Role Call Present: Chair Jeff Miller, Vice-Chair Dennis Marcom, Clerk Jason Perron, Jeff Harrington, Joanna Andros, Trevor MacLachlan, Select Board Representative Steve Dalessio. Alternates Travis Adams and Bill Carmody. 

Guests Present: Pauline Barnes, Ernie Vose, Carolyn Vose, Becky Pearson, Surveyor Joe Bernardo.

Call to Order: Mr. Miller called the meeting to order a couple of minutes after 7 pm. 

Minutes: Mr. Marcom made a motion to approve both the minutes of the regular July 2024 meeting and the Joint Meeting minutes, held on July 23, as written. Mr. Perron seconded the motion and the motion carried.

Public Hearing: Master Plan Chapters Natural Features, Historic, Cultural and Recreation Features and Economic Development.

Mr. Miller opened the public hearing on these three chapters of the updated Master Plan. He explained that they are all an inventory describing the town. However, the Natural Features chapter also includes some implementation plans to be carried out by the Zoning and Planning Boards as well as the Select Board. He asked if there were any questions.

Mr. Marcom directed the board to page 8 in the Natural Features document and the discussion of flood plains and asked about the updated analyses to which it refers. Mr. Dalessio said the Select Board gets these updates regularly and would be glad to share them with the Planning Board. Mr. Marcom also pointed to page 23, Section E. Connecticut River Scenic Byway. Marcom said he tried to get on the site to which it refers to look at the Final Connecticut River Management Plan but wasn’t able to access the link.

Ms. Barnes wanted more information about the Byway and wondered if it was for tourists. Mr. Miller said there was a commission that regularly looks as the water quality, for example monitoring the impact of farming on the river. It’s an ongoing process.

Msr. Marcom pointed out that Walpole has two designated scenic roads – Farnum Road and Old Drewsville Road. Mr. Miller said these roads are regulated so that the power company must get permission from the Planning Board to prune vegetation and do electrical work on these two roads. Abutters are notified when that happens. Scenic roads must be approved at town meeting and are presented to be put on the warrant by citizen petition.

Mr. Miller closed the hearing at 7:15 pm. Mr. Perron made a motion to approve these chapters as written. Mr. Marcom seconded the motion. Then Mr. Marcom noticed a sentence below the picture of the Historical Society in the Historic, Cultural and Recreational Resources document that needed to be changed. The sentence was corrected to say “Walpole has large number of older homes that have helped preserve the historic character and maintain the charm of the town.” The motion was amended and seconded to include this correction. It passed unanimously. 

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Workshop meeting

There will be a workshop meeting on the fourth Tuesday  (August 27) of this month to discuss the wording of an article to appear on the warrant about formula businesses in the commercial section of the village. Mr. Miller created a draft of a possible article based on one in the town of Jaffrey’s zoning ordinances. 

Application presented

Surveyor Joe DiBernardo presented an application and plat for a subdivision on North Road. Sam McNeil Madge and Eloise Carrier are proposing to divide that property to create two lots, The new lot to the north would be 6.39 acres leaving a remaining 13.40 acres. The lots would now be Tax Map 24 Lot 2-2 and Tax Map 24 Lot 2 respectively. Frontage on the new lot being created would be 250.96 feet and 513.03 feet on the remaining portion. Mr. DiBernardo requested a public hearing for September.

Mr. Perron made a motion of hold a public hearing for the subdivision in September. Mr. Harrington seconded the motion and the motion carried.

Adjournment

There being no further business, Mr. Perron made a motion to adjourn. Mr. Harrington seconded the motion and the motion carried. The time was 7:25 pm.

These minutes are unapproved and will be reviewed at the September meeting for corrections.

Respectfully submitted,

Marilou Blaine

Secretary

cc: WPB, ZBA, Town Offices, The Walpolean.

Posted: Inside the Town Offices, on the bulletin board outside the Post Office, www.walpolenh.us