NEWTON PLANNING BOARD
MINUTES OF PUBLIC HEARING AND WORK SESSION
MAY 22, 2012
1. Call to Order: Chairman Barbara White called the meeting to order at 7:08 pm. In attendance were: Chairman Barbara White; Vice Chairman Jim Doggett; Planning Board members Frank Gibbs, Ann Miles, and Robert Miller; Alternates Sandra Estabrook and Jim Holland; BOS ex-officio Charles Melvin; and Circuit Rider Planner Brian Groth. Minutes were transcribed by Administrative Assistant Rick Milner.
White welcomed newly appointed alternate Board member Jim Holland.
White appointed Estabrook to stand in for Blanchette.
2. Town of Newton, NH public hearing to consider revisions to:
a. Town of Newton subdivision and site plan regulations regarding maintenance bonds
b. Planning Board policies and procedures manual regarding roadway acceptance procedure
White opened the public hearing.
Milner presented the revised language for Section 9.3 - Maintenance Bond of the subdivision and site plan regulations. The current language states that the Town requires a maintenance guarantee for public roads and other public improvements for a period of two (2) years from the date of 'completion.' The revised language states that the maintenance guarantee would be required for a period of two (2) years from the date of 'acceptance as a town-maintained road.'
Milner noted the circuit rider planner's comments from previous meetings that the revision was a means to clarify the actual intent of the regulation and maintain consistency with other sections of the regulations. Milner presented letters from the Town Engineer, Town Counsel, Town Administrator, and Town Road Agent approving the revision.
White asked for public comment. No comments were made.
Miller moved to accept the revised language for Section 9.3 – Maintenance Bond of the subdivision and site plan regulations as presented to the Board. Second by Melvin.
Discussion of motion – Miles stated that the Board should have a clear understanding of when a project starts and finishes. There are many other procedures regarding construction operations that need to be reviewed. White suggested that Board members should coordinate with the Planning Board office on specific proposals to be added to the agenda for discussion.
Motion carried 6-1 with Miles opposed.
White presented the revised language for the roadway acceptance procedure. White noted that the revisions had been reviewed and accepted by the Town Engineer, Town Counsel, Town Administrator, and Town Road Agent.
White asked for public comment. No comments were made.
Doggett moved to accept the revised language for the roadway acceptance procedure as presented to the Board. Second by Melvin. Motion carried unanimously.
White closed the public hearing.
3. Town of Newton, NH Circuit Rider Planner presentation regarding municipal costs and benefits by land use type.
Groth made a presentation to the Board. The objective of the presentation was to give the Board a better understanding of the following:
a. costs and benefits to the municipality of certain land use types and
b. the value and limitations of fiscal analysis to evaluate potential land use.
The following points were made during the presentation:
a. Fiscal impact analysis is achieved by determining the municipal costs resulting from a certain type of development and subtracting the tax revenue generated by that development.
b. Open space has a small, but positive fiscal impact.
c. Residential development usually has a negative fiscal impact.
d. Commercial/industrial development usually has a positive fiscal impact.
e. Office parks usually have the best fiscal impact; while inexpensive homes or buildings with large apartments (3+ bedrooms) usually have the worst fiscal impact.
f. Fiscal impact analysis is a helpful tool, but is only one of several considerations in determining the advantages or disadvantages of a certain type of development. Fiscal impact analysis works best when the number of variables is minimized. Specifics are needed.
4. Other Board business.
a. Review of available grant funds and proposed uses.
Groth presented information regarding a grant available from the NH Housing Finance Authority Sustainable Communities Initiative. He proposed using the grant to develop digital mapping for the Town of Newton.
Doggett moved for the Board to authorize the circuit rider planner to prepare the materials needed for the sustainable communities grant application and recommend that the grant be used to develop digital mapping for the Town of Newton. Second by Melvin.
Discussion of motion – Miles asked if this vote committed the Board to the requirements of this particular grant. More specifics were needed before the Board committed to this process. White explained that the Board was not committed at this point. The vote only authorized preparation of the documents that would detail the specifics.
Motion carried unanimously.
b. Acceptance of minutes.
Milner presented a request from Groth that his disclosure that he performed some work for Chinburg Builders in the past be added to the minutes for the April 24, 2012 meeting. The addition to the minutes is as follows:
"Groth disclosed to the Board that he had done approximately 20 hours of freelance work last year for Eric Chinburg. Groth does not currently work for Mr. Chinburg. Groth stated that, since his review of a project is technical in nature, his position as circuit rider planner presents no legal conflict with any proceedings Mr. Chinburg may have with the Board.
White asked if any Board member objected to Groth continuing in his position during any Board proceedings with Mr. Chinburg. No objections were raised."
Doggett moved to accept the minutes of the April 24 meeting as amended. Second by Melvin. Motion carried unanimously.
c. Manifests.
White presented an operating budget manifest to the Board. The invoices reflected payment of telephone bill.
Doggett moved to pay the operating budget manifest in the amount of $113.49. Second by Gibbs. Motion carried unanimously.
White presented a NPREA manifest to the Board. The invoices reflected payment to the Town Engineer for site visits and reports connected to the Sargent Woods and Puzzle Lane projects.
Doggett moved to pay the NPREA manifest in the amount of $1599.80. Second by Melvin. Motion carried unanimously.
d. Correspondence.
Milner informed the Board about recent inquiries to the Planning Board office concerning the following subjects:
i) Cluster development ordinance for proposed project off of North Main Street abutting Kerry Drive.
ii) Several inquiries from residents concerning details of proposed cluster development on Thornell Road.
iii) Todd Fitzgerald informed the Planning Board office that he has filed intent to cut documents for properties off of South Main Street and Zena Lane. He may also begin road construction work soon on Zena Lane. Mr. Fitzgerald was informed by the Planning Board office that he would need to meet with the Planning Board prior to road construction work to establish a NPREA account and performance guarantee for road construction. Mr. Fitzgerald also informed the Board that he may seek approvals for proposed use of property at 64A North Main Street in the near future.
No objections were raised by Board members to the intent to cut documents filed by Mr. Fitzgerald.
iv) Milner presented information regarding the recent affordable housing workshop and the upcoming RPC annual meeting.
v) Based on recent inquiries from Board members, the Town Assessor is developing a memo on the tax implications associated with a cluster development.
vi) Milner presented information from the Town's computer technician regarding upgrades to the aging computer and color printer systems.
Miller suggested that upgrading the operating system of an older computer may not be cost effective in the long term. He suggested comparing the cost for a new computer with an up-to-date operating system to upgrading the old computer.
Miles suggested that the Board should also examine maintaining digitized copies of plans, instead of cumbersome paper copies.
The Board came to a consensus without objection for the administrative assistant to create an analysis comparing the cost of a new computer system to upgrading the old computer.
5. Adjourn: The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
Rick Milner
Administrative Assistant
Newton Planning Board
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