Windham New Hampshire

PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
AUGUST 18, 1999
ROLL CALL:
Bernie Rouillard-Vice Chairman-Present
Wayne Morris-Regular Member-Excused
Russell Wilder-Regular Member-Present
Annette Stoller-Regular Member-Present
Keith Goldstein-Alternate-Present
Walter Kolodziej-Alternate-Present
Alan Carpenter-Alternate-Present
Margaret Crisler-Selectman-Present
Galen Stearns-Selectmen's Alternate-Present

BUSINESS:

Mr. Goldstein motioned to accept the minutes of August 4, 1999, as written, and Mr. Kolodziej seconded. Passed 6-0.

ROAD BONDS:

Mr. Goldstein motioned to release $11,750 and retain $9,250.00 of the road bond for Nottingham Road, Ashwood Homes developer. Mr. Kolodziej seconded and passed 6-0.

CORRESPONDENCE:

The Board received the following communications:
• Pamphlet received regarding Historic Preservation Law;
• Pamphlet received concerning a wastewater technologies trade show;
• The Source, newsletter of the NHDES;
• Reminder of the law lecture series to be held in September, on Wednesdays.

PLANNING ISSUES:

Mrs. Crisler addressed the issue of Board appointments. The Board of Selectmen will be meeting August 30th to address the appointments. The Board will discuss amendments to by laws and the master plan at the next workshop.

The workshop of September 9th will address zoning amendments, including a growth management ordinance. Mr. Turner has been in contact with Nashua Regional Planning. They have done studies on growth management and will be forwarding their results to the Planning & Development Department.

Mr. Goldstein announced the CIP Committee meeting Thursday, 7:30 P.M., at the SAU Building.

SHERWOOD SUBDIVISION & SPECIAL PERMIT (11-A-200) - PUBLIC HEARING CONTINUED

Off Sherwood Road

Mr. Turner reviewed the previous meeting for the 13-lot subdivision and special permit to cross the W.W.P.D. in two areas. A site walk was held on Saturday, August 14th to view the terrain for connectors to either Lexington Road or Oriole Road.

Mr. Rouillard explained the terrain was walked and the Board's concern was the number of streets and residences in the Blossom Road area with only two places of egress, Nashua Road and Meetinghouse Road. The Police and Fire Department comments were read. The departments did not address the issue of connectors.

Mr. Mark Gross, of MHF Design Consultants, Inc., attended the site walk on August 14th and presented a packet with comments from the landowner concerning the issue of a connector road. The packet included the 1996 minutes of the previous phase of this subdivision and the indication at that time to the residents of Oriole Road that it was not possible to connect to Oriole Road. In January, 1999, phase II was presented to the Board and no mention of connector roads was mentioned. The connection to Oriole Road would require an additional 800 feet of roadway and the connection to Lexington Road would require an additional 2,000 feet of roadway. Concerns of the landowner were the value of the property, additional traffic in the neighborhoods, buffering of the residential area from the limited industrial area and the possible expenditure of town funds to buy a right of way onto Oriole Road or taking of the properties on Oriole Road by eminent domain.

Mrs. Crisler addressed the conclusions of the summation by Mr. Gross and discussion followed on the increased traffic onto Oriole Road, the fact that the cul-de-sac was constructed as permanent and the cost of the construction of 800 feet of roadway without a tax base. The discussion ensued on property values, increased traffic and municipal services, i.e., school buses, plowing and response times for fire and police. The current traffic patterns were noted and the winter conditions of Hardwood Road. At this point Mr. Turner recommended the Board table the hearing until September 15th to receive input from the Fire and Police Departments addressing the two possible connections.

Mrs. Bussard, of Oriole Road, questioned the Board's consideration of a connection to Oriole Road without a feasible plan for funding. Mr. Rouillard explained the Board's recent workshops on a traffic circulation plan for the master plan. Mrs. Desroisers, of Oriole Road, expressed concern for the neighborhood impact with the additional traffic and the hazards of Hardwood Road. Mr. Desroisers questioned the connection through a permanent cul-de-sac. The purchasers of property on the Oriole Road cul-de-sac did so with the knowledge this was a permanent cul-de-sac. Mr. Derosiers also suggested the Board notify the people who would be affected by traffic regardless of whether they were a direct abutter.

Mr. David Fink, of Sherwood Road, purchased his house after reviewing a conceptual plan that did not show any connections. This plan on record was shown to all potential buyers. Mr. Rouillard read a letter from the Desroisers, 39 Oriole Road and Mr. Peter Bronstein, representing a potential buyer of the Sherwood Subdivision, gave a brief history of the subdivision.

Mr. Steve Thornton, of 25 Oriole Road, expressed concern that the connections were being considered and they would be funded by the town instead of developer funded. Mrs. Crisler summarized the Oriole Road cul-de-sac did not exceed the regulation length and aside from the master plan issue the response time was better than other subdivisions approved. Mrs. Crisler was not in favor of a connection to Oriole Road or Lexington Road. Mr. Carpenter motioned to accept the Yorkshire Heights Subdivision as presented and Mr. Goldstein seconded. Discussion followed on the possibility of continuing the hearing to receive input from the Fire, Police, School and Road Agent.

Mr. Turner addressed the revisions on the plans per Mr. Thorndike's comments. Lot # 246 needed the Board's determination on whether it met the rectangle and the 10K area. Mr. Carpenter withdrew the motion and Mr. Goldstein his second.

The Board reviewed the drainage and Mr. Turner recommended the Board accept lot 246 as it met the spirit and intent of the regulation. Ms. Stoller motioned to continue the hearing to September 15th for compliance to completion of the plan, a circulation pattern, comments from the Police and Fire addressing connections. Mr. Rouillard seconded. Motion failed 2-4 (B. Rouillard, A. Stoller voted in the affirmative).

Mr. Carpenter motioned to accept the Sherwood Subdivision as presented with the additional revisions of letter dated July 30th and August 3rd incorporated into the document. Mr. Kolodziej seconded, and added to put the connectors to rest as a dead issue. Mr. Carpenter agreed to the addition. Motion passed 4-2 (A. Stoller, B. Rouillard opposed).

The Board discussed the special permit for crossing the W.W.P.D. The Conservation Commission has walked the two areas in question. Ms. Stoller motioned to grant the special permit with two crossings of the W.W.P.D. on the Sherwood Subdivision. Mr. Carpenter seconded and passed 6-0.

STAR VECTOR SITE PLAN (18-L-201) - PUBLIC HEARING CONTINUED

67 Range Road

Mr. Turner reviewed the application for a sporting goods store with 15 parking spaces and recommended the Board accept for public hearing. Mr. Goldstein motioned to accept for public hearing and Ms. Stoller seconded. Passed 6-0.

Mr. Turner gave a history of the plan and the adjacent uses. The sporting goods store is allowed in this district and the plan presented showed a raised landscaped berm between the residence and the site. The plan depicted rhododendrum plantings on the berm. The presented plan met the setback requirements and included a lighting plan, sign details and the elevations of the building.

Mr. Craig Francisco, of Bedford Design Consultants, Inc., reviewed the site plan, lighting plan with fixtures and the berm. Ms. Stoller questioned the length of the driveway. It will be 200 feet. The traffic report was summarized, by Mr. Francisco, and the driveway permit was received from the state in July. The drainage was reviewed and pre and post development drainage was included.

The hours of operation will be 10:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. with the wall mounted lights on at night for security purposes. Mrs. Crisler reviewed the details of the landscaping plan and expressed concern with the existing vegetation. Atty. Rubega, representing the owner, stated the owner would do whatever the Board would like as to landscaping. Atty. Rubega would like in writing the Boards wishes. Mr. Rouillard read the comments from the Police, Fire, Conservation Commission and the Heritage Commission. The Fire Department expressed the need for an Opti-Com system installed at the traffic light at the junction of Route 111 and Range Road.

Mrs. Dunn, of Woodvue Road, questioned difference between the presented site plan and the previous site plan for a gun shop. Mrs. Dunn also questioned the amount of guns and ammunition to be stored on site, the adherence to the design review guidelines in the site plan regulations and the ability of trucks and service vehicles to turnaround on the site.

Ms. Donna Morgan, of Edgewood Road, questioned whether the site could be changed to place the parking spaces away from the residence and objected to the dumpster backing up to the neighborhood and to snow storage area adjacent to the neighborhood.

Mr. Steve Hsu, of Edgewood Road, questioned the buffer between the site and the residence and expressed concern with the guns and explosives on the site.

Atty. Rubega addressed the concerns of the public and the sporting goods store will have a small selection of firearms, kayaks, bikes and canoes. The store will have a security system and the square footage of the dedicated retail sales area is depicted on the plan. There will not be a repair shop nor will gun powder be stored on the premises. There will be no air conditioning unit on the top of the building. The applicant will look into exterior material to breakup the front facade as per the design review guidelines. Mr. Goldstein suggested a note stating which lights would be lit after closing with an illumination analysis for those lights left on after hours. The night lighting plan should not impact the residential are and the site should have adequate turning space for delivery trucks with a delivery schedule to adhere to normal business hours. No overnight parking by trucks will be allowed. The dumpster pickup hours should be between 9:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M.

Mrs. Crisler motioned to continue the public hearing to September 1, 1999 at 8:00 P.M. and Mr. Carpenter seconded. Passed 6-0.

Mrs. Crisler motioned to continue the Fire Station Special Permit and Mr. Carpenter seconded. Vote 3-3.

Motion by Ms. Stoller to continue the Fire Station Special Permit to August 25, 1999 at 7:30 P.M. and Mr. Kolodziej seconded. Passed 6-0.

Adjourned 11:30 P.M.

Mona Feciuch

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03/08/2000