The Walpolean

Walpole Zoning Board of Adjustment

Minutes: November 18, 2015

Present: Board Members: Chair Myra Mansouri, Vice-Chair Jan Galloway Le Clerc, Clerk Ernie Vose, Mary Therese Lester, Bob Anderson. Alternates: Judy Trow. Absent: Alternate Stephanie Stoughton..

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

Roll Call: Ms. Mansouri called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Since there was a full board present, an alternate was not needed to fill.

Alternates: Ms. Mansousi said the Zoning Board could use another alternate and if the Board knew of anyone who was interested to make sure they let her know.

Minutes: There were a few corrections: Bellows is spelled Bellow in a couple of instances, one verb needed to be put in the past tense, there was a repetition of two words and the word “a” was left out in one instance.  Mr. Vose made a motion to approve the minutes as corrected. Ms. Lester seconded the motion and the board voted unanimously.

Procedure: Ms. Mansouri started the meeting by explaining that the Board did not follow the correct procedure for making a motion in its executive session at the last meeting. She explained that a vote to seal the minutes must be taken at the meeting following the session. So Ms. Le Clerc made a motion to seal the minutes of the October executive session. The motion was seconded by Ms. Lester and approved by the full board.

New business: 

Signage for Mr. Jack Franks of Avanru – Mr. Franks was at the meeting to have approved two temporary signs to be put up at his property at Abenaki Springs on Route 12. He said the signs would be temporary – for about nine months. The first one is a two-sided 8-foot-by-4-foot sign that advertises topsoil for sale and then lists a telephone number. Ms. Mansouri reminded him that he is on Route 12, a state road, so he must follow the state setbacks from the middle of the road. He said he knew the regulations and “it’s already all staked out. “ Also, the height limit is 20 feet for a free-standing sign. He said he may come back in the summer if the topsoil isn’t sold.

The second sign was also a 4-by-8-foot sign but would be one-sided. It would be 100 feet from the other sign. It informs the public of the construction of a New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority project for Developer Avanru Development Group, LTD. The information on the sign are state requirements for signage for a state project. Every one who is involved in the project has to be on the sign. This sign will be done professionally, Mr. Franks said.

Ms. Trow asked if the sign would be up for the duration of the project. Mr. Franks said yes. I expect it to be completed by May 1, placed in service by June 1, so everything should be done within that time frame.

Mr. Franks also talked about the full-service traffic light that will go in at Red Barn Lane, the entrance to Tractor Supply. This traffic light and the proper lanes and striping of lanes has already been approved by the NH Department of Transportation.

Mr. Franks gave an overview of what’s coming. He is in negotiations for a restaurant, a possible brewery, professional office space, most likely a bank with a drive-through, a mobile phone company and grocery store, so he may be back for more signage. There may be a sign on the corner of the lot that lists a lot of businesses and “I’ll probably need your guidance at some point,” he said.

There are already water, sewer, fiber optics underground now but there will be more engineering going on.

Mr. Vose asked if all the driveways and lights are going to be coordinated with the businesses surrounding them. Mr. Franks said the configuration was all engineered prior to when Family Dollar went in. He said his engineer coordinated with Jiffy Mart and their engineer and DOT. He said there are almost 11,000 cars going past their daily and that’s a lot of traffic.

Both signs conform to the zoning regulations. A motion was made by Mr. Vose to approve the temporary signs for one year. Ms. Lester seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved by the Board.

Special Exception Form  – There has been discussion about the Zoning Board application form for a Special Exception. Ms. Mansouri said the plan is to make the process clear for someone who needs a Special Exceptions. Mr. Anderson pointed out one sentence that seemed unclear (The necessary conditions for each Special Exception are given in the ordinance.) Mr. Anderson said that there are very few conditions. There is also no specific delineation on the process of getting a Special Exception. We can’t change the ordinance but we can change the form, Ms. Mansouri said.

Ms. Lester suggested bullets and a border – the bullets to point out a direction. It will also get people to pay attention, she said.

It was decided to hold a workshop meeting on Dec. 10, 2015, at 7 pm., in the Conference Room in the basement of the Town Hall to work on revising the form and making it more clear to the public.

Old business: Reeves and Unitarian Church. Ms. Cynthia Reeves submitted a letter sent to her from Wendy Harty, Chair of the WUC Board of Trustees. In it the church board said it is “glad  to close the door on this, to put it behind us.” Mr. Vose said, “I don’t see any point in pursuing this.” The Board agreed.

Executive Session: At this point Mr. Vose voted to go into Executive Session, Ms. LeClerc seconded the motion. The Board came out of executive session after about 15 minutes.

The procedural vote on the executive session will take place at the next meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 8:10 pm after a motion was made by Mr. Vose and seconded by Ms. Lester. The Board voted unanimously to adjourn.

Everyone wished everyone else a Happy Thanksgiving.

Respectfully submitted,

Marilou Blaine, secretary

cc: Town Offices, ZBA Board, The Walpolean

Posted inside the Town Offices, outside bulletin board at Walpole Grocery

Agenda for Zoning Board of Adjustment

Wednesday,  November 18, 2015

Walpole Town Hall – 7:30 p.m.

Roll Call: Appointment of alternates if needed

Minutes: Review minutes of October

New Business:

Take a look at Special Exception Form and see if it needs updateing

Unitarian Church letter to Cynthia Reeves

Next meeting Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Walpole Zoning Board of Adjustment

Minutes: October 21, 2015

Present: Board Members: Chair Myra Mansouri, Vice Chair Jan Galloway Le Clerc, Clerk Ernie Vose,  Mary Therese Lester, Bob Anderson. Alternates: Stephanie Stoughton. Absent: Alternate Judy Trow.

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

Roll Call: Ms. Mansouri called the meeting to order at 7:31 p.m. Since Ms. Lester was going to be a little late, Ms. Mansouri asked Ms. Stoughton to sit in her place.

Minutes: There were three small corrections: the letter “t” was left off the word the, visiting should be visited in paragraph 8 on the second page and Ms. Trow went with Ms. LeClerc to inspect Mr. Tim Graves’ gravel pit. Mr. Vose made a motion to approve the minutes as corrected. Ms. LeClerc seconded the motion and the board voted unanimously.

New business:  Mr. Barry Bellows was before the Board to explain a project to the Board and then see if there was any course of action that could be taken.

He started by explaining where his clients, Mr. Tom Crouse and Kashiyo Enokido, lived – a two-bedroom home with an attached two-car garage at 192 March Hill Road. The home is at the end of a long driveway, across a brook and the slope, brook and configuration of the land prevent them from building a new garage attached to the current building. The new proposed building would be about 70 feet from the current building.

Mr. Belllows’ clients wanted to add a 32 -foot-by-29-foot two-story garage with a studio, guest bedroom with a bathroom, plus a bay for lawn equipment etc. detached from the home for a place for children to stay when they visit. Mr. Bellows showed the map to the Board. He said it would not be a rental for income, it would not be a permanent residence, literally overflow people during the holidays. This is physically the only place this structure could be added.

Ms. Mansouri explained Article 17,  Part P pf the Zoning Ordinance. This article requires a dwelling be put on one common foundation. The ordinance is: “Dwelling: Means a building of common foundation. A one or two family dwelling will share the same foundation per lot.” The ordinance was put in place by the Planning Board because second dwellings were popping up at homes in Walpole, Ms. Mansouri said. They were dwellings with water. That concern led the Planning Board to write an ordinance. It was put on the warrant and voted on by the people.

Ms. Mansouri suggested that they make the current garage into a garage/studio/guest bedroom. The detached garage would be uses for cars. Mr. Bellows said that they would then have to walk 70 feet to the house from the garage, a major inconvenience.

Mr. Bellows asked about a variance using the land as the hardship. Ms. Mansouri said the request would probably be turned down. Mr. Bellows said that the structures are placed so you don’t see an abutter.

Mr. Vose asked about the sewage/septic system. Mr. Bellows said it was designed to take care of the additional bedroom. He continued that the reasoning for the ordinance is the future. While your plan is well intended, if there are two separate buildings, a future owner could use it as a rental apartment or sell it into two lots.

But then those people would be in violation, Mr. Bellows said. But at that point, Mr. Vose said, the Board can’t do anything about it because it was granted by the Zoning Board. He repeated it need the same foundation.

Mr. Bellows asked if there was ever an exception and Ms. Mansouri said “no.” Ms. LeClerc asked why not put the bedroom over the current garage and have the detached garage for the studio and lawn equipment. Mr. Bellows said the attached garage is actually small. It’s for compact cars.

Is there a definition for common foundation.? Mr. Bellows asked. It’s a common foundation, Mr. Vose said.

Cynthia Reeves sculpture/sign: Ms. Reeves came to the meeting to give her side of the sculpture misunderstanding with the Unitarian Church property.

Ms. Reeves said, “that at no point did I refuse the churches’ request to move the sculpture. I think it was in the minutes of the September Zoning Board meeting. I was perturbed by that because I didn’t know you were going to be discussing it (the sculpture) and if I had known, I would have come to the meeting as well. I would do anything possible to make the church feel comfortable with having the gallery being their neighbor.”

Ms. Reeves said it was unfortunate that the owner of sculptures placed them without her knowledge and her specifying to the owner where they ought to go. ”When I saw where they were put, I emailed the church and said they might be over the line and they might want to check.” When it was decided that they were over the property line, it took a while to get the owner to come back. He had to arrange for a crane.

The church is threatening to sue her for the presence of the sculpture and now the sculptor is threatening to sue her because of his expenses.

Ms. Reeves sent a letter to the Zoning Board with copies to the owner of the property, Bruce Carruthers, the Unitarian Church and Selectmen explaining the chain of events. It also included the chain of emails from both the church side and the gallery side.

Mr. Carruthers is still unsure of where the property line is and he has requested that the Unitarian Church provide him with a clear indication of the property line in order to ensure correct compliance with Town Zoning Guidelines. This applies to location of the sign. Ms. Mansouri said church member Mr. Stewart Reed might know where the property line is.

Old Business: Bensonwood. Special Exception: Huntington Realty of Walpole LLC, Bensonwood woodworking Col. Inc. of 6 Black jack Crossing Town Map 12, Lot 4-3. Commercial and Rural/agricultural zone. Bensonwood needs a special exception to build a manufacturing facility (total 52,250) in a Rural/agricultural District. Article VIII, Section C-1 a.

Bensonwood had received a Special Exception in 2008 for an industrial use in the rural agricultural zone for their parcel on Route 12, formerly the Huntington Farm. Because of the economy, the company did not go ahead with the plan.

This new application was accepted as complete. The differences in this project were that the plant would be built in one phase and the location has changed because of the demise of a hickory tree. So as not to harm the tree, the other building was built at another location. Mr. Randall Walter said this building is more efficient. It is one building, although there is a line separating the halves so that the two parts are closed off from one another because of types of production. By building code, only a certain amount of square feet square feet of production space is allowed before new space is needed.

It would be one industrial, commercial building under one roof. The indoor facility would employ approximately 20 employees to make wall, floor and roof panels for the homes they sell. The building will be sprinkled. The depression to the right of the building is a storm water management system for runoff.

The reason why this place is an opportune manufacturing site is that it has 3 phase power, town water and a sewer line. These things take a tremendous amount of space at the facility at Blackjack Crossing, which will still be retained. There will be no noxious or injurious odors. The company prides itself on keeping its employees safe and looking out for their welfare.

The building is organized so deliveries will be in back, use of fork lifts will be on the left side of property and neighbors will be shielded from noise. There is a small section for office space.

The traffic study is the same as before and it is expected there will be 10 to 15 trucks per day. The project has DOT approval. Since the answers to the required questions were identical to the 2008 application, Ms. Lester said that will be waived since they were approved before.

A recommendation is need from the Planning Board, Ms. Mansouri said. If you get a Special Exception, it will be dependent on the Planning Board approving the Site Plan and recommending that to the Zoning Board.

Mr. Walter said, “We expected the Planning Board to vote when we presented the Site Plan. For some reason the chairman did not call for a vote. I believe it was procedural error.”

There is usually discussion of some special exception questions but since the answers were identical to the 2008 hearing Ms. Lester said she thought it fruitless since they were approved before.

The Public Hearing was closed.  Mr. Vose made a motion to approve the Special Exception pending the Planning Board’s decision. Ms. LeClerc seconded the motion and it was approved unanimously.

Gravel Pits: Board members turned in their reports. Mr. Anderson had photographs of the Hodgkins pit that showed that Mr. Hodgkins had remedied the concerns that the Board Member who inspected the report cited last year. Mr. Anderson said Mr. Hodgkins leveled off the area that had too steep a grade, put up the signs required and put up something to protect runoff from going into a nearby brook.

Mr. Vose said the Whipple Hill owner is planning on taking something out of the pit later this year. He will check on that.

Mr. Anderson questioned if the land that Mr. Hodgkins sold to Ruggiero has to be reclaimed. No one was sure but the new gravel pit regulations will be checked.

Letter to Selectboard: The secretary sent a letter to the Selectboard that said people were complaining about the dumping of washing machines and dryers on a particular property on County Road.

Ms. Mansouri read the letter to the Lafayettes from the Selectboard about the old washers, dryers and metal waste that have been discarded on the property in violation of ZBA Article IV, G Junk Yard and Dumps. The Lafayettes have 30 days to respond, which Ms. Mansouri thought was about November 2^nd or 3^rd. She will check with the Selectboard about a response letter.

Letter to Planning Board: Ms. Mansouri wrote a letter responding to the Planning Board concerning the minutes from the Planning Board workshop in September. She personally was offended by the minutes and offended for members of the Board, which gives so much of their time. The letter is being revised and will be presented to the Planning Board at its next workshop meeting.

Executive Session: The Board went into executive session to read the minutes of the previous executive session and the letter from Town Attorney Mr. Hockensmith. Motions were made, seconded and passed to keep the minutes and letter sealed.

The board came out of executive session 45  minutes later and  closed the meeting at 9:15 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Marilou Blaine

Secretary

Walpole Zoning Board of Adjustments

Minutes: September 16, 2015

Present: Board members: Chair Myra Mansouri, Jan Galloway Le Clerc Vice-Chair, Ernie Vose, Clerk, Bob Anderson, Mary Therese Lester. Alternates: Judy Trow and Stephanie Stoughton.

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

Call to Order: Chairman Myra Mansouri opened the meeting at 7:40 pm. Since there was a full board, no one was needed to fill in.

Minutes: There were three corrections. Mr. Vose corrected size monitor to seismograph. In the first paragraph under new business,  Ms. Lester said the word build should be building. And in the Ruggerio section, first paragraph, the word should be done, not down. Mr. Vose made a motion to accept the minutes with those corrections. Mr. Anderson seconded the motion and the Board vote in the affirmative..

New Business: Mr. Doug Palmer said he would be in to discuss what his father-in-law wants to do with the Teragram Property, the section on the southern side of the old RN Johnson property. Mr. Palmer did not come to the meeting so the Board postponed any discussion on the project.

Certified Mail – It now cost $6.97 to mail a certified letter. The cost has increased three times in just one year. Ms. Lester suggested we raise the fee to $8.00. A motion was made by Ms. Trow and seconded by Mr. Anderson to raise the fee to $8.00 and the Board agreed.

Walpolean – The Board was asked if anyone wanted to get The Walpolean regularly. Some Board members said they already received it. Two people wanted it sent to them.

The Unitarian Church – A sculpture was placed on the lot owned by the church on Main Street. The sculpture belongs to the Reeves Gallery, which is located in the carriage house on the abutting property. The church officers want the sculpture removed. Ms. Mansouri was told the gallery owner, Cynthia Reeves, has refused to moved it.

Also, the sign in front of the building was placed three (3) feet from the boundary line of the church property and the church would like it moved to its proper setback place. Zoning Board ordinance Article IV, Section G requires 10-foot setbacks from side boundaries.

A discussion about the sculpture ensued. Ms. Lester said if it were a greenhouse owner, you would expect planters out in front of the place. The Board doesn’t have an ordinance for planters.  Mr. Anderson asked, “would you consider this a lawn ornament?”  The sculpture doesn’t say anything, Mr. Vose said. He continued that a sign usually gives you a direction or tells you what’s behind it. Ms. Trow asked if the Zoning Board had any ordinances about art on lawns.

Ms. Lester said this was not under the purview of the Zoning Board.

Mr. Vose said his opinion is the sculpture on the Unitarian Church’s lawn is a civil matter not a matter for the Zoning Board. We have no jurisdiction, he said. He suggested the Board let the selectmen know and they can do what they like. They are the enforcers.

The Board granted a variance to Cynthia Reeves, the owner of Reeves Gallery at 28 Main Street, for the placement of a sign when it came before the Board in June of this year. The variance was for the distance the sign should be placed from the middle of the road. Ms. Mansouri asked about the side boundary? Mr. Vose answered, “I never even considered the side boundary.”

Ms. Lester said that when they came to ask about placement, we approved it. The variance was actually about the distance of the sign placement from the center of the road not the side boundary. If you looked at this you wouldn’t have thought that you didn’t had to worry about the side boundary.

Ms. Mansouri said when they asked for a variance for a sign it was about distance from the center of the street, so they had to meet all other ordinance requirements. Ms. Stoughton asked if the letter permitting the variance also mentions that all the requirements are met.

Mr. Vose asked if there were any dimensions noted in the variance paperwork. He suggested the solution may come through Mr. Bruce Carruthers who is the owner of the property.

The Board decided to send a letter to Mr. Carruthers with copies to Ms. Reeves and the Selectboard regarding placement of the sign.

Washers and Dryers: Mr. Richard Lafayette has dumped a number of washers and dryers on his property at the corner of Graves and County Roads. Ms. Mansouri has received some complaints. Mr. Vose said it falls into junkyard status with the selectmen. The secretary will write a letter to the Selectboard about the matter.

Gravel Pits:  Ms. LeClerc inspected Mr. Tim Graves‘ gravel pit and said it was fine and there were no issues. Other pit inspections are due next month. The secretary will send each gravel pit owner a copy of the inspection report and a cover letter.

Mr. Vose said he visited Whipple Hill and that that gravel pit hasn’t taken any sand or gravel out of it in years. There is a statute that gravel pits must sell a certain amount of gravel every year in order to keep operating.

Mr. Vose asked if the Board should take away their grandfather permit. It was decided that Mr. Vose should talk to the owner and tell him he had to start taking some gravel out of the pit or he would be closed down.

Mr. Joe Sawyer is the same, Mr. Vose said. Ms. LeClerc pointed out that Mr. Sawyer is bonded, which makes a difference.

A visitor: Mr. Philip Carroll of Taggard Road said he was at the meeting just to learn what was going on. I came because I live here and I’m a “land-use guy and planning and zoning was in his blood”.  After that remark, Mr. Carroll was invited to take the vacant seat on the Board.

Mr. Carroll explained he was a retired doctor of family medicine and has a PhD. in early modern European history.  He is currently active in real estate in Maryland and lives Florida.

The meeting was recessed to go into executive session at 8:17 p.m. After coming out of executive session, the meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Marilou Blaine

Agenda for Zoning Board of Adjustment

Wednesday,  September 16, 2015

Walpole Town Hall – 7:30 p.m.

Roll Call: Appointment of alternates if needed

Minutes: Review minutes of August

New Business:

Doug Palmer would like to discuss leasing some land at the Teragram Properties (The southern side of the old RN Johnson property) and make sure it fits in with town zoning for the property.

Certified Mail – $6.97

Walpolean

Old Bussiness:

Don’t forget those gravel pit inspections are due in October.

Time set aside for a nonpublic session.

Next meeting Wednesday, October 15, 2015

Like me, you may have been wondering just exactly the variance given by the Zoning Board to Ruggerio Trash Removal.  Thanks to Sheila Lannon I was given a copy and then France Menk helped me get it to  a format that could be inserted here. (The quality of the fax isn’t the best but I hope you can read it.)  It remains to be seen what it will mean but at least we know what it said. – Lil

Walpole Zoning Board of Adjustment

Minutes: August 19, 2015

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

Absent: Alternate Stephanie Stoughton.

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

Roll Call: Ms. Mansouri called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m. There was a full board so no alternates were needed to fill in.

Minutes:  Ms. LeClerc made a motion to accept the minutes as corrected ( two misspellings and one change from a Mr. to a Ms.) Mr. Anderson seconded the motion and it passed by board vote.

New Business:

Bensonwood request for a Public Hearing for a Special Exception.

Mr. Tom Hancock, property manager for Bensonwood, explained that Bensonwood was a home building company that started out in 1979 in Alstead and expanded to Walpole in 1999. In 2008, the company proposed a plan for additional buildings on Huntington Lane but pulled back because of the economy. The majority of the approvals and permits have expired so Mr. Hancock was back for a special exception to build a manufacturing operation in a Rural/agricultural Zoning District.

Mr. Hancock said that there were some small changes to the plans, such as moving the build east toward Route 12. He said the noisier part of the operation will be toward the west, which is toward the Connecticut River and there are no abutters. This building will be in addition to the one in the Industrial Park and will be used to frame doors and windows.

He also said he was aware of the new Wellhead Protection Ordinance changed in 2015 and was given a copy of the new ordinance.

Ms. Trow asked if the parking lot was going to be the same, asphalt and gravel. Mr. Hancock agreed.

There was some confusion about when the Planning Board hearing would be, but Mr. Vose said that the Zoning Board can’t rule on the Special Exception until it gets the Planning Board decision. However, the Zoning Board could have a Public Hearing and make a ruling contingent on the Planning Board decision.

Ms. Mansouri asked when he was ready to start working. He said he was hoping to break ground this fall but if he couldn’t get approval until October it might mean the building will probably begin next spring but with some site work this fall.

Mr. Vose made a motion to accept the request to have a Public Hearing for Bensonwood in October for a Special Exception. It was seconded by Ms. Trow and approved by the Board.

Gravel Inspections Assignments:

Hodgkins Drewsville: Bob Anderson and Myra Mansouri

Graves: Jan Le Clerc

Cold River and Whipple Hill: Ernie Vose and Bob Anderson

Sawyers:  Mary Therese and Stephanie Stoughton.

The gravel pit inspections are due at the October meeting.

Mr. John Tole of Tole Automatic Inc. on Thompson Road, Signage.

Mr. Tole came in for information about signage at the corner of South Street and Route 12. The property would be in a corn field that is owned by Chip O’Brien and his sister. It is in Residential B District. Mr. Tole said he already had Mr. O’Brien‘s permission but wanted to know how to proceed.

Board members told him the sign ordinance doesn’t allow neon, flashing lights or signs that could create hazardous conditions. There is a sign ordinance that gives you the size of the sign for the District you are in.

 Mr. Tole was told he was required to bring in a picture of the sign, give its size, what the sign was made of. He was given a copy of the sign ordinance. Abutters also need to be notified when he goes ahead with the sign and he needed a signed letter of permission from the O’Briens. Illumination would have to be downcast.

Mr. Tole also needs to follow setbacks from the state, one of which is 75 feet from the center line. He can check with DOT in Swanzey for all the rules. He is allowed to have smaller signs hanging off a larger one but it is all counted in the toward the total size. He will need to come back to the Zoning Board after he as chosen a sign.

Mr. George Wierzbowski, 43 Taggard Road, subdivision.

Mr. Wierzbowski explained he and his wife Wendy lived on the portion of Taggard Road that was not town maintained. There were four other people who lived on the road. His property was 17 acres with 472 feet of road frontage. He would like to subdivide his property.

Mr. Vose asked where the town road ended. Mr. George Wierzbowski, said at the crossroad that the Galloways own.

Mr. Joe Dibernardo was also at the meeting and said the ordinance says you have to build on a town-maintained road so he has to get a Variance because it’s a private road. The Board advised that he follow the rules for homes on a town-maintained road, such as setbacks and road frontage. Mr. Wierzbowski said he planned to.

Mr. Vose said there was a rumor that the residents were going to try and bring the road up to town specifications and try to reclassify the road. Mr. Wierzbowski said Mr. Terry Holcombe has been looking into it but it would be very costly. Mr. Vose said he had talked to Mr. Bill Williams who originally sold those lots and he thought the road was pretty much up to town standards.

Mr. Dibernardo said the road is only 12 feet wide and Mr. Jim Terrell, who oversees Walpole roads, says it has to be 14 feet wide. Ms. Mansouri said it would also have to be approved by a vote of the townspeople. Mr. Wierzbowski said the improvements would have to be made before the vote. Ms. Mansouri agreed.

Mr. Vose made a motion to grant Mr. Wierzbowski a request for a Public Hearing in September. The motion was seconded by Ms. Lester and approved by the board.

Ruggiero expansion at Industrial Park:

Ms. Mansouri said there was a site walk at the Ruggiero Waste Facility in the Industrial Park last Monday. Mr. Ruggiero is trying to expand his business to include household waste. Ms. Mansouri said one of the conditions of  the Special Exception that the Zoning Board gave to Mr. Ruggiero at a Special Exception hearing in 2011 was that expansion was not allowed. Now she is not certain if the conditions will stand or whether the NH Department of Environmental Services supersedes what the town board has down.

Mr. Vose said that was the opinion of the abutters at the Planning Board meeting – that expansion couldn’t occur and Mr. Ruggiero could just deal with construction waste.

Mr. Anderson said he didn’t go to the site walk but received a number of emails and apparently this company is going to do garbage and apparently a lot of garbage.

Mr. Vose said it is his understanding that they have applied for a municipal waste permit but don’t have approval from the State yet. Ms. Mansouri added that they also have to get approval from the Planning Board for the additional building and they have to do something about the building they built without permission.

Mr. Vose said I do think we need a lawyer involved as quick as possible to get a letter to the state explaining they do not have permission from the Zoning Board for municipal waste before they go any further. I think a lawyer should write the letter.

Ms. Mansouri requested that the secretary get the original application to Myra by the next day.

Graves Gravel Pit:

Mr. Vose reported that the first blast was conducted at the Graves gravel pit last week. There was a size-monitor to record the size of the blasts down by abutter Ms. Patricia Rodriques‘  house and a video was take of the event. Ms. Rodrigues was asked if she would allow anyone in her home to see if there was anything shaking, but she would not.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:35 p.m.. Ms. Mansouri made the motion and it was seconded by Mr. Vose.

Washers and Dryers: Ms. Mansouri reopened the meeting to say she had some calls about washers and dryers in a dumpster at Mr. Lafayette’s houses at the corner of Graves and County Road. Has anyone seen the problem? she asked. No one said they had so she said she will look into it.

Respectfully submitted,

Marilou Blaine

Secretary

You may, or may not, have read the request from Pauline Barnes for a copy of the new Zoning Ordinances.  I replied by saying that I would get in touch with Marilou Blaine, recording secretary, to learn if and how one could do that.  The reply I received is here.

Trust that this helps.  Patience being the operative word. –  Lil

From Marilou –

“The new ones are just going through final review and will be available after our meeting next week. I haven’t printed out any for the town yet but should be able to get to it some time next week. They (copies) will be available for $5 from the town offices.”

Agenda for Zoning Board of Adjustment

Wednesday,  August 19, 2015

Walpole Town Hall – 7:30 p.m.

Roll Call: Appointment of alternates if needed

Minutes: Review minutes of July

Corrections: Selectman Steve Dalessio‘s name was spelled incorrectly in paragraph about training series and incorrect spelling of Mr. Michaud’s name in second to last paragraph on page 1

Thank you, thank you, thank you Judy for going through zoning ordinances. Great editing job. Marilou

New Business:

Updated copies of Zoning Ordinances

No other business planned yet.

Next meeting Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Please let Marilou know if you will attend this meeting and if you want an electronic copy of the new Zoning Ordinances.