ATKINSON PLANNING BOARD

Atkinson, New Hampshire

Planning Board Meeting

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Present: Sue Killam, Chairperson; Paul DiMaggio, Vice-Chairman; Joe Guischard;

Tim Dziechowski

Alternate: Sue Miner; Harold Morse

Ex-Officio: Jack Sapia

Sue Killam opened the meeting at 7:50 p.m.

Ms. Killam reviewed the incoming and outgoing correspondence.

Sue Killam opened the public hearing at 8:00 p.m.

Mr. & Mrs. Blake Baker, 16 Chase Island Regarding Deed Addendum – Building on Class VI Road: Sue Killam reads to the Board the RSA description. She introduces the Board members to the Bakers. The Bakers have spoken with the Building Inspector, and they have recorded the deed which includes an addendum that the Town is not responsible for Chase Island Road. Sumner Kalman, Town Counsel, provided the wording for the addendum. Paul DiMaggio is concerned that emergency vehicles will not be able to get through the road, but Tim Dziechowski states that the RSA protects the Town from this liability. Mr. DiMaggio feels the language is loose and questions whether it will stand up in court regarding negligence. Mr. Dziechowski states there is lots of case law behind the RSA. The Bakers’ home is being converted from a seasonal home to a year-round home, and the Bakers have already been to the Zoning Board. Town Counsel advised that this process be followed because the house is being torn down and rebuilt. Simple renovations do not need to follow this same process. Ms. Killam feels these cases should be looked at by a case-by-case basis to make recommendations to the Board of Selectmen.

Planning Board Consideration to Adopt the Updates to the Community Profile Chapter of the Atkinson Master Plan: Eric Steltzer presented to the Board that the Community Profile Chapter did not change much from his original writing in June. He has added an overall statistical summary of 10-15 years. The same growth patterns have occurred throughout the Seacoast area due to the baby boom burst. There is a greater fluctuation in the 45+ age group. Tim Dziechowski asks if projections can be made regarding recreation per age group? Mr. Steltzer states that the data he has provided is the most up-to-date and factual data available. Mr. Steltzer states that the share of school enrollment has decreased in Atkinson as opposed to the increase Danville has seen. Mr. Dziechowski feels this is due to more buildable land in Danville than in Atkinson. The data provided in the Community Profile Chapter is important to a commercial business looking to do business in this area and not necessarily for the average resident. It is statistical data. Sue Miner asks if the housing shift (55+) was also used in the projections. Mr. Steltzer stated that the data was done by OEP from March/April 2007 and probably did not know about the 55+ housing shift. Ms. Miner feels something, perhaps a comment, should be added that the 55+ shift will have an effect on the demographics for Atkinson. Mr. Steltzer feels this could be placed where Atkinson is specifically mentioned and not in the entire county information. Sue Killam feels the comment should be generic and not specific to the Atkinson Heights development and not zero in on an actual timeframe. Sue Miner also suggested that with regard to the year dates the words "prior to 1900" rather than "-1900" should be used to avoid confusion.

Planning Board Consideration to Adopt the Updates to the Housing Chapter of the Atkinson Master Plan: Eric Steltzer states that affordability is a regional issue, but what can Atkinson do to address the issue if it becomes a concern here. Mr. Steltzer discusses the background of the affordability issue and diverse portfolio within a community. Mr. Steltzer mentions the RSAs and case law. A low/moderate income ordinance has been adopted in Town. It is asked what parcels in Town are there where low/moderate homes could be developed. There are about 30 parcels totaling 900 acres. The profile shows where the potential is in Town. The Chapter speaks of housing units, including average annual changes, housing types (single family, condos, etc.) and more of a need for multi-housing. Apartment complexes would fit into the multi-housing category. The data is gathered from the census data, and Mr. Steltzer does not know their methodology. The information from 1990 is from the census. The information from 2005 is from the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority, and they may not classify housing units as the same. Mr. Steltzer will look into whether there is a correlation in the data. The owner-occupied and renter-occupied data was gathered from the 2000 data.

Housing Economics: There was a spike in building permits in Atkinson, but not in the surrounding towns. These building permits included all building permits, not limited to new housing. The Occupancy Certificates will show the spike, and the tax data can also show the growth in new housing during this time period. This data shows the shift of the economy to allow building (additions) onto existing homes along with the new housing building which occurred. Housing value/costs is discussed as to mortgage holders and renters. The percents change in Town, and the Town is consistent with other surrounding communities and the county with regard to mortgages. $600 is low for renting a home, as opposed to an apartment. Sue Killam asks if a comment should be placed that the type of rental property in Town will play a part in the median rental price for rental property in Town. The median affordable home price in 2000 in Town is $201,000. The Town had access to a large market. In 2006, the median price for a home in Town was $236,000. The surrounding towns’ home prices increased much more as opposed to Atkinson. The figures for the median home prices were just for Atkinson, not for the surrounding towns. The figures indicate that there is not as much affordable housing in Atkinson as opposed to surrounding communities. The total curve and how it fluctuates should be looked at rather than pinpointing specific housing in specific towns. The key information is affordable housing and whether it is accessible. Sue Miner asks why assessment costs are not assessed, how many were new homes, how many were resales, and what the assessments were on the resales? Gathering the data of assessed value would answer these questions, but statistics are based on sales, not on assessed values. Mr. Steltzer tried to simplify the matter and not get into how the numbers were figured out. Median housing for other communities would make it more confusing, where this Chapter is just for Atkinson and should reflect only Atkinson’s median affordable housing. The data shows where the median income individual would be able to afford median affordable housing, and in 2000 it was outside of Atkinson in the surrounding towns. Atkinson does not have workforce housing. Service workers would find it difficult to afford housing in this community due to the housing increases. The data presented includes the total family income, and does not break it down by the number of jobs or number of working adults in the household. Atkinson is affordable for rental property. Sue Miner suggests the data be broken down into a chart/graph form and include the surrounding communities for comparison. The housing costs for rental and owning is broken down as follows: 30% of income goes towards affordable housing. Above that, it is not affordable. 66% of people pay more than 30% of their income towards their mortgage. The ownership market is clearly different from the rental market. Sue Miner asks how many units in Town are approved for Section 8 housing, and what the income level must be to rent Section 8 housing. Mr. Steltzer feels there are not that many with the Rockingham Planning Commission. This could be a good recommendation to add in the final chapter of the Master Plan. Mr. Steltzer asks the Board if the figure should be in a tabular format versus a graph format. Harold Morse suggests colors to differentiate the lines. Sue Miner and Sue Killam suggest a chart because the graph is too confusing. Jack Sapia suggests a bar graph rather than all the points as currently shown. It is not easy to understand. He also feels the information should be compared to the surrounding communities. Mr. Steltzer explained that the information is reflecting the area, not the individual developer or developments. Mr. Morse does not feel the numbers are accurate and that houses in Town were not sold at the prices shown in the graph. Mr. Steltzer offers to redo the chart and simplify it and make it more easily understandable. Ms. Miner asks if the Town should compare itself to Hampstead or Salem rather than Danville. Mr. Sapia states the school district is being used rather than geographics. Ms. Miner counters that if we are looking at the general area, you would look at other surrounding communities rather than those within the school district. Mr. Steltzer included the school district, and that the Rockingham Planning Commission will expand the area of comparison. Mr. Morse pointed out some typographical changes to the wording.

Recommendations: Mr. Steltzer will draft the educational components for the community to deal with affordable staffing.

CTAP: The GIS staff has done a buildout analysis and would like to make a presentation to the Board. With regard to the CTAP fund, Russ McAllister has not applied for the money, has some ideas but has not applied for it, and therefore, there has been no denial. The CTAP does not specify certain individuals to apply. The CTAP suggests a CTAP committee, but Mr. McAllister is the CTAP representative. Harold Morse questions this because Mr. McAllister is a non-resident of Atkinson. Tim Dziechowski and Mr. Morse feel the money should go to tax maps and GIS. This subject will be discussed at the November 7, 2007 workshop meeting which the Board feels Mr. McAllister should attend. CTAP will also update conservation maps for each individual town in Phase II.

New Business: The Joint Board of Licensure sent a letter requiring a license for landscape architects. There are regulations for architects, but the stamp has never been required on plans from landscaper. Mr. Steltzer suggests looking at the regulations and ordinances and determining how much is needed to warrant a stamp on the plan.

Sue Killam closed the public hearing at 10:10 p.m.

Planning Board Minutes: The Planning Board reviewed the minutes of the August 15, 2007 meeting. Changes were made as follows: Date change from "July 18, 2007" to "August 15, 2007" in the header on pages 2 through 5.

The Planning Board reviewed the minutes of the September 19, 2007 meeting. Changes were made as follows:

p.3, para. 2, l.1 -- delete "the" before "Tim."

p.3, para. 2, l.10 -- change "wavier" to "waiver."

p.3, para. 3, l.1 -- delete the first sentence in its entirety.

p.3, para. 3, l2 -- add the words "community center" before "land."

The meeting was adjourned at 10:20 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Raelene McBride