PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
June 1, 2011
Call to Order: 6:30 P.M.
Item One:
ROLL CALL: Present – Chairman; Tim Moore, Selectman Ex- Officio; Robert Gray, Charles Lanza, Vice Chairman; Steve Ranlett and Joyce Ingerson.
Also present was Town Planner; Leigh Komornick, Chief Building Official and Alternate; Mike Dorman and Intern; Kyle Cornell.
L. Komornick stated for the record that Kyle Cornell was present as an Intern for the Planning Board.
Item Two:
Minutes of May 18, 2011
R. Gray motioned to approve as written the minutes of May 18th, second by C. Lanza.
There was no discussion on the motion and the vote was 5-0-0 U/A.
Item Three:
John Boisvert, Pennichuck Water Works Re: Conditional Use Permit for a New Well at Twin ridge Estates
J. Boisvert was delayed in attending the meeting and the Board decided to revisit this item when he arrived.
Item Four:
Other Business/Updates: Misc. Notices, letters, and other Correspondence from Dept. of Building Safety, Planning Department and ZBA
Quazi Huts
S. Ranlett brought up the discussion on Quazi Huts the Board had at the last meeting. He wanted to clarify for the record and vote on supporting M. Dorman and what he agrees a structure is.
S. Ranlett motioned that Quazi Huts and temporary sheds/shelters need a building permit and need to meet all setbacks and requirements according to the zoning, second by J. Ingerson.
There was no discussion on the motion and the vote was 5-0-0 U/A.
Camp Wesley II
T. Moore referenced a letter the Board received from the owners of Camp Wesley regarding the progress of their project. The letter stated the work will be done in the next three months and asking the Board to extend the period for another three months.
The Board discussed the issue.
R. Gray motioned to extend the vesting period for Camp Wesley until August 31st, second by S. Ranlett.
C. Lanza asked if they only needed binder on pavement, saying she could do the building after she got the binder.
M. Dorman replied that they need to hook well, septic and parking. The Board discussed the issue further, noting that they are trying to get the financing to move forward with the project.
T. Moore suggested making the extension until December 1st.
R. Gray withdrew his motion and S. Ranlett withdrew his second.
R. Gray motioned to extend the vesting period for Camp Wesley until December 1, 2011, second by S. Ranlett.
There was no discussion on the motion and the vote was 5-0-0 U/A.
PPW Realty Trust
L. Komornick stated that they sent a letter to keep the Board informed of their status as well as to request an extension.
R. Gray asked how long he wants the extension for and was answered that it did not say in the letter. The Board decided to keep the December 1st date for them as well.
R. Gray motioned to extend the vesting period for PPW Realty Trust, 166 Plaistow Road, until December 1, 2011, second by C. Lanza
There was no discussion on the motion and the vote was 5-0-0 U/A.
Tootsie Roll Drive / Knights of Columbus
T. Moore noted that this was just an FYI, that the event will be June 3rd until June 5th.
M. Dorman added that they are looking for volunteers to hand out Tootsie Rolls.
T. Moore stated that if anyone was interested in volunteering to let the Board know and they will get you the contact information.
Item Three:
John Boisvert, Pennichuck Water Works Re: Conditional Use Permit for a New Well at Twin ridge Estates
Present for the application was John Boisvert, Chief Engineer Pennichuck Water works, Inc. He stated that they own the Twin Ridge Rolling Hill Community Water Systems and they serve 130 customers/systems. He referred to a letter he sent L. Komornick that outlines where they are, what they want to do, and talks about potentially receiving a conditional use permit. He added that they are on the cusp of not having enough water for those systems, the Twin Ridge Rolling Hills. He noted that they are a public utility company.
S. Ranlett asked if they were just looking for Twin Ridge and not Rolling Hill.
J. Boisvert answered both; they are interconnected and have been for a number of years.
S. Ranlett asked what he was referring to when he said Rolling Hill.
J. Boisvert responded that Rolling Hill is the subdivision south of Twin Ridge. He added that the systems have been combined for some time and originally there had been six operating wells, but now three are producing no water. They have seen a decrease in water yield out of these for some time and they need to restore some capacity. He added there are not a lot of options for them except for a location on the property that is in common land that they have easements to. It is where investigations have said they need to drill but it is located within the wetlands 25 foot buffer.
J. Ingerson asked if they could fracture the wells.
J. Boisvert replied that they have looked at that and they have redeveloped the wells and have seen water levels fall off over time. He added that it is a combination of several things but it is primarily that the wells are not seeing the recharge they originally did.
R. Gray asked of the six wells they had there, how much water in volume is being used outside of Plaistow.
J. Boiscert replied none; all the wells are servicing the 130 customers in Plaistow. He went on to explain that they have a lawn irrigation band there. The well yields give them about 28,000 to 29,000 gallons per day. It is about a 10,000 gallon difference between peak summer and the rest of the year, they are not wasting water there and if they have a leak they find it.
L. Komornick asked if it had anything to do with the number of bedrooms.
J. Boisvert said that if you take the number of bedrooms times 150 gallons per day, the septic requirements, they have been seeing something significantly lower than that with non-irrigation. He added that he would have to check the numbers. The typical three bedroom home, without any outside irrigation, they are seeing numbers of about 120 gallons/day. There was more discussion on the issue.
C. Lanza asked if they were meeting winter demands.
J. Boisvert replied that winter is fine; it is just the three summer months. There was more discussion on the issue of what is causing this downward trend.
R. Gray asked if the answer was to keep drilling deeper.
J. Boisvert said that water is typically found in this area in the first 400 to 500 feet. He said it is where the fractures are. They get tighter and tighter as they go deeper. He added that the wells out there now, he believes, are at about 600 to 700 feet range. The probability of getting more or better quality water is not good.
There is more discussion on the science behind drilling for water in various conditions.
L. Komornick stated that J. Boisvert came in to the Board to find out what the recourse is for trying to locate a well in the wetlands setback. Upon reading the Ordinance, there is a conditional use section. She asked T. Moore to give the Board a review of the conditional use.
T. Moore explained that there are several reasons for a conditional use permit, but the only one in their Ordinance pertains to the wetlands. It allows you to work in the wetlands as long as it is for the good of someplace not wetlands. The condo’s are here and they need water. He added that in the past they have used the conditional use permit in the construction of roads or the maintenance of ways to wells or pump houses.
C. Lanza asked for clarification that the proposed well was in the buffer and not the wetland.
J. Boisvert replied yes, about 20 paces to the nearest wetland flag. He said they would rather not move from the location that geo physics said was the location; they’ve done that before and not hit anything. He added that they have Promise Land Survey in contract right now and they will be doing a topographic soon, so they can get a clearer picture of what is down there.
L. Komornick said that as long as the Board concurs that this fits the criteria and J. Boisvert has everything ready. She added that Tim from Promise Land Survey will be notifying the abutters, it is a conditional use application.
T. Moore stated that the Conservation Commission meets tomorrow night and said they could take the information to them. They just need a written report form them about the conditional use permit. He added that they may not get the letter written before the next PB meeting, but could do a conditional approval based on the letter, knowing that paper work was being lined up or if there were major issues.
J. Boisvert said he could have a sketch ready if they needed it.
T. Moore asked if they had a site plan.
L. Komornick replied yes.
J. Boisvert showed that Board on the map where the area was located and there was some discussion.
L. Komornick said the plans would show the wetland mapping. She added she can give then to T. Moore for the meeting tomorrow.
R. Gray asked if the list in the packet J. Boisvert had given the Board of favorable zone properties, if they were properties they had easements for.
J. Boisvert replied no, they have nothing on them. He explained that they identified them within a mile radius to see which land areas area large enough and have favorable sand and gravel deposits or favorable bedrock conditions. He said some are Town owned parcels, and some may be under conservation easements. They never did any further research on those.
R. Gray asked C. Lanza to take back to the Water Subcommittee for Plaistow First the tax maps and lots J. Boisvert has identified on this list. He said if they have voted to recommend selling some of the parcels, he gave parcel 18-14 as an example; they may want to revisit those.
There was some discussion about parcel 18-14 as well as the water from the Beede waste site.
T. Moore asked if there was a consensus from the Board that a Conditional Use Permit would satisfy this.
R. Gray asked which letter it fell under (in the zoning ordinance 220-25. Conditional Uses) and was answered A 1 through 5, they would all need to be met.
C. Lanza stated that this is a public water system with people who need to be provided with water.
R. Gray questioned the wording “and other access ways”.
L. Komornick replied yes, it is an access way for water pipeline, utilities. She added that they could change the wording to say water.
It was decided that J. Boisvert did not need to attend the Conservation Commission meeting. He will PDF over the wetland scientist sketch for L. Komornick.
J. Boisvert stated that they have other systems in the area and if they are looking at water or regional issues to let them know; they would be more than willing participants in that discussion. He added that he is on the Publics Works Committee to establish water for Stratham. There was some further discussion about this.
S. Ranlett excused himself from the meeting at 7:20 pm.
Item Five:
Master Plan Update Workshop Session
The Board reviewed the Introduction and Overview, Vision Statement and the History sections of the Master Plan.
R. Gray and T. Moore discussed several revisions in these sections with the Board; L. Komornick and Kyle Cornell took notes of the suggested revisions.
The Board discussed the vision statement and the consensus was that the whole statement should be revised. They discussed what they would like the vision statement to include. L. Komornick and K. Cornell will rewrite the statement for review by the Board.
R. Gray suggested having a list of Elected Public Officials who have served the Town in the History section of the MP.
The Board discussed the declining growth of the Town and how their vision for the Town can affect the growth of the population; suggestions like less commercial jobs and more jobs such as medical office jobs.
T. Moore showed the Board a Review and Update History Form they can use for the MP to keep track of sections reviewed, when reviewed, and if they need updating. The Board discussed the form and revisions they will make to it.
For the next workshop there will be a revision of the Introduction and Vision sections of the MP.
L. Komornick asked the Board to utilize the time they have K. Cornell to update the community Facilities section of the MP. The Board will review the section and give their feedback before next Friday when K. Cornell’s internship ends.
R. Gray discussed pictures for the Communities Facility section and K. Cornell will go out and take pictures tomorrow. They discussed what pictures they wanted K. Cornell to take.
The Board discussed the Housing and Population sections.
T. Moore explained that he will separate Population from Housing, as Population is strictly data but the Housing section they want to get into types of housing and such. He went on to discuss some revisions he’d like to make with the Board based on 2010 census information, such as race and ethnicity.
The Board decided to keep 2008 data in the section and update when the 2010 census information is release, making a note that they will update when the information is released.
R. Gray noted they should include a goals and objectives section in each chapter.
L. Komornick suggested using the Public Forum information they received last year. She added that she asked Denise Horrack, Health Officer, to write up something about what her department does for the Community Facilities section.
T. Moore asked the Board to go through the Community Facilities and Population sections for the next workshop so they can get them ready for Public Hearing and get some information approved. He added that they can update as needed.
It was decided that the Board would continue to hold two meetings a month in order to continue working on the MP. They set a target date of early September for a Public Hearing for the MP.
T. Moore stated they can get public comments in August and hold a hearing in September.
There is no other business before the Planning Board; the meeting was adjourned at 8:30 P.M.
Respectfully submitted as recorded by Laurie Pagnottaro.
Approved by the Planning Board on ______________________________________
_______________________________________
Timothy E. Moore, Chairman
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