NOTTINGHAM PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
FEBRUARY 22, 2006
PUBLIC SESSION
NOT FINAL UNTIL APPROVED BY THE BOARD
PRESENT: ABSENT:
Mr. Dave Smith, Chair Mr. Jon Caron
Ms. Mary Bonser, Selectmen's Representative Mr. Bill Booth
Mr. Peter Gylfphe Mr. Scott Curry
Ms. Sandra Jones
OTHERS PRESENT:
Ms. Kelly Tivnan, Planning Board Secretary
Mr. Skip Seaverns
The Chair called the meeting to order at 7:00pm.
MINUTES:
Ms. Bonser made a motion that the Planning Board approve the minutes from the meeting of February 15, 2006. Mr. Gylfphe seconded the motion. The present members of the Planning Board voted unanimously in favor of the motion. The motion passed 4-0.
DISCUSSION OF CISTERNS:
Mr. Gylfphe said that there should be cisterns in major subdivisions and there should be fire protection for minor subdivisions. Ms. Bonser said that the Planning Board should talk to the Fire Department about this. Mr. Smith suggested that the Planning Board could work on an ordinance regarding fire protection and they could submit it to the Fire Department for their opinion. Ms. Jones asked whether sprinklers would work if the electricity went out. Mr. Gylfphe said yes. Ms. Jones said that sprinklers were for life safety not protection of property. Mr. Gylfphe said that some property could be saved by sprinklers. He said that it would depend on the size of the property but he said that many lives were saved by the use of sprinklers. Ms. Bonser asked what would happen if the pipes froze.
She said that she was concerned about people's houses being flooded while they were not there. Mr. Seaverns said that sprinklers were only designed to buy time for people to get out of their house in the case of a fire. Mr. Gylfphe said that the word "major" should be added to the current cistern regulations.
Mr. Gylfphe made a motion that the regulations state that "minor subdivisions may need alternative fire protection as recommended by the Fire Chief. Ms. Jones seconded that motion.
Mr. Smith said that they should change the current numbering system and add a #3 with an "a" and a "b" and call it Fire Protection. He said that the Planning Board would still end up having to give cistern waivers for subdivisions of 7 or 10 lots. He said that he would suggest that all subdivisions with internal roads would require cisterns and with the other subdivisions the Planning Board should go with the recommendation of the Fire Chief. Mr. Seaverns said that he thought the Planning Board should always ask the Fire Chief. Mr. Gylfphe said that he would like to see the map the Planning Board had done 20 years ago about how the town would grow. Mr. Smith said that he thought using internal roads would be the most fair way to do this. Mr. Seaverns said that each new subdivision plan
should address fire protection by way of a recommendation letter from the Nottingham Fire Chief. He said that as a minimum all subdivisions which required new streets should have cisterns. He said that it was likely sprinklers would become a part of the building code in the future. Ms. Bonser said that she wwas concerned about the expenses for people buying homes if developers were asked to put in both cisterns and sprinklers. She said that she would ask that the Planning Board revisit this issue if sprinklers became a mandatory part of the building code. Mr. Seaverns said that he would agree if there were no forests in Nottingham. Ms. Bonser said that the rules the Planning Board made really did affect people and she said that she was concerned about people who were being priced out of homes by the regulations. Mr. Seaverns said that he did not think people who were seriously worried about expenses such as sprinklers were buying houses in
Nottingham. Ms. Bonser disagreed. Mr. Gylfphe noted that it cost less for developers to build larger homes.
Ms. Bonser made a motion that the Planning Board accept the proposed changes to the cistern ordinance.
Mr. Smith said that there should be 2 classifications of major subdivisions. He said that there should be major subdivisions that had 4 or more lots and really major subdivisions that would have internal roads. Mr. Gylfphe said that after those changes the Planning Board could look at cluster subdivisions. Mr. Smith said that smaller subdivisions without internal roads should fit in the category with minor subdivisions.
Mr. Smith made the following suggestion for the proposed cistern ordinance:
3. Fire Protection
Each subdivision plan shall address fire protection by way of a recommendation letter from the Nottingham Fire Chief.
a. Major subdivisions with internal roads- Cisterns or access by way of standpipe to an adequate year round water supply shall be provided and shall be located no more than 2000 feet of travel distance from any residence.
b. Minor and major subdivisions without internal roads- A cistern or alternative fire protection will be required as per the Nottingham Fire Chief recommendation.
Ms. Bonser made a motion that Mr. Smith's suggested ordinance be sent to the Fire Chief for review. Ms. Jones seconded the motion. The present members of the Planning Board voted unanimously in favor of the motion. The motion passed 4-0.
PERFORMANCE BONDS AND GUARANTIES:
Mr. Gylfphe talked about the differences between performance bonds and performance guaranties. Mr. Seaverns said that letters of credit were good because they did not involve a sum of money. Mr. Smith noted in the regulations where performance bonds and performance guaranties were mentioned. Mr. Seaverns said that any place the Board was looking for performance guaranties would be in the site plan regulations.
Ms. Bonser said that the Planning Board was going to have to start interviewing Planners soon. She said that they needed to find someone who was a good match.
Ms. Jones said that the Subdivision regulations and the Site Plan regulations needed to have much of the same information because people did not always look at both sets of regulations. Mr. Seaverns said that the Planning Board should specify what was a satisfactory bond for a performance guaranty.
Mr. Smith said that the Planning Board needed to do some new application forms. Mr. Seaverns said that the Planning Board should look at their procedure and process.
Mr. Smith read out loud the letter from the Neighborhood Guardians requesting information on the Memorandum of Understanding between the Planning Board and USA Springs.
Mr. Gylfphe made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:00pm. Ms. Bonser seconded the motion. The present members of the Planning Board voted unanimously in favor of the motion. The motion passed 4-0.
Respectfully submitted,
Kelly Tivnan
Planning Board Secretary
| 
