ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT
TOWN HALL, 85 MAIN STREET
PITTSFIELD, NH 03263
MINUTES OF PUBLIC HEARING

DATE: THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015

ITEM 1. Call to Order at 7:09 P.M. by Carole Dodge, Chairman

ITEM 2. Roll Call

Members Present:

Carole Dodge (CD), Chairman, John (Pat) Heffernan (PH), Vice-Chairman, Denis Beaudoin (DB), Jeffrey Swain (JS), Alternate and Delores Fritz, Recording Secretary.

Members Absent:

Paul Metcalf, Sr. (PM), Scott Aubertin (SA), Albert Douglas (AD), Alternate

Jeffrey Swain (JS), Alternate was seated on the Board.

Others Present:

Jesse Pacheco, Building Inspector

ITEM 3. Approval of Minutes of February 26, 2015

(DB) Motion to approve Minutes of February 26, 2015.
(JS) Second. Carried 4-0.

ITEM 4. WORK SESSION

(CD) When we met several weeks ago with CNHRPC, they suggested that rather than establish new zones that we separate zones into districts namely Suburban I and II and Rural I and II. Jesse Pacheco (JP): What is the difference between Suburban I and II? (CD) Suburban I is with water/sewer and one acre minimum. Suburban II is private well/septic with a minimum of two acres. (JP) How are we going to differentiate between them when we add sewer and how is that going to affect the zoning? (CD) At this point, there are no plans to extend sewer. (DB) I thought Ron Vien noted that the sewer is in essence “maxed out.” (CD) It requires 100 gallons per person per day, so it is therefore, pretty much at capacity. (JP) We would have to extend the system to accommodate people/businesses on Route 28. Also there are businesses in Town which require greater use of the facilities such as restaurants, which would add to the capacity. Jitters and Molly’s are both sit down places. The Chinese restaurant is mostly take-out but should a bakery come to the down town area, perhaps they might serve sandwiches which might increase the need for sewer.

(CD) CNHRPC was looking at Route 28 where there is no sewer/water but might be someday, and suggested splitting it up. (JP) How did the system work previously when Globe, Pittsfield Weaving and the Tannery were in place? We haven’t added anything major to Town recently, so why are we looking at capacity? If Ron notes that we cannot do this, then that is something we need to know prior to making any changes.

(JP) So, Commercial/Light Industrial is the in downtown area and would have sewer/water and the opposite side of Route 28 does not. (PH) If businesses would be coming in, then they would need to apply for Variance. (JP) That is spot zoning. (PH) Will we be around long enough to see this? (JP) Who knows but as we change these places, there is an impact.
(CD) We are not changing them. (JP) When I discussed this with LGC, they advised that we can do anything we want in establishing zones. We are going to have seven zones in Town which may cause havoc in the Zoning Regulations. (CD) Not a whole lot.

(JP) This will be impacting a lot of people and they will be “up in arms” about this. It diminishes some of these properties. (PH) Some will be “grandfathered.” (JP) Will it stay with the land or with the building? How are we going to treat those in Light Industrial/Commercial II in relation to business? Are we going to grandfather the land or the person? If they sell the property, the property is diminished. What are we going to consider as light industrial? You may fix one place and you put “bumps in the road for others.” Once we do this, what does it do to properties? Definitions need to coincide with the zones. (JP) Most of the Rural Zone properties are supposed to be two acres or more unless grandfathered.

(JP) Would it be wise to use Matt Monahan come and advise us on this; it is what he does. I believe Matt Monahan has already written some of this stuff. It is not just the water/sewer but it is the way the Town is laid out. (CD) Matt would like to review what we put together. (PH) We have discussed this with him, but he is in the middle of a project in Allenstown
re-writing their zoning ordinances. (CD) He is free in May and he will probably come to some of the meetings then. It was Matt’s suggestion to e divide the Suburban and Light Commercial/Industrial Zones.

(JP) Wouldn’t it be wise to have the Planning Board involved in this? We could do all this work and then have the Planning Board “knock it down.” (CD) I have already approached the Planning Board on this and they do not want anything to do with it. The plan would be to have it before the Planning Board by September. (PH) If the Planning Board rejects it, we can do it as a Citizen Petition and get the people involved or give to Board of Selectman. (JP) So you may be looking to do it by Warrant Article via Citizen Petition. (CD) I have talked to Matt Monahan about this and this was his suggestion.

(JP) Do we want to put this in front of the Planning Board to let them review what we have accomplished so far? (PH) I can keep them up to speed on what we have done so far. (CD) I have advised Planning Board that these work sessions are going on. (JP) I do not want to spend six months doing this and then not have the Planning Board approve it. (CD) I discussed with Clayton and was told to discuss with Ralph Odell, Master Plan Committee, which I did and he was quite on board with this.

Board worked on revising Table I: Zoning Districts and Uses. (Please see attachment to these Minutes.)

(CD) We have done a lot so far and we can go through the other Tables of Uses further next meeting.

ITEM 5. Members Concerns

(PH) I will advise the Planning Board what we are doing and have done to see if they are interested.

(JP) I think the meeting went very well and next time we can “tweak it” some more.

(PH) I do not want to get bogged down on this. Planning Board should be going a little smoother now.

(CD) Next meeting will be March 26, 2015 at 7:00 P.M.

ITEM 6. Public Input

None.

ITEM 7. Adjournment

(DB) Motion to adjourn. (PH) Second. Carried 4-0.

Meeting adjourned at 9:00 P.M.

Approved: March 26, 2015

______________________________ ____________________
Carole Dodge, Chair Date

Attachment (1)
No Recording of Meeting

I hereby certify that these Minutes were prepared and publicly posted on March 12, 2015.

__________________________________________
Delores A. Fritz, Recording Secretary
Attachment to Zoning Board Minutes of March 12,2015

ZBA_Attachment_3-12-15