The Walpolean

Walpole Planning Board Minutes

Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Town Hall

7 pm

Role Call: Board members: Present: Chair Jeff Miller, Vice-Chair Dennis Marcom, Clerk Jason Perron, Jeff Harrington, Trevor MacLachlan, Select Board Representative Steve Dalessio. Alternate Present: Tom Murray, Absent: Board member Joanna Andros and Alternate Travis Adams.

Call to Order: Mr. Miller called the meeting to order at 7:04 pm. Mr. Miller asked Mr. Murray if he would sit in for the absent board member and he agreed.

Review of the September minutes: Mr. Marcom made a motion to approve the minutes as written. Mr. Harrington seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously.

It was thought Sarah Bollinger from SWRP would be at the meeting to present the wording for an amendment to Walpole’s zoning ordinance on family-based care but she did not attend the meeting. There is plenty of time to do this in November and still have a public hearing in December.

Surveyor Joe DiBenardo presented three new projects. The first was from Joseph and Sonia Sawyer, 632 River Road. The proposal is to subdivide the property into 2 lots. Lot 1 would be 5.97 acres. Lot 2, a burial lot, would be 3 acres of the southeast portion of the 8.7 acre property to then be donated to River Valley Natural Burial. The property is on Route 12 just south of Black Jack Crossing and where the former flea market and gravel pit were. It is in the rural agricultural district. River Valley Natural Burial is designated by the IRS as a 501(c)13 nonprofit organization for nonprofit cemetery and is planning the burial site.

Marsha Campanello is a board member of this nonprofit. She said natural burial means no cement vaults, metal or rain forest hardwood caskets or chemical embalming. The group promotes the use of locally made biodegradable caskets and shrouds. There will also be a pavilion nearby where families can gather. A wooden sign will indicate its location. A temporary Port-A-Potty will be on the property. Longer-term plans include a single outdoor composting toilet system and a structure to support it. There is electricity on the property. All burials will be conducted at a minimum of 50 feet from known water sources, and 100 feet from state highways and buildings. No vertical headstones or other vertical monuments will be erected. Flat field stones or ceramics will serve as grave markers. Capacity will be 300 to 400 burials per acre depending on terrain.

Mr. Marcom made a motion to hold a public hearing on the proposed cemetery in November. Mr. Harrington seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.

Project No. 2: Sanctuary family home, 185 Ramsay Hill  Road, Tax Map 11, Lot 8. One lot into two lots. Lot 1 will be 47 acres with 1754 feet road frontage. Lot 2 will be 20.59 acres with 470.51 feet of road frontage. The property is in the rural agricultural district. Mr. Perron made a motion to hold a public hearing in November. Mr. Harrington seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously.

Project No. 3. Eric C. Frink and Bridget J. Ballou proposes a lot line adjustment on property at  131 Merriam Road, Tax Map 3, Lots 54 and 55 in the rural agricultural district. The proposal is to combine Lots 54 and 55 so that eventually Lot 54 would be 88.06 acres getting 10.56 acres from Lot 55.

Mr. Perron made a motion to hold a public hearing on the Frink/Ballou lot line adjustment. Mr. Harrington seconded the motion and the motion carried.

Site Plan Review

In September Chair Miller asked Jeremy Hockensmith, Walpole’s legal counsel, to review the town’s site plan. Mr. Hockensmith sent back a review with several suggestions and a couple of attachments. Mr. Miller asked board members to read the material and at the November meeting the board would work on updates to the site plan to tighten up the document.

Gravel Pit Inspection

Dennis Marcom and Travis Adams inspected the Cold River Material gravel pit on October 12, 2026 and Mr. Marcom submitted the Excavation and Reclamation Checklist.

Adjournment

Mr. Perron made a motion to adjourn. Mr. Harrington seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously.  The time was 7:45 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Marilou Blaine

WPB Recording Secretary

Walpole Planning Board Minutes

September 8, 2026

Town Hall

7pm

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

Call to Order: Mr. Miller called the meeting to order at 7:06 pm. He asked Mr. Murray to sit in for Mr. MacLachlan and Mr. Adams to sit in for Ms. Andros. They both agreed.

Review of the August 2026 minutes:

Mr. Marcom had two corrections on page 1. In the second to last paragraph, the number of children should be 7, not 2, to 12 children. In the last paragraph, timberland should be included as districts allowing this type of day care. Mr. Dalessio said the entire sentence can be deleted because the previous sentence says “allowed in any zoning district where residential use is permitted.” Mr. Murray pointed out that the date of meeting was September 11 not September 8. Mr. Miller asked for a motion on the amended minutes. Mr. Marcom made the motion for approval of the amended minutes. Mr. Harrington seconded the motion and the motion carried.

The rest of the meeting the board discussed adding Plan Approval Limitations, as an amendment, to the site plan. 

Plan Approval Limitations: Planning Board site plan approval shall lapse after a two (2) year period from the date of approval unless substantial development had commenced or a request for an extension for one (1) year has been submitted prior the original approval lapsing. To receive protection pursuant to RSA 674:39, and as it may be amended, the applicant shall have completed active and substantial development and substantial completion as follows:

1. Active and substantial development: construction of basic infrastructure to support the development, including, but not limited to, foundation walls and footings, driveway and parking lot construction to a minimum of gravel base, utilities, construction of all drainage improvements, and installation of all erosion and sediment control measures.

2. Substantial completion: completion of all on-site and off-site improvements specified in the plan approval.

Trevor McLachlan’s comment.

In New Hampshire, the term “substantial completion” in construction contracts is defined as the stage where the project is defined where the project is sufficiently complete to be utilized buy the owner for its intended purpose, according to the district of New Hampshire. This means the project is not necessarily 100% finished, but rather, it is at a stage where it can be used for its intended function even if some tasks or defects remain.

Elaboration:

Purpose-driven: Substantial Completion is about the ability to use the project for its intended purpose, not necessarily about the final, absolute perfection in every detail.

Practical utility: The project is considered substantially complete when it is functional and can be occupied or utilized for its intended use, even with minor defects.

Key milestone: Reaching substantial completion in a construction project, as it triggers various legal and contractual obligations, such as payment deadlines and warranty periods.

Not final completion: Substantial completion is distinct from final completion of all remaining work, including punch list items.

Mr. Miller will send a copy of this amendment to the town attorney, Jeremy Hockensmith for his comments.

Eventually this amendment will need to have a public hearing. It does not go on the March warrant. It does need approval from the Walpole Planning Board.

Adjournment

Mr. Perron made a motion to adjourn. Mr. Harrington seconded the motion and the motion carried. The time was 7:44 pm.

Respectfully submitted

Marilou Blaine 

WPB Recording Secretary

Walpole Planning Board Minutes

August 8, 2026

Town Hall

7 pm

Role Call: Present: Chair Jeff Miller, Vice-Chair Dennis Marcom, Clerk Jason Perron, Jeff Harrington, Joanna Andros, Trevor MacLachlan, Select Board Representative Steve Dalessio, Alternate Tom Murray. Absent: Travis Adams.

Call to Order: Mr. Miller called the meeting to order at 7:02 pm.  A full board was present so an alternate was not needed to fill in. 

Review Minutes of the July 2026 meeting: Mr. Marcom made a motion to approve the minutes as written. Mr. Harrington seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously.

Presenter: Sarah Bollinger from Southwest Region Planning Commission was at the meeting to answer questions about the proposed adoption of an amendment to Walpole’s Zoning Ordinances to include the following:

1. Adding definitions for “family day care home” and “family group day care home” to Article XX.

2. Adding a new subsection, Article IV.O. addressing these uses, and

3. Amending the table of permitted uses, to identify where the uses are permitted and to cross-reference Article IV.O.

Ms. Bollinger said the state is very much behind this addition to zoning ordinances in the state because of the need for child care of young child so parents can become part of New Hampshire’s workforce. The two types of child care she was speaking of were:

Family Day Care Home: As defined in RSA 170-E:2, IV(a): an occupied residence where child day care provided for less than 24 hours per day, except in emergencies, generally for up to 6 children from one or more unrelated families, subject to applicable State licensing requirements.

And Group Family Day Care Home: As defined in RSA 170-E:2 IV(b); an occupied residence where child day care is provided for less than 24 hours per day, except in emergencies, generally for 2 to 12 children from one or more unrelated families, subject to applicable State licensing requirements.

These would be allowed in any zoning district where residential use is permitted in the primary dwelling or within an existing accessory building. In Walpole that would be Residential A and B, Rural/Ag and Commercial Districts but not in the Industrial or Timberland districts.

The NH Department of Health and Human Services under He-C 4002 will oversee the requirements of these day care homes.  It does not require a special exception and shall not be subject to a local site plan review. Nothing in this section shall be construed to override any private covenant, including homeowners’ association covenants. The state does the licensing and caregivers follow their criteria. The state requires fire and septic inspections.

Towns have no say in any of the requirements including parking, picking up and dropping off children. Concerns of the Board were parking and more importantly that neighbors of these homes taking care of children would not be notified in advance.

The next step in the process is to have a public hearing this fall. The Board has to vote on the final language of the amendment and make a recommendation to support or not support the final language. If there are substantial changes in the language of the amendment, it may need an additional public hearing. If the amendment stands as written, it will go to the Town Clerk to be placed on the warrant and voted on in March 2027 at the town election.

The amendment will be available for public inspection at the Town Hall and will be put on the town website, which is www.walpolenh.us, before the public vote by ballot in March.

The amendment will read something like this:

Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 1 as proposed by the Planning Board to amend the Walpole Zoning Ordinances by adding definitions for family day care homes and family group day care homes, adding a new subsection to Article IV governing these uses, and amending Appendix B. Table of Permitted Uses to identify where these uses are permitted?

This amendment updates Walpole Zoning Ordinances to align with State law allowing home-based child care by right as an accessory use to primary zoning districts where residential uses are allowed, subject to applicable State requirements.

Adjournment

Mr. Perron made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Harrington seconded the motion and the motion carried. The time was 7:55 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Marilou Blaine

WPB Recording Secretary

Planning Board Workshop Minutes

June 23, 2026

Town Hall

7 pm

Roll Call: Board Present: Chair Jeff Miller, Vice-Chair Dennis Marcom, Clerk Jason Perron, Joanna Andros, Trevor MacLachlan, Select Board Representative Steve Dalessio, Alternate Tom Murray.

Presenter: Sarah Bollinger from Southwest Region Planning Commission.

Purpose: Make it easier for qualified providers to operate licensed home-based child care programs. Walpole’s 2025 zoning ordinance does not address family-based child care. Because Walpole has a permissive zoning ordinance, the absence of any provision for family-based child care means it is not allowed, which is not consistent with current state statutes.

Ms. Bollinger suggested amending the ordinance to include two types of family day care and amending Article IV to include the new ordinance. They are:

Family Day Care Home: As defined in RSA 170-E:2, IV(a): an occupied residence where child day care provided for less then 24 hours per day, except in emergencies, generally for up to 6 children from one or more unrelated families, subject to applicable State licensing requirements.

And Group Family Day Care Home: As defined in RSA 170-E:2 IV(b); an occupied residence where child day care is provided for less than 24 hours per day, except in emergencies, generally for 2 to 12 children from one or more unrelated families, subject to applicable State licensing requirements.

These would be allowed in any zoning district where residential use is permitted in the primary dwelling or within an existing accessory structure. In Walpole that would be Residential A and B, Rural/Ag and Commercial Districts. Not in Industrial or Timberland.

The concern of Board members was there would be no oversight by the town. A person applying would no longer need a variance from the Zoning Board and there would be so site plan from the Planning Board. Would any one in the Town Offices even be alerted that such an operation of a home-based child care facility even existed? Board members thought strongly that homeowners in neighborhoods had a right to know what was going on in in their neighborhoods.  

Ms. Bollinger is going to follow up with the hope that when getting licensed by the state that someone in the Town Offices is notified. That now happens when individuals get DES approval, etc.

The timetable for this project is to meet again in a couple of months. Any new zoning ordinances must have a public hearing so that could happen in early fall and then it would be put on the warrant in January and voted on by townspeople in March.

The ordinance would read as follows:

“Family Day Care Homes and Group Family Day Care Homes

“Family day care homes and group family day care homes, as defined in Article XX, shall be allowed by right as accessory uses to a lawful residential us in any zoning district where a primary residential use is permitted.

“Family day care home and group family day care homes may operate within the primary dwelling or within an existing accessory structure, provided applicable requirements for such programs adopted by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human services under He-C 4002 are met.

“Family day care homes and group family day care homes shall not require a special exception and shall not by subject to local site plan review.

“Nothing in this section shall exempt the use from applicable site licensing, building, fire, health, life safety, water supply, or sewage disposal requirements.

“Nothing in this section shall be construed to override any private covenant, including homeowners’ association covenants.”

Ms. Bollinger also mentioned the Monadnock Economic Development Corporation which helps foster local child care programs. According to MFDC home-based child care is one of the fastest way to add licensed slots in rural towns.

The meeting concluded at 8 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Marilou Blaine

WPB Recording Secretary