Washington Planning Board
Meeting Minutes
August 10, 2021
0.0 Assembly: 6:30PM, on 2nd floor of Town Hall
0.1 Members present: Hatch, Kluk, Crandall, Revane and Schwartz
0.2 Alternates present: Kapteyn
0.3 Members and Alternates Absent: Terani and Chidester
0.4 Visitors: Cynthia and Rick Niven, Josh Hall and Jenny Gilligan, Peter Mellen, Georgann Casey
Hatch opened the meeting at 6:30PM.
1.0 Minutes: July 6th meeting – Hatch asked if there were any changes needed to the minutes, Crandall suggested that we correct the discussion section where Schwartz said we need to send a letter to BoS asking them to appoint and Alternate member, we do not need to do this. Kapteyn found a typo that Schwartz will correct. Crandall made a motion to approve as corrected, Kluk seconded the motion and all voted in favor.
2.0 New Business –
2.1 UVLSRPC request for meeting participants on Regional Transportation Plan – Hatch spoke about the email he received from UVLSRPC about a discussion group they want to meet with about future transportation plans. They requested to meet with a selectman, DPW director, a PB member and other interested people. Kluk suggested the PD Chief, Fire & Rescue members and maybe Welfare. Kluk suggested Kevin Provencher might want to join them and Crandall will ask him. Revane will talk to BoS members and Thayer on Thursday.
Revane said that UVLSRPC is working with the town to update the Hazard Mitigation Plan and the town has some new input to give them after the recent storm weather events. On another note - Thayer has been upsizing the replacement culverts in town, to handle the heavier amounts of water in the storms and it is working.
2.2 Eccardt Farm – Hatch said he had a conversation with Sandy Eccard about whether the Farm needs an expanded permit from us for the events they are now holding at the farm. Schwartz said that along with the Food Trucks and crafts sales that Eccard talked to us about previously they are doing movie nights and have done fireworks. We discussed and decided that sound and parking are the only issues we are concerned about at this point. They should make sure that parking is only on one side of the road or off the road and make sure they are done with any noise by 10PM (per the Noise Ordinance). They should let abutters know prior to any noise creating activity. We will ask Eccard to send us a letter documenting these new offerings to add to their file.
2.3 Further discussion on Shooting Range – Crandall did some research on regulations but didnÕt find much. Revane said they were in contact with Coppola and spoke with Chief Murdough who said shooting is OK for personal use if they lay out a proper range that PD can inspect. Revane said that the road to the property is Class V summer maintenance only and canÕt support any commercial uses. We discussed adding something to 200.4 concerning commercial firing ranges. We will research this month and continue the conversation.
3.0 Old Business:
3.1 Jon Gibson Sign Permit – Gibson sent the new application for his sign with the $30 fee for the amended permit. We discussed that we donÕt have specifics in our regulations about how a sign is measured. Kluk said the sign is where a transom would be over the door. Hatch made a motion to approve the sign permit as amended, Kluk seconded the motion and 4 voted in favor with Revane abstaining.
3.2 Niven Annexation – Rick and Cynthia Niven attended our meeting to present the finished annexation plan for their land TM 17-45 and TM 17-15. They are straightening out three boundary lines and adding 1.46 acres to TM 17-45 and giving a deeded easement for Wild Acre Road into TM 17-15 (acreage of this lot will now be 137.5), which they intend to sell to their abutter Caruso. We went over the plan with them and went through the checklist. Schwartz asked Niven to get an Easement Deed drawn up for the road access before the hearing. Kluk made a motion to accept the application as complete, Crandall seconded the motion and all voted in favor. We set the Public Hearing date for September 7th at 6:30PM and Schwartz will do the noticing.
3.3 Lucky 7 Farm – Josh Hall and Jenny Gilligan from Lucky Seven Farm came in to talk to us about recent developments for their farm. They have decided to offer the use of their farm as an emergency shelter during emergency events such as the recent storm evacuation. Revane said he would speak to the Emergency Operations Director about their offer. They also said that they met with a Conservation Officer from the state and Fish and Game has offered to make the farm an official state deer and turkey check-in/tag station. Hall said he wants to offer deer processing in their meat processing area. The Conservation Officer also asked them if they would process road kill and poached game for needy people and they would like to do this. They wanted to know if they need a new application for the augmented offerings. We discussed and since they are not adding a new facility to the farm and there is no fundamental change this isnÕt necessary. We asked them to send us a letter documenting their added services that we can add to their file.
3.4 Georgann Casey – Casey said she talked to a lawyer who said that if the old survey is still on file at the Registry it is up to the Planning Board as to whether we will approve her subdivision using that plan or not. She said she canÕt afford a full survey and the Assessors told her it wouldnÕt be a problem to undo a merger. She said she is willing to pay a lawyer to get this done but not a surveyor. She said if we let her do this she will sell the lot and the town will receive taxes for 2 lots. She will alternately put the land in current use and the town will receive less tax for the lot. Schwartz pointed out that she has 10.3 acres and that is not enough to get current use with her house on the lot. Hatch said we are sympathetic but we donÕt have a way to waive the requirement of a survey. She will forward the letter that her lawyer sent her to us. We decided we need input from the Town Attorney and Hatch will contact him. We will meet with Casey again next month.
3.5 Town Center Vision project – Crandall said they are waiting on Costello about adding some parking behind the buildings on top of the leach field. They are working on locating the bounds of the leach field and what is possible for parking.
3.6 Old Schoolhouse project update – Revane said they now have the heat pumps in, the electric is in and they are working on rehabbing the windows. Hatch said that Eversource has accepted the 3 heat pump installations for their rebate program. Hatch asked when the Schoolhouse might be ready to occupy and Revane said next spring after Town Meeting.
3.7 Master Plan – this is a placeholder.
3.8 ZBA Report – Hatch said that ZBA members held their training with the Town Attorney and had a productive session. They have a good new member but they are still in need of 2 more full members. Hatch said they are working on new procedures and an easier to understand application for variance. He said appeals go to the Housing Board and then to the NH Supreme Court.
Discussion: Kluk asked if HatchÕs list of small lots could be overlaid on a map by Florence so we could easily visualize where the problem areas are. Hatch will explore this. We discussed setbacks and what was in place when the camp lots were created. Kapteyn asked if the stateÕs septic requirements are an equalizing factor. Schwartz said that DESÕs setbacks also come into play on waterfront lots. Crandall said that there is a regulation for waterfront lots that are being sold to have the septic system certified as adequate and working. We will continue this discussion next month.
3.9 UVLSRPC – No news
3.10 LUO Issues - We have issues we need to research and discuss this year. Tiny Houses, other LUO update needs, section 200.4, 304 and Certificate of Occupancy, camping, dwellings, non-dwellings and seasonal uses and overlay zoning possibilities. Schwartz gave out copies of KlukÕs suggestions for LUO updates regarding occupancy, on-site waste disposal systems, seasonal buildings and non-dwelling structures along with some definitions and a draft Guest Cottage Occupancy Permit. We will discuss next month.
4.0 Driveway Permits:
4.1 Jim Desclos, 851 King Street, TM 19-27, access for firewood. Thayer checked the site and signed off on it recommending a culvert. Hatch checked the site and will sign the permit.
4.2 Peter Mellen, Lempster Mountain Road, TM 11-27-6, access to property. Mellen went over the map and application with us. Schwartz will pass the application to Thayer for inspection and recommendations, then Hatch will inspect and sign off on it.
5.0 Mergers:
5.1 Robert and Laura Langlois, 84 Jefferson Drive, TM 14-86 and 14-88, deeds provided, fee paid. Schwartz said that 14-88 is a double lot previously merged and 14-86 is being added to it. Revane made a motion to approve the merger, Hatch seconded the motion and all voted in favor. The new lot number will be TM 14-88, Hatch signed the merger and Schwartz will send to the Registry of Deeds.
Other Business Discussion – Revane asked about temporary structures not needing a building permit and setbacks for these structures. Kluk pointed out that any structure whether permanent or temporary needs to meet setbacks, there is no distinction, less than 50 sqft has a smaller setback but there is a setback.
6.0 Communications: None
7.0 Meeting date for next Planning Board meeting – September 7, 2021, at 6:30 PM, at 2nd Floor at Town Hall. The meeting will follow the Public Hearing.
8.0 Adjournment: Time: 9:22PM
Motioned by Revane, seconded by Hatch, all voted in favor.
Respectfully Submitted, Nan Schwartz