September 4, 2008 Minutes

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

DATE: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2008

ITEM 1. Call to Order at 7:00 P.M. by Rich Hunsberger, Chairman

ITEM 2. Roll Call

Members Present: Rich Hunsberger, (RH), Chairman, Gerard Leduc (GL), Vice-Chair, Larry Konopka (LK), Selectman Ex-Officio, Fred Hast (FH), Marilyn Roberts (MR), Dan Schroth (DS), Alternate, Tom Hitchcock (TH), Alternate and Delores Fritz, Recording Secretary.

Members Absent:

Robert Elliott (RE) and Daniel Green (DG)

Alternates Dan Schroth and Tom Hitchcock seated for entire meeting.

ITEM 3. A Public Hearing for a non-binding conceptual plan for creation of a parking lot to be located directly behind the Masonic Lodge. Park Street Baptist Church, 38 Molly Lane, Pittsfield, NH 03263 would like to purchase a small area of property owned by Stephen Hueston and Althea L. Shea, 3 Park Street, Pittsfield, NH 03263 (Tax Map U-03, Lot 104) for this purpose. Representing the Park Street Baptist Church will be Glen Patterson, Trustee. The proposed parking lot would measure approximately 80 ft. x 61 ft. and contain approximately 15 to 18 parking spaces. The property is located in the COMMERCIAL Zone.

Mr. Patterson appeared as representative for Park Street Baptist Church noting that he was present tonight to try and get a feel for acceptance by the Town for this proposal. (RH) informed Mr. Patterson that it would have to be subdivided. Mr. Patterson noted that his real purpose was to “sound out” how Town feels about this proposal without expending funds.
(RH) noted “In order for property owner to subdivide, he has to apply for a Variance with the Zoning Board and then subdivide it and get a Site Plan Review. Without a Variance, this Board does not have the ability to subdivide. You can poll this Board and see how members feel. “I, personally, do not recall there being a lot of land back there.” Mr. Patterson noted that there is not a lot of land; the Church has eight parking spaces. (RH) “Would you be accessing through Franklin Street?” Mr. Patterson noted affirmatively.

(RH) “What about turn around radius?” Mr. Patterson noted that he had discussed with Building Inspector Mike McLaughlin and he gave me the particular specs. It is wide enough to back up. “I am curious what the Board would expect.” Board members had some questions in regard to drainage and surface top. (RH) noted “We are working on the Zoning Ordinances now and things might change. Asphalt is currently required, but this might change in the future.” (TH) noted that the Church in Pembroke is currently in construction and using impervious asphalt. “Why not park on the streets and not pay anything?” Mr. Patterson noted that this could be a problem in the wintertime and also other times of the year. “We would work with the Masonic Lodge in taking care of the parking lot.”

(RH) “Have you talked to the road agent yet?” Mr. Patterson indicated that he had not. (LK) noted that he had discussed with George and he wanted to make sure it is paved and that it does not drain down Franklin Street. You would have to have the snow hauled away. Fire Department is concerned about any leakage from cars draining down Franklin Street also. The Fire Department would also want the pillars removed so that there are two accesses to that area.

(RH) Should it be subdivided, what would be the setbacks? Mr. Patterson noted, “Not much more than 25 ft. There are some trees that would have to be cut down.” (DS) “Why is it non-conforming?” (RH) “Part of the house lot would have to be used making it non-conforming. According to the subdivision regulations, it would take a Variance. I would imagine that the Variance would note that it would be only for the parking lot and that no structure could be there. I would think that would be a condition.”
(TH) “You never know. If the house goes away, you might be able to get an even bigger parking lot.” (RH) If Variance is granted, it should be specified that it be for the parking lot only. There is so little parking available in the downtown area. The Parking Ordinances should be changed because there is no place to park. The Planning Board would probably be okay with this as long as you met the drainage and other issues discussed. This Board cannot speak for the Zoning Board.

Mr. Patterson noted, “We will probably abandon this project because of the costs. It is more than the Church could appropriate for it.” (RH) In the new ordinances, there will be allowances for other surfaces. (LK) The Fire Department is concerned about gravel washing away into the roadways with the heavy rains. Mr. Patterson was advised that he could contact the Department Heads directly. (DS) “The Department Heads carry a lot of weight with this Planning Board.”

(RH) You might check in Pembroke as to what they are utilizing in the parking lot – impervious asphalt. (LK) “Snow removal is one of Road Agent’s major concerns.” (FH) “Looking at the footage, it would allow about 16 parking spaces. Drainage would be a problem. Any kind of pavement there would cause the water to run off. Probably should be a bern there to catch the run-off. (RH) Are there any storm drains on Franklin Street? (FH) I believe there are some, but not in that area.

Mr. Patterson noted, “I think I have enough information. It is probably going to cost more than we wanted to spend.”

Discussion ended at 7:20 P.M.

ITEM 4. Approval of Minutes of August 21, 2008

(LK) Motion to approve Minutes of August 21, 2008. (MR) Second. Carried 7-0.

(GL) Motion to unseal the Non-Public Minutes of August 21, 2008.

(FH) “I believe it is too early to unseal these Non-Public Minutes, maybe in a couple of months.”

Motion dies because of lack of Second.

(GL) Motion to approve Non-Public Session Minutes of August 21, 2008. (TH) Second. Carried 5-0 (DS and (LK) Abstain.

ITEM 5. New Business

(RH) There is a workshop coming up for Municipal Law Series if anyone is interested in attending.

ITEM 6. Selectman’s Report

(LK) “The Budget season has started and we have begun working on those. Everything else is going good.”

ITEM 7. Building Inspector Report

(RH) I have met with Mike and he has advised me that Pittsfield Self-Storage has agreed to put the sign where it was originally proposed. They will be restoring the plants/trees, which were disturbed.

Mike is also making out a new site plan application for home occupation. He has been busy dealing with violations.

ITEM 8. WORK SESSION

Board reviewed Table of Uses beginning with:

Lumber Yard: Board noted Retail Sales is in all areas, why not put lumberyard in more areas? (RH) This type of business needs space, why is it in Commercial Zone? (FH) There is only one place you could put it downtown. (TH) Maybe turn Ace Hardware into a Home Depot. (RH) I would think out on 28 would be good. Board decided to keep zones as originally decided.

Manufactured Home: Board agreed it should be allowed everywhere, but did not make any specific changes as to zones.

Marine Facilities: (TH) Any boat yard near a body of water makes sense. (DS) We are trying to have retail on Route 28. It was noted that marine facilities do not necessarily have to be near a body of water. There are boat sales and boat yards around that do not exist near a body of water and do fine.

Nursery/Day Care; Park/Recreation; Parking Facility, Personal Service; Plazas, Malls, Multiple Use Business Parks; Repair Shop;
Research and Development Offices; Restaurant; Retail Sales; Sawmill; School; Self-Storage Facilities; Service Stations; Theater;
Truck, Heavy Equipment and Trailer Repair; Veterinary Hospital; Warehouse & Wholesale Marketing remain the same as previously decided.

The possibility of adding some additional uses such as:
Outdoor Amusements/Sports and Recycling Facility will continue to be allowed in all zones with no criteria at the present time.

Multi-Family Housing will be added to Suburban* and Rural* – both with criteria. Board agreed they would re-address multi-family housing after they had discussed CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT.

Nursing, Convalescent Facility: Lt. Industrial/Commercial Zone will not be added as previously decided as it was observed that it probably would want to be located in a quieter neighborhood and land costs in that zone would be much higher.

(DS) “It is important to get retail on 28.” (RH) related that Board did not have to adapt the zoning to the Master Plan. (DS) The Master Plan is not quite ready. Their main goal is to preserve the farmland on Upper City Road and would like to see five-acre lots up there. (TH) I would rather see green belt instead. If you turn it into a green belt than you will do that. It will not maintain its rural character by preserving the farmland. Board requested that at the next meeting, they could appear and explain their thoughts in regard to the Master Plan.

(RH) reiterated his suggestions for height exceptions and structures exempt from setbacks. Windmills were also discussed and thoughts were that they also should be exempt from height requirements.

Cluster Development: Board agreed that:

– It should require a larger piece of property
– Buffer
– Density Suburban 5-1 (Sewer & Water
Rural 4-1

Size Suburban 5 Acres
Rural 10 Acres

ITEM 9. Members Concerns

(RH) There is a letter from Jim Pritchard who is “attempting to scare the voters” as to what the Planning Board is doing in revising the Zoning Ordinances and the economic use of the land.

(LK) We really need a game plan for the changes we are trying to make in the Zoning Ordinances. Perhaps, Channel 24 and the Website. All agreed.

(FH) “Only one person showed up with a CIP – how come?” (RH) Only the Library and the School responded. (FH) Why are we not getting more responses on the CIP – we should have. (LK) We will work on it. “I would like to see if Board members go to the Department Heads and ‘lean on them’ and maybe work with them.” (FH) “Get the Library back in and set up the CIP.” (LK) I talked to Leslie and explained to Board how the leak that was occurring in the basement was successfully taken care of. The insulation is most important thing. (FH) “They have to do the windows.”

(LK) reiterated that he would like to see each Board member take a department and work with them on the CIP. Volunteers included:

Highway Department – Dan Schroth
Library – Marilyn Roberts
Police Department – Rich Hunsberger
Fire Department – Fred Hast
WWTP – ?

(FH) “What is the status of the Building Inspector?” (No response.)

Also, what about absentees from the Planning Board? What are we going to do about that? (RH) Dan Greene has not been here and notes he is busy with business. It was noted that he contacted the Recording Secretary to advise that he would not be present tonight due to business matters. (FH) Dan Green has not been here the last four times since he was elected.
(RH) agreed to contact Dan and “ask him if he is planning on coming back.”

(DS) “Larry, taxes going to remain stable?” (LK) “Too early to tell.”

(FH) We were discussing height requirements before, have you heard that there is legislation that outdoor furnaces chimneys now have to be four feet higher than your nearest neighbor’s house? (RH) “This could also be a height exemption.” It could be an exemption regarding the chimney but not from the setbacks.

ITEM 10. Public Input

None.

ITEM 11. Adjournment

(DS) Motion to Adjourn. (LK) Second. Carried 7-0.

Meeting adjourned at 8:40 P.M.

Approved: September 18, 2008

____________________________ _________________________
Rich Hunsberger, Chairman Date

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