NEWTON PLANNING BOARD
MINUTES OF WORK SESSION
APRIL 28, 2015
1. Call to Order: Chairman Roger Hamel called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. In attendance were: Chairman Roger Hamel; Vice Chairman Jim Doggett; Planning Board members Barbara White and Sandra Estabrook; and Alternates Mary Allen and Jim Holland. Circuit Rider Planner Jennifer Rowden was excused from the meeting. Minutes were transcribed by Administrative Assistant Rick Milner.
Hamel appointed Allen to stand in for Gabriel.
Hamel appointed Holland to stand in for Miller.
2. Town of Newton, NH review of conditional approval for Lot 27-4 Phase II construction site plan at the Southern New Hampshire Industrial Park commercial subdivision located on Puzzle Lane. The property is referenced as Tax Map 14, Block 1, Lot 27-4.
Hamel and Holland stepped down from the Board.
Coleman McDonough, President of 125 Development NH Corp, the applicant, was present. Attorney Christos Valhouli was present to represent the applicant.
Mr. Valhouli addressed the Board. Mr. Valhouli presented the following documents to the Board:
a. letter of credit signed by the applicant securing the performance guarantee required by the conditional approval for the Lot 27-4 Phase II project
b. letter signed by the applicant requesting the termination of the letter of credit securing the performance guarantee for the excavation plan connected to
Lot 27-4
c. letter signed by the applicant abandoning any rights and permissions connected to the earth excavation permit and associated excavation plan for Lot 27-4 upon final approval of the Lot 27-4 Phase II site plan.
White moved that the Planning Board accepts the letter of credit in the amount of $132,080.40 as a performance guarantee for the Lot 27-4 Phase II project and satisfies the condition noted in the conditional approval for the Lot 27-4 Phase II site plan. Second by Allen. Motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Valhouli requested that the previous letter of credit in the amount of $79,136.00 connected to the excavation plan be terminated.
Doggett suggested that the letter of credit for the performance guarantee connected to the excavation plan be retained until such time as the Lot 27-4 Phase II site plan receives final approval and is recorded.
Allen agreed with Doggett’s suggestion that the excavation plan performance guarantee be retained until the Lot 27-4 Phase II site plan is recorded.
The Board came to a consensus without objection to revisit the termination of the excavation plan performance guarantee once the Lot 27-4 Phase II site plan is recorded.
White moved that the Planning Board authorize the Chairman or Vice Chairman to sign the mylar sheets for the Lot 27-4 Phase II site plan upon the satisfaction of all conditions listed in the conditional approval. Second by Estabrook. Motion carried unanimously.
3. Other Board business.
a. Review of Lot 27-3 Phase II performance guarantee estimates.
Doggett presented the performance guarantee estimates prepared by the Town Engineer as required by the notice of decision granting conditional approval for the Lot 27-3 Phase II amended site plan.
White moved that the Planning Board approve the performance guarantee estimate in the amount of $63,862.80 for grading and roadway improvements associated with Puzzle Lane and the access roadway for Lot 27-3 Phase I and Lot 27-3 Phase II site plans. Second by Estabrook. Motion carried unanimously.
White moved that the Planning Board approve the performance guarantee estimate in the amount of $28,044.00 for completion of site work associated with the Lot 27-3 Phase I project. Second by Estabrook. Motion carried unanimously.
White moved that the Planning Board approve the performance guarantee estimate in the amount of $29,412.00 for completion of site work associated with the Lot 27-3 Phase II project. Second by Estabrook. Motion carried unanimously.
White moved that the Planning Board approve the performance guarantee estimate in the amount of $6,840.00 for the completion of landscaping, including planting of trees and shrubbery, connected to the Lot 27-3 Phase II project. Second by Allen. Motion carried unanimously.
White moved that the Planning Board approve the performance guarantee estimate in the amount of $6,840.00 for the future restoration of damaged or dead trees and shrubbery on the Lot 27-3 Phase II site. Second by Estabrook. Motion carried unanimously.
Doggett informed the applicant that pine trees were planted on the Lot 27-3 Phase II site. The amended site plan called for spruce and hemlock trees to be planted. Doggett stated that the planting of the trees cannot be deemed complete until the correct types of trees shown on the amended site plan are planted.
Doggett informed the applicant that the NPREA account for the Lot 27-3 Phase II project was at a negative balance of $2,224.23.
White moved that the applicant deposit $3,224.23 into the NPREA account for the Lot 27-3 Phase II project to bring the account to an adequate positive balance. Second by Allen. Motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Valhouli stated that the Planning Board’s efforts in recent weeks to move the process forward in a timely manner were appreciated.
Hamel and Holland returned to the Board.
b. Acceptance of minutes.
Doggett moved to accept the minutes of the April 14 meeting. Second by White. Motion carried unanimously.
c. Manifests.
Hamel presented an operating budget manifest to the Board. The invoices reflected payment for member training, phone bill, and legal consultation.
Doggett moved to pay the operating budget manifest in the amount of $1,755.61. Second by White. Motion carried unanimously.
Hamel presented a NPREA manifest to the Board. The invoices reflected payment to the Town Engineer for plan review and construction observation and Town Counsel for legal review.
Doggett moved to pay the NPREA manifest in the amount of $3,395.85. Second by White. Motion carried unanimously.
d. Correspondence.
Hamel presented a summary of information from the local officials’ workshop that he attended. Issues discussed at the workshop covered the right to know law, ethics, and town government primary responsibilities.
4. Adjourn: The meeting was adjourned at 7:58 pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
Rick Milner
Administrative Assistant
Newton Planning Board
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