square footage of the entire sign. Mr. Stone didn’t know but the size of the Sears sign would be 2-feet-6-inches by five-feet-10-inches, the same as the La Valley sign. The upper cabinet (sign) is probably 10 feet long by 7 feet tall.

Mr. Vose asked if there was previously a sign where the Sears sign is going. Board members speculated there had to be an Ames sign and a CVS sign. Mr. Vose was wondering if there was a special exception originally when the sign went in. The ordinance says multiple signs should be on the same post but there probably was a special exception or a variance to the total size of the sign. Ms. Lester, the Sears sign is replacing what was there before.

Ms. Mansouri asked if there were further questions before closing the public hearing. Ms. Le Clerc made a motion to approve the special exception for the store sign and for the entrance sign as presented. Mr. Vose seconded the motion. Ms. Pschirrer amended the motion to include that the store should not exceed the time when Ocean State and Shaw’s turn off their lights. Ms. Lester seconded her motion.

Ms. Mansouri asked for a vote on the amendment and it passed and then a vote on the original motion. That passed as well.

 

Orthodontist sign: Ms. Mansouri said the contractor working on the office where Dr. Peter Bowman previously practice called her about a sign and some lighting around the building. No one came to this meeting.

 

Inquiry about zoning for where a building that housed and repaired antique cars could be built:

Greg Gay of Westminster, Vt., said he and his father had a hobby of restoring old cars. They had previously tried to build a place in Westminster. Vt., but were turned down because of “agricultural overlay.” The building he and his father wanted to build would be 60 feet by 150 feet. It would have very few windows and only one or two doors. All the vehicles, some unregistered, would be inside the building.

Mr. Gay was wondering if there were restrictions in Walpole on zoning that would prevent him from building a building for the cars and maybe a home for his family.

Ms. Mansouri said that there was little land available for a project like this in Residential A or B. She suggested maybe looking at property in the Industrial Park. Ms. Le Clerc said that in the Rural Agricultural District one could build a house and a building of that size behind the home.

Ms. Mansouri asked about chemicals being used. Mr. Gay responded that there was brake cleaner but most every tool was a manual tool. Mr. Gay thanked everyone for the information.

 

Drinking Water Committee: Since November 2013, a committee has been working on public drinking water. Either next month or in November, the committee will share its findings with the Zoning Board.

 

Gravel Pit Inspection Assignments:

Hodgkins: Industrial Park and Drewsville sites: Bob Anderson and Peggy Pschirrer.

George Graves: Jan Le Clerc and Judy Trow

Joe Sawyer: Mary Therese Lester and Stephanie Stoughton

Cold River Materials: Myra Mansouri and Ernie Vose.

 

Site Plan Review Regulations: Board members received copies of the Site Plan Review Regulations that the Planning Board uses to determine their decisions.

 

The meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Marilou Blaine

 

cc: ZBA, Selectboard, Walpolean,

The minutes are posted in and outside the Town Offices and at the bulletin board outside Burdick’s Market.