TOWN OF SUNAPEE
PLANNING BOARD MEETING
July 16, 2009
7:00 PM
Present: Peggy Chalmers, Chairman; Bruce Jennings; Daniel Schneider; Peter White; Derek Tatlock, Alternate; Philip Porter, Alternate; Michael Marquise, Town Planner.
Also present: Marc Reed; Les Dunnells; Marie Murray; Raymond Touchette; Terry Fletcher; Dana Fletcher; Philip Johnson; Clayton Platt.
Absent: Robert Stanley; Allan Davis; Nick Kontoes, Alternate.
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 by Chairman Chalmers.
Line 6, spell Allan correctly; Line 41, add last names of Rachel (Ruppel) and Peter (Dzewaltski), they were from Upper Valley/Lake Sunapee planning commission; Van was on the agenda, not Upper Valley/Lake Sunapee planning commission; Line 47, take out “with” after “planning board”; Line 66, change to Lake Sunapee Protective Association; Line 67, change the word “agencies” to “organizations”. Line 79 & 80, remove “in a quick and timely manner”. Line 140, change “provided” to “identified”. Line 205, insert “lot” after odd shaped. Line 211, add Richer. Line 208, remove apostrophe in “suits”. Line 236, remove apostrophe in “its”. Line 274, the waiver mentioned is a historical
development waiver and change to “shore land protection”. Line 276, add “into” after “check”. Line 282, change to “with Jeff Taylor’s proposal for a town central plan”.
Bruce Jennings made a motion to accept the minutes as amended, seconded by Peter White. Daniel Schneider abstained. The motion passed unanimously.
Philip Porter and Derek Tatlock, alternates, will serve as voting members.
Michael spoke to Jeff Taylor regarding his schedule for meeting to discuss the master plan. He will deliver a draft on August 6 and will come back in September to finalize plans.
Peter White inquired as to board members receiving information about the cases prior to the meetings. Michael said board members used to receive information in advance and will look into that being reinstated.
7:18 – MAP 131 LOT 30. Marc Reed, 97 Lower Main Street. Site plan review, professional office space.
All application requirements were fulfilled in accordance with Article 5 of the site plan review regulations: application was filed 3 weeks in advance, abutters notified, fees were paid, notices were posted. A few items were omitted and could be waived: full perimeter boundary survey, signature block, a landscaping plan, drainage calculations, information on hazardous or toxic waste storage. Subject to those items being addressed by the board, the application is complete.
Bruce Jennings inquired if there was information on record as to what the use of the building was previously. Michael said it was not a statement of property usage, but looked at as a new use. Reed stated that there was no boundary survey done because the building was reconstructed in the original footprint and there is no boundary dispute. Peter White asked about drainage. Michael said drainage is moot as the use does not alter it.
Reed stated he would like to rent the lower level as a plumbing office. His tenant, Les Dunnells, would use four of the six parking spaces on site: one for himself, one for his employee and two for customers. The remaining two spaces are reserved for the tenants who rent the apartment above. Dunnells would like to hang a 10’x30” exterior sign. His business operates five days a week from 8-5. He will use existing lighting.
White inquired about reconfiguring the parking to add landscaping. Jennings thought there is too little space to do much landscaping and it would be difficult to get any greenery to survive. Michael asked if changing the existing parallel parking to straight in or diagonal parking would increase the chance of a safety issue. Dunnells said the lot is difficult to plow as it is during the winter. Reed said the water flow coming down North Road and into the building is problematic, particularly if asphalt is torn up. Marie Murray, 87 Lower Main Street, would be for any landscaping that could be added.
Jennings said he felt like it would be penalizing the applicant for using the building commercially if the board insists on pavement being torn up and landscaping installed. Reed said he could see window boxes, but the whole point of paving it was to control the flooding of the building; additionally, the area is so tiny he does not see how anything could be done with it. Chalmers said her concern is that if the asphalt were partially ripped out the rest would quickly erode.
White said the board had the opportunity to address the site as a commercial property, to do something about filtering the water as it runs down North Road into the river. Tatlock and Porter thought they should leave well enough alone, though perhaps window boxes would be a good idea. Murray interjected again that she would like to see boxes mandated. Jennings said that was a design element that was up to the owner. Dan Schneider said he did not think potential landscaping was relevant to renting the space. White said the state sees it as relevant to site development along a shore line per the Shoreline Protection Act. Michael said he did not see this application as triggering that need, as the building was constructed prior to the act.
Motion to approve MAP 131 LOT 30, Marc Reed, site plan review, professional office space, as presented. The board adds the following conditions: that there be no dumpster on site; that the signature block be added; the boundary survey and landscape details will be waived, however, the owner is encouraged to do whatever he can to green the space; no further paving may be done. Additionally, the space identified as a green space should be labeled on the plan as being part of that lot. Motion made by Bruce Jennings. Seconded by Derek Tatlock. The motion passed 4-1.
8:06 – MAP 106 LOT 66. Philip & Linda Johnson, 1158 Route 11, Sunapee. Statement of property usage, addition of U-Haul truck rentals.
Johnson operates Auto Agent/Ideal Properties on Route 11; he would like to take over the U-Haul franchise from Northstar Storage and keep several of the smaller U-Haul trucks and trailers for rent. He does not need additional space as he has a display area. Johnson estimated that 50% of the display area will be occupied by U-Haul trucks. White inquired if the trucks could be parked out back. Johnson said a limited number could be. Chalmers asked how many trucks he would have; Johnson responded 5-6. Johnson said trucks would be picked up by appointment, dropped off whenever, and visibility up and down Route 11 leaving his lot is good. Johnson said he may change the existing signage to advertise U-Haul rentals.
A motion was made by Bruce Jennings to approve MAP 106 LOT 66, Philip and Linda Johnson, 1158 Route 11, Sunapee, statement of property usage, addition of U-Haul truck rentals, lot coverage not to be expanded. Seconded by Daniel Schneider. The motion passed unanimously.
8:20 – MAP 238 LOT 37. Consultation. Touchette Living Trust, Raymond Touchette, 11 Wilderness Park Road, Sunapee. Minor subdivision.
Touchette would like to subdivide his property into three rural residential lots. The road frontage requirement is 100 feet per lot. Touchette’s total road frontage on Nutting Road is 387.5 feet. His house is on the 4.138 acre piece. The board suggested reconfiguring the lots to use the road frontage of Wilderness Park Road. Touchette said there is no deed restriction prohibiting him from accessing the property from Wilderness Park Road; he has access to the property from private roads on either side.
Chalmers suggested Touchette talk to road agent Tony Bergeron to verify that Wilderness Park Road is a permanently private road and if not, to see if it can be made into a permanently private road. If Wilderness Park Road frontage cannot be obtained, Michael suggested that perhaps with the planning board’s recommendation to the zoning board, the road frontage requirement could be waived. He also suggested a cluster concept, which would allow three lots, eliminate road frontage, lots could be under 1.5 acres and would not have to meet permanently private road specs, as long as the rest of the land is committed to permanent green space.
The board suggested that Touchette speak to Tony regarding the use of Wilderness Park Road as road frontage, pursue a possible variance from the zoning board and/or explore a cluster development.
9:07 – MAP 104 LOT 1. Consultation. H. Stetson Fletcher III Trust, H. Stetson Fletcher, 1040 Main Street, Georges Mills.
Fletcher would like to subdivide the property into two separate lots, one at the top of the property where the house is and one down below where the store is situated. He would like to sell the property at the top of the hill and retain the bottom portion where the store is. The property is now solely office space, no longer a retail space. It is on town sewer and water and does not have the acreage to subdivide (minimum lot size is .5 acre).
Jennings said the planning board does not have the ability to approve a subdivision with less than the minimum acreage. Michael clarified that Fletcher is asking how the planning board would look at his application if the zoning board approves it. Chalmers said she would have to look at the conditions of the site plan, because a subdivision may negate conditions. Jennings said it is really an issue for the zoning board.
Michael mentioned the requirement that 2/3 of the minimum lot size must be of sufficient character to be developed, a point that may be moot since the lot is fully developed and every lot in the village district must have a minimum of .34 acres of land to build on. Michael said that Fletcher does not have .34 acres on each lot, however the board may opt to waive that requirement.
Fletcher suggested his plan was to put an addition on the store after he sold the upper lot. Michael said he needs to be aware of lot coverage, that the expansion will not cover more than 80% of the lot.
The board suggested Fletcher obtain approval from the zoning board.
The board signed off on Heather Bell subdivision, MAP 114 LOT 6.
Peter White made a motion to approve the merger of two lots on MAP 147 LOT 174-175, Hamill Road. Seconded by Bruce Jennings. The motion passed unanimously.
White asked about the work Bob Bell is doing on old Route 11 next to Trow Hill Road, inquiring whether the 25 foot buffer applies to the work Bell is doing. Michael responded that the road is technically a driveway, therefore exempt.
The meeting adjourned at 10:02.
Submitted by Katie Richardson, recording secretary Date approved____________________
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Peggy Chalmers, Chairman Bruce Jennings
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Philip Porter Daniel Schneider
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Derek Tatlock Peter White
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