Washington Planning Board
Meeting Minutes
March 4, 2014
0.0 Assembly: 6:30PM
0.1
Members
present: Cook, Crandall, Dagesse, Marshall, Schwartz
0.2 Alternates
present: Kluk
0.3
Members and
Alternates Absent: Terani
0.4
Visitors: Dale Moser,
Chris Krone, Robbie Ostertag
1.0 Minutes:
Minutes from February 4, 2014, Crandall had a minor change and suggested that
we change the word ÒmemberÓ in the paragraph when Marshall is speaking about
Kluk and Schwartz being introduced to John Deloia of Eckman Construction to
ÒrepresentativeÓ. Schwartz said that her notes said member but if that was his intent she would change it. All agreed and Schwartz
will make the change. Crandall motioned to approve, Dagesse seconded and all
voted in favor.
2.0 Old Business:
2.1 Business permit –
Snell
Construction & Excavation business permit application was table last month
so we could do an informal site visit. Cook ,
Crandall, Dagesse and Schwartz rode over to take a look at the property. They
observed no vehicles and no outward sign of a business. Cook read through the
listed requirements for a home business exemption to the site plan review
process. A. yes, B. yes, C. yes, D. yes, E. yes, F.
no, we need to have Snell write a statement of property usage to put in his
file, then he will meet all the requirements of section 5 of the Site Plan
Review. Crandall asked to look at the LUO concerning home businesses to make
sure Snell meets the criteria. He did. Marshall asked about exemptions.
Crandall made a motion to approve as a home business with an exemption to the
Site Plan Review, Marshall seconded and all voted in favor to approve
conditionally that Snell will write a statement of
property usage and deliver it to the board.
2.2 Business permit –
Dale Moser, Lemon Tree Pastries & Desserts, Rt. 31. We discussed with Dale the need for a site plan review. She had filled out some of the application with Dagesse and Cook asked her to come in on Thursday so they could help her fill out the rest of the application and make a map of her property. Moser explained that her business will be a self-serve bakery counter with a cooler on her front porch, people will be able to pick up their ordered items and/or buy other items left for sale, she will have a money box for payment. The board tabled her application until it is completed. Schwartz said we could go ahead and schedule a hearing and site visit now if she will complete the application. Moser said she will be away when our next meeting takes place so we scheduled March 20th at noon for the site visit and 1 oÕclock the same day for the hearing.
2.3 Business permit –
Robbie Ostertag came to speak to us about a business permit for
his logging business. He parks his log truck in the yard but does most of his
work on site away from his home. He does cut up and split firewood in the yard occasionally
and delivers it to customers but no customers come to his home, they reach him
by phone. We read through the list to see if he met the exemptions to the site
plan review for a home business. A. yes, B. yes, C.
yes, D. no, Ostertag stated that he will remove his
sign to comply, E. yes, F. yes, he wrote a statement of property usage and gave
it to us. Marshall made a motion to approve OstertagÕs
business as a home business exempt from the site plan review, Crandall
seconded, all voted in favor. Ostertag said he would
remove his sign by tomorrow, 3/5. Schwartz stated that if he wants a sign again
he would have to reapply for one and also submit an application for a Site Plan
Review for his business.
2.4 Business permit -
Chris
Krone came in to talk about his signs and business. He wants to repaint his
signs and is hoping to increase the size of one of them. His business is
Tintagel Antiques and it was started by his parents in
the 1970s. He described his three signs to the board. The first is a warning
sign on North Main St., the second sign is by the transfer station on South
Main St. and the third sign is at the house, all of them have been up since the
80s. He said for the warning sign he would like to repaint it and add a border
making it larger. It is in the state right of way, around 13 feet off the road.
He showed us a drawing of what he wanted to do. We advised him that if he kept
it the same size (no border added) he could repaint it and it would be
grandfathered. Krone said that when the state widened Rt. 31 they smoothed it
and changed the curve. He feels that with the speed limit it is dangerous. He
wants the warning sign to be seen earlier to drivers. Schwartz said that if he
doesnÕt change the dimensions it is grandfathered and he could raise it higher
in the same location. Kluk asked if he might want to get the state to put up a
hidden driveway sign for him? Krone said he is fine with changing the colors of
his sign and raising it up a bit. It was suggested he talk to Ed Thayer about a
hidden drive sign if he wants to go that way. Hi 2nd sign by the
transfer station on South Main St. is a wooden sign that he wants to repaint
and reattach in the same location on the red maple tree. He wouldnÕt make any
changes to the wording. Crandall asked if he would like a copy of the sign
section of the LUO but Krone said he already has one. The 3rd sign
at the house, he asked if he raised it up by 2 feet would that be OK? It is a
wooden sign about 36Óx30Ó and mounted on a tree. He showed us pictures of all
the past signs his parents had at this location. He said it is faded and showed
us a picture of what he wants to replace it with. He wants it a little bigger,
38Óx44Ó and adding the wording ÒFine CraftsÓ to the ÒTintagel AntiquesÓ. He
said that in the past his parents had things in the shop besides antiques. His
dada made pewter objects and his mom made baskets. He asked if it would be OK
to have 25% of his shop for crafts. Previously his parents had things like
furnishings and refinished furniture in the shop and his dad had people over to
do the refinishing. He told us he wants to continue restoring and binding
books. He asked if he can have people come to the shop
and give him books for restoration? The board didnÕt have a problem with that.
We said he would need a new application for the sign at the house because it
was considered a new sign. He gave us a permit application for that sign and a
check for $30. Marshall made a motion to approve the new sign permit, Crandall
seconded the motion and all voted in favor. Krone invited all of us to his
exhibit at the library on display now.
2.5 Business Permit –
We
received the paperwork from Cullen, Thunder Mountain Construction. He is a
general construction contractor with no outside storage and no sign. We went
through the application and the list of exemption requirements for the Site
Plan Review. A. yes, B. yes, C. yes, D. yes, E. yes,
F. yes. Since he met all the requirements for an exemption to the Site Plan
Review Dagesse motion to approve his permit as a home business with an
exemption to the Site Plan Review, Crandall 2nded the motion and all voted in
favor.
3.0 New Business:
3.1 Marshall asked about the web site news item sent out today concerning the RV section ballot for Town Meeting. He wanted to know about the renewable permits that were mentioned in the last statement of the ordinance language. Schwartz said this is existing language from the ordinance in the LUO and renewable permits were allowed prior to 2005. Since then they have not been issued.
3.2 Kluk asked about the language on the ballot for the 2-day town meeting, she said the language was confusing, it was not specific what day the second meeting would be held. Dagesse said the language is specified in the RSA but she will send out an explanation by a web site news item. Marshall thinks Town Meeting should be on the previous Saturday before the Tuesday election day. Schwartz said that School Meeting is on that day. Marshall thinks they could hold the school meeting in the morning and then Town Meeting in the afternoon.
3.3 Discussion, future uses of the old School House
Crandall wanted to have a discussion of future uses of the school house, he said that on a FAQs sheet from the Safety Complex it said that the Planning Board would discuss new uses for the School house if the Police leave the building and go to the new building. They had a list of uses for town or outside entities including office space for town committees, welfare department, a community medical facility, an art gallery, a craft coop or a professional business lease. Crandall commented that welfare has already made it know hat they donÕt want to be separate from the town offices in the Town Hall. Marshall said that as a deputy welfare officer he has met with people that the Welfare Officer didnÕt want to meet with alone for various reasons. Kluk said that these ideas come from the Master Plan and she feels it is premature to discuss them prior to Town Meeting, we donÕt know what the outcome of the vote will be yet. Crandall asked if the PB should make a recommendation before Town Meeting. He feels the Police Department should stay in town and they could scale back the Safety Complex. He asked if the warrant article could be amended? Marshall said that an option is to vote for or against the project depending on where you want the Police, the building has been designed for all 4 services. Crandall made a motion – ÒThe Planning Board has considered a myriad of possible future uses for the old School House and recommends to the Selectmen that the building continue to be used by the Police Department as the police presence in the town center best serves the town. The Selectmen should make improvements to the building to better serve the Police DepartmentÓ. There being no second the motion was dismissed.
4.0 Driveway permits: None
5.0 Mergers:
5.1 Lanni, Cook explained that a merger we approved a while
back was discovered to have been incorrectly done
because the deeds were in the name of a revocable trust. Cook asked Lanni to refill out the paperwork so we could correct the
merger. We discovered that with the new paperwork the 2 lots were owed by 2
different trusts and we canÕt merge them at this time. Cook will call the
Registry of deeds for advise on how to handle the situation and will speak to
the town attorney if needed. She will contact the property owner when she has
been advised.
6.0 Communications:
6.1 Intent to Cut – Eccardt
Farm, Ayers Pond Road, TM 9-23, TM 9-66
6.2 Intent to Cut – Dole, Ayers
Pond Road, TM 6-4
7.0 Date for next Planning Board meeting, April 1, 2014, at 6:30PM.
8.0 Adjournment: Time 8:20 PM
Motioned by Dagesse, seconded by Crandall, all voted in favor.
Respectfully Submitted,
Nan Schwartz