PB Minutes 12-18-06

APPROVED

TOWN OF PELHAM

PLANNING BOARD MEETING

December 18, 2006

The Chairman Bill Scanzani called the meeting to order= at 7:30 pm.

The Secretary, Gael Ouellette called the roll:

PRESENT:

Bill Scanzani, Peter McNamara, Paddy Culbert, Gael O= uellette, Robin Bousa, Ken Dunne, Alternate Paul Dadak, Alternate Tom Collins, Alte= rnate James McManus, Selectmen Representative Tom Domenico, Planning Director J= eff Gowan

ABSENT:

Alternate Bob Yarmo

WARRANT ARTICLE DISCUSSION & VO= TE

The PB will vote to either recomme= nd or not recommend the warrant article proposing the designation of the South Be= aver Brook wetland area as a prime wetland. =

Mr. Scanzani = said the Planning Board was meeting jointly with the Conservation Commission to discuss a warrant article proposing the designation of the South Beaver Bro= ok wetland area as a prime wetland.

The following Conservation Commission members were present for the discussion: Mr. Paul Gagnon, Mr. Paul Dadak (also Conservation Commission Representative for the Planning Board), Ms. Glennie Edwards, Mr. Jay Stearns and Ms. Karen MacKay (arrived at 7:35pm).

Mr. Mark West= of West Environmental said he had been hired by the Conservation Commission to= do a Townwide inventory of wetlands and start to target future potential prime wetlands. He gave a presentat= ion outlining the locations of prime wetlands/wetland and how they functioned. He discussed the rare species cont= ained in the area (proposed for prime wetland designation) and showed photographs= of such. He outlined the reasons= why the Town should designate the area as a prime wetland. Mr. West discussed the process that would have to be followed to designate the area as a prime wetland.

Mr. Scanzani noted that the wetland continued into Dracut, MA. Mr. West said Massachusetts didn’t have a ‘prime wetland’ designation.&n= bsp; Mr. Scanzani said the wetland was growing/expanding. Mr. West said they could expand, b= ut they had to delineate what was on the ground and in the field. Once it was designated by the Town= it could be re-examined in the future if there was significant change.

PUBLIC INPUT<= /p>

Mr. William Hayes, 9 Pinewood Drive provided the Board with a summary of actions taken in the past regarding wetland designation. He was h= opeful that the Planning Board would support the Conservation Commission in designating the proposed area as prime wetland.

Mr. Scanzani = read aloud the proposed Warrant Article.

Mr. Culbert questioned if the tax maps would be available to the Town. Mr. West said it was available on digital format and would be made available in paper format. Mr. Culbert questioned if there wo= uld be a discussion with Dracut, MA. Mr. Gagnon said he would bri= ng it to the attention of the Assistant Town Manager of Dracut, MA. Mr. Culbert questioned if the area= s in the center of the proposed wetland (dry areas) would be land locked if the wetland was designated as ‘prime’. He wanted to ensure that the desig= nation wouldn’t prevent a land owner from using his land or inhibit development. Mr. West answere= d no; the area would have more protection, development was not being prevented. Mr. Culbert asked if there were any trail systems within the land. Mr. West said he saw some trails, but was unaware if they were snowmobile trail= s. Mr. Culbert said the Board required private developers to maintain trail systems and expected if the area were = to become a prime wetland that the trails would be maintained.

MOTION:<= o:p>

(Domenico/Ouellette) To recommend the Warrant Article designating the South Beaver Brook wetland area as a prime wetland.

VOTE:

(7-0-0) The motion carri= ed.

PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED ZONING AMENDMENTS

The Planning Board discussed the following proposed changes to zoning. T= his was the second public hearing discussing the items. Members of the public were invited= to speak. Residents of Town, Mr. William Hay= es and Mr. J.R. Gauthier joined the conversation as well as Mr. Peter Zohdi of Herbert Associates and Mr. Mark Fougere of Fougere Planning & Development.

Item #1: Amend Article III General Provisions, Section 307-13 Computing Mini= mum Lot Sizes to increase minimum lot size requirements for residential dup= lex lots from 35,000 square feet of non-wetland soils to 55,000 sq. feet and to= not allow slopes greater than 20% or areas where ledge is not covered by at lea= st 4 feet of non-wetland soil to be counted in those minimum areas. The proposed changes would also require the area of proposed lots be doubled if more than 25% of the lot has slopes of 20% or if more than 25% of the lot has less th= an 2 feet of non-wetland soils depth to ledge. The changes would also require lo= ts to be accessible to first responders without first leaving the Town limits.

Item #2: Amend Article V Permitted Uses, Secti= on 307-18, table 2 to add Auto Repair Facilities and Truck Trailers/Contai= ner Pods to the table of permitted uses, but restrict them to the Business and Industrial zones.

Item #3: Amend Article IX Senior & Elderly Housing to:

· &nb= sp; = clarify age restrictions within definitions;=

· &nb= sp; = eliminate limit of 40 units per lot;

· &nb= sp; = increase minimum lot size from 5 to 10 acres= ;

· &nb= sp; = require 15,000 sq. feet of buildable land ar= ea per unit;

· &nb= sp; = change frontage requirement from 200 to 50 f= eet;

· &nb= sp; = not allow WCD to be counted in lot size computations;

· &nb= sp; = increase setback to abutter requirements;

· &nb= sp; = require sidewalks;

· &nb= sp; = require sprinkler fire protection;

· &nb= sp; = clarify bond and construction monitoring requirements

Item #4: Amend Article XI Signs to:

clarify definitions;
allow off-site Charitable signs with time limitations;
allow Electronic Messaging Displays with restrictions to message size, color, display time and transition;
allow group signs to be up to 150 sq. fee= t in total area;
restrict roof signs;
increase sign permit fees

Item 5: Amend Article XIII Enforcement and Miscellaneous, Section307-88 D to clarify non-expiration of variances to comply with NH State Law.

ADJOURNMEN= T

MOTION:<= o:p>

(Culbert/Dunne) To adjourn the meeting.

VOTE:

(7-0-0) The motion carri= ed.

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 11pm.

&nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; Respectfully submitted,

Charity A= . L. Willis

&nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; Recording Secretary