Members present: Terry Silverman, Suzanne Gray, Robin Haynes, Mac Landy, Carlotta Pini, Diane Schott and Tom Parker, Selectmen’s representative.
Others present: Nancy Carney, Deputy Fire Chief
Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m.
Administration: The Board decided by consensus to reappoint Carlotta Pini to the CIP committee for another term.
Minutes: The Board reviewed the minutes of the September 4, 2007 meeting. Two corrections were noted. Haynes moved, Silverman seconded and the Board approved the minutes as corrected.
Public hearing: Debra Rudy application for site plan review to operate a preschool in her home at 272 Holman Road, Map 6, Lot 12, Rural District.
Ms. Rudy stated she hadn’t met with the State regarding licensing for her preschool yet, for health reasons. She has postponed her opening date to January 2008 and has decided to limit the number of children in the preschool to six. She distributed copies of the site plan and photos of the yard and driveways indicating where fencing and signage will be placed. The entire front yard will be enclosed and gated.
Ms. Rudy said that she hadn’t heard from the Road Agent about her plan to move earth in the road right of way to increase parking for her school, but said that seven cars can be parked off the road in her driveway. She would prefer that children enter the school from the front and parking in the ROW area would be best for that. However, if it’s not possible, children can enter from the side. Children will not be ‘dropped off.’ Parents will walk children into school and sign them in, and reverse the procedure in the afternoon.
Plans call for no major structural changes to the interior of the home, but rooms on the ground floor will be used differently to accommodate the preschoolers. The living quarters for the family will be closed off from the school by locked doors. Children will use the bathroom on that floor, and a solarium and exercise area outdoors. Her plan indicates the dimensions of the school rooms.
Silverman moved, Pini seconded and the Board voted to approve the site plan as presented under Land Use Ordinance 127-10 F., pending obtaining a state license to run a preschool and obtaining a sign permit from the Board of Selectmen.
Subdivision Regulations amendments: Silverman proposed two possible changes to the subdivision regulations: one requires a transit survey of major subdivisions of four or more lots, and the second attempts to regulate the dimensional requirements for subdivision of a lot in two or more zoning districts.
The Board agreed to add a reference to RSA 674:37, Recording of Plats, to the first amendment.
Regarding the lots in two districts question, the Board discussed the distinction between the Land Use Ordinance 127-5 D., Interpretation of Boundaries, and the proposed amendment. Silverman said 127-5 D. refers primarily to use of the land and the proposed amendment deals with dimensional requirements. The discussion was postponed to later in the meeting.
Schott asked if the Board was planning to discuss an aquifer protection ordinance. The Board felt it was important to do so.
Voluntary Merger: Gretchen Gordon to merge properties she owns located on McAllister Road, Map 4, Lots 28 and 30, Rural District.
Silverman reviewed the application and moved that it be accepted as complete. Gray seconded and the Board accepted it as complete.
Ms. Gordon stated she had purchased one tenth of an acre from the Mr. Kiritsy when he decided to sell his property on the East side of Route 12. This tiny parcel was cut off from his property when Route 12 was built. She bought it and is proposing to merge it with the abutting property she owns.
The Board reviewed the maps and plats available but the town tax maps and the survey plats do not agree. Parker raised the question of whether or not the state still owns the right of way for old Route 12, which divides one of the lots to be merged. Silverman said the piece to be added did not involve the right of way.
There are no structures on the parcel to be added. Pini noted that the merger would make the lot to be merged more conforming.
Silverman moved, Landy seconded and the Board approved the voluntary merger of a parcel known as Fitzwilliam tax lot 30, described in Cheshire County Registry of Deeds book 841, page 55128, with a parcel known as Fitzwilliam tax lot 28, described in book 540, page 327. Ms. Gordon has the responsibility for registering the merger with the Cheshire County Registry of Deeds and notifying town assessing officials.
Preliminary consultation: Eddy Esper to discuss a home business providing services for the elderly located at 22 Richmond Road, Map 32, Lot 25, Residential/Historic Districts.
Mr. Esper proposes to use his home as an office for a new business providing elders and shut-ins with various services, none of which must be licensed by the state. All services will be provided off-site; there will be no customers in the home. Mr. Esper will use his own equipment to mow lawns or remove snow, etc. No additional equipment will be stored on site. Pini said this seemed like a variation on a home occupation with services provide off–site.
Silverman moved, Pini seconded and the Board voted that this was a home occupation under Land Use Ordinance 127-14 A.2.(a.) and did not need a site plan review.
Public hearing continued: Steve Filipi proposes a nine lot cluster subdivision of property located on Upper Troy Road, Map 15, Lot 6, Residential, Rural and Historic Districts.
Mr. Filipi asked that the hearing be continued to the next meeting if there was nothing new to discuss at this meeting. Mr. Covel, hydrologist, is scheduled to report on his review of the engineering plans at the October 2nd meeting.
Silverman moved, Haynes seconded and the Board voted to continue the hearing to October 2, 2007 at 8 PM.
Subdivision Regulations amendments continued:
The Board discussed where in the subdivision regulations the lots in two districts amendment should go, which raised the question of its being in the Land Use Ordinances as well. Silverman thinks a notation in the table of dimensional requirements is necessary. Pini suggested that this amendment may need to come before the voters. Silverman suggested this was a courtesy notation in the LUO but that the amendment belonged in the subdivision regulations. She suggested the table of dimensional regulations should be changed to table of dimensional requirements. The Board discussed possible scenarios for using the amendment and the issue became more complicated. Staff will do some research on similar ordinances in other towns and talk with LGC about how to handle parcels in multiple
districts.
The Board meeting adjourned at 8:35 PM.
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