Town of Sutton
TOWN OF SUTTON
Pillsbury Memorial Town Hall
93 Main Street Sutton Mills, NH
Sutton Mills, NH 03221
Planning Board
October 9, 2019 @ 4:00 p.m.

 

Board Members Present: Roger Wells, Chair; Debbie Lang, Vice-Chair; David Angeli; Bill Curless, Ex-Officio Member; Jim Lowe; Julie McCarthy; Glenn Pogust; and David Hill, Alternate

Board Members Absent: None

Staff Present: Diane Lander, Land Use Coordinator

Others Present: Jim Morris, Sutton Resident, and Tom Schamberg, Wilmot Resident and NH State Representative.  For the conceptual consultation, Cindy Cullen, Real Estate Agent; Roger Cullen; Timothy Ferwerda, Wet Land Scientist; and Laura Hallahan, Real Estate Agent.

Conceptual Consultation

Lot line adjustment and shared driveway on Eaton Grange Road (Map Lot 01-248-391, 62.7 acres in current use, and Map Lot 01-174-386, 34.2 acres in current use).

 

Call to Order Regular Meeting

Chairperson Wells called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.

Roll Call

Chairman Wells welcomed David Hill, new alternate board member.

Conceptual Consultation

Lot line adjustment and shared driveway on Eaton Grange Road (Map Lot 01-248-391, 62.7 acres in current use, and Map Lot 01-174-386, 34.2 acres in current use).

Timothy Ferwerda, Wet Land Scientist, presented the project to the Board Members.

Purpose is to be able to build two (2) houses.  Joseph Torro, property owner, submitted a letter on behalf of himself and Ted Gallup, his business partner, supporting the lot line adjustment and plan for two (2) houses.

There is plenty of acreage for two (2) lots as well as frontage for each lot (minimum 200 feet for the Rural-Agricultural Zone).

A conditional use permit will be needed if there are steep slopes or wetland issues.  The Board reminded Mr. Ferwerda that the purpose of the conditional use permit is to ensure the driveway is properly designed so it is safe and accessible to emergency vehicles.  Steep slopes seem not to be an issue but there is a wetland crossing.  The existing DES permit will need to be renewed.

Mr. Ferwerda said that the curb cut and driveway will meet current regulations but he did not know if a curb cut and/or driveway permit will be needed.  Ms. Hallahan said there currently is a driveway permit.  Mr. Ferwerda said that an easement to get the driveway across the other lot will be needed.

Mr. Ferwerda asked if the conditional use permit application and the lot line adjustment application could be heard at the same meeting.  Chairman Wells replied yes but the conditional use permit application requires additional noticing time.

New Business: No New Business was brought before the Board.

Old Business: No Old Business was brought before the Board.

Other business that may legally come before the Board

Administrative

Board Members met with Jim Morris, possible new board member.

Mr. Morris moved to Sutton about three (3) years ago and lives on Stonehouse Road.  Before moving to Sutton, he lived in Boston.  He works for NFS International, is a consultant in the Pharmaceutical Industry, and is a member of the CDC Open Space Committee.  Mr. Morris travels for his work and his schedule has both busy and slow times.

The Board Members suggested sending a letter to the Board of Selectmen recommending Mr. Morris join the Planning Board as an alternate.

The Land Use Coordinator discussed suggested changes to the Conditional Use Permit.

An additional change suggested by the Board Members is to modify a sentence on page 1 of the application.

Current: Once the Planning Board has officially accepted the application and deemed it complete, a public hearing will be scheduled for the first available Planning Board meeting.

Suggested change: Once the Planning Board has officially accepted the application and deemed it complete, a public hearing on the merits of the proposal will either follow or be scheduled for the first available regular Planning Board meeting.

The Board Members asked the Land Use Coordinator to send each of them a copy of the current Conditional Use Permit application along with a copy of the suggested changes to review.

The Board Members discussed adding an application fee and a recording fee to the Voluntary merger application.  They agreed on a $100 application fee and to list the recording fee as “Current MCRD Recording Rate.”  The Land Use Coordinator will update the application.

Chairman Wells presented Ms. Forsham’s October 1, 2018 memo summarizing her work comparing “requirements for driveway construction and permitting found in various Town ordinances, regulations and permit applications.”

Ms. Forsham found “There are discrepancies between the driveway requirements found in the subdivision regulations vs. the 1998 driveway permit application for things such as ‘line of sight’, grade, aprons and road curb requirements.  There is also no mention in the 1998 application of steep slope and conditional use permit requirements.”

The Board Members discussed the width of the edge required from an adjoining property line where a logging operation cannot cut.  The Land Use Coordinator will ask Ms. Forsham if a Town is allowed to set a required footage and, if so, how much footage is allowed to be required.

Chairman Wells presented a draft of a “New Resident” letter.  This letter will help inform residents, especially new residents, about Town rules and regulations.  Chairman Wells suggests this letter be sent when a real estate transaction is recorded.  The Board Members suggested adding something about easements.  Chairman Wells will revise the letter and bring the revised letter to the next regular Planning Board meeting.

Correspondence

Chairman Wells read an email from Mr. Charles Ash re: management of Keyser Street.  Chairman Wells will reply to Mr. Ash.

The Land Use Coordinator received a Request for Project Review by the New Hampshire Divisions of Historical Resources.  The Board asked her to call and ask why these notices are sent and if there is something the Land Use Coordinator is expected to submit back.

The Land Use Coordinator mentioned the NHDES: Request for nominations for the New Hampshire Rivers Management and Protection program (RMPP) and asked for nominations.

Next Meeting

The next meeting will be scheduled for Tuesday, November 13, 2018.

Adjournment

Motion: There being no further business, Board Member Pogust moved to adjourn the meeting.  Board Member Lang seconded the motion.  The motion carried unanimously in the affirmative.  The meeting adjourned at 8:20 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Diane M. Lander, Land Use Coordinator