NEWTON PLANNING BOARD
MINUTES OF PUBLIC MEETING
AUGUST 14, 2012
1. Call to Order: Chairman Barbara White called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. In attendance were: Chairman Barbara White; Vice Chairman Jim Doggett; Planning Board members Frank Gibbs and Robert Miller; Alternates Mary Allen and Jim Holland; BOS ex-officio Charles Melvin. Minutes were transcribed by Administrative Assistant Rick Milner.
Circuit Rider Planner Brian Groth was excused.
White appointed Allen to stand in for Miles.
White appointed Holland to stand in for Blanchette.
2. Town of Newton, NH review of construction progress for Building #1 on Lot 27-4 of the Puzzle Lane commercial subdivision project.
a. Requirements needed to approve certificate of occupancy.
b. Financial guarantee required for uncompleted portions of Building #1 site.
Coleman McDonough was present to represent 125 Development NH Corp.
Mr. McDonough stated that he had a conversation with the Town Engineer to review the uncompleted construction for Building #1 on Lot 27-4. Mr. McDonough referenced the Town Engineer’s August 9, 2012 memo which listed the uncompleted work and a financial guarantee recommendation for some of the uncompleted items (finished paving, striping finished paving and final site stabilization/seeding for Building #1; erosion control for Building #2).
Mr. McDonough stated that he had no problems with providing the financial guarantee in the amount of $12,494.00 for the uncompleted work on Building #1. However, he did not understand why an erosion control guarantee was needed for Building #2.
Mr. McDonough stated that he was asking the Board to:
a. approve a certificate of occupancy for Building #1,
b. approve the $12,494.00 financial guarantee for uncompleted work on Building #1 and waive the financial guarantee requirement for Building #2,
c. authorize the Chairman to sign the certificate of occupancy for Building #1.
Milner reviewed the following items from the Town Engineer’s August 9, 2012 memo concerning uncompleted construction at Building #1.
a. Secure construction site for Building #2 for the safety of occupants and visitors to Building #1. The Board came to a consensus without objection that construction fencing be added to secure Building #2 site prior to approval for Building #1 certificate of occupancy. Mr. McDonough agreed to add the construction fencing.
b. Dumpster enclosure needs to be completed. Mr. McDonough stated that the dumpster enclosure was completed.
c. Temporary paved ramps connecting the parking lot to the wheelchair ramp need to be installed. Mr. McDonough stated that the temporary paved ramp was completed
d. Stop signs and handicapped parking space signs need to be installed. The Board came to a consensus without objection that the stop signs and the handicapped parking space signs be installed prior to approval for Building #1 certificate of occupancy. Mr. McDonough agreed to install the signs.
e. Final surface course of paving has not been installed. Some areas of the site are not stabilized. The Board came to a unanimous consensus without objection to allow that a financial guarantee be established for these items until such time that they are completed.
Doggett moved that, prior to Planning Board approval for Lot 27-4 Building #1 certificate of occupancy, a financial guarantee in the amount of $12,494.00 is in place for uncompleted work (finished paving, striping finished paving and final site stabilization/seeding); and the Planning Board receives notification from the Town Engineer that all other items in the August 9, 2012 memo are completed. Once the financial guarantee is in place and the Board receives notification that all other items are completed, the Planning Board authorizes the Chairman to sign the certificate of occupancy for Building #1 on Lot 27-4. Second by Melvin. Motion carried unanimously.
Milner asked the Board to consider the erosion control financial guarantee for Building #2 recommended in the Town Engineer’s August 9, 2012 memo.
Mr. McDonough stated that the erosion control guarantee was not necessary due to the fact that Building #2 would be built immediately upon completion of Building #1.
Allen asked when majority of construction for Building #2 would be completed.
Mr. McDonough responded that, barring weather delays, the majority of outside construction would be completed within 60 days.
Allen moved that the Planning Board hold consideration of the erosion control financial guarantee for Lot 27-4 Building #2 for 60 days, at which time the Board will review the progress of construction for Building #2. Second by Doggett. Motion carried unanimously.
3. Other Board business.
a. Sargent Woods erosion control update.
Milner informed the Board of the Town Engineer’s memo stating that Lewis Builders has reclaimed a significant amount of disturbed land at the Sargent Woods condominium community building site. Currently, the total existing unstabilized area is 4.44 acres. This is below the 5 acre limit stated in the erosion control financial guarantee for the site.
Holland stated for the record that he is a resident of the Sargent Woods community.
b. Katherine Drive NPREA account.
Milner informed the Board that:
- Katherine Drive has been accepted as a town road,
- all invoices have been paid, and
- all documents have been received.
Milner asked the Board for permission to close the NPREA account for the Katherine Drive project and return any unused funds.
Doggett moved to close the NPREA account for the Katherine Drive project and return the existing balance of $101.90 to the developer. Second by Melvin. Motion carried unanimously.
c. Acceptance of minutes.
Allen moved to accept the minutes of the July 24 meeting. Second by Melvin. Motion carried unanimously.
d. Manifests.
White presented an operating budget manifest to the Board. The invoice reflected payment for Planning Board office copier and accessories approved at the previous meeting.
Doggett moved to pay the operating budget manifest in the amount of $4478.00. Second by Gibbs. Motion carried unanimously.
White presented a second operating budget manifest to the Board. The invoices reflected payment for telephone bills.
Doggett moved to pay the operating budget manifest in the amount of $111.03. Second by Gibbs. Motion carried unanimously.
e. Correspondence.
Milner notified the Board that he attended the site walk at the South Hampton Lonegoose Road subdivision project. Milner explained that he stated the Town of Newton’s desire to have financial guarantees put in place for any Newton town roads on which trucking of materials from the subdivision project will occur.
Milner notified the Board that the Planning Board meeting scheduled for September 11 conflicted with the state primary elections to be held the same day. The Board came to a consensus without objection to review the matter at its next meeting to decide if the September 11 meeting needed to be rescheduled, cancelled, or moved to another location.
4. Adjourn: The meeting was adjourned at 7:43 pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
Rick Milner
Administrative Assistant
Newton Planning Board
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