Walpole Planning Board

Walpole Town Hall

February 10, 2015 Minutes

Presiding Members: Jeffrey Miller (Chair), Robert Miller (Vice-Chair), James Aldrich, (Secretary),  Dennis Marcom, Chas Street (Selectboard Representative), Jason Perron.

Alternates: Edward Potter and Jeff White.

Absent:  Member Kelley Hicks

Recording: Marilou Blaine. These minutes are unapproved and will be reviewed at the March 10, 2015, meeting for corrections, additions and/or omissions.

Meeting Opened: Mr. J. Miller called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.

Roll Call: One board member was absent so Mr. Miller asked Alternate Mr. Jeff White to sit in her place.

Minutes: A motion was made to accept the minutes as written. Mr. Aldrich seconded the motion and the board approved the motion.

New Business: Main Street businesses: Cindy Westover was representing clients who want to rent the two vacant spots in Dr. and Mrs. Dennis Pellegrino‘s building at 40 Main Street. One spot is a two-bedroom apartment that was his former dentist office. The other is a one room office, formerly where Nathan Lynch practiced as an attorney. The property is zoned commercial.

Ms. Westover was before the board to see if the prospective tenants needed to come before the board because of the change of use of the space.

The prospective tenants are Ms. Snow Frye, who wants to rent the two-bedroom apartment to use as a therapeutic massage office and Mr. Jesse Carr and Ms. Kathy Mazziott, who want to rent the one-room office to be use as a coffee-tea/bakery/luncheonette.

Dr. and Mrs. Pellegrino sent a letter stating approval of both ventures. Dr. Steven Pena, a chiropractor in the building, also sent saying he hoped the therapeutic massage business would would be approved.

The Planning Board saw the therapeutic massage business as a reuse of the premises, with client parking being low, similar to Dr. Pellegrino’s dentistry business. The board voted to approve her request.

Ms. Westover said the other venture would need a minimum of equipment and tables and chairs. All baking will occur off premises. The state needs to approve the site before the business opens.

Mr. Miller said the bakery/lunch business was a permitted use and asked what Mr. Carr and Ms. Mazziott wanted in the future. How big did they want to get? As presented, it looked like a fairly low-impact business but he wanted to know more about their plans. He suggested Mr. Carr and Ms. Mazziott come to the next planning board meeting to discuss their plans.

Ms. Westover said she had their plans at the office. She retrieved the email document from her office which says, “We are looking to open a retail coffee/tea bakeshop selling a variety of high quality simple, homemade, country-style baked goods and treats, using locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. We will open in the early morning and run through the lunch hour -with sandwiches and soups. All baking will occur off premises providing as simple a licensing model as possible.”

Equipment included: a small refrigerator, panini grill, crock pot, coffee urns, toaster oven and tables and chairs.

After some discussion it was decided that the board still wanted to talk to Mr. Carr and Ms. Mazziott about the size and scope of their business. Mr. Miller said the board wants it on record, in the minutes, of what they intend to do at the site.

Possible subdivision of Mr. Ken Burns property on North Road at the point where there is a sharp corner and Turner Barn, Map 10, Lot 39. Mr. Steve Smith said that he and Patty Lawlor were representing Mr. Burns and came in to get information about subdividing the 6.3 acre property into two lots with a one-house building lot.  It is zoned Residential A.

Mr. Miller said a building lot in Residential A must have 200 feet frontage and be 40,000 square feet.

Mr. Smith than asked if Mr. Burns could do the road frontage starting at Reservoir Road and coming around the corner to the front of the property. If he needed to, could Mr. Burns give himself an easement for a driveway, coming in from the back section of the land? asked Mr. Smith.

Mr. Miller replied in the affirmative and said it had been done before. If he has the 200 feet but he doesn’t want to put a driveway there, he can come across his property, Mr. Miller said.

How is this done? asked Mr. Smith. Mr. Miller said he gives the easement and it has to be recorded in the deed and noted on the plat that there is an easement.

Members of the board suggested he make the lot one acre and pointed out that there was plenty of property there to do it. Mr. Smith said the 200 feet of road frontage will dictate how the lot is cut. The building will be in the back.

Then Mr. Smith asked what he needed to come to the board with a request for a subdivision. Mr. Miller said, he needed a survey, maps and plans and then he had to present them to the board.

Lot Line Adjustment: Mr. Ben Northcott was representing his parents, Mr. Scott and Ms. Judy Northcott who want to take property from two properties on Walpole Valley Road and put it together with a third property adjacent and across the street from these properties. The lots are Map 13, Lots 54, 46, and 54-1.  One piece is owned by Mr. Northcott’s grandmother. Ms. Judy Northcott is the executor of the trust. The other two pieces are owned by Mr. and Mrs. Northcott.

Land would be taken from Lots 54 and 46 and added to Lot 54-1. The board voted to have a public hearing on the Lot Line Adjustment next month.

The board adjourned at 7:40 p.m. 

Respectfully submitted,

Marilou Blaine

Secretary