Town of Walpole

Walpole Planning Board Meeting

August 9, 2005

Unapproved Minutes 

Presiding:  Jeff Miller, Ch.

Members Present:  D. Edkins, E. Merklein, D. DeCoste, H. Fletcher, B. Miller, R. Boas, alt., F. Dill, alt.

Members Absent:  S. Sawyer, Selectman’s Representative

Recording:  P. Aslinger, alt.

Note:  The following minutes will be reviewed on Sept. 13, 2005

All notices were posted and abutters notified for all hearings.

The meeting was called to order at 7:45 PM, it was noted that a new Secretary has been hired but on vacation for this meeting, applicant folders and meeting information was not available, lacking a key to the Selectmen’s office.  Ch. Miller will follow up on the Secretary’s status.

Minutes for July 12 and July 25 were approved as amended.  

REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED

Peter Roos – Boundary Line Adjustment 82 Elm St. and Westminster St. “Long River Gardens” property.  Application was accepted at the July 12, 2005 meeting.  Mr. Roos provided maps and described the proposal as a  boundary line adjustment between the two separately taxed parcels.  The 4 acre site with the greenhouses and building will eventually be sold.  The rest of the parcel will be annexed to his property on Elm St.

Ch. Miller opened the public hearing.  D. Decoste, an abutter recused himself and  declined comment.

Mr. Roos continued with his description noting that the larger parcel would be placed into a conservation easement, providing a letter referencing this from the Monadnock Conservancy, Kristin Grubs.  He stated that his goal is to sell off the greenhouse property but will ensure that it remains as an agricultural use, preferably organic.  He noted that presently Jason Munn is operating a floral business out of the building and Mr. Bickford has contracted to use the greenhouses for organic food production.  He does not intend to sell for 10 years or so.  He mentioned that he has had an offer to sell the property for condo conversion but is not inclined to see it used in that way.  He said that there has been a boundary line quibble with Mr. Willard.  Mr. Roos stated that he and his surveyor plus others were satisfied with the line as shown.  Mr. Roos provided an additional insert overlay to further prove the boundary line accuracy.  (Willard abutters were present) Mr. Roos suggested that Mr. Willard could have his own survey done if he has a dispute. 

Ch. Miller asked for Board comment or questions, D. Edkins re-capped the intent of the proposal.  Mr. Roos added that Mr. Willard would benefit from this proposal since his property is on the Nat’l. Historic Registry, the low development potential - adding value.

Ch.Miller reminded the Board that D. DeCoste is an abutter and appointed F. Dill, alt. to stand in for him. Ch. Miller asked for comments from the public, being none, closed the public hearing and re-opened the meeting.

Walpole Planning Board Meeting August 9, 2005 Minutes page 2

Ch. called for action on the Peter Roos application:  MOTION:  A Motion was made by Mr. Edkins to approved the BLA as presented, seconded by F. Dill, all were in favor.  Ch. Miller will contact Mr. Roos this week to sign the mylar, maps and handle the recording.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Len-Tex – SPR conditional approval July 12, 2005, pending letter, letter has been received but not available for tonight’s meeting, tabled until Sept. meeting.

Walpole Village Market – SPR conditional approval July 12, 2005, pending landscape plan and handicap parking issue. No representative came before the Board at this meeting, Ch. Miller suggested we ask  them to return for Sept. meeting. 

NEW BUSINESS – Preliminary Review

Allison’s Orchard – Site Plan Review Expansion – Bob Jasse Wentworth Rd.

Ch. Miller stated that E. Merklein would not be commenting on this application since Tara is now working for Mr. Jasse.  Mr. Jasse submitted his application and offered explanation of the proposal.  He provided maps and described existing building locations, he is asking for a 2400 sq. ft. expansion to an existing building that houses the banquet hall.  He showed where he has added more than required parking on the former airplane runway.  Has created a new secure entrance to the Orchard on Rte. 12 with a national park like theme, well lighted with solar lighting and has obtained the required State permits.  He has an application for Special Exception with the Zoning Board that will be pending at the night the Planning Board holds the Public hearing on his SPR application.  He stated the reason for expansion is to accommodate wedding parties of over 100, many of the weddings being booked are in that size range, although it’s not his aim to encourage larger weddings.  He welcomed the Board to a site visit and stated that depending on how much construction time he has this fall, he may or may not enclose the addition.  Ch. Miller called for questions from the Board, D. Edkins asked about the ZBA, whether Mr. Jasse expected any problems with approval.  Mr. Jasse said he did not, that he had met the requirements they set forth to the best of his ability.  He mentioned that the location of the new space and existing buildings are on a 231acre lot which abuts another 90 acre lot he owns.  D. Edkins asked if the Rte. 12 access is the only access, Mr. Jasse stated that the Wentworth Rd. access will remain, but he is changing signage to direct customers by way of Rte. 12.  He added that he will be resurrecting the Farm Stand on Rte. 12 to help customers identify with that entrance.  He is hoping that the entrance will become useable 12 months per year.  Mr. Edkins asked about the existing buildings and their uses, Mr. Jasse pointed out the cooler, packing, storage barn, packing sheds that were part of his original airplane hanger.  His plans are to use the Rte. 12 entrance exclusively and stated for the record that he has employed a plainclothes policeman to be on duty during the peak seasons.  P. Aslinger asked if Mr. Jasse was submitting plans that show the building enclosed or open.  Mr. Jasse said the plans show the building enclosed only, that he wasn’t sure if he would have it completed before winter.  P. Aslinger stated she would like to visit the site, and would make arrangements with Mr. Jasse. 

Ch. Miller asked if the Board wanted to address the Site Plan Checklist noting that because this is only an expansion, most of the criteria could be waived.  He noted that the 

Walpole Planning Board Meeting August 9, 2005 Minutes page 3

Planning Board would need to make a recommendation to the Zoning Board stating the application’s viability.  MOTION:  A motion was made to recommend the Site Plan Review Expansion to the Zoning Board, seconded, vote all in favor.  MOTION:  A motion was made to accept the application as presented and a public hearing scheduled for the September meeting, seconded, vote all in favor.  P. Aslinger suggested we send a copy of the minutes to the Zoning Board to notify them of our recommendation. 

Margaret Cray Trust -  Cray Rd. N. Walpole Subdivision - Mr. A. Dibernardo, representing the applicant and Mr. McCormick N. Walpole Zoning Commissioner returned to the Planning Board with the same plan that was voted down at the prior meeting, refusing to agree with the Board’s decision on whether the subdivision meets the N. Walpole Zoning ordinance frontage requirement of 75feet.  Mr. McCormick stated that he had spoken to the N. Walpole Zoning Chairman and a person at the SW Reg. Planning Commission and that they all three concurred that the creation of lot 2 without frontage but with access was acceptable and provided a signed receipt from the Zoning Commissioner stating that lot 2 met access requirements.   Several members of the Board reviewed the N. Walpole Zoning Ordinance that clearly requires 75 feet of contiguous frontage for a Residential B lot.

Attempting to explain this to Mr. McCormick, Ch. Miller, D. Edkins and others tried several ways to show Mr. McCormick that he was in error making his interpretation of the Ordinance.  The Board agreed again that it could not approve a subdivision without the proper frontage and is charged with upholding the N. Walpole Zoning Ordinance.

As in the prior meeting the applicant’s representative and Mr. McCormick were told the proper procedure would be to obtain a Variance from the N. Walpole Zoning Board waiving the road frontage requirement for lot 2, abutters would be notified and a hearing held.  Once the Variance was obtained to return to the Planning Board for subdivision, abutters would be notified and an additional Public hearing held, the Board members were all in agreement to this procedure.  Mr. McCormick continued to disagree, stating that access gives them all they need, that in the future when the property is developed then it would have the road frontage and only then would abutters need to be notified, this according to SWPRC and Chairman of N. Walpole Zoning Board.  Mr. Merklein suggested we close the discussion, time being an issue.  Mr. Edkins offered to review the materials and meet with Mr. McCormick to go over the Zoning Ordinance and to clarify it’s interpretation, they exchanged phone numbers.  Ch. Miller said they would be added to the September agenda for continued preliminary review.

NEW BUSINESS – Preliminary Consultation

Mr. Fred Dill recused himself and apologized for coming to his first official meeting as an alternate and proposing a subdivision.  He is proposing a 2 lot subdivision on Old Keene Rd. between the house he is currently living in and his abutter.  There is approximately 1000 ft of frontage and 44 acres.  He is proposing to divide the parcel roughly in half.  Ch. Miller will give him an application and noted the deadlines for submission for the Sept. meeting.  A public hearing will be scheduled if the application is received in time for required posting deadlines.

Mr. Dill returned to the meeting as an alternate member.

 Walpole Planning Board Meeting August 9, 2005 Minutes page 4

COMMUNICATIONS AND MISC.

P. Aslinger distributed Rules of Procedure, N. Walpole Zoning Ordinances, and Subdivision Regulations to members without the documents at the beginning of the meeting.

Discussion of issues of the 7/25/06 work session.  Ch. Miller had obtained figures from J. Trow regarding fees.  He stated that wages only were $2100.00 for 2004, the Board’s processed 23 subdivision, site plan, bla’s and the ZBA 16 applications.  39 divided just into the wages would be $55.00 pro-rated.  Not including other costs of processing such as advertising, miscellaneous copying, printing and mileage he suggested the Board consider raising the application fee to just under $100.00.  D. Edkins stated that Charlestown had just raised their fees well over that plus an additional per lot fee and a flat rate for notification.  D. Edkins strongly suggested we incorporate office hours for the secretary, noting that we haven’t budgeted it for this year but should set it up for next year, all agreed.  Mr. Edkins will provide Charlestown’s fee schedule for comparison, for the work session.  Mr. Dill stated that increasing the fees was not unreasonable that the current fees were too cheap.  Majority agreed.

P. Aslinger mentioned 2 valuable websites for the Office of Energy and Planning and SWRPC, noting that there is extensive data on the State’s housing and future estimates, citing the “Build-out” issue brought up at the last work session.  D. Edkins stated that Charlestown had done a build out study and he found the information ambiguous and not useable.  The numbers were not in line with the actual projections for growth based on history and surrounding actual growth.  He was very disappointed in the information and it was very expensive to obtain.  He cautioned the Board about having it done.  R. Boas asked if the study took into account large tracts of land and larger scale housing development, which is the immediate concern in Walpole.  Mr. Edkins felt better specific information could be used as a meaningful planning tool, but not a complete build out study.  Further discussion will continue at the Work session.

E. Merklein stated concern over the Secretarial training and how to insure a smooth transition.  Bob Miller was part of a subcommittee to hire the new Secretary and felt they had made an excellent choice and that J. Trow would be available to train the new person. D. Edkins said she should be compensated as well for her time.  Ch. Miller will be in touch with them to set up some training time and to insure next months postings are timely.  Some concern was expressed about the new rules of procedure adding to Secretarial duties, Ms. Aslinger stated that the procedures were very close to what has already been in place and that she is more than willing to help out, such as continuing to record the work sessions and creating the agendas until the Secretary is brought up to speed.  D. Edkins noted that we need to watch the budget since the Board had not planned to hold work sessions or hire a new secretary with added duties.

 Ch. Miller closed the meeting at 9:00 PM.