NEWTON PLANNING BOARD
MINUTES OF PUBLIC HEARING AND WORK SESSION
MAY 28, 2013
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 Michael Blanchette; Alternate Roger Hamel; BOS ex-officio Charles Melvin; and Circuit Rider Planner Jennifer Rowden. Minutes were transcribed by Administrative Assistant Rick Milner.
White appointed Hamel to stand in for Miller.
2. Steven F. Sforza of Newton, NH requests a public hearing to obtain a conditional use permit for a home based business (firearms training office activities only) at 2 George’s Way. The property is referenced as Tax Map 7, Block 3, Lot 14-4.
White opened the public hearing.
Steven Sforza addressed the Board. Mr. Sforza stated that he is a former member of the military and currently works as a police officer. He is the firearms training officer and firearms licensing official for Salisbury, MA. He currently operates a firearms training business which primarily trains police officers. He wishes to expand the business to include firearms safety and training for civilians.
Mr. Sforza stated that, as part of his application to obtain a federal firearms license for his business registered with the State of NH, he needs to obtain approval from the Town of Newton. Business activities at the 2 George’s Way location will include office work only (computer work, filing, record keeping, paperwork, etc.). There will be no sales of firearms or firearms training at the 2 George’s Way location. There will be no customers coming to his home.
Melvin asked for confirmation that no sale of firearms will occur at the 2 George’s Way location.
Mr. Sforza confirmed that only record keeping and administrative duties will occur at his home.
Milner stated that the Board’s approval should include restrictions noting that only office activities will occur at this location.
Melvin stated that, if any changes in the nature of the business activities occur, then the applicant must return to the Board and obtain approval for those changes.
Doggett asked if any signage will be erected at the location.
Mr. Sforza stated that no signs will be erected.
Doggett moved that the Planning Board issue a conditional use permit for a home based business to Steven Sforza at 2 George’s Way with the following conditions:
- No sales of firearms will be allowed at this location.
- No signage for the business will be erected at this location.
- Home office activities only will be allowed at this location.
- The conditional use permit expires upon transfer of ownership of this property.
Second by Melvin. Motion carried unanimously.
White closed the public hearing.
3. Town of Newton, NH review of performance guarantee and pre-construction requirements for Phase 3B of Sargent Woods condominium development.
Hamel stepped down from the Board.
Joshua Manning of Lewis Builders Development, Inc. addressed the Board. Mr. Manning stated that Lewis Builders was prepared to begin construction of Phase 3B of the Sargent Woods condominium development. The Town Engineer has provided a letter which details the performance guarantee required prior to construction and the area which may be developed.
Doggett moved that the Planning Board approve the performance guarantee recommendation of $39,508.00. Second by Gibbs. Motion carried unanimously.
Hamel returned to the Board.
4. Other Board business.
a. Acceptance of minutes.
Doggett moved to accept the minutes of the May 14 meeting. Second by Hamel. Motion carried unanimously.
b. Manifests.
White presented an operating budget manifest to the Board. The invoice reflected payment of telephone bill.
Doggett moved to pay the operating budget manifest in the amount of $55.16. Second by Gibbs. Motion carried unanimously.
White presented a NPREA manifest to the Board. The invoice reflected payment to the Town Engineer for technical review of the Kinsley Corner development.
Doggett moved to pay the NPREA manifest in the amount of $709.40. Second by Gibbs. Motion carried unanimously.
Milner informed the Board that the Kinsley Corner NPREA account was at a low balance.
The Board came to a unanimous consensus to request that the NPREA account for the Kinsley Corner project be brought to a balance of $1000.00.
Milner informed the Board that there were not sufficient funds in the NPREA account for the Lot 27-4 Puzzle Lane project to pay for an invoice from the Town Engineer totaling $1829.70 for site visits and technical review of construction.
Doggett moved that the developer for the Lot 27-4 Phase I construction at Puzzle Lane pay the entire amount of $1829.70 stated in the Town Engineer’s invoice to the NPREA account and maintain a $1000.00 balance in the account. Second by Melvin. Motion carried unanimously.
c. Correspondence.
Rowden informed the Board that, due to the low number of applications submitted to the Board, there was extra time available covered by the circuit rider contract to work on other projects. She suggested that the Board use the available hours to work on revisions and updates to the Town of Newton Master Plan. She asked the Board for guidance on which chapters of the Master Plan were most in need of revision.
Milner suggested that chapter 3 – community profile, chapter 5 – existing land use, and chapter 6 – housing would be good chapters of the Master Plan to update.
Blanchette moved that the Planning Board authorize the RPC circuit rider planner begin work on revising Chapters 3, 5, and 6 of the Town of Newton Master Plan and updating any statistics within the Master Plan that could be updated with reasonable effort. Second by Hamel. Motion carried unanimously.
Melvin informed the Board of a meeting that the Board of Selectmen had with NH State Senator Nancy Stiles. Senator Stiles asked the Selectmen if there was anything that she could do to help the Town of Newton. Melvin stated that traffic safety improvements to the Rowe’s Corner intersection along State of NH Route 108 were needed. He mentioned that the Planning Board had submitted an improvement plan for consideration to the state’s ten year transportation improvement plan. However, the plan was not accepted.
Melvin further explained that a meeting with Senator Stiles and State of NH Department of Transportation officials occurred a few weeks later at the Rowe’s Corner intersection. The result of the meeting was a preliminary commitment to move forward with traffic safety improvements to the intersection.
5. Adjourn: The meeting was adjourned at 7:46 pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
Rick Milner
Administrative Assistant
Newton Planning Board
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