PB Minutes 05-21-07

APPROVED

TOWN OF PELHAM

PLANNING BOARD MEETING

May 21, 2007

The Chairman Peter McNama= ra called the meeting to order at 7:00= pm.

The Secretary Paul Dadak = called the roll:

PRESENT:

Peter McNamara, Paul Da= dak, Jason Croteau, Tim Doherty, Roger Montbleau, Alternate James McManus, Alternate Edward McGlynn, Selectmen Representative Robert Haverty, Planning Director Jeff Gowan

ABSENT:

Paddy Culbert, Alternat= e Joseph Passamonte

Mr. McNamara informed that Mr. McManus would v= ote in Mr. Culbert’s absence.

ADMINISTRATIVE

Map 8 Lot 9-64 IVERS, Timothy – Ivers Grove Lane – Request for Bond Reduction

Mr. J.R. Gauthier, 41 Industrial Park Drive= , on behalf of Mr. Tim Ivers, requested that the Board review the file and determine if there was excess bond money for the family. Mr. Gowan explained to the Board t= hat Mr. Gauthier had submitted a request for bond reduction late last week. He said Mr. Ivers had been sufferi= ng from a long illness and it appeared time to put together final affairs. Mr. Gauthier informed the Board th= at Mr. Ivers had passed in the morning. Mr. Gowan said once he had been contacted regarding the request, he contacted M= r. Rene LaBranche of Stantec Consulting (Town’s engineer) and went over = the remaining work. He said he co= uld attest that the work that had progressed had done so very well. He then reviewed the recommendatio= ns submitted by Stantec. Stantec= said the Board could retain 30% contingency - the current bond is $78,394.93 with 30% retained (from original bond amount) there would be a reduction of $8998 leaving $69,396.93. Mr. Gowan recommended that the Board follow the alternative bond reduction calculation which would be to maintain a 10% surety on the remaining work. The bond would be reduced by $42,7= 52.63 retaining $35,642.30.

Mr. Rene LaBranche of Sta= ntec said in certain cases retaining 30% is excessive. He said in this case with the short cul-de-sac road that wouldn’t be further developed, he would recommend retaining a 10% surety.

Mr. McNamara asked how lo= ng the road was. Mr. Gauthier said the to= tal length (including the cul-de-sac) was 585ft. Mr. McNamara questioned what work = was remaining. Mr. LaBranche said= the top coat, gravel of shoulders and grass growth. Mr. Gauthier said the shoulder wor= k had not been finalized. Mr. LaBra= nche explained what options were being discussed. Mr. McNamara said the Board was sympathetic with the family but wanted to make sure the Town retained an adequate amount. Mr. LaBranch= e said in this case there were not a lot of variables and were comfortable retaini= ng 10%.

Mr. Gowan discussed bonds= and the reasons for retaining contingencies. Mr. Gauthier informed the Board that he had an estimate of approxima= tely $15,000 to finish the job. He= said the homes should be built out during the summer and top the road in late September early October.

MOTION:

(Montbleau/Dadak) To ap= prove the bond reduction to reduce the bond amount from $78,394.93 to $35,642.30 (which is 10% of the original bond).&nbs= p;

VOTE:

(7-0-= 0) The motion carried.

DISCUSSION

Rene LaBranche, Senior Associate of Stantec Consulting Services = Inc. – To provide an overview of Stantec’s range of review services, qualifications of their personnel and the scope of the Town’s current bond and escrow process

Mr. Rene LaBranche and Mr= . Dick Hertrich of Stantec Consulting Services Inc. met with the Board to discuss = what services they provided to the Town. He informed that Stantec had acquired Vollmer Associates in April, 2= 007 and would move to Manchester in June, 2007. He said Vollme= r had traffic, transportation and environmental services. Mr. Hertrich explained the procedu= re they took when reviewing a project. There was a discussion regarding the services Stantec provided regar= ding plan review, construction monitoring, administrative (billing) and communication. Examples of le= tters and checklists were provided to the Board.=

General Discussion of the Planning Board Goals and Objectives

Mr. Gowan discussed zonin= g issues he wanted the Board to consider. The first being conservation development, which in the past had been called many things such as open space and cluster development. He believed this type of developme= nt would provide options to developers. He circulated a model ordinance recently developed by the Department= of Environmental Services (‘DES’) to the Board members. He said he had been working with C= arolyn Russel from the DES who had been reviewing ordinances from throughout the country. He noted that the mo= del ordinance had been adopted by a town that put their own ‘spin’ = on such. He also mentioned that = Mr. Doherty found that Stratham had a similar ordinance in place. Mr. Gowan said he would like the B= oard to appoint a sub-committee consisting of member from the Planning Board, Bo= ard of Adjustment, Conservation Commission as well as members from the community and builders. He felt it was important to create a draft ordinance early in the year to allow time to re= ach out to the community for input. Mr. Doherty discussed the research he had done which included a lengthy conversation with the Stratham Planning Director. He said the ordinance Stratham was= using had some issues that wouldn’t necessarily work in Pelham. He felt Board members should review ordinances from other Towns to see the items that were addressed.

Mr. J.R. Gauthier, 41 Industrial Park Drive= , who was seated with the public came forward and informed the Board that he = had a proposal coming before the Board later in the year. He offered to time the plan so the= Board could view the plan done to the current ordinance as well as to a ‘conservation development’ ordinance. He wanted to know if the Board wou= ld consider looking at the plan under the current review process in the event = that the (still to be drafted) new ordinance failed. Mr. McNamara said the Board would = seek legal opinion as to what they could do.&nb= sp; Mr. Gauthier, having discussed similar ordinances in the past with previous boards, was happy the current Board was considering drafting a new= ordinance.

Mr. McNamara said with the Board’s concurrence a sub-committee would be formed. He believed Mr. Culbert was interested. Mr. Doherty was interested. Representatives f= rom the Board of Adjustment and the Conservation Commission should also be invited. Mr. Gowan said as th= e sub-committee progressed they would update the Board periodically. He said he would bring a list of interested people before the Board to the June 4, 2007 meeting. The Board could then make a decisi= on regarding appointments.

Mr. Gowan said another it= em in zoning he had been reviewing was the Context Sensitive Solution (‘CSS’) program for the Town Center project. He said one of the components was = to discuss zoning to have something in place so when the center project progre= ssed there would be guidelines to follow.

Mr. Gowan said in the late 1990’s the Nashua Regional Planning Commission developed a non-residential guideline for the Town (basically for the area along Route 38). He said the document wasn’t really used because the recommendations didn’t go along = with the Town’s Site Plan recommendations. He provided the Board with a copy = of the document and suggested that the Site Plan regulations be overhauled. He said Pelham was about to change, based on things currently happening behind the scenes.

Mr. Gowan discussed CSS, = how it came about and how it was being applied to the Town Center project.

Mr. Gowan ended his discu= ssion by informing that the Community Technical Assistance Program (‘CTAP̵= 7;) was funding the development of an open space program that the Town could re= view when discussing zoning.

MINUTES

May 7= , 2007

MOTION:

(Haverty/Croteau) To ap= prove the May 7, 2007= minutes as amended.

VOTE:

() Th= e motion carried. <= /p>

ADJOURNMENT

MOTION:

(Montbleau/Croteau) To = adjourn the meeting.

VOTE:

(7-0-= 0) The motion carried.

The meeting was adjourned= at approximately 9:10 pm

&n= bsp; = ; &n= bsp; = ; &n= bsp; = ; &n= bsp; Respectfully submitted,

Charity A. L. Willis

&n= bsp; = ; &n= bsp; = ; &n= bsp; = ; &n= bsp; Recording Secretary