PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
September 07, 2011
Call to Order: 6:40 P.M.
Item One:
ROLL CALL: Present – Chairman; Tim Moore, Selectman Ex- Officio; Robert Gray, Charles Lanza, Joyce Ingerson and Vice Chairman; Steve Ranlett.
Also present was Town Planner; Leigh Komornick and Chief Building Official; Mike Dorman.
Item Two:
Minutes of August 17, 2011
R. Gray motioned to approve the minutes of August 07, 2011, second by C. Lanza.
There was no further discussion on the motion and the vote was 4-0-1; J. Ingerson abstained.
Item Three:
Minor Site Plan/Special Business Event for Dunkin Donuts at 74 Plaistow Road
Present for the application was Greg Noland, representing Plaistow Donuts, LLC and Bob Alberti, Director of Operations. G. Noland explained that they would be starting renovations on this location next week and should take four (4) weeks. He added that this is longer than a typical remodel that would normally take a week or so. In order to keep the site relevant, they are proposing to put a temporary food service truck on site by the Big Fish Company. G. Noland noted the following:
- It will be a full menu
- Limited donut selection
- The site typically does 60% to 70% drive-thru business
- They hope to keep the site relevant with the temporary truck
- If approved they would start this Monday (September 12th) through Friday (September 16th) opening for one week and then the site will close for three weeks after
- The back of the truck would face the rear of the Building
- They would leave twelve (12) parking spaces available
- The service area of the truck would face the parking
- The front of the site would be blocked off for the construction vehicles
- There would be on-site barriers to prevent customers from entering the construction area
S. Ranlett asked if they would be blocking the front entrance on Route 125 with jersey barriers
G. Noland replied yes and explained that on-site they would have wooden horses and on the jersey barriers they would have signs directing customers to access the site from East Street then onto Blossom.
S. Ranlett stated that they may want to check with the Fire Chief and DOT to make sure they are okay with having jersey barriers on Rt. 125.
G. Noland stated that they are open-minded to other suggestions from the Fire Chief and Dot.
R. Gray noted that the business is open late in the day by that on the application it states that it will be open from 5 to 12.
B. Alberti clarified that the hours of operation would be from 5am to 5pm.
R. Gray asked L. Komornick that the hours be changed on the application.
C. Lanza asked if this would be the same truck as they used up the road at another Dunkin Donuts.
B. Alberti answered yes. He clarified the hours of operation again and stated that they will have signs directing traffic to the entrance.
M. Dorman stated that he doesn’t think they need a permit for directional signs.
L. Komornick explained that the biggest difference between this location and the truck at the location up the street is that this location will not be a drive-thru but its customers will instead park and walk up to the counter.
B. Alberti added that they will be serving sandwiches from the truck and that his concern is that if they have a drive-thru the traffic will back up into the road which is a safety hazard. He explained that keeping it a walk up allows a customer to step off to the side while the order is prepared allowing other customers to be serviced.
S. Ranlett motioned to approve the minor site plan for five days to allow the trailer behind Dunkin Donuts, second by C. Lanza.
R. Gray stated that the application needs to be changed so the dates reflect that the trailer will only be open for the five days asked for.
T. Moore noted that they will check with the Fire and Police Departments to make sure they have no concerns.
L. Komornick added that they should also alert the neighboring businesses.
There was no further discussion and the vote was 5-0-0 U/A.
Item Four:
Lot Merger Form for Ron Brown
L. Komornick explained that this was the official legal merging of lots that R. Brown in order to carry out his site plan for elderly housing. She presented a site map to the Board and showed them the lots being merged which are the following:
- Tax Map 62 Lot 41 – 4 Tax Map 62 Lot 41 - 10
- Tax Map 62 Lot 41 – 5 Tax Map 62 Lot 41 - 11
- Tax Map 62 Lot 41 – 6 Tax Map 62 Lot 41 - 12
- Tax Map 62 Lot 41 – 7 Tax Map 62 Lot 41 - 13
- Tax Map 62 Lot 41 – 8 Tax Map 62 Lot 41 - 14
- Tax Map 62 Lot 41 – 9
L. Komornick showed the Board the five lots R. Brown is leaving on the plan.
R. Gray motioned to approve, second by S. Ranlett.
There was no further discussion on the motion and the vote was 5-0-0 U/A.
Item Five:
Update on Lot Merger by Hillcrest
L. Komornick explained that after discussions with the Attorney for Hillcrest Estates, even though at the last PB meeting they approved the lot merger, they will be coming in before the Board to have a discussion about the fact that some of the lots being merged have different mortgages; although they are through the same bank. She added that they (The Board) didn’t want to do this; combine lots that had separate mortgages and she explained why to the Board.
R. Gray asked if it would make sense for the Board to write in the ordinance that in order for a lot merger to take place the mortgages need to be from the same bank. He added that it would then be up to the applicant to meet those conditions first.
M. Dorman added that it is his opinion that the lot mergers be done before the PB gives sub-division approval.
There is more discussion on this issue and how they can fix it.
M. Dorman suggested it be a condition of approval
R. Gray stated that since it did not need to be decided tonight that he suggests the Board wait and speak with counsel before moving forward.
L. Komornick added that they (Hillcrest Estates) are aware that the PB is waiting for them to come in and straighten this issue out. She added that they cannot start construction yet without the Town’s permits and they need to condominiumize.
There is more discussion on the lot line merger. It is decided to get a legal opinion and have Hillcrest Estates representatives come in to work out the issue. It was suggested that the applicants pay for counsel’s opinion. The Board again discussed how they can fix this issue for future applicants.
S. Ranlett noted that since applicants cannot commence construction until they have the lot merger completed, the Board can keep doing things the way they have been and the applicants can’t build until they pay off one mortgage and come in and merge the lots.
L. Komornick said what they need to find out is if they can make it a requirement of site plan approval; if they can put it on the zoning.
S. Ranlett asked if the Board has any liability if they accept a lot merger and there are two banks.
L. Komornick replied no and explained why.
There is more discussion. The Board decided that they will keep doing things the way they have been.
L. Komornick stated that she wanted the Board to understand that she should not have had them approve the lot merger because it did not have attorney approval. She added that it was an over sight on her part.
Item Six:
Review of Project Status Spreadsheet
R. Gray asked L. Komornick if she had contacted Dave Hoyt.
She replied no. She stated that Rockingham Church was getting ready to pave and asked M. Dorman if they had paved yet.
M. Dorman answered that they may still get the money and pave before snow fall.
The Board agreed that they both need to give the Board a date as to when they will be completing their projects or ask for another extension or else lose their occupancy permits.
L. Komornick stated that she needed to contact PPW Realty. She added that although the extension expired; she thinks he sent her an e-mail. She will check into it.
It was noted that Rite Aid can come off the report and that Firestone be added onto it.
L. Komornick noted that they have a bond for Dave Hoyt and Rockingham Church, adding that they could pull the bond to pave. She said she was not sure if there was enough to pave.
S. Ranlett asked L. Komornick if she could add the bond and dollar amount to the Project Status Report and she replied yes.
R. Gray asked L. Komornick if she could contact these applicants by the end of the week and obtain their status. She answered yes.
Rockingham Church Event
L. Komornick explained that they had sent an e-mail regarding an event they would like to hold on October 15th. She added that the only comment received back from the department heads was from Chief McArdle asking who would be responsible for picking up all the flags. The Church responded that they would be responsible for it. She added that the Church stated that everyone attending the event will be parked on the property and will not spill out onto Newton Road.
R. Gray motioned to approve the special event at the Rockingham Church on October 15, 2011, second by S. Ranlett.
There was no further discussion and the vote was 5-0-0 U/A.
Item Seven:
CIP PowerPoint Presentation
The power point presentation was postponed for another meeting as it was not completed. The purpose of the presentation was to give the Board a draft to review over the next few weeks.
R, Gray asked L. Komornick to let him know when they are ready to be put onto the BOS agenda.
Item Eight:
Discussion about Plan NH Charrette
It was noted that the Charrette is scheduled for October 21st and 22nd.
T. Moore stated that as they want good representation from both Town Officials and the public, they should send out a save-the-date flyer and then every week update it with new information.
S. Ranlett suggested putting a notice on the Town’s cable channel.
L. Komornick added that it will be from 1:00pm Friday to 6:00pm Saturday.
R. Gray stated that he is not sure if Friday will be geared more towards Town Officials than the public.
The Board discussed the Charrette including the following:
- Alerting people to the date
- What the agenda might be
- Finding a accommodations for the PlanHN representatives if needed
- Having a pot luck meal as well as a back-up plan for a meal
- Where they will host the Charrette; It was decided Town Hall
- Where the funding for the Charrette and accommodations will come from
R. Gray asked if they could bring in the contact person for the next meeting to go over some of the questions the Board has.
L. Komornick said she would try.
R. Gray expressed that he had concern over who is in charge, what is going on and where the money is coming from. He added that it appears the money issue has been resolved and that L. Komornick is the point person. He stated his main concern is that Town Officials show up for the Charrette.
L. Komornick asked how they felt about having a sub-committee.
T. Moore replied that if they needed to they could.
L. Komornick said she would make up a list of what needs to be done.
Item Nine:
Other Business/Updates: Misc. Notices, letters, and other Correspondence from Dept. of Building Safety, Planning Department and ZBA
Newspaper Article on Water Study
L. Komornick stated that people were asking her about the article and she wanted to know what the grant was that they are receiving for the water study.
T. Moore replied that the only grant he knew about was the Rockingham Economic Development Corporation Grant (REDC). He added that they have asked for more information from the Town.
The Board discussed the article further.
There was no other business before the Planning Board; the meeting was adjourned at 7:45 P.M.
Respectfully submitted as recorded by Laurie Pagnottaro.
Approved by the Planning Board on ______________________________________
_______________________________________
Timothy E. Moore, Chairman
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