ANTRIM PLANNING BOARD
Minutes of the November 17, 2005 Meeting
Members Present:
Scott Burnside Bob Edwards Ron Haggett Renee Rabideau Ed Rowehl Alex Snow
Members Absent:
Fred Anderson Brian Sawich Bob Bethel
Public Attendees:
John Kendall Frank Scales Missy Taylor
Diane Chauncey Bill Prokop Mary Allen
Tom Hickey Meredith Cooper
Chairman Burnside opened the meeting at 7:00 PM and designated Mr. Snow to sit for Mr. Bethel and Ms. Rabideau to sit for Mr. Sawich. He introduced Mr. Hickey who had filed for a change of use of his residence. Mr. Hickey explained that he wanted to move his office which is currently in Hillsborough into his home on Gregg Lake Road. He is in the brokerage business, retailing and wholesaling motor vehicles. He said that he is required to be licensed by the State and the State requires confirmation that the location of his business is permitted according to local zoning ordinances. Mr. Rowehl asked if there would be customers visiting the site and Mr. Hickey said there would not be. He added that there also would be no employees; hence no need for extra parking areas. He mentioned that if he were to have a sign it would be in conformance with
the zoning regulations. Mr. Hickey confirmed that there would be only one office in the building and clarified that it was only three feet wide because that was the width of the desk to hold the computer. The office will be located in the basement. There were no other questions from the Board members. Mr. Haggett moved that the application was sufficiently complete to accept. Mr. Edwards seconded the motion. Roll call vote: Mr. Rowehl – aye, Mr. Edwards – aye, Mr. Snow – aye, Ms. Rabideau – aye, Mr. Haggett – aye. Mr. Burnside opened the public hearing. No abutters were present to speak either in favor or against the application. Mr. Burnside read a letter from Mr. & Mrs. Novalla who were in opposition. Members then reviewed the checklist and concluded that all requirements were satisfied. Mr. Haggett made the following motion: “Move to conditionally approve the application of Thomas B. Hickey File # 2005-19PB for a Home Occupation on
property located at 205 Gregg Lake Road, Antrim, NH, Tax Map 2A Lot 79 located in the Lakefront Residential District. The applicant proposes to operate administrative offices to conduct the wholesale and retail sales of vehicles. There will be no inventory of vehicles on the property. The following conditions apply to this approval:
Planning Board requirements, commitments and agreements made by the applicant and/or his agent as recorded in the meeting minutes dated November 17, 2005 as they pertain to this application are a conditional part of this approval.
The applicant is to obtain a building permit for any construction or alteration and adhere to all building, health and fire codes.
All activities pertaining to the business shall be conducted within the principal dwelling structure and there shall be no inventory of vehicles maintained on the property.
The motion was seconded by Mr. Snow. Role call vote: Mr. Rowehl – aye, Mr. Edwards –aye, Mr. Snow – aye, Ms. Rabideau – aye, Mr. Haggett – aye. Mr. Hickey was advised that his application had been approved.
Mr. Snow presented a report from the Capital Improvement Plan Committee. He read the introductory statement which outlined the process and rationale followed by the committee. The committee presented two proposals. Plan A included a proposal by the Library Trustees for a $1.75 million expansion of 4,000 square feet. Plan B included a scaled down expansion of 2,000 square feet at a cost not to exceed $800,000. Other major funding would be for a new Highway Department garage in 2007 and a new Police Department facility in 2009. Mr. Snow felt that a permanent CIP committee be established to update the plan each year. Mr. Prokop then presented the details of Plan A and Plan B and reviewed the requests by each department.
Mr. Kendall explained that the estimates he had come up with were based on preliminary designs by Mr. Pagano an architect. They felt that it did not make sense to expand the library to take care of projected needs for the next 20 years because of the rapid change in technology. He felt one could not predict the library needs that far ahead. The design by Mr. Pagano would take care of the foreseen needs for the next ten years and would be expandable. In addition, the design was such to maintain the architectural integrity of the existing building. Members then engaged in a general discussion of the requests. Ms. Allen explained how the committee met with department heads and massaged their inputs to try to maintain the Capital Improvement tax rate at a constant level. Mr. Burnside felt that there should be supporting documentation for the
requests made. Mr. Prokop said that this information was on file with the secretary of the Board. Mr. Rowehl made a motion for the Board to support Plan B of the CIP as presented by the committee, subject to confirmation from Mr. Kendall and Mr. Pagano of the estimate to expand the library. Mr. Edwards seconded the motion. Roll call vote: Mr. Rowehl – aye, Mr. Edwards –aye, Mr. Snow – aye, Ms. Rabideau – aye, Mr. Haggett – aye.
Mr. Haggett made a motion to continue the CIP committee into 2006 which was seconded by Mr. Snow and unanimously passed.
Mr. Burnside then introduced Ms. Allen who had expressed an interest in serving as an alternate member of the Board. Ms. Allen explained that her work commitments had lessened and she now had more time to volunteer. In the past, she had spent twelve years serving on the Zoning board of Adjustment. Mr. Edwards moved that Ms. Allen be appointed as an alternate member of the Board. Mr. Haggett seconded the motion which passed unanimously.
Mr. Haggett made a motion to accept the minutes of the November 3, 2005 which was seconded by Ms. Rabideau and passed.
Mr. Vasques presented a letter from Francestown Sand & Gravel, Inc. requesting permission to start bringing in fill to be used in the reclamation of the Harriman excavation site on Elm Avenue which they had recently purchased. Mr. Edwards moved that permission be granted subject to the Secretary confirming that the fill which would be brought in would be “clean” and that if any stumps were brought in they would be documented per State requirements. Mr. Haggett seconded the motion which passed.
Mr. Vasques then presented amendments to the 2006 budget. He limited the salary increase for the Town Planner to 5% and reduced the secretary budget by $4,576 to reflect only nine months of employment. Mr. Haggett asked Mr. Vasques what he wanted. Mr. Vasques countered that it wasn’t a question of what he wanted – rather a question of what the Town wanted, i.e. limiting the staff to continuing secretarial services or more planning regarding ordinances, regulations, road designations and the like. Peer reviews were cut by $6,800 to reflect only two major subdivisions for the year. A major revision was the reduction of contracted services to eliminate consultant fees of $45,000 for the Master Plan and $6,300 for Underwood Engineering to prepare road specifications. Members were comfortable with the reduction in Underwood services
but felt that more money should be provided for assistance in preparation of the Master Plan. Members decided that the Secretary should get more estimates for consultants to review a draft of the Master Plan to be prepared by the committee and for the preparation of whatever maps may be required. This information is to be available by the December 1st meeting so that a final budget could be recommended for the December 5th Selectman’s meeting. Mr. Haggett felt that it would be advisable if representatives of the Planning board attended the Selectman’s meeting.
Mr. Vasques asked the members for their thoughts on an inspection schedule for excavation site. After some discussion, it was concluded that once a year would be sufficient and that the best time would be in July or August. A letter from the Road Agent granting his approving to the Knapton subdivision was submitted. An article regarding the affect of Growth Management Ordinances on affordable housing was distributed. Mr. Edwards reported that the Open Space Committee had completed their final report which had been posted to the web site and hard copies would be available at Town Hall. He also indicted that he would be setting up a meeting for the Growth Committee.
Mr. Vasques reported on his and Mr. Sawich’s meeting on November 14th with the Citizen’s Committee to Rezone Route 9. The result of the meeting was that the committee did not care to work with the Board in a comprehensive study to rezone Route 9 based on a proposal submitted by Mr. Vasques on August 10, 2005. The committee felt that whatever proposal the Board would come up with would not meet their needs which was, in their words, “to protect their neighborhood”. Consequently, the committee is planning to present a ballot item for March 2006 to rezone the Highway Business District along Route 9 from Liberty Farm Road to the Stoddard town line to Rural Conservation District.
Members revisited the matter of registering “As Built” plans. After some discussion, Mr. Burnside made a motion that “As Built” plans need not be registered. Mr. Edwards seconded the motion. Roll call vote: Mr. Rowehl – abstained, Mr. Edwards – nay, Mr. Snow – nay, Ms. Rabideau – nay, Mr. Haggett – aye. The motion was defeated and the vote to register “As Built” plans taken at the November 3rd meeting was upheld.
Members discussed the need to clearly define the policy adopted in July 2001 to survey entire tracts of land even though only a small portion of the land may be being subdivided. The consensus was that if a prior survey of the entire tract could be produced which provided metes and bounds in degrees and minutes, met all current subdivision requirements for surveys, and was acceptable to the surveyor preparing the current subdivision application, then it would not be necessary to survey the entire parcel. The Secretary was instructed to draft wording to this effect for presentation as a change to the Subdivision and Site Plan Review Regulations.
Members were reminded that elections where up in March 2006 and Messrs. Burnside and Bethel’s terms would expire. The Secretary suggested that thought should be given to possible candidates if either of the gentlemen decides not to run.
Mr. Haggett made a motion to adjourn which was seconded by Mr. Rowehl and passed. Mr. Burnside adjourned the meeting at 11:20 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Paul L. Vasques, Secretary
Antrim Planning Board
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