PLANNING BOARD

Walpole, NH  03608

MINUTES:            Regular Meeting – Tuesday, August 11, 2009   7:00pm Town Hall Basement

Presiding:                Jeff Miller, Ch.

Members Present:  Ben Daviss, Henry Fletcher, Bob Miller, V-Ch., Sheldon Sawyer, select., Jeff White, alt., Donn Lounsbury (7:30pm)  Members Absent:  Eric Merklein, Dave DeCoste

Recording:  Pamela L. Aslinger, Sec./alt.

These minutes are unapproved and will be reviewed at the September 8, 2009 meeting for errors, corrections and omissions.  There were 7 persons in the audience.

I.              Meeting opened at 7:10pm

                A.  Roll call – Jeff White designated for Eric Merklein and Pam Aslinger for Dave DeCoste.

B.  Ben Daviss moved to approve the minutes as presented for the 7/14/09 meeting, seconded by Mr. Sawyer, motion carried unanimously.

II.            New Business

                A.  Cold River Advocacy Commission – Charles Montgomery submitted a document entitled “Cold River Watershed Management Plan” covering the Towns of Acworth, Alstead, Charlestown, Langdon, Lempster, Marlow, Unity and Walpole dated April 2009.  Prepared by Cold River Local Advisory Committee and Michael Heidorn professional geologist.  Mr. Montgomery credited the Selectboard for the disaster plan created for the Town, it being dovetailed with the State and Federal plans.  Mr. Montgomery stated that the plan summarizes natural river features recent changes to the river particularly those caused by the 2005 flood, and offers a management plan overview.   The river reached “designated river status” as of 1999, the role of the commission is advisory only to the State of NH and to the citizens of the Cold River watershed that is 21 miles long and occupies 102 sq. miles emptying into the Connecticut River south of the Aubuchon’s Hardware store.  The committee is made up of 3 reps from each of the eight towns on the watershed.  Walpole’s reps are Fred Ernst, Austin Hunter and Mr. Montgomery.  He mentioned volunteer work related to trout habitat, salmon stocking and recreational goals.   Cold River has it’s own website:  www.coldriver.org.  The planning board copy will be kept in the office.  The document may be viewed on the web at des.nh.gov.  Ch. Miller thanked Mr. Montgomery for his presentation.  Members considered including a reference to the plan in the master plan.

                B.   Primax Properties, LLC, Mr. Frank S. Alexander, project director from Charlotte, NC introduced himself as a developer working on behalf of Tractor Supply Co.  They are interested in a parcel north of LaValley Building supply owned by Mr. Fred Dill and formerly known as the Bailey property.  Their intent is to subdivide the parcel into two lots of 4.92 acres (1) and 11.5 acres (2).   Mr. Bergeron of Brickstone Masons in Keene is engineering the building and he gave the board a brief overview of their intentions.  They intend to build a 19,000 sq. ft. building with parking lots and a storage yard on lot 1.  A shared driveway will service both lots with 54% of the lot 1 remaining in greenspace.  They referred to preliminary layout maps.  Mr. Dill will retain lot 2, they will apply for an alteration of terrain permit with DES and would like to connect to the water and sewer lines.  The heat will be propane and the building sprinkled with a backup water storage backup system.  Primax Properties will lease the building to Tractor Supply and they have recently completed six stores in Vermont.  The style of the building will be in keeping with Walpole’s character with an agricultural influence - barnlike.  Tractor supply was started as a catalog business in the 1930’s supplying farms with tractor parts but they don’t actually sell tractors.  Today they supply mostly home farmers.  They will employ about 15 persons, have an extensive training program and like to staff the departments with persons who have hands on experience and are local.  Their time frame is to complete the permitting process this fall and begin construction in the spring when the weather improves.  They were asked to contact the Secretary to be placed on the next agenda to formally

Walpole Planning Board Meeting 8/11/09 page 2

submit the application for subdivision and site plan review, the public hearing would be scheduled for the October meeting if they were ready to submit in September.  They were asked to contact Mark Houghton in regard to the water/sewer hook up possibility and the zoning board for signage.  Landscaping within the parking lot was considered for a waiver due to snow removal.  Mr. David Howell of Walpole asked how Tractor Supply would affect existing farm businesses in the area.  Mr. Alexander said the greatest impact would be to Agway and Community Feed Store in Westminster.

                C.  Vilas Bridge – Selectman Sawyer announced a meeting set for 4:30 pm Thursday August 13th at the Vilas Bridge to discuss the restoration and repair.  The meeting will begin on the bridge and adjourn for discussion to the Walpole Town Hall.  He said representatives from SWRPC, NH State Reps, NW Village Commissioners, Dept. of Transportation and Bellows Falls business persons will be on hand.   He said there’s an estimate of 9 million dollars to modernize the bridge, it is registered as a historic bridge.  It was removed from the current 10 year plan developed in conjunction with SWRPC’s advisory representative without adequate study.  He asked the board to support re-prioritizing the modernization.  The Selectboard is hoping to help move the process along.   Members discussed stimulus funds and having our state reps introduce a bill for support.  Mr. Fletcher mentioned that in 1930 Charles Vilas donated $90 thousand dollars to construct the original bridge.

                D.  Town Hall meeting room ceiling – Mr. Sawyer reported that the delay in repairing the ceiling is due to funding, but it has been resolved and the construction will begin.  He reported no attendance at the public hearing they held for input.

III.                Planning Discussion

Master Plan       

1.  Review and sign contract – Sec. Aslinger reported the original contract was not yet available, she would check with SWRPC, action delayed.

2.  Review and discuss Land Use pages 1-16 forwarding results to Lisa Murphy – Members offered no changes or suggestions.  Ch. Miller reminded that Mr. Murphy was tentatively scheduled to attend the October meeting. 

3.  Discuss Economic Models – A few members who had reviewed the models found sections of each that were useful but not one in particular.  Mr. Daviss suggested setting up a subcommittee to consider Walpole’s specific needs.  Ch. Miller, Bob Miller, Jeff Smith, Don Lounsbury and Mel Schupack volunteered.

IV.                Communications and Miscellaneous

                A.  Sec. Aslinger announced she would be absent for a couple of months due to travel plans but will arrange to have an alternate secretary.

V.            Meeting Adjourned 8:30pm  - Next regular meeting to be held September 8, 2009