Washington Planning Board

Meeting and Public Hearing Minutes - Draft

October 1, 2019

0.0       Assembly:  6:30PM, Town Hall

0.1       Members present: Hatch, Crandall, Revane and Schwartz

            0.2       Alternates present: Kluk, Chidester and Shifflett

0.3       Members and Alternates Absent: Dulac and Terani

0.4       Visitors: Martin Danahy

Hatch opened the public hearing at 6:30 PM

1.0       Crandall/Collins, Lot Line Adjustment – Hatch stated that the hearing was for a lot line adjustment between TM15-62 and TM 15-64, abutting lots on Faxon Hill Road. They are straightening the lot line between the lots resulting in lots that are 6.06 and 5.01 acres. He noted that the square footages were added to the plan drawing and all other paperwork was in order. Hatch asked for any comments on the application, there being no comments he closed the public hearing at 6:32PM.

Hatch opened the regular meeting at 6:33PM and asked Kluk to sit in for Dulac.

2.0       Minutes: September 3rd meeting – Hatch asked if there were any comments on the minutes, Schwartz mentioned that the date of the minutes approved was wrong and she has corrected it. Crandall mentioned that Trimarco’s name was spelled incorrectly, Schwartz will correct. Crandall made a motion to approve with those changes, Kluk seconded the motion and all voted in favor.

3.0       New Business:

3.1       Crandall/Collins, lot line adjustment – Hatch asked if we were ready to vote on the Lot Line adjustment for Crandall/Collins. Crandall recused himself from the vote. Kluk made a motion to approve the Lot Line Adjustment, Revane seconded the motion and four voted in favor. Crandall was informed of the required fees and will provide checks along with the mylars. Hatch will sign the mylars and Schwartz will take them to the Registry of Deeds.

3.2       Land Use and Planning Book order – Schwartz said that UVLSRPC sent the order form for next year’s book. We decided that 9 books would be needed. Schwartz will put in the order.

Hatch asked Martin Danahy if he was here to discuss a certain issue. Danahy asked about the Town Center Vision committee and whether there was a commitment to any projects at this point. Hatch spoke about the Old Schoolhouse restoration project and how that had come out of the committee’s work. Kluk mentioned the clean up of the Town Pound, which was a push by the committee. She asked him if he was interested in joining the committee and he said he might be. Crandall said that at present the committee is working on a conceptual plan for the area around the town Buildings. He said they are looking for ideas and can’t do anything without town approval. He said they are meeting on October 28^th at 9AM. Danahy asked Chidester’s connection to the project. Chidester said he was tasked to work with the committee to come up with 4 sketch plans for the area. Hatch said that the committee is put together from PB members and town residents. They are considering parking/access improvements, a walking tour and various other ideas with an Old Home Day tie-in. Hatch thanked Danahy for his interest.

4.0       Old Business:

4.1       LUO list priorities – Hatch continued to read through Article III starting with section 306 and took comments as we went. We went through the RV section and decided to remove “state” and change “disposal” to “containment”. Kluk had a thought about having a Permit section on the website with all of the town permits, mentioned by the LUO. Everyone agreed this was a good idea. Chidester asked about the purpose of the guest permit and why it was for 7 days. Schwartz said the purpose was to not have people come for the summer and live in people’s yard. The concern was for the neighbors. Hatch said it gives us recourse for a grievous situation where we can enforce it. Chidester asked if it could be 14 days and not require a permit or fee for a short stay (weekend). We decided we would consider this. On 307, we will revise this driveway section when the Town enters an agreement with DOT. Kluk asked if wetlands need to be mentioned in this section and Schwartz said it is in the application. On 308, Schwartz asked if we should consider “dark skies” regulation. Everyone felt it was not needed. We felt the signage section (309) was good. We will begin again next month at section 310.

4.2 RV suggested change for LUO – Hatch noted that two months ago Garvin proposed a change to the LUO regarding RVs. We then did a lot of research and got input on the subject. Hatch said 183 days is key for declaring residency and we weren’t sure using an RV for this purpose was permissible by state law. He said the Board’s research covered some of the issues and helped us check to see what our appetite was for considering Garvin’s proposal. We provided the paper to Garvin who wrote Hatch back with a rebuttal letter. He said a copy was sent to the BoS also. Hatch said he just received it and was still considering what is relevant to us on the issue. He wasn’t sure whether Garvin would come in tonight but he didn’t. We will continue to do more research, but the real question is – is an RV legal to use for a residence for 183 days? Hatch said we got some input from NHMA, UVLSRPC and NHHFA about the issue. Kluk said that UVLSRPC noted that our permissible parking period is generous in the county. Kluk had looked at abutting towns and this was true. Shifflett asked about how long you can park your RV at a campground and could you call it your residence? Hatch said that residency is the issue. Campgrounds can’t be used to establish residency. Schwartz read definitions for residency and domiciles. They require a fixed dwelling with intent to make it your permanent home. Shifflett thought his only recourse is to build a permanent structure with an address. Hatch said financial hardship was his reason for pursuing this. He said full time RVing is a lifestyle and there are 4 states that will grant residency, but NH is not one of them. Hatch said that as a Planning Board we couldn’t pursue this and as Garvin cc’d his letter to the BoS, he would speak to them about this. Danahy said that we are sensitive to his desire to vote in the state. Voting rights are important and there is an ACLU office in Concord where Garvin could pursue the issue. Crandall asked if we want a community of trailers. We know Garvin would do what he wants to do tastefully but the greater community would be affected negatively by this happening on many of the small lots in town. Crandall made a motion that the board sees no reason to change the current regulations, Hatch seconded, and all voted in favor.

4.3       Town Center Vision project – Continuing the discussion started with Mr. Danahy, Hatch said that the committee approached Chidester to do 4 drawings with different elements to work toward a more concrete plan to bring to Town Meeting. The aim is to come up with a warrant article to either put money in a Capital Reserve fund or fund a particular idea or phase. Hatch said grading and access are big challenges. Schwartz said we can hold a public meeting to get comments on the 4 concepts so Chidester can do a final for Town Meeting. Revane mentioned DOT doing the paving next year and asked what we can do to coordinate with them in terms of our project. He thinks we need to get a plan to put in front of them. Crandall said he talked to the DOT district supervisor today and he will meet with us and is hoping to have Thayer and the BoS also meet with him. He said that Provencher is willing to put a walkway on his property to the Library. He thinks DOT needs to fix the swale. Hatch said that 5 years ago DOT did some work here. Crandall asked if the PB could commit the $500 to Chidester for a deposit on his scope of work estimate. Hatch said we don’t have the full amount of the estimate but said he would go see the BoS and talk about finding the money. Schwartz said we have about $1000 still in our budget that we could devote to this. Kluk asked for dates and Chidester said a deadline of January 1^st would work for him. Danahy asked about the overarching idea is for town center and what is the goal. Schwartz provided him with the TCV handout and Hatch showed him the comment board we had up at Town Meeting. Kluk read him the 5 big goals for the committee. Shifflett mentioned the Master Plan and we gave him a copy to borrow. Schwartz gave him a comment sheet to fill out for the TCV box. Chidester asked for any ideas that people may have for the town center and asked us to email them. Kluk made a motion to have Hatch take the proposal to the BoS, Schwartz seconded and all voted in favor.

4.4       Old Schoolhouse project update – Revane said the water is back in the Old School House, the power is connected and the propane tank is in and the site work is done. They have a contractor locked in to close the cap on the annex foundation and build the stairs, which will start in mid-October. They are getting proposals for phase 2. They are close to using up the budgeted money. Hatch said that he can get a no-cost energy audit for the Schoolhouse and he will speak to the BoS about it. Revane said that they stubbed the pipes outside 10 feet from the building so they won’t have to dig things up around the building again. He said the sprinkler system can tie to the pump in the Town Hall and use the same cistern. They can run a 100-amp service from the Town Hall and put it on the same generator, resulting on one service for both buildings. Crandall asked about phase 2. Revane thinks it will complete the entire project and they will either work from the outside in or the inside out to phase it. Shifflett asked about sprinklers in the building and was it necessary. Schwartz said it is a historic building and should be protected. Revane said the fact that they could tie into the TH system made it an easy call.

4.5       Master Plan – this is a placeholder.

4.6       CIP – Schwartz said that many of the 2020 CIP request sheets from department heads are in and she will start working on the spreadsheet. We discussed adding the Landscaping and Access to Town Buildings as a project with focus on access and parking first. Everyone agreed and we will discuss with Ed Thayer to get some ballpark pricing for a start.

4.7       ZBA Report – Hatch said they didn’t have any hearings and several members are attending the NHMA & OSI Fall 2019 Land Use Law Conference that Hatch and Kluk are attending this weekend.

Kluk asked if there were any burning issues they should bring to the conference, if anyone thinks of an issue they can email her.

4.8       UVLSRPC – Dulac was not in attendance.

4.9       Noise Ordinance – Schwartz said we will need to hold a public hearing before the end of the year and bring it to Town Meeting.

5.0       Driveway Permits:

5.1       Noah Chidester, TM 11-39-3, Millen Pond Road, driveway with water crossing, wetland permit pending. We looked over the plans sent to DES for the wetland permit application. Chidester answered questions about the design. Ed Thayer had looked at the site and concurred with the proposed design, Schwartz had done a site visit with the Conservation Commission. Kluk made a motion to approve pending the approved Wetland Permit from DES, Schwartz seconded and all voted in favor. Hatch signed the permit.

6.0 Mergers: None

7.0 Communications:

7.1 DOT notice of public hearings on the 10-year Transportation Plan

7.2       NHDHR notice of project review for Ashuelot Pond Dam

7.3       NHDHR notice of project review for Millen Pond Road wetland application (Chidester)

7.4       Notice if Land Use Regulation book order

7.5       Letter from Jim Garvin, re. requested RV changes and white paper

7.6       Intent-to-cut for Dole, TM6-4, 6-8 and 6-4—1, Ayers Pond Road

7.0 Meeting date for next Planning Board meeting – November 5, 2019, at 6:30 PM at the Town Hall.

8.0 Adjournment:                       Time: 8:36PM

            Motioned by Revane, seconded by Crandall, all voted in favor.

Respectfully Submitted,

Nan Schwartz