ATKINSON PLANNING BOARD

Atkinson, New Hampshire

Planning Board Workshop Meeting

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Present: Sue Killam, Chairperson; Joe Guischard; Tim Dziechowski; Mike Fletcher

Sue Killam opened the meeting at 7:40 p.m. Ms. Killam reviewed the incoming and outgoing correspondence.

Tim Lavelle, Lavelle Associates regarding Lincmark Realty Trust Property located on corner of Main Street and Pages Lane, Map 13, Lot 15: The property has been subdivided into two lots. The owner is looking to put a commercial building with a restaurant/commercial business on the front lot and a daycare on the back lot. There will be a shared entrance into both lots with easements on the landscape strip. The Town Center zoning does not allow outdoor activity, but the outdoor play area for the daycare would be in the rural area zoning. The land designated for the outdoor play area is dry. The lot lends itself to a two-story building with one story facing Main Street and two stories in the back with a walkout back entrance. Mike Fletcher feels the daycare may need an emergency exit other than the Pages Lane exit. The owner is looking for the landscape strip to straddle the lot lines with the entrance rather than running two entrances. The parking lot will be in the back of the building. The parking lot is large enough to allow cars to enter and exit and turnaround. There are two separate site plans for each lot. Tim Dziechowski would like to see runoff from the back parking lot controlled from running into the wetlands. The Planning Board reviewed the permitted use charts which shows that a private school is required to have access from a State maintained highway. Mr. Lavelle argues that it does not say "direct" access; it just states it needs access. Mr. Lavelle states that the State prefers the access on Pages Lane. Mr. Lavelle has not spoken with Ted Stewart regarding this issue. There is plenty of site distance for an entrance on Main Street. It was also discussed having two driveways – one entering on the north and one exiting on the south (one on Main Street and one on Pages Lane). Sue Killam would like Ted Stewart’s opinion of the entrance on Pages Lane. Tim Lavelle will leave the plans with the Planning Board to discuss. The amount of office space in the building is unknown at this time. The permitted uses for Town Center do not allow retail, and the retail that is currently in Town Center has been grandfathered. Professional/civic services and governmental services are permitted in Town Center. It was also discussed that traffic calming methods for this section of Town are an issue. There is 15ft tree strip running along the boundary from the right-of-way. There is a minimum of one shade tree in the tree street strip. It is required to have ornamental/evergreen trees for every 30ft of building, 15ft of landscaping in the front and rear of the property. The plan needs more internal green area within the parking area and around the building. The landscape strip on the boundary can have a waiver if it is treated as one area. The parking can be added in the green area on the second lot with easements. Sue Killam feels the building will look good, but there is too much pavement shown on the plan as it is now. The plan is showing enough parking for an 80+ seat restaurant plus parking for the office spaces. It needs to fit into the Town Center regulations when it is done and must maintain a small town look. Lightposts can be placed along the trees to break up the parking lot. The group childcare center is the definition to use for the daycare center planning. A group daycare is not in the permitted use, but it is in the definitions. The only school in the use chart is a public/private school. Section 520 of the permitted uses allows a special exemption by the ZBA to permit group child daycare. This would be step one in going forward with these plans. Tim Lavelle will speak with Ted Stewart regarding the entrance on Pages Lane and Main Street.

Discussion on Class VI Road: The Planning Board discussed that there can be no building on a Class VI road without Board of Selectmen approval. If there is not approval, then it can go to zoning. Town Meeting can also pass a warrant article, but the liability waiver requirement is removed. The Selectmen are required to discuss this issue with the Planning Board. This issue should be discussed on a lot-by-lot basis.

Planning Board Minutes: The Planning Board reviewed the minutes of the June 20, 2007 meeting.

Citizen Survey: The Citizen Survey was sent to UNH, and they put it in a new format and made additions which need to be reviewed and the survey reduced by a page. Sue Killam offered to go through and delete what questions were not needed. Tim Dziechowski will send Sue Killam an e-mail with his suggestions of questions that should be on the survey. The questions should represent what they can do for the Master Plan. The Planning Board will review the survey and e-mail their suggestions to Sue Killam.

Jane Jones Parcel: The Planning Board discussed the Jane Jones parcel. The back land went entirely to open space and was stamped with the Planning Board’s approval. Sue Killam disagrees because the land was not deeded. Town Counsel reviewed the RSA, and the plans and deeds say that the homeowners association has equity in the land. The lot lines were merged into Settlers Ridge and conveyed the front property to the owner. Deeds need to be created and recorded to convey the lot line adjustment. The land was planned to be merged because the deed was not recorded. Ownership was not conveyed to Settlers Ridge when the lot line was adjusted. The homeowners association would like to see the land go to the Conservation Commission. The land was not conveyed to the homeowner or to the homeowners association. The land has been offered to the Conservation Commission, and the Conservation Commission would like to purchase it.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Raelene McBride