Planning Board Minutes
July 17, 2006
In the absence of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman, Secretary PersonNameKevin McKinnon opened the meeting at 7:10 pm. Board members present were Irene Bean, Selectman Benoit Lamontagne, alternates Sandra Riendeau and Joe Ippolito. Joe was asked to sit in for Edward Carrier and Sandra for Mike Ouellet.
Others present were David St.Germain, Mike Robinson, Marc Bigney, William Sambito, Norman & Leona Broome, Barbara Hann, Germaine Boire, William Weir, Guy Laperle and PersonNameSheila Beauchemin.
Mike Ouellet arrived shortly after the meeting begain and resumed chairmanship.
Building Permits:
Michael Robinson – 10’ x 24’ porch/deck on trailer located at 303 Titus Hill Road. Mr. Robinson was asked to fill in the setbacks on the application. Joe Ippolito made a motion to approve the permit; PersonNameKevin McKinnon seconded and all present agreed. APPROVED - #2006-68
John Groesser - 18’ x 40 storage building to be built at 177 Piper Hill Road. PersonNameKevin McKinnon made a motion to approve the permit, conditional on receiving the permit fee. Irene Bean seconded and all present agreed. APPROVED - #2006-69.
Sign Permits:
Allen Industries, Inc. - 2’ x 18’ sign, stating “Family Dollar”, to be placed on the sign band over the doors on the building at 154 Main Street. Benoit Lamontagne made a motion to approve the permit; Irene Bean seconded and all present agreed. APPROVED - #2006-70
Allen Industries, Inc. – 2’ x 18’ sign, stating “Family Dollar”, to be placed on the building by the loading dock at 154 Main Street. Benoit Lamontagne made a motion to approve the permit; Irene Bean seconded and all present agreed. APPROVED - #2006-71
Allen Industries, Inc. – 1’ x 4’ sign, stating “Family Dollar”, to be placed under the canopy in front of the doors on the building located at 154 Main Street. Benoit Lamontagne made a motion to approve the permit; Irene Bean seconded and all present agreed. APPROVED - #2006-72
Allen Industries, Inc. – 4’ x 8’ sign, stating “Family Dollar”, to be placed on the existing projecting sign bracket on the building located at 154 Main Street. Benoit Lamontagne made a motion to approve the permit; Irene Bean seconded and all present agreed. APPROVED - #2006-73
North Country Community Recreation Center – Two 4’ x 8’ signs, stating “Indoor Swim Pool” to be placed at the corner of Lynch Road and Route 3. Mr. Sambito explained that the signs will be angled so that the information can be seen by traffic traveling north and south. Mike Ouellet asked that, when the sign is placed, PersonNameKevin McKinnon be notified to review the line of sight. Irene Bean made a motion to accept the application, conditional on state approval being received if necessary. She also moved that the fee be waived. PersonNameKevin McKinnon seconded the motion and all present agreed. CONDITIONAL APPROVAL - #2006-74
Site Plan Public Hearing:
Norman & Leona Broome – Chairman Ouellet opened the site plan public hearing to review the property located at 218 Main Street for the purpose of using the existing residential garage as a retail plumbing shop. A telephone conversation from Leon Geil of NH DOT indicated that Mr. Broome would need to apply for a new driveway permit as this venture is considered a change in use of the property.
Barbara Hann explained that she was concerned about the right-of-way which goes through the property being blocked by customers. Norman and Leona assured her that they did not foresee that happening as they have parking space for two vehicles at the moment. They also did not expect high traffic volume. Benoit Lamontage asked if people could park on Route 3. Mr. Broome remarked that it is a current practice along the street.
Mr. Broome indicated that they hope to open in August. Delivery trucks would be regular UPS trucks with all supplies kept inside the building, other than an occasional oil tank. Mr. Broome indicated that there would be no running water within the shop.
Benoit Lamontagne made a motion to accept the site plan as presented, conditional on receiving a state approved driveway permit. Joe Ippolito seconded and all present agreed. CONDITIONAL APPROVAL
Bills:
PersonNameKevin McKinnon made a motion to approve payment of the Gardner, Fulton & Waugh invoice for $140 and the Colebrook Chronicle invoice for $40. Joe Ippolito seconded and all present agreed.
New Business:
William Weir - Mr. Weir explained that he is interested in expanding his landscape business in the field at the corner of Piper Hill and Route 3 North to include the renting of equipment, such as tractors with a bushhog and small excavators. He stated that the equipment belonged to K.C. Rentals owned by Randy Beaton from Lancaster. Richard Feltham, owner of the Route 3 property, has agreed to this business venture being placed on the property.
Mr. Weir stated that he would haul the equipment for renters. He does not anticipate moving in a great amount of equipment and has no plans for a building. If approved, he would add “Rentals” to one of the slots on the existing sign on the proeprty.
The Board felt the minimum of another site plan waiver should be sought by Mr. Weir as this venture is somewhat different than a landscaping business. Mr. Weir was cautioned that, if this business venture is approved with a site plan waiver, any problems in the future would necessitate a full public site plan hearing. He was further advised to check with the abutters to be sure there was no problem.
Daniel Lynch – The Board reviewed a complaint received regarding a trailer on Daniel Lynch’s property on Hartlen Avenue that does not appear to have a permit. Mr. Lynch will be asked to come in and explain.
Richard Feltham – Mr. Feltham questioned what was needed to complete a subdivision reviewed originally by the Board in 2001, but not approved. Due to the time period elapsed, the Board determined that the subdivision process of certified mailings and newspaper ad must be repeated. It was also decided that perc results and test pit data would need to show on the subdivision plan, along with the driveway approved in 2001. Any rights-of-way should also be indicated.
The question as to how close to a river a structure can be built revealed that the Town of Colebrook regulations do not stipulate a distance. State regulations should be followed.
Benoit Lamontagne questioned if the Planning Board should consider changing the site plan regulations to indicate a time limit to complete a site plan. All Board members were in agreement and contemplated looking at one year for substantial improvement and two years to complete. It was felt that, if the site plan could not be completed within these limits, the applicant could apply for an extension. The procedure to change site plan regulations requires a public hearing be convened to discuss the proposed change. This specifics of such a change will be discussed again at the next meeting.
The following applications for a certificate of occupancy were reviewed and signed:
Suzanne Carrier – Storage Shed, Titus Hill
Richard Lawton – Deck, Cummings Street
Old Business:
CN Brown – Germain Boire appeared in regards to the request that entrance and exit signs be placed at CN Brown’s place of business at the corner of Main and Colby Street. Chairman Ouellet reviewed that, at a meeting in 2003, personnel from CN Brown agreed to paint “Entrance Only” on the pavement in front of the Main Street access, plus mount a sign stating “Entrance Only”. It was also agreed to put a sign stating “Exit only” by the Colby Street access. Everyone present agreed that vehicles using the front access to exit onto Route 3 was dangerous due to the congestion in that area.
Mr. Boire stated that painting “Entrance Only” on the pavement could be done easily; however, he questioned where the signs should be placed. He felt that, by placing them on the sidewalk ,they could easily be knocked down by the sidewalk plow. It was suggested that the Main Street “entrance only” sign be placed on the existing sign post at that corner and the “exit only” sign be placed on the pole at the Colby Street access. The hope is to create a correct flow of traffic as much as possible.
Mike Robinson – A letter received by Guy Laperle in reference to Mike Robinson’s used car sales lot at Route 3 North was read into the record. Mr. LaPerle stated that he felt the site plan should remain as approved, not reconsidered, or changed. He asked if the property was going to be developed and questioned it being done in a piecemeal fashion.
Mike Ouellet responded that nothing has changed since the site plan was approved. The planning board had been approached regarding concerns as to whether the sale of cars only on the property was part of the site plan. An opinion from town counsel had been obtained but was ambiguious. The Board had requested and received a second opinion, but has not had an opportunity to review and discuss it.
Mr. LaPerle asked if the original site plan had expired. Mr. Ouellet responded that the building permit was good for one year and had expired; however, site plans do not have an expiration date or time limit as to when it must be completed.
Mr. Robinson stated that he had called the state before putting cars for sale on the lot. He felt he had been approved to buy and sell cars and that is what he is doing. Mr. Ouellet stated that the Board would review the attorney’s opinion later in the meeting and have a decision within the next two weeks. (After review of the legal opinion at the end of the meeting, it was agreed Chairman Ouellet would draft a letter with the Board’s decision to Mr. Robinson, with a copy to Mark Bigney and Guy LaPerle.)
PersonNameKevin McKinnon made a motion to approve the minutes for the June 19th and July 6th meeting as written. Benoit Lamontagne seconded and all present agreed.
The meeting adjourned at 9 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Sheila M. Beauchemin
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