Present: Board Members: Chair Jeff Miller, Vice-Chair Dennis Marcom, Clerk Jason Perron, Jeff Harrington, Joanna Andros, Jeff Colley, Select Board Representative Steve Dalessio. 

Recording: Marilou Blaine. These minutes are unapproved and will be reviewed at the regular October 2020 meeting for corrections, additions or omissions.

Roll Call: Mr. Miller called the meeting to order a 7 pm. A full board was present.

Minutes: Approval of August minutes and August workshop minutes: Mr. Marcom made three corrections to the regular August minutes. On page two, at the end of paragraph seven, he wanted it noted that Mr. Ruggiero assented to the hours of operation at the Ruggerio Processing Facility in the Industrial Park mentioned by Myra Mansouri. At the bottom of the page two, the lot number should be 3-1 not 13-1 on one of the lots in the Laura Madden lot line adjustment application. On page three, the third last paragraph should read Mr. Marcom “moved to approve the request.” There were no corrections to the workshop minutes. Mr. Perron moved to approved the amended minutes. Mr. Harrington seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously.

Public Hearing No. 1

Wellstone Associates LLC: Lot Line Adjustment: Tax Map 24, Lot 14-1, 14-2, 14-3, commercial/residential B. Rearrange three lots into two lots. Lot 14-1 will be .55 acres, with 170.25 feet road frontage; 14-3 will be .39 acres with 150 feet road frontage. Lot 14-2 will be eliminated.

Surveyor Joe DiBernardo represented Wellstone Associates. He pointed out on the map where the day care center was, the middle lot and a third lot, which had a mobile home on it close to the property line. Mr. DiBernardo said the owner is eliminating lot 14-2, the middle lot. This lot, 14-2, will be cut in half and half will be added to lot 14-1 and half will be added to lot 14-3. All the lots are non-conforming lots. In Residential B, lots require a minimum of 25,000 square feet with 150 feet of road frontage. Even if the Wellstone lot line adjustment is approved, the lots will still be non-conforming. Mr. DiBernardo said they are grandfathered from the subdivision created by Heman Chase years ago. 

Steve Corey, an abutter, asked about the middle lot. He wanted to know if it will remain vacant. The answer was that the middle lot is being eliminated. Then he wanted to know about the third lot, 14-3. Mr. Corey asked if someone were to build on lot 14-3 now, would they have to be 20 feet from the property line. Mr. Miller said they would have to abide by the current setbacks, which are 20 feet from the property lines in the rear and on the sides.  

How many acres are they now? Mr. Miller asked. Lot 14-1 is now .55 acres and 23,000 square feet and lot 14-3 is .39 acres and 16,903 square feet, Mr DiBernardo said it doesn’t change anything. The lots are still non-conforming, but the situation is better. There’s not much more you can do.

Mr. Marcom asked if these are grandfathered lots and you move them closer to meeting the ordinance, are the lots still grandfathered? The answer was yes.

Mr. DiBernardo said you not creating a new non-conforming lot. But you are getting rid of one. The lots are grandfathered.

With no further questions, Mr. Miller closed the public hearing.

Mr. Marcom made a motion to approve the lot line adjustment as presented. Mr. Perron seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.

Houghton Bridge Project: Letter for support from the Planning Board.

Select Board Representative Dalessio asked Board members to read a Select Board letter and then comment on the culvert project. The Select Board letter to Road Agent Michael Rau asked the Planning Board to support the project. The culvert project is part of the “proposed expansion of wildlife habitat for eastern brook trout and other aquatic organisms, replacement of a deteriorated and undersized culverts and enhancement of habit diversity in a riparian corridor that is a headwaters tributary to the Connecticut River.”

Mr. Perron made a motion to approve and support the restoration project. Mr. Harrington seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously.

Master Plan Contract for 2021: In August, at the WPB workshop meeting, Ms. Lisa Murphy, senior planner at Southwest Regional Planning Commission spoke about the 2021 contract to complete work on the Master Plan. The total cost for the work on the Master Plan for 2021 would be $10,730. Ms. Murphy said that was for her work and the work of the people at the Commission. The secretary sent a copy of the contract to each Board member.

At this meeting, Mr. Miller asked if everyone had a chance to look over the contract. Board members said yes. Mr. Miller asked if they approved the amount of the contract for 2021 and Board members said yes. The contracted amount will be put on the March 2021 warrant on which the townspeople will vote.

September Workshop: There will no workshop this month.

Gorham parcel on Main Street: Mr. Arol Charbonneau is a real estate appraiser with crafts Appraisal in Bedford. He has been retained by the Monadnock Conservancy to estimate the value of the easement or the development rights of the 7-plus acres that were subdivided off of 569 Main St. last month.

He emailed the Board asked for its opinion on the value of the property. Mr. Charbonneau pointed out in his email that the property was in a floodplain; drops off significantly from the frontage; and access comes from a right of way across the 2-acre parcel and there is no curb cut.

However, it was noted by Mr. Miller and Mr. Dalessio that the land is in the commercial district and with some time and money it could be developed. Chair Miller will call Mr. Charbonneau and talk to him about the matter.

Mr. Perron made a motion to adjourn. Mr. Harrington seconded the motion and the motion carried.

Respectfully submitted,

Marilou Blaine

WPB Secretary