Pittsfield Planning Board
Town Hall, 85 Main Street
Pittsfield, NH 03263
Minutes of Public Meeting

DATE: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2010

ITEM 1. Call to Order at 7:07 P.M. by Bill Miskoe, Chairman

ITEM 2. Roll Call

Members Present:

Bill Miskoe (BM), Chairman, Ted Mitchell (TM), Vice Chairman, Fred Hast, Selectman Ex Officio, Dan Schroth (DS), Daniel Greene (DG), Pat Heffernan (PH), Clayton Wood, Alternate and Doug Potter, Recording Secretary.

Members Absent:

Rich Hunsberger (RH)

Clayton Wood (CW), Alternate seated on the Board. Pat Heffernan (PH) arrived late and was seated on the Board upon his arrival.

ITEM 3. Approval of Minutes of September 16, 2010

(TM) Motion to approve Minutes of September 16, 2010.
(DS) Second. Carried 5-0. (DG) and (BM) Abstain.

ITEM 4. WORK SESSION

Board continued Work Session on the revisions of Zoning Ordinances with Matt Monahan, Central New Hampshire Regional Planning Commission. There was some review from the last meeting. Matt Monahan: It is not establishing anything but just spells out the process.

(BM) Do we need to put in the Rules of Procedure? (BM) Recommended having a Public Hearing and asked the Board members if they had any other ideas. (DS) Do we really need a Public Hearing? (BM) Public hearings are required anyway.

(TM) Motion to amend the Rules of Procedure to make the two sheets, Planning Board Review of Conditions Process and Planning Board Application Process be added to the next Agenda of the public meeting to allow public input before anything is done. (DG) Second. Carried 6-0.

(BM) Does anyone need me to E-mail the entire document to them? Discussion proceeded to “cluster development.” Refer to Page 31, Section 95. When doing open space development, applicant would have to demonstrate to the Planning Board how it will stay as open space. (BM) Are there any State Statutes we can adopt? Matt Monahan: “Not to my knowledge.” (BM) Pick one of these possibilities and put in proposal? If going to Public Hearing, we should propose one. Matt Monahan: We could select just one. (BM) Which one of these is going to be in it? Just pick one and put it in it? The Board has looked at this and this is the best one. This will go on the ballot by recommendation of the Planning Board. Matt Monahan: A person can come in and pick any one of these. Any one of the seven is acceptable to the Board. This is more of a reminder. Here are the different ways available.

Board discussion: How much leeway do we want to give landowners? We may get useless space, under water, etc. Does open space have to be land of some value? Matt Monahan: The land must be buildable. They must start off with 15 buildable acres (see the bottom of chart on Page 30) and at least 25% of space must be buildable.

Matt Monahan: Clear, predictable guidance must be put in. (BM) They must buy into these seven possibilities? Matt Monahan: I will double check, does open space match throughout. On bottom of Page 31 – Ownership and Maintenance of Common Areas, the Home Owner Association option was discussed. Town has had to pick-up maintenance on badly built subdivision roads per (BM.) Onto 97 other requirements. Applicant must comply with the Town’s road standards in the event the Town takes over the road. It would have to be built to Town standards under the assumption that Town will, at some point, assume the maintenance. This document reinforces that.
TABLE OF USES AND DEFINITIONS: Pages 11 through 15.

Matt Monahan pointed out what changes have been made so far on the map.

Adult Business Establishments: Located in downtown area. Must have a place for it. Good to leave it where it is.

Adult Day Care Facility: Special exception in Urban Zone, and permitted by right in Suburban Zone. (BM) Make adult day care by exception in Rural. Could be useful. Vote note required. (BM) I’m a big fan of exceptions – it gives Board a chance for review.

Agriculture: To have farms is to have businesses in town. Permitted by right in Suburban and Rural. Definitions include commercial greenhouses or hydroponics.

Airport Helipad: Exception in Light Industrial and Rural. Keep as is.

Automobile Dealers: Permitted by right in Light Industrial/Commercial. Matt Monahan: It may not be a bad idea to put it in Suburban. (TM) Do we want this added as an exception? Board decided to put in Suburban and Commercial by exception.

Auto Body Shops: As is, plus add it by exception in Suburban.

Bakery: (BM) Add by right to Light Industrial/Commercial. Change the E to a Y in Light Industrial/Commercial per (BM).

Bed & Breakfast and Established Inn: Self-regulating, leave alone.

Bio-Technology: Leave as is.

Boarding Stables: Exception for Suburban.
Building Contractor Yards: Suburban by exception and by right in Light Industrial/Commercial including stone and landscaping materials.

Building Supply Yard (wholesale and retail) – NEW CATEGORY:
(BM) We will define later. Takes in anything like Home Depot, Barton Lumber, Lowes, etc. Where to put? (TM) Can see landscaping supplies in rural. (BM) May be self-regulating.

Business Office: Leave as is.

Campground: Unchanged per (MM.) Leave alone.

Car Wash: Add: by exception in Suburban.

Cemetery: Matt Monahan: “Where do you want future ones?” Want to expand? (TM) Do exception in Suburban and by exception in Rural. Board agreed.

Religious Assembly Buildings (Churches): (BM) Change terminology to Religious Assembly Building. Leave as is otherwise.

Cluster Development: (BM) Add by exception in Suburban, by right in Rural. All agreed.

Combined Dwelling Business: Matt Monahan tweaked the definition. It was changed to fit downtown-type area. Leave as is otherwise.

Community Center: Can be anything from Elks Club, etc. Urban and Suburban, fine.

Construction Trade Shops: Do away with this category.

Conservation Uses: Keep this category.

Dance or Music School or Studio: Make by right in Rural and Light Industrial/Commercial.

Dry Cleaning: Use of chemicals by the shops was discussed. Put in Light Industrial/Commercial.

Excavation of Earth Materials: Exception in Rural, make by exception in Light Industrial/Commercial also.

Farm Stand: Yes, everywhere.

Flea Market: Make Y in Commercial.

Forestry: Leave as is.

Food Processing: By exception in Suburban and by right in Light Industrial/Commercial.
Fuel Storage: No change.

Funeral Home: No change.

Garden Center: Delete, comes under building supply.

Green House: Go with Y in Rural.

Health Club: Leave as is. By exception in Rural.

Historic Property: Y everywhere.

Home Occupation: No changes. Minor crossed out.

Hotel/Motel: No change.

In-Law Apartment: No changes.

Kennel: Leave it by exception in Rural.

Libraries (and Museums): Cross off Museums, leave as Libraries only. Leave as is otherwise.

Light Industrial: No change.

Lumber Yard: Delete.

Light Industrial: Delete.

Manufactured Homes: Delete.

Manufacturing and Fabrication: No change.

Manufacturing Housing Park: Add E under Suburban.

Marine Facilities: Take out E in Urban and under Rural.

Materials Recycling and Processing: Leave as is.

Materials Research and Testing: Delete.

Mixed Use Residential: Leave alone.

Medical Center Hospital: Leave alone.

Monasteries/Convents: By right in Suburban.

Mobile Home: Delete.

Multi Family (3 units and up): Leave alone.

Non-Profit Environmental: Delete.

Non-Residential Post Secondary School: Delete in Urban, add by right in Light Industrial/Commercial.

Nursery Daycare: Change Y to E in Commercial.

Nursing Convalescent: Add as E everywhere.

Outdoor Recreation: No change.

Park Recreation: No change.

Parking Facilities: No change.

End of Work Session discussion – 8:55 P.M.

ITEM 5. Building Inspector Report

Building Inspector is trying to get the files back in shape. There are five (5) Building Permits for new homes. He has gone and reviewed software program for his office. Any building being built or any type of permits issued can be punched in and when assessing company comes in, they can see everything. Full history on property will result.

ITEM 6. Selectman’s Report – Fred Hast, Selectman Ex Officio

We are currently working on the budgets. We are looking for two Selectmen.

ITEM 7. Members Concerns

(BM) After reading the local paper the other day, it is noted there will be lighting at the new Pittsfield Baseball Park. This needs a Site Plan Review. Board needs to ensure lighting is ok. (BM) I would like to have a Public Hearing and have them come in with an amended Site Plan. (BM) will write Larry Berkson a letter.

ITEM 8. Public Input

Ralph Odell: He related that he needs a representative of the Planning Board to attend the CIP meeting next Monday, October 11, 2010 at 7:00 P.M. to finalize the report. May need one more meeting to wrap up the CIP.
(BM) Volunteered to attend.

ITEM 9: ADJOURNMENT

(PH) Motion to adjourn. (TM) Second. Carried 6-0.

Meeting adjourned at 9:05 P.M.

Approved: October 21, 1010

______________________________ _____________________
John W. (Bill) Miskoe, Chairman Date

I hereby certify that these Minutes were recorded by me on October 7, 2010, transcribed and public posted on October 14, 2010.

__________________________________________
Doug Potter, Recording Secretary

II Tapes
Planning Board Minutes – October 7, 2010