NEWTON PLANNING BOARD
MINUTES OF WORK SESSION
OCTOBER 25, 2011
1. Call to Order: Chairman Jim Doggett called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm.
In attendance were: Chairman Jim Doggett; Vice Chair Barbara White; Planning Board members Ann Miles, Frank Gibbs, and Kim Vaillant; Alternates Mary Allen, Sandra Estabrook, and Charles Melvin; BOS ex-officio Lawrence Foote; and Circuit Rider Planner Brian Groth. Minutes were transcribed by Administrative Assistant Rick Milner.
Doggett appointed Melvin to stand in for Miller.
2. Town of Newton, NH status update regarding Rowe's Corner road design improvement proposal.
Cliff Sinnott, Executive Director of the Rockingham Planning Commission, addressed the Board. Mr. Sinnott apologized to the Board for the miscommunication regarding the planned October meeting of the RPC's Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) at the Newton Town Hall. Mr. Sinnott explained the process for including the Rowe's Corner project on the MPO 20-year long range transportation plan. The MPO then coordinates with the NHDOT to include high priority projects in the region on the state's 10-year transportation improvement plan. Mr. Sinnott further explained that it is currently difficult to get new projects onto the state's 10-year plan because several larger projects (I-93 and unexpected bridge reconstructions) are using all of the available funds.
Mr. Sinnott suggested that the Rowe's Corner project best fit the following two programs:
- Highway safety improvement
- Transportation enhancement (TE)
Since funds for highway safety improvement were being cut substantially, an application for the TE program had a better chance for success. A 20% match in funds for the TE grant by the Town of Newton would strengthen the Rowe's Corner application and move the project up the priority list.
Melvin moved for the Planning Board to host the RPC meeting scheduled for January 2012. Second by Miles. Motion carried unanimously.
3. Town of Newton, NH review of structure and driveway reconfigurations at Sargent Woods condominium community.
Joshua Manning, Harold Morse, and Robert Levine of Lewis Builders were present.
White moved that Lewis Builders provide the Planning Board with an amended site plan for the structure and driveway reconfigurations at the Sargent Woods condominium community and follow the procedures for a minor site plan review. Second by Melvin.
Discussion of motion – Miles stated that the entire original approved site plan should be presented to the Board for review to ensure that the amended portions of the site plan take into consideration all issues noted in the original plan.
Doggett stated that the proposed procedure is not an option to re-open the original site plan and its conditions. The proposed procedure is a way to get the structure and driveway reconfigurations properly recorded for an accurate documentation of the Sargent Woods project.
Melvin stated that the original building locations and the proposed changes have been shown to the Board. A review of the original site plan is not necessary.
Vaillant stated that approvals for the amended site plan have been received from various town departments. There was no need to see any other information. She is ready to vote on the amended site plan and move forward with the Sargent Woods project.
Miles stated that the Board should ensure that the proposed amendments are legally documented and do not replace any other provisions of the original site plan.
Doggett noted that all Board members have had ample time to review the original approved site plan and supporting documents. All Board members have had the opportunity to review the documents on file in the Planning Board office. The appropriate time to review the original site plan documents is prior to a meeting, not during a meeting.
Motion carried 5-2 with Miles and Foote opposed.
Harold Morse addressed the Board. Mr. Morse stated Lewis Builders was willing to add notes on the recorded pages of the amended site plan that indicated all other aspects of the original approved site plan (such as road layouts, drainage, septic, water, utilities, grading, and landscaping) will be constructed in accordance with the original approved site plan.
Groth was released at 7:45 pm.
4. Other Board business.
a. Acceptance of minutes.
Gibbs moved to accept the minutes of the October 11 meeting. Second by White. Motion carried 6-0 with Melvin abstaining.
b. Manifests.
Doggett presented an operating budget manifest to the Board. The invoices reflected payment for office supplies and travel expenses.
Gibbs moved to pay the operating budget manifest in the amount of $99.77. Second by White. Motion carried 6-0 with Melvin abstaining.
Doggett presented a NPREA manifest to the Board. The invoices reflected payment for plan reviews by Town Engineer.
Gibbs moved to pay the NPREA manifest in the amount of $799.36. Second by Melvin. Motion carried unanimously.
c. Administrative Assistant review.
Doggett moved to enter non-public session under RSA 91-A:3, II (a) at 7:50 pm. Second by White. Roll Call Vote: Miles – aye; Foote – aye; Vaillant – aye; White – aye; Doggett – aye; Gibbs – aye; Melvin – aye. Vote: unanimous.
Melvin moved to come out of non-public session at 8:02 pm. Second by White. The motion carried unanimously. The minutes of the meeting will remain confidential until in the opinion of the majority of the members the circumstances no longer apply.
d. Correspondence.
Milner presented the calendar for adding warrant articles to the 2012 Town Meeting ballot to the Board.
Milner presented a letter from the Board of Selectmen asking if the Planning Board wished to participate in a website program which provides video archiving/streaming of board meetings.
Gibbs moved that the Planning Board is in favor of participating in the website agreement for video archiving/streaming of Town meetings presented by the Board of Selectmen. Second by White. Motion failed 2-4 with Vaillant and Foote in favor; Doggett, White, Miles, and Gibbs opposed; and Melvin abstaining.
5. Adjourn: The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
Rick Milner
Administrative Assistant
Newton Planning Board
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