Walpole Planning Board

Walpole Town Hall

May 12, 2015 Minutes

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

Alternates: Edward Potter and Jeff White.

Absent:  Kelley Hicks, Member.

Recording: These minutes are unapproved and will be reviewed at the June 9, 2015, meeting for corrections, additions and/or omissions.

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

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

Minutes: Mr. J. Miller asked for a motion on the minutes of the previous meeting and the workshop. A motion was made by Mr. R. Miller and seconded by Mr. Aldrich to accept the minutes as written. The board vote in the affirmative.

Old Business:

Minor Subdivision: One lot into three lots with two of the divided lots being annexed to another lot to the south. Property of Ken Burns, North Road, Tax Map 10 Lot 39 and Map 8 Lot 76-2. It is zoned Residential A and B. Right-of-way for driveway needed.

 Mr. Burns owns Lot 76-2 on Map 8, which totals 20.5 acres. He also owns 6.9 acres on   adjacent Map 10 Lot 39. He would like to subdivide the later 6.9 acres into three parcels: one lot on the west side would be 1.3 acres, a middle lot would be 4.25 acres and a third lot on the easterly portion of the property would be 2.91 acres. The westerly and easterly lots would be annexed to Lot 76-2 Map 8 increasing that lot by 4.2 acres. A 50-foot right-of-way crossing the easterly lot is needed to serve as the driveway to the middle lot from North Road.

The application was accepted as complete and approved by the board.

Mr. Joseph DiBernardo explained how the building lot of 4.25 acres was to be divided from the original lot and where the right of way for the driveway was. Mr. DiBernardo said that the lot met all of the requirements for size, frontage and setbacks. He did not know who was doing the driveway and he said the state hadn’t sent approval of septic.

Mr. J. Miller asked about line of sight of the driveway. Mr. DiBernardo said it was okay. Since there were no more questions, the public hearing was closed.

A motion was made to accept the application as presented. It was approved by the board. When the state sends approval for the septic, two officers of the Walpole Planning Board will sign the plat and the deed recorded at the Cheshire County Registry of Deeds in Keene.

New Business:

Minor Subdivision: Rita L. Simonds, 15 Sawmill Lane, off of Old Cheshire Turnpike requests a Public Hearing for a Minor Subdivision, Map 13, Lot 34, in the Rural/Agricultural District. One lot will be 5.33 acres, a second lot will be 5.2 acres and a third lot will be 94.80 acres. All lots will now have road frontage: 200, 344.29 and 200 feet respectively.

Letters from Surry:

Each board member received a copy of:

A letter from the Surry selectboard.

A letter from the Surry Conservation Commission.

An abutter to Merriam Road.

All letters were in regard to the April Walpole Planning Board minutes in which Terri Patterson of Connecticut put forth the idea of using property off of Merriam Road to build a community of rental cabins, 400-800 square feet, with all the amenities off the grid. She had not purchased the property but was looking into it. The letters expressed concern about the project.

Mr. Dalessio said the letter from the selectmen said the road had been closed in 1971, subject to gates and bars.

Mr. J. Miller said he would respond to the letters explaining that this was just a preliminary hearing and nothing had been decided.

Workshop: To be held on May 26, at 7 p.m., in the downstairs conference room to discuss the concept of this type of project keeping in mind:

Definition of the project.

Density allowed within the projected area.

District in which this type of project would be allowed and appropriate.

Sugar house: Mr. Jack Frank asked what he had to do to build a sugar house on his property on Derry Hill. He lives in the timberland district. Mr. Miller read Article IX in the Walpole Zoning Ordinances. It states that “Any use permitted in the Rural/Agricultural District shall be permitted in this District (Timberland). However, a building may be constructed in this District provided a permit is obtained from the Board of Adjustment whose duty it shall be to grant such permit only on the recommendation of the Planning Board and when they are satisfied that is shall meet the following qualifications….”

He would also need a building permit. He would need to bring in a drawing of the proposed building and where it would be located. If he wanted to sell the syrup commercially, there would be other requirements. Mr. Frank said he only wanted to make about 40 to 50 gallons and would be for his family and friends.

The meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m.

Respectively submitted,

Marilou Blaine